F-1/A 1 d160437df1a.htm AMENDMENT NO.3 TO FORM F-1 Amendment No.3 to Form F-1
Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 1, 2022

Registration No. 333-266058

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

 

AMENDMENT NO. 3

TO

FORM F-1

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Under

The Securities Act of 1933

 

GigaCloud Technology Inc

(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

 

Not Applicable

(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)

 

 

 

Cayman Islands   5961   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
incorporation or organization)
  (Primary Standard Industrial
Classification Code Number)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification Number)

Unit A, 12/F, Shun Ho Tower

24-30 Ice House Street

Central

Hong Kong

+852 2369-8219

(Address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of Registrant’s principal executive offices)

 

Cogency Global Inc.

122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor

New York, NY 10168

+1 800-221-0102

(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone number, including area code, of agent for service)

 

 

 

Copies to:

Benjamin Su, Esq.

Daying Zhang, Esq.

Latham & Watkins LLP

18th Floor, One Exchange Square

8 Connaught Place, Central

Hong Kong

+852 2912-2500

 

Anthony W. Basch, Esq.

Alexander W. Powell, Esq.

Kaufman & Canoles, P.C.

Two James Center, 14th Floor

1021 East Cary St.

Richmond, Virginia 23219

+1 (804) 771-5700

 

 

Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:

As soon as practicable after the effective date of this registration statement.

If any of the securities being registered on this Form are to be offered on a delayed or continuous basis pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Act, check the following box.  ☐

If this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

If this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering.  ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933.

Emerging growth company  ☒

If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act.  ☐

The Registrant hereby amends this registration statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which specifically states that this registration statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities Act, as amended, or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission, acting pursuant to said Section 8(a) may determine.

 

The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards Codification after April 5, 2012.

 

 

 


Table of Contents

The information in this preliminary prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This preliminary prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, dated August 1, 2022

PRELIMINARY    PROSPECTUS

GigaCloud Technology Inc

2,450,000 Class A Ordinary Shares

 

 

This is an initial public offering of 2,450,000 Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.05 per share, by GigaCloud Technology Inc. We anticipate the initial public offering price of our Class A ordinary shares to be between $10.25 and $12.25 per Class A ordinary share.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our shares. We have applied to list our Class A ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Global Market, or Nasdaq, under the symbol “GCT.”

In this prospectus, “Cayman Islands holding company” refers to GigaCloud Technology Inc, our Cayman Islands holding company and its predecessor entity; “we,” “us,” “our company,” “our,” “our group” or “GigaCloud Group” refers to GigaCloud Technology Inc, our Cayman Islands holding company, its predecessor entity, together as a group with its subsidiaries and, in the context of describing our operations and consolidated financial statements, its consolidated variable interest entities, or VIEs, and any subsidiaries of its consolidated VIEs; “Hong Kong Subsidiary” refers to GigaCloud Technology (HongKong) Limited, a wholly-owned subsidiary of GigaCloud Technology Inc in Hong Kong principally for operating the B2B GigaCloud Marketplace; and “PRC Subsidiaries” refer to operating subsidiaries of GigaCloud Technology Inc in mainland China principally for procurement and providing inter-group services to the group companies.

We are an “emerging growth company” as defined under applicable securities laws in the United States, or the U.S., and are eligible for reduced public company reporting requirements.

See “Risk Factors” beginning on page 31 to read about factors you should consider before buying our Class A ordinary shares.

GigaCloud Technology Inc is a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and not a direct Chinese or Hong Kong operating company. As a holding company with no material operations of its own, GigaCloud Technology Inc conducts its operations through its principal subsidiaries incorporated in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States and principal consolidated VIEs incorporated in the United States and the United Kingdom. Our corporate structure involves unique risks to investors as they are purchasing equity securities in a Cayman Islands holding company with operations conducted by our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs, and not equity securities of our subsidiaries based in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States, nor equity securities of our consolidated VIEs based in the United States and the United Kingdom. The Class A ordinary shares offered in this offering are shares of our Cayman Islands holding company instead of the shares of our subsidiaries or consolidated VIEs. Investors will not and may never directly hold equity interests in our subsidiaries or consolidated VIEs, including the equity interests in our principal subsidiaries based in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States and our principal consolidated VIEs based in the United States and the United Kingdom. While our current corporate structure does not contain any VIE in the People’s Republic of China, or the PRC, and our group has no intention establishing any VIEs in the PRC in the future, if in the future our group’s corporate structure were to contain a VIE, the PRC regulatory authorities could disallow the VIE structure, which would likely result in a material change in our operations and/or a material change in the value of the securities we are registering for sale, including that it could cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or in extreme cases, become worthless. We do not own any equity interest in the consolidated VIEs. We control and receive the economic benefits of our consolidated VIEs and their business operations through certain contractual arrangements. Uncertainties exist as to our ability to enforce the VIE agreements, and the enforceability of the VIE agreements has not been tested in a court of law. For a description of our corporate structure and our contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs and the risks related to our corporate structure, see “Corporate History and Structure—Contractual Arrangements with Our Consolidated VIEs and their Shareholders,” “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders for a portion of our business operations. These arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control,” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC government may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in mainland China- and Hong Kong-based issuers, may exercise significant oversight and discretion over a company’s ability to conduct business in mainland China and Hong Kong and may intervene in or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale.”

The PRC government has recently indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over overseas securities offerings and other capital markets activities by, and overseas and/or foreign investment in, companies with operations in mainland China and Hong Kong, including enhancing supervision over companies with operations in mainland China that are listed overseas using VIE structure, and that the PRC regulatory authorities could disallow the use of such VIE holding structure. We do not believe that we are directly subject to these regulatory actions or statements, as we do not currently have any VIE in the PRC. However, the rules and regulations and the enforcement thereof in China can change quickly. The PRC regulatory authorities could change the rules, regulations and policies regarding foreign ownership in the industry in which we operate, which would likely result in material change in our operations and/or a material change in the value of the securities we are registering for sale, including that it could cause the value of the securities to significantly decline, or become worthless. The PRC government may intervene with or influence our operations in mainland China and Hong Kong as the government deems appropriate to further regulatory, political and societal goals. Any such action, once taken by the PRC government, could result in a material change in our operations, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of the securities we are registering for sale to significantly decline or in extreme cases, become worthless. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC government may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in mainland China- and Hong Kong-based issuers, may exercise significant oversight and discretion over a company’s ability to conduct business in mainland China and Hong Kong and may intervene in or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale.”

On June 30, 2020, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the PRC, or the Standing Committee of the NPC, promulgated the Law of the People’s Republic of China on Safeguarding National Security in the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or the Law of PRC on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong. The interpretation of the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong involves a degree of uncertainty. Recently, the PRC government announced that it would step up supervision of overseas listed PRC businesses. Under the new measures, the PRC government will enhance regulation of cross-border data flows and security, crack down on illegal activity in the securities market and punish fraudulent securities issuance, market manipulation and insider trading. The PRC government will also check sources of funding for securities investment and control leverage ratios. The PRC government has also opened a probe into several U.S.-listed technology companies focusing on anti-monopoly, financial technology regulation and more recently, with the passage of the PRC Data Security Law, how companies collect, store, process and transfer personal data. Currently these laws (other than the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong) are expected to apply to mainland China domestic businesses, rather than businesses in Hong Kong which operate under a different set of laws from mainland China. However, there can be no assurance that the government of Hong Kong will not enact similar laws and regulations applicable to companies operating in Hong Kong. For example, the PRC government may pressure the government of Hong Kong to enact similar laws and regulations to those in the PRC, which may seek to exert control over offerings conducted overseas by Hong Kong companies. If any or all of the foregoing were to occur, it could lead to a material adverse change in GigaCloud Group’s operations and limit or hinder our ability to offer securities to overseas investors or remain listed in the United States, which could cause the value of the securities we are registering for sale to significantly decline or become worthless. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Implementation of the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong involves uncertainty, and the recent policy pronouncements by the PRC government regarding business activities of U.S.-listed PRC businesses may negatively impact GigaCloud Group’s existing and future operations in Hong Kong.”

Although we have operations in many locations globally, we face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties as a result of being based in and having operations in mainland China and Hong Kong. We launched our GigaCloud Marketplace under our Hong Kong Subsidiary in 2019. Our PRC Subsidiaries perform cost functions and internal operational functions, but our PRC Subsidiaries do not generate revenue in the PRC. Accordingly, the laws and regulations of the PRC have an impact on the operational and procurement aspects of our business. Furthermore, the PRC government has authority to exert political and economic influence on the ability of a company with operations in mainland China and Hong Kong to conduct business, accept foreign investment or list on the United States or the other foreign exchange. For example, we may face risks associated with regulatory approvals of offshore offerings, anti-monopoly regulatory actions, oversight on cybersecurity and data privacy, the lack of inspection of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the PCAOB, of our auditors, as well as regulatory risks relating to companies in Hong Kong. Based on our inquiry with the relevant PRC government authority and the advice of our PRC legal counsel, we believe we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, are currently not required to file with the Cyberspace Administration of China, or the CAC, for a cybersecurity review as of the date hereof, because (i) our B2B ecommerce platform, GigaCloud Marketplace, is operated in Hong Kong under our Hong Kong Subsidiary with under one million users, and (ii) our GigaCloud Marketplace is a B2B ecommerce platform and any data we collected on our sellers and buyers are limited without any personal information. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The approval or other administration requirements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, or other PRC governmental authorities, may be required in connection with this offering under a PRC regulation or any new laws, rules or regulations to be enacted, and if required, we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain such approval. The regulation also establishes more complex procedures for acquisitions conducted by foreign investors that could make it more difficult for us to grow through acquisitions.” In light of recent statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government related to the PRC’s extension of authority into Hong Kong, there is also risk that the PRC government may intervene or influence our operations in Hong Kong, as our operations in Hong Kong are subject to political and economic influence from the PRC government. Our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be subject to direct intervention or influence from the PRC government in the future due to changes in laws or other unforeseeable reasons. Such risks could impact our ability to conduct our business, accept foreign investments, or list on the United States or the other foreign exchange, result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our Class A ordinary shares or could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer Class A ordinary shares and/or other securities to investors and cause the value of the securities we are registering for sale to significantly decline or be worthless. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC government may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in mainland China- and Hong Kong-based issuers, may exercise significant oversight and discretion over a company’s ability to conduct business in mainland China and Hong Kong and may intervene in or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale,” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We operate our GigaCloud Marketplace through our Hong Kong Subsidiary. If the PRC government were to extend its oversight into companies in Hong Kong, our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be subject to additional regulations which could have a material effect on our business operations.”


Table of Contents

On December 2, 2021, the SEC adopted amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCA Act. The rules apply to registrants the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate, or the Commission-Identified Issuers. The final amendments require Commission-Identified Issuers to submit documentation to the SEC establishing that it is not owned or controlled by a governmental entity in the public accounting firm’s foreign jurisdiction. Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if enacted into law would amend the HFCA Act and require the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive “non-inspection” years instead of three, and therefore reducing the time before our securities may be prohibited from trading on the Nasdaq or other U.S. stock exchanges, and this ultimately could result in our Class A ordinary shares being delisted. On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final rule implementing the HFCA Act, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCA Act, whether the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report on its determinations that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in these jurisdictions. The PCAOB included in its report a list of registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely, including our auditor, KPMG Huazhen LLP. Our Class A ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect auditors who are located in China and if we fail to implement measures to enable PCAOB’ inspection of our auditor. See “Risk Factors—Related to Our Class A Ordinary Shares and this Offering—Our Class A ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect auditors who are located in China and if we fail to implement measures to enable PCAOB’s inspection of our auditor. The delisting of our Class A ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections deprives our investors of the benefits of such inspections.”

We have operations in many locations globally through our principal subsidiaries incorporated in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and the United States and our principal consolidated VIEs incorporated in the United States and the United Kingdom. If needed, cash can be transferred between our holding company and subsidiaries through intercompany fund advances. In 2019, GigaCloud Technology Inc, our Cayman Islands holding company (i) received a total of $4.4 million in cash from our subsidiaries and our consolidated VIEs, of which nil was from our Hong Kong Subsidiary or PRC Subsidiaries; and (ii) transferred a total of $3.3 million in cash to our subsidiaries and our consolidated VIEs, of which $1.0 million was to our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $1.4 million was to Suzhou Dajianyun Transport Co., Ltd., or Suzhou GigaCloud. In 2020, GigaCloud Technology Inc (i) received a total of $12.3 million in cash from our subsidiaries and our consolidated VIEs, of which $1.1 million was from our Hong Kong Subsidiary and nil from our PRC Subsidiaries; and (ii) transferred a total of $2.1 million in cash to our subsidiaries and our consolidated VIEs, of which $1.8 million was to our Hong Kong Subsidiary. In 2021, GigaCloud Technology Inc (i) received a total of $6.7 million in cash, of which $6.7 million was from our Hong Kong Subsidiary; and (ii) transferred a total of $18.6 million in cash to our subsidiaries, of which $18.5 million was to our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $0.1 million was to GigaCloud Trading (HongKong) Limited. In the three months ended March 31, 2022, GigaCloud Technology Inc (i) did not receive any cash transfer from our subsidiaries or consolidated VIEs; and (ii) transferred a total of $10.1 million to our subsidiaries, of which $10.0 million was to our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $0.1 million was to GigaCloud Trading (HongKong) Limited. Suzhou GigaCloud was a consolidated VIE in mainland China from 2018 to February 2021, and we acquired 100% of the equity interest in Suzhou GigaCloud in February 2021, which then became our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary. In 2019, Suzhou GigaCloud did not have any transfers, dividends or distributions with our Cayman Islands holding company or other intercompany entities. In 2020 and 2021, Suzhou GigaCloud received a total of $0.4 million and $1.5 million, respectively, in cash from our Hong Kong Subsidiary. In the three months ended March 31, 2022, Suzhou GigaCloud received a total of $0.3 million in cash from our Hong Kong Subsidiary. In 2020 and 2021, Suzhou GigaCloud transferred a total of nil and $0.5 million, respectively, in cash to our subsidiary in Japan and our consolidated VIE in the United States. In the three months ended March 31, 2022, Suzhou GigaCloud did not have any transfers, dividends or distributions with our Cayman Islands holding company or other intercompany entities. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2022, GigaCloud Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., our wholly-owned subsidiary in mainland China, transferred a total of $0.04 million, nil, $0.06 million and nil, respectively, in cash to our subsidiaries in mainland China. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2022, GigaCloud Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. received a total of $3.1 million in cash, of which $1.7 million was from our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $1.4 million was from GigaCloud Technology Inc, $4.6 million in cash from our Hong Kong Subsidiary, $15.1 million in cash, of which $15.0 million was from our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $0.1 million was from one of our PRC Subsidiaries, and $2.9 million in cash from our Hong Kong Subsidiary, respectively. As of the date of this prospectus, other than the cash transfer described hereto, there were no transfer of other assets between our Cayman Islands holding company, our subsidiaries and VIEs. Our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs have never made any dividends or distributions to our Cayman Islands holding company, or to investors. Similarly, our Cayman Islands holding company has not declared or made any dividend or other distribution to its shareholders, including U.S. investors, in the past. If we decide to pay dividends on any of our ordinary shares in the future, as a holding company, we will be dependent on receipt of funds from our principal subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Japan and the United States and our principal consolidated VIEs in the United States and the United Kingdom. There are currently no restrictions on foreign exchange and our ability to transfer cash among our Cayman Islands holding company and our principal subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs, as applicable, in Hong Kong, Japan, the United States and the United Kingdom, or to investors. Although we did not rely on our PRC Subsidiaries in dividends or other distributions on equity in the past, in the event that our PRC Subsidiaries were to issue dividends or distribution to us out of mainland China in the future, our PRC Subsidiaries may be subject to the applicable foreign currency control. To date, there have not been any such dividends or other distributions from our PRC Subsidiaries to our subsidiaries located outside of mainland China. In addition, save as disclosed above, as of the date of this prospectus, none of our subsidiaries have ever issued any dividends or distributions to us or their respective shareholders outside of mainland China. In the PRC, the PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the Renminbi into foreign currencies and the remittance of currency out of the PRC which may restrict our PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash from our PRC Subsidiaries to our other non-mainland China entities. To the extent cash is generated in our PRC Subsidiaries, and may need to be used to fund operations outside of mainland China, such funds may not be available due to limitations placed by the PRC government. Furthermore, to the extent assets (other than cash) in our business are located in mainland China or held by a mainland China entity, the assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of mainland China due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us and our subsidiaries to transfer assets by the PRC government. If certain PRC laws and regulations, including existing laws and regulations and those enacted or promulgated in the future were to become applicable to our Hong Kong Subsidiary in the future, and to the extent cash is generated in our Hong Kong Subsidiary and to the extent assets (other than cash) in our business are located in Hong Kong or held by a Hong Kong entity and may need to be used to fund operations outside of Hong Kong, such funds or assets may not be available due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us and our subsidiaries to transfer funds or assets by the PRC government. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions on GigaCloud Group’s ability to transfer or distribute cash within its organization, which could result in an inability or prohibition on making transfers or distributions to entities outside of mainland China and Hong Kong and adversely affect its business. Saved as the foregoing limitations imposed by the PRC government as described hereto, there are currently no limitations on our or our subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash to investors. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our revenues, transfer or distribute cash within our group effectively and affect the value of your investment.”

We currently have not maintained any cash management policies that dictate the purpose, amount and procedure of fund transfers among our Cayman Islands holding company, our subsidiaries, the consolidated VIEs, or investors. Rather, the funds can be transferred in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. See “Prospectus Summary—Cash Transfers and Dividend Distribution.” We may require additional capital resources in the future and we may seek to issue additional equity or debt securities or obtain new or expanded credit facilities, which could subject us to operating and financing covenants, including requirements to maintain certain amount of cash reserves. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Our ability to raise capital in the future may be limited, and our failure to raise capital when needed could prevent us from growing.”

Neither the United States Securities and Exchange Commission nor any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

 

 

    

Per Class A
ordinary share

      

Total

 

Initial public offering price

   $          $    

Underwriting discounts and commissions (1)

   $          $    

Proceeds, before expenses, to us

   $          $    

 

  (1)

For additional information on underwriting compensation, see “Underwriting.”

We have granted the underwriter a 45-day option to purchase up to an aggregate of 367,500 additional Class A ordinary shares, representing 15% of the Class A ordinary shares sold in the offering, from GigaCloud Technology Inc solely to cover over-allotments, if any, at the initial public offering price less the underwriting discounts and commissions.

Immediately prior to the completion of this offering, our outstanding share capital will consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, will beneficially own all of our issued Class B ordinary shares and will be able to exercise approximately 75.4% of the total voting power of our issued and outstanding share capital immediately following the completion of this offering. Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares will have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. Each Class A ordinary share will be entitled to one vote, and each Class B ordinary share will be entitled to ten votes. Our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders, except as may otherwise be required by law. Each Class B ordinary share will be convertible into Class A ordinary share. Class A ordinary shares will not be convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances.

Upon the completion of this offering, we will be a “controlled company” as defined under the Nasdaq Stock Market Listing Rules because Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, will hold more than 50% of our voting power for the election of directors through TALENT BOOM GROUP LIMITED and Ji Xiang Hu Tong Holdings Limited, the entities controlled by Mr. Wu. In addition, our directors, officers and certain affiliated shareholders will own a substantial majority of our shares and will be able to exercise a substantial majority of the total voting power of our total issued and outstanding ordinary shares immediately upon the completion of this offering, assuming the underwriter does not exercise the option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares. See “Principal Shareholders” for details.

The underwriter expects to deliver the Class A ordinary shares against payment in U.S. dollars in New York, New York on or about                     , 2022

Sole Book-Running Manager

 

 

  Aegis Capital Corp.  

 

 

PROSPECTUS DATED                 , 2022


Table of Contents

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

    

Page

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

     1  

RISK FACTORS

     31  

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

     95  

USE OF PROCEEDS

     97  

DIVIDEND POLICY

     98  

CAPITALIZATION

     99  

DILUTION

     103  

ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

     105  

CORPORATE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE

     107  

SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA

     113  

MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

     117  

BUSINESS

     150  

REGULATION

     167  

MANAGEMENT

     185  

PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

     195  

RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

     199  

DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

     200  

SHARES ELIGIBLE FOR FUTURE SALE

     216  

TAXATION

     218  

UNDERWRITING

     227  

EXPENSES RELATING TO THIS OFFERING

     237  

LEGAL MATTERS

     238  

EXPERTS

     239  

WHERE YOU CAN FIND ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     240  

INDEX TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

     F-1  

We and the underwriter have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus or in any related free-writing prospectus. We take no responsibility for, and can provide no assurance as to the reliability of, any other information that others may give you. We are offering to sell, and seeking offers to buy the Class A ordinary shares offered hereby, but only under circumstances and in jurisdictions where offers and sales are permitted and lawful to do so. The information contained in this prospectus is current only as of its date, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or of any sale of the Class A ordinary shares.

Neither we nor the underwriter has done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus or any filed free writing prospectus in any jurisdiction where other action for that purpose is required, other than in the U.S. Persons outside the U.S. who come into possession of this prospectus or any filed free writing prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of the Class A ordinary shares and the distribution of this prospectus or any filed free writing prospectus outside the U.S.

Until                 , 2022 (the 25th day after the date of this prospectus), all dealers that buy, sell or trade Class A ordinary shares, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus. This is in addition to the dealers’ obligation to deliver a prospectus when acting as underwriters and with respect to their unsold allotments or subscriptions.

 

i


Table of Contents

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

The following summary is qualified in its entirety by, and should be read in conjunction with, the more detailed information and financial statements appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. In addition to this summary, we urge you to read the entire prospectus carefully, especially the risks of investing in our Class A ordinary shares discussed under “Risk Factors,” “Business,” and information contained in “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” before deciding whether to invest in our Class A ordinary shares. This prospectus contains information from an industry report commissioned by us and prepared by Frost & Sullivan, a third-party independent research firm. We refer to this report as the Frost and Sullivan Report.

Overview

We are a pioneer of global end-to-end B2B ecommerce solutions for large parcel merchandise. Our B2B ecommerce platform, which we refer to as the “GigaCloud Marketplace,” integrates everything from discovery, payments and logistics tools into one easy-to-use platform. Our global marketplace seamlessly connects manufacturers, primarily in Asia, with resellers, primarily in the U.S., Asia and Europe, to execute cross-border transactions with confidence, speed and efficiency. We offer a true comprehensive solution that transports products from the manufacturer’s warehouse to end customers, all at one fixed price. We first launched our marketplace in January 2019 by focusing on the global furniture market and have since expanded into additional categories such as home appliances and fitness equipment. GigaCloud Marketplace is one of the fastest growing large parcel B2B marketplaces with over $190.5 million, $414.2 million and $438.1 million of gross merchandise value, or GMV, transacted in our marketplace in 2020, 2021 and the 12 months ended March 31, 2022, respectively.

We built the GigaCloud Marketplace to democratize access and distribution globally so that manufacturers, who are typically sellers in our marketplace, and online resellers, who are typically buyers in our marketplace, could transact without borders. Manufacturers view our marketplace as an essential sales channel to thousands of online resellers in the U.S. and Europe. Our GigaCloud Marketplace enables manufacturers to deliver their products around the world. Additionally, online resellers may lack the resources and infrastructure to manage a global supply chain and support international distribution. Our integrated ecommerce solutions allow online resellers to offer products and services comparable to those offered by large ecommerce platforms by giving them access to a large and growing catalog of products at wholesale prices, supported by industry-leading global fulfillment capabilities.

To enhance our marketplace experience, we sell our own inventory, or 1P, through the GigaCloud Marketplace and to and through third-party ecommerce websites, such as Rakuten in Japan, Amazon and Walmart in the U.S. and Wayfair in the United Kingdom, or the U.K. These 1P revenues expand our market presence, reduce inventory and logistics risk for sellers, create more products for buyers, drive volume-based cost efficiencies for sourcing products, provide us with proprietary data and increase the velocity of sales on our marketplace. 1P revenues through the GigaCloud Marketplace and to and through third-party ecommerce websites represented 78.2%, 76.3%, 78.4% and 72.2% of total revenues in 2020, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. As our GigaCloud Marketplace continues to grow, we expect 1P revenues as a percentage of total revenues to decline over time.

We have built a cross-border fulfillment network optimized for large parcel products. We operate warehouses in four countries across North America, Europe and Asia. The U.S. is our largest market. We operate 21 large-scale warehouses around the world totaling over four million square feet of storage space, cover 11 ports of destination with over ten thousand annual containers, and have an extensive shipping and trucking network via partnerships with major shipping, trucking and freight service providers. By servicing the entire supply chain, we

 

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offer sellers and buyers in our marketplace enhanced visibility into product inventory, reducing turnover time and lower transaction costs. On average, we are able to deliver products to end customers within one week of their order and at a fixed rate that is cheaper than standard rates from FedEx and UPS.

We have artificial intelligence software, or AI, that generates seller ratings and credit profiles through volume data. Additionally, our AI optimizes routing by organizing incoming orders and rebalancing inventory levels within our warehousing network. Our software platform includes flexible trading tools with which sellers can set prices based on quantities, delivery dates and fulfillment methods, and buyers have the option to purchase merchandise individually or in bulk.

We leverage our proprietary data and AI to accelerate the network effects in our marketplace. As our marketplace grows, we accumulate user and product data to develop analytical and predicative tools such as product sales forecasts. This information is valuable to our sellers as it allows them to efficiently manage inventory and pricing. As sellers succeed in our marketplace, more sellers join, which expands our merchandise offerings. Our broad merchandise selection, competitive pricing and virtual warehousing capabilities encourage buyers to join and transact in our marketplace. More buyer activity leads to more sellers, creating a virtuous cycle.

In 2020, we had 210 active third-party sellers, or active 3P sellers and 1,689 active buyers in our GigaCloud Marketplace, representing a year-over-year increase of 195.8% and 283.0%, respectively. In 2020, our users transacted $190.5 million of GigaCloud Marketplace GMV with an average spend per buyer of $112,777. This is a 437.0% year-over-year increase in GigaCloud Marketplace GMV and a 40.2% year-over-year increase in average spend per buyer from 2019, respectively. Combined with off-platform ecommerce GMV of $93.2 million, the total transactions that we facilitated aggregated a GMV of $283.7 million in 2020.

In 2021, we had 382 active 3P sellers and 3,566 active buyers in our GigaCloud Marketplace, representing a year-over-year increase of 81.9% and 111.1%, respectively. In 2021, our users transacted $414.2 million of GigaCloud Marketplace GMV with an average spend per buyer of $116,150. This is a 117.4% year-over-year increase in GigaCloud Marketplace GMV and a 3.0% year-over-year increase in average spend per buyer from 2020, respectively. Combined with off-platform ecommerce GMV of $127.6 million, the total transactions that we facilitated aggregated a GMV of $541.8 million in 2021.

In the 12 months ended March 31, 2022, we had 410 active 3P sellers and 3,782 active buyers in our GigaCloud Marketplace, representing a year-over-year increase of 73.7% and 76.9%, respectively. In the 12 months ended March 31, 2022, our users transacted $438.1 million of GigaCloud Marketplace GMV with an average spend per buyer of $115,845. This is a 69.1% year-over-year increase in GigaCloud Marketplace GMV and a 4.4% year-over-year decrease in average spend per buyer from the 12 months ended March 31, 2021, respectively. Combined with off-platform ecommerce GMV of $122.7 million, the total transactions that we facilitated aggregated a GMV of $560.8 million in the 12 months ended March 31, 2022, representing a 54.1% increase in GMV year-over-year from the 12 months ended March 31, 2021.

We experienced significant growth over the last three years. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022:

 

   

We generated total revenues of $122.3 million, $275.5 million, $414.2 million, $94.5 million and $112.4 million, respectively, representing 125.3% and 50.4% year-over-year growth in 2020 and 2021, respectively, and 19.0% period-over-period growth in the three months ended March 31, 2022;

 

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We generated gross profit of $22.2 million, $75.1 million, $89.6 million, $20.9 million and $16.9 million, respectively, representing 18.1%, 27.3%, 21.6%, 22.1% and 15.0% of total revenues, respectively;

 

   

Our net income was $2.9 million, $37.5 million (restated), $29.3 million, $8.0 million (restated) and $4.7 million, respectively; and

 

   

Our Adjusted EBITDA was $4.9 million, $45.5 million, $48.0 million, $10.0 million and $6.9 million, respectively.

See “Selected Consolidated Financial and Operating Data—Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for information regarding our use of Adjusted EBITDA and a reconciliation of net income to Adjusted EBITDA.

Below is a summary of our key financial and operating metrics for the periods indicated:

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,     

For the 12 Months
Ended March 31,

 
GigaCloud Marketplace:   

2019

    

2020

    

2021

    

2021

    

2022

 

GigaCloud Marketplace GMV (in $ thousands)

   $ 35,468      $ 190,480      $ 414,192      $ 259,050      $ 438,126  

Active 3P sellers

     71        210        382        236        410  

Active buyers

     441        1,689        3,566        2,138        3,782  

Spend per active buyer (in $)

   $ 80,427      $ 112,777      $ 116,150      $ 121,165      $ 115,845  

Despite the global disruption including fulfillment network capacity and supply chain constraints caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, our growth was accelerated by the trend of consumers purchasing products online, as consumers are furnishing their apartments and homes to better serve their work-at-home and play-at-home needs during the COVID-19 pandemic. In the second quarter of 2020, our GigaCloud MarketPlace GMV grew at 122.9% compared to the previous quarter, which was the highest quarter-over-quarter growth rate of our GigaCloud MarketPlace GMV in 2020. We believe the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the adoption of our marketplace and our GigaCloud MarketPlace GMV continued to grow in the remaining quarters in 2020, 2021 and in the first quarter of 2022.

Our Value Proposition to Sellers

We lower the barriers to entry for sellers in our marketplace, who are able to quickly gain access to the key global markets in which we operate, including the U.S., the U.K., Germany and Japan. Sellers can directly connect with resellers in our marketplace and leverage our supply chain capabilities to establish overseas sales channels without having to invest in their own logistics. We manage the entire logistics process from the moment the product leaves the factory floor, and simplify the process by offering a flat rate program for shipping and handling. Leveraging our algorithm, we determine when and where to ship a product, reduce the amount of time a product is handled and select the most effective delivery mechanism for the product. Sellers are able to leverage our warehouse space, which we charge on a per cubic foot per day basis, in order to increase warehouse utilization rates and reduce cost. Our platform provides multiple channels through which sellers can sell their product, enhancing their inventory turnover rate and increasing their profitability. Many of the sellers operating in our GigaCloud Marketplace were originally suppliers of our 1P inventory that later joined the GigaCloud Marketplace as 3P sellers.

Our Value Proposition to Buyers

Our marketplace offers one-stop-shop logistics solutions for a broad catalog of large parcel products sourced globally. We offer virtual warehousing and multiple fulfillment solutions including cloud courier, cloud

 

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wholesale fulfillment, white glove and drop shipping solutions so buyers do not need to manage physical order fulfillment. With 21 large-scale warehouses strategically positioned in key markets around the world, we have the capability to reach over 90% of customers in the lower 48 states in the U.S. within an average of three days of delivery time. Our solution effectively minimizes inventory risk for buyers and allows them to reach customers across geographies at an affordable price.

We also provide buyers the optionality to pre-sell products through their own channels before placing an order in GigaCloud Marketplace. This significantly reduces buyers’ working capital needs and allow them to scale more efficiently.

Our Market Opportunity

The U.S. B2B large parcel market is massive and underpenetrated by ecommerce, largely due to the supply chain complexities of moving bulky items. We expect increasing adoption of end-to-end B2B ecommerce marketplaces by manufacturers and resellers globally as they compete against large ecommerce platforms in today’s digital retail economy.

The U.S. B2B market is estimated at $14.8 trillion, nearly three times the size of the U.S. retail sales market and is currently underpenetrated by ecommerce. According to Frost and Sullivan, ecommerce penetration for U.S. B2B sales is estimated at 9.0%, lagging U.S. retail sales penetration of 14.3%, indicating substantial room for long-term growth. Frost and Sullivan estimates that U.S. B2B ecommerce sales has reached $1.3 trillion in 2020 and it is expected to grow at a compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, of 10.7% from 2020 to 2025, reaching $2.2 trillion.

 

 

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Benefiting from the proliferation of the internet and smart phones, consumers are increasingly making purchase decisions online. Today’s ecommerce platforms offer consumers a wide selection of products, shopping schedule flexibility, multiple payment options and speedy delivery services unmatched by brick-and-mortar stores. In the core large parcel categories including furniture and home appliance, COVID-19 has accelerated the trend of consumers purchasing products online, as consumers are furnishing their apartments and homes to better serve their work-at-home and play-at-home needs. We expect this trend to continue in the coming years as remote working arrangements have become increasingly common. Frost and Sullivan estimates online sales for furniture and home appliance have reached $16.2 billion and $10.0 billion in 2020, respectively, and they are expected to grow at a CAGR of 10.1% and 6.6% to $26.1 billion and $13.8 billion from 2020 to 2025, respectively.

 

 

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In today’s digital retail economy, B2B ecommerce marketplaces play a critical role in leveling the playing field between small to medium-sized retailers and large ecommerce platforms. To win customers, resellers not only compete on product quality and price, but also on selection, delivery speed and customer service. Delivering on all of these criteria is especially challenging in the large parcel market given the difficulties of moving bulky items. Small to medium-sized resellers often lack the resources to invest in their own supply chains and therefore tend to struggle to compete against well-capitalized large ecommerce platforms.

B2B ecommerce marketplaces offer low-cost end-to-end supply chain solutions so that resellers can focus on growing sales without needing to create their own supply chains. We believe B2B marketplaces will become an increasingly important part of the digital retail economy.

Our Strengths

We believe that the following components contribute to our success and differentiate us from our competitors:

 

   

Pioneering cross-border B2B ecommerce marketplace for the large parcel market;

 

   

Compelling value proposition to both sellers and buyers enhanced by network effects;

 

   

Industry-leading supply chain capabilities;

 

   

Our technology system;

 

   

Data intelligence powered by AI; and

 

   

Experienced and innovative team.

 

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Our Strategies

We intend to pursue the following growth strategies:

 

   

Grow and diversify seller base and SKUs;

 

   

Grow buyer base and engagement;

 

   

Expand product offerings; and

 

   

Expand geographic coverage.

Corporate History and Structure

On August 29, 2006, we incorporated Oriental Standard Human Resources Holdings Limited, our holding company, as a limited liability company in the Cayman Islands. We began our ecommerce business in Japan in 2010 through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Oriental Standard Japan Co., Ltd. We expanded to the U.K. in 2013 through our consolidated VIE, B.T.M TRAVEL AND TRADING LTD, and further expanded to the U.S. through our acquisition of COMPTREE INC. in 2014. COMPTREE INC. was renamed as GIGACLOUD TECHNOLOGY (USA) INC. in July 2021. In January 2019, we launched our ecommerce platform, GigaCloud Marketplace, through our Hong Kong Subsidiary, GigaCloud Technology (HongKong) Limited (formerly known as Giga Cloud Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited). As our marketplace and our ecommerce business continue to grow, we believe it is important to have a name for our holding company that is more representative of our businesses. Effective February 28, 2021, our holding company’s name is changed from Oriental Standard Human Resources Holdings Limited to GigaCloud Technology Inc.

 

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The chart below shows our corporate structure and identifies our principal subsidiaries and principal consolidated VIEs described above as of the date of this prospectus:

 

 

LOGO

 

(1)

GIGA CLOUD LOGISTICS INC, our principal consolidated VIE, is wholly owned by Mr. Kunming Xu, our employee.

 

(2)

B.T.M TRAVEL AND TRADING LTD, our principal consolidated VIE, is wholly owned by Mr. Wenbo Dou, our employee.

 

(3)

COMHARBOR LIMITED, our principal consolidated VIE, is wholly owned by Mr. Wenjun Chang, our employee.

 

(4)

BRIHOME LIMITED, our principal consolidated VIE, is wholly owned by Mr. Yaoxuan Wang, our employee.

In 2013, 2017 and 2018, GigaCloud Technology Inc (formerly known as Oriental Standard Human Resources Holdings Limited), our holding company and an exempted company with limited liability incorporated in the Cayman Islands, entered into a series of control agreements with our consolidated VIEs and their respective shareholders, including our four principal consolidated VIEs established and operating in the U.S. and the U.K., namely GIGA CLOUD LOGISTICS INC, B.T.M TRAVEL AND TRADING LTD, COMHARBOR LIMITED and BRIHOME LIMITED. We entered into contractual arrangements with our principal consolidated VIEs because we needed to expeditiously set up our business in overseas market with minimized administrative constraints to capture market opportunities. In certain instances, the contractual arrangements provided us with potentially the flexibility to conduct business activities that could be subjected to restrictions on foreign investment. For example, the PRC government had imposed foreign ownership restriction and the licensing and permit requirements for companies in the industry of telecommunications service, and we had a consolidated VIE set up initially in mainland China from 2018 to 2020. To our knowledge, our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs are not conducting business activities that are subject to restrictions on foreign

 

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investment. We launched our GigaCloud Marketplace under our Hong Kong Subsidiary, GigaCloud Technology (HongKong) Limited (formerly known as Giga Cloud Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited) in 2019. As our business scale in the overseas markets continued to grow and in anticipation of this offering, we began to restructure our non-principal VIEs into wholly-owned subsidiaries. From 2018 to 2020, we had one consolidated VIE in mainland China, namely Suzhou GigaCloud, and in February 2021, we entered into a termination agreement with Suzhou GigaCloud to terminate the control agreement with respect to Suzhou GigaCloud, and in February 2021, GigaCloud Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Oriental Standard Network Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.) acquired 100% of the equity interest in Suzhou GigaCloud which then became our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary in mainland China and we do not currently have any VIE in mainland China. We intend to continue our corporate restructuring. To the extent permissible by applicable laws and without the potential for disruptions to our operations, we will obtain direct ownership in all of the VIEs that are currently effective and we intend to complete our corporate restructuring within 12 months after the completion of this offering. As of the date of this prospectus, we conduct our business operations across 13 subsidiaries and seven consolidated VIEs, among those, eight of which are our principal subsidiaries and four of which are our principal consolidated VIEs.

All of our consolidated VIEs contributed an aggregate of 14.2%, 8.4%, 10.7% and 9.6% to our total assets as of December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and March 31, 2022, respectively. All of our consolidated VIEs contributed an aggregate of 13.6%, 12.9%, 11.5%, 10.3% and 12.0% to our revenues in 2019, 2020, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. See “Corporate History and Structure—Contractual Arrangements with Our Consolidated VIEs and their Shareholders” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.

For a more detailed description of our corporate history and structure, see “Corporate History and Structure.” For a detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure and the contractual arrangements that support our corporate structure, see “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure.”

Summary of Risk Factors

An investment in our Class A ordinary shares is subject to a number of risks, including risks related to our business and industry, risks related to our corporate structure, risks related to doing business in China and risks related to our Class A ordinary shares and this offering. You should carefully consider all of the information in this prospectus before making an investment in our Class A ordinary shares. The following list summarizes some, but not all, of these risks. Please read the information in the section entitled “Risk Factors” for a more thorough description of these and other risks.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

 

   

Uncertainties in economic conditions and their impact on the ecommerce industry, particularly for large parcel merchandise, could adversely impact our operating results.

 

   

Our historical growth rates and performance may not be sustainable or indicative of our future growth and financial results. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to maintain the growth rate we have experienced to date.

 

   

System interruptions that impair access to our GigaCloud Marketplace, or other performance failures in our technology infrastructure, could damage our reputation and results of operations.

 

   

Our international operations are subject to a variety of legal, regulatory, political and economic risks.

 

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If we fail to maintain and expand our relationships with third-party platforms and sellers and buyers in our marketplace, our revenues and results of operations will be harmed.

 

   

Risks associated with the manufacturers of the products we sell as our own inventory could materially adversely affect our financial performance as well as our reputation and brand.

 

   

If we fail to manage our inventory effectively, our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity may be materially and adversely affected.

 

   

We depend on our relationships with third-parties, including third-party carriers, and changes in our relationships with these parties could adversely impact our revenues and profits.

 

   

We may not be successful in optimizing our warehouses and fulfillment network.

 

   

Damage to our brand image could have a material adverse effect on our growth strategy and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

 

   

Our efforts to launch new products or services may not be successful.

 

   

The COVID-19 pandemic could materially and adversely impact our business.

Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure

 

   

We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders for a portion of our business operations. These arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control.

 

   

Our strategic decision to enter into contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders may subject the beneficiaries of the consolidated VIEs to greater uncertainty as to the legality of their share ownership.

 

   

Any failure by our consolidated VIEs or their shareholders to perform their obligations under such contractual arrangements would have a material and adverse effect on our business.

 

   

We may lose the ability to use, or otherwise benefit from, the assets held, or the services provided by our consolidated VIEs, which could severely disrupt our business, render us unable to conduct some or all of our business operations and constrain our growth.

 

   

You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law.

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

 

   

See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We could be adversely affected by political tensions between the U.S. and the PRC.”

 

   

See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Changes in the political and economic policies of the PRC government may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations and may result in our inability to sustain our growth and expansion strategies.”

 

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There are uncertainties regarding the PRC legal system, including risks and uncertainties regarding the enforcement of laws, as well as the PRC’s extension of authority into Hong Kong, and that rules and regulations in the PRC can change quickly with little advance notice. The PRC has not developed a fully integrated legal system, and recently enacted laws, rules and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects of economic activities in the PRC or may be subject to significant degrees of interpretation by PRC regulatory agencies. Because the PRC laws, rules and regulations often give the relevant regulator significant discretion in how to enforce them, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws, rules and regulations involve uncertainties and can be inconsistent and unpredictable. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—There are uncertainties regarding the PRC legal system.”

 

   

See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC government may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in mainland China- and Hong Kong-based issuers, may exercise significant oversight and discretion over a company’s ability to conduct business in mainland China and Hong Kong and may intervene in or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale.”

 

   

We operate our GigaCloud Marketplace through our Hong Kong Subsidiary. If the PRC government were to extend its oversight into companies in Hong Kong, our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be subject to additional regulations which could have a material effect on our business operations. In light of recent statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government related to the PRC’s extension of authority into Hong Kong, there is risk that the PRC government may intervene or influence our operations in Hong Kong, as our operations in Hong Kong are subject to political and economic influence from the PRC government. Our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be subject to direct intervention or influence from the PRC government in the future due to changes in laws or other unforeseeable reasons. If our Hong Kong Subsidiary were to become subject to direct intervention or influence of the PRC government, our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be required to obtain licenses for the operation of our ecommerce platform GigaCloud Marketplace and be subject to regulations restricting or prohibiting foreign ownership. Such risks could impact our ability to conduct our business, accept foreign investments, or list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange, result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our Class A ordinary shares or could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer Class A ordinary shares and/or other securities to investors and cause the value of the securities we are registering for sale to significantly decline or be worthless. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We operate our GigaCloud Marketplace through our Hong Kong Subsidiary. If the PRC government were to extend its oversight into companies in Hong Kong, our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be subject to additional regulations which could have a material effect on our business operations.”

 

   

See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Implementation of the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong involves uncertainty, and the recent policy pronouncements by the PRC government regarding business activities of U.S.-listed PRC businesses may negatively impact GigaCloud Group’s existing and future operations in Hong Kong.”

 

   

See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The approval or other administration requirements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, or other PRC governmental authorities, may be required in connection with this offering under a PRC regulation or any new laws, rules or regulations to be enacted, and if required, we cannot assure you

 

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that we will be able to obtain such approval. The regulation also establishes more complex procedures for acquisitions conducted by foreign investors that could make it more difficult for us to grow through acquisitions.”

 

   

See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The CSRC has released for public consultation the draft rules for companies based in China seeking to conduct initial public offerings in overseas markets. While such rules have not yet been adopted, the PRC government may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in issuers based in mainland China and Hong Kong, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our ordinary shares to significantly decline or become worthless.”

 

   

See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Recent litigation and negative publicity surrounding companies listed in the U.S. with operations in the PRC may result in increased regulatory scrutiny of us and negatively impact the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares.”

 

   

We are a holding company and we conduct our operations through our principal subsidiaries and principal consolidated VIEs. Our corporate structure and having operations in Hong Kong and mainland China involve liquidity risks to investors as our ability to use the proceeds from this offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries and Hong Kong Subsidiary may be restricted. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—PRC regulation of loans to, and direct investments in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may restrict or prevent us from using the proceeds of this offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.”

 

   

To the extent cash is generated in our PRC Subsidiaries, and may need to be used to fund operations outside of mainland China, such funds may not be available due to limitations placed by the PRC government. Furthermore, to the extent assets (other than cash) in our business are located in the PRC or held by a PRC entity, the assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us and our subsidiaries to transfer assets by the PRC government. If certain PRC laws and regulations, including existing laws and regulations and those enacted or promulgated in the future were to become applicable to our Hong Kong Subsidiary in the future, and to the extent cash is generated in our Hong Kong Subsidiary, and to the extent assets (other than cash) in our business are located in Hong Kong or held by a Hong Kong entity and may need to be used to fund operations outside of Hong Kong, such funds or assets may not be available due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us and our subsidiaries to transfer funds or assets by the PRC government. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions or limitations on GigaCloud Group’s ability to transfer or distribute cash within its organization, which could result in an inability or prohibition on making transfers or distributions to entities outside of mainland China and Hong Kong and adversely affect its business. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our revenues, transfer or distribute cash within our group effectively and affect the value of your investment.”

Risks Related to Our Class A Ordinary Shares and this Offering

 

   

An active, liquid and orderly market for our Class A ordinary shares may not develop, and you may not be able to resell the shares at or above the public offering price.

 

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The trading price of our Class A ordinary shares could be highly volatile, and purchasers of our Class A ordinary shares could incur substantial losses.

 

   

As a foreign private issuer, we are not subject to certain U.S. securities law disclosure requirements that apply to a domestic U.S. issuer, which may limit the information publicly available to our shareholders.

 

   

Our Class A ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect auditors who are located in China and if we fail to implement measures to enable PCAOB’s inspection of our auditor. The delisting of our Class A ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections deprives our investors of the benefits of such inspections. Since our auditor is located in China, a jurisdiction where the PCAOB has been unable to conduct inspections without the approval of the Chinese authorities, our auditor is currently not inspected by the PCAOB.

 

   

Our dual-class voting structure will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change of control transactions that holders of our Class A ordinary shares may view as beneficial.

 

   

Our dual-class voting structure may render our Class A ordinary shares ineligible for inclusion in certain stock market indices, and thus adversely affect the trading price and liquidity of our Class A ordinary shares.

Recent Regulatory Development

Cybersecurity Measures and Potential CSRC Filing For Overseas Listing

On July 10, 2021, the CAC issued a revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review for public comments, which required that, in addition to “operator of critical information infrastructure,” any “data processor” carrying out data processing activities that affect or may affect national security should also be subject to cybersecurity review, and further elaborated the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities. According to the revised draft Measures for Cybersecurity Review, any data processor who possesses of personal information of more than one million users must apply for a cybersecurity review if it seeks a listing in a foreign country. On December 28, 2021, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) were promulgated, which has become effective on February 15, 2022 and simultaneously replaced the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2020 Version) in whole. Compared with the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2020 Version), the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) expanded the applicable scope of cybersecurity review, which, consistent with the revised draft, further iterates that any “network platform operators” carrying out data processing activities that affect or may affect national security should be subject to cybersecurity review and any network platform operator possessing personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) for public comments, which reiterated that data processors that process personal information of more than one million users listing in a foreign country should apply for a cybersecurity review. Due to the uncertainties in the interpretation of data processing activities that affect or may affect national security, in July 2021, we made an inquiry with the relevant local branch of the CAC regarding the interpretation of the revised draft Measures for Cybersecurity Review after the revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review was released, and in March 2022, after the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) came into effect, we made another inquiry with the China Cybersecurity Review Technology and Certification Center, or

 

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the CCRC, regarding the interpretation of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version). Based on the description regarding our business operations and our marketplace, both the relevant local authority and the CCRC concurred with us that we are not required to go through a cybersecurity review with the CAC, because (i) our GigaCloud Marketplace is operated in Hong Kong under our Hong Kong Subsidiary with under one million users, and (ii) our GigaCloud Marketplace is a B2B ecommerce platform and any data we collected on our sellers and buyers are limited without any personal information. Based on the foregoing and also the advice of our PRC legal counsel, Han Kun Law Offices, we believe we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, are currently not required to go through a cybersecurity review with the CAC as of the date hereof. As of the date of this prospectus, we have also not been involved in any investigations on cybersecurity or data security initiated by related governmental regulatory authorities, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanction in such respect. However, as the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) were newly adopted, and the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) have not been adopted, there remains uncertainty in the interpretation and enforcement of such PRC cybersecurity laws and regulations. Thus, we cannot assure you that we would not be subject to cybersecurity review requirement, and if so, that we would be able to pass such review in relation to this offering. Furthermore, we cannot guarantee that the relevant authority that we have inquired will be the authorized regulatory body to make a determination that we are not subject to the requirement of cybersecurity review. If any interpretation or implementation rules of the relevant PRC cybersecurity laws and regulations in future provide that certain other PRC regulatory body shall be authorized to make the final decision on cybersecurity review, there can be no assurance that the authorized PRC regulatory body would reach the same conclusion as the authority we have inquired. If the authorized PRC regulatory body subsequently determines that we are required to go through such cybersecurity review or if any other PRC government authorities promulgates any interpretation or implementation rules before our listing that would require us to go through a cybersecurity review for this offering, we may fail to complete such cybersecurity review procedures in a timely manner, or at all. Any failure or delay in the completion of the cybersecurity review procedures or any other non-compliance with the related laws and regulations may result in fines or other penalties, including suspension of business and website closure as well as reputational damage or legal proceedings or actions against us, which may have material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

Furthermore, on December 24, 2021, the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, released the Administrative Provisions of the State Council Regarding the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) and the Administrative Measures for the Record-filing of Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Enterprises (Draft for Comments) (collectively, the “Draft Overseas Listing Rules”) for public comments, according to which, any direct or indirect offshore listing of domestic enterprises shall be filed with the CSRC. As none of our PRC Subsidiaries is the issuer of the securities we are registering, listing and offering in this offering, our PRC Subsidiaries are not “directly” offering and listing securities on an overseas market. The Draft Overseas Listing Rules stipulate that the determination as to whether a domestic company is indirectly offering and listing securities in an overseas market shall be made on a substance-over-form basis and if an issuer meets the following conditions, its overseas offering and listing shall be determined as an “indirect overseas offering and listing by a domestic enterprise”: (i) the operating revenue, total profits, total assets or net assets of the domestic enterprise in the most recent accounting year account for more than 50% of the corresponding figure in the issuer’s audited consolidated financial statements for the same period; (ii) most of the senior managers in charge of business operation and management are Chinese citizens or have habitual residences in mainland China, the principal operation premises are located in mainland China or the operation activities are mostly conducted in mainland China. Under such circumstance, the issuer shall fulfill the filing procedures within three working days after the issuer makes an application for initial public offering and listing in an overseas market. According to Relevant Officials of the CSRC Answered Reporter Questions on December 24, 2021, or the CSRC Answers, after the Draft Overseas Listing Rules are implemented upon completion of public consultation and due legislative procedures, the CSRC will formulate and issue guidance for filing procedures to further specify the details of filing administration and ensure that

 

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market entities could refer to clear guidelines for filing, which means it still takes time for the Draft Overseas Listing Rules come into effect.

As advised by our PRC legal counsel, based on its understanding of the Draft Overseas Listing Rules and the confirmation by us that (i) none of the operating revenue, total profits, total assets and net assets of our PRC Subsidiaries in the most recent accounting year accounted for more than 50% of the corresponding figure in our audited consolidated financial statements for the same period; and (ii) most of the senior managers in charge of business operation and management are not Chinese citizens or do not have habitual residences in mainland China (only one of the three executive officers is a PRC citizen and none of three executive officers have habitual residence located in mainland China), the principal operation premises are not located in mainland China and the operation activities are not mostly conducted in mainland China as our PRC Subsidiaries perform cost functions and internal operational functions, our PRC Subsidiaries do not generate revenue in mainland China, and all of our warehouses were located outside of the PRC, we believe that we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, will not be required to make a filing with the CSRC for this offering and listing under the Draft Overseas Listing Rules, if the Draft Overseas Listing Rules have been enacted before the completion of this offering and listing as they are currently released for comments. However, as the Draft Overseas Listing Rules have not been adopted, there remains uncertainty in the final form of and the enforcement of such overseas listing rules, and there can be no assurance that the relevant PRC governmental authorities, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as us or our PRC legal counsel, or that the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities would not promulgate new rules or new interpretation of current rules to require us to obtain CSRC or other PRC governmental approvals for this offering. Furthermore, according to CSRC Answers, new initial public offerings and refinancing by existent overseas listed Chinese companies will firstly be required to go through the filing process; other existent overseas listed companies will be allowed sufficient transition period to complete their filing procedure, which means if we complete this offering prior to the effectiveness of the Draft Overseas Listing Rules, we may still be required to complete the filing process in the future, or be subject to additional compliance requirements in the future.

If the final form of the Draft Overseas Listing Rules is enacted before the completion of this offering and the CSRC requires that we complete the filing procedure, the offering will be delayed until we have completed the CSRC filing procedure, which may take several months or longer. There is also the possibility that we may not be able to complete or maintain such filing or that we inadvertently concluded that such filing was not required. If CSRC filing was required as a prerequisite for this offering while we inadvertently concluded that such filing was not required or if applicable laws and regulations or the interpretation of such were modified to require us to obtain the CSRC filing in the future, we may face regulatory actions or other sanctions from the CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities. Furthermore, if certain PRC laws and regulations, including existing laws and regulations and those enacted or promulgated in the future (such as the Draft Overseas Listing Rules), were to become applicable to our Hong Kong Subsidiary in the future, the application of such laws and regulations may have a material adverse impact on our business operations in Hong Kong. These authorities may impose fines and penalties upon our operations in mainland China and Hong Kong, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from this offering into mainland China and Hong Kong, and any failure of us to fully comply with such new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our ordinary shares, cause significant disruption to our business operations, and severely damage our reputation, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause our ordinary shares to significantly decline in value or become worthless. The CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies may also take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, to terminate this offering prior to the closing.

In addition, the National Development and Reform Commission, or NDRC, and China’s Ministry of Commerce, or MOFCOM, promulgated the Measures for the Security Review of Foreign Investments, effective from January 18, 2021, which require foreign investors or relevant domestic parties to file a prior report before

 

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making a foreign investment if such investment involves, among others, military related industry, national defense security or taking control of an enterprise in a key industry that concerns national security, and if a foreign investment will or may affect national security, the relevant party shall report to the standing working office organized by NDRC and MOFCOM for their decision of whether to conduct security review. Based on the advice of our PRC legal counsel, Han Kun Law Offices, based on its understanding of the current PRC laws and regulations, we believe that we, our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary are currently not subject to such record-filing requirements with the NDRC and MOFCOM under the Measures for the Security Review of Foreign Investment, because we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, do not and will not have foreign investments that involve military related industry, national defense security or taking control of an enterprise in a key industry that concerns national security.

Pursuant to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or the Basic Law, which is a national law of the PRC and the constitutional document for Hong Kong, national laws of the PRC shall not be applied in Hong Kong except for those listed in Annex III of the Basic Law (which shall be confined to laws relating to defense and foreign affairs as well as other matters outside the autonomy of Hong Kong). Whilst the National People’s Congress of the PRC, or the NPC, has the power to amend the Basic Law, the Basic Law also expressly provides that no amendment to the Basic Law shall contravene the established basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong. As a result, national laws of the PRC not listed in Annex III of the Basic Law, including the PRC Data Security Law, The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) and the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) do not apply to our businesses in Hong Kong.

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including MOFCOM, the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the State Administration of Taxation, or SAT, the State Administration for Industry and Commerce, currently known as the SAMR, the CSRC, and the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or the SAFE, jointly adopted the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, which came into effect on September 8, 2006 and were amended on June 22, 2009. The M&A Rules include, among other things, provisions that purport to require that an offshore special purpose vehicle that is controlled by PRC domestic companies or individuals and that has been formed for the purpose of an overseas listing of securities through acquisitions of PRC domestic companies or assets to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose vehicle’s securities on an overseas stock exchange. On September 21, 2006, the CSRC published on its official website procedures regarding its approval of overseas listings by special purpose vehicles. However, substantial uncertainty remains regarding the scope and applicability of the M&A Rules to offshore special purpose vehicles.

We believe, based on the advice of our PRC legal counsel, Han Kun Law Offices, based on its understanding of the current PRC laws and regulations, that the CSRC approval under the M&A Rules is not required in the context of this offering because the CSRC currently has not issued any definitive rule or interpretation concerning whether offerings such as this offering contemplated by our company are subject to the M&A Rules and our wholly owned PRC Subsidiary, GigaCloud Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., was established by foreign direct investment, rather than through a merger or acquisition of a domestic company as defined under the M&A Rules. However, we have also been advised by our PRC legal counsel that there are uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of the PRC law, and there can be no assurance that the relevant PRC government agencies, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as our PRC legal counsel. If the CSRC or any other PRC regulatory body subsequently determines that we need to obtain the CSRC’s approval or any other regulatory approval for this offering or if the CSRC or any other PRC government authorities promulgates any new laws, rules, regulations or any interpretation or implementation rules before our listing that would require us to obtain CSRC or other governmental approvals for this offering, we may face adverse actions or sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies for failure to seek approval for this offering.

 

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Based on the above (including our PRC legal counsel’s advice as stated above), as of the date of this prospectus, except as otherwise disclosed in this prospectus, we believe that we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, (i) are not required to submit an application to the CAC, CSRC or any other PRC authorities for the approval of this offering and to issue our ordinary shares to foreign investors, (ii) are not covered by permission requirements from the CSRC’s M&A rules, CAC or other PRC authorities for the approval of this offering, (iii) have obtained all material requisite licenses and approvals necessary to operate in mainland China and Hong Kong, respectively, and no such licenses and approvals have been denied, and (iv) have not received any inquiry or notice or any objection to this offering from the CAC, the CSRC or any other PRC authorities that have jurisdiction over our operations in mainland China and Hong Kong. However, it is uncertain how PRC governmental authorities will regulate overseas listing in general and whether we are required to obtain any specific regulatory approvals or to fulfill any record-filing requirements. For example, recently, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council recently jointly promulgated the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law which was made available to the public on July 6, 2021, or the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities. The Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities, and the need to strengthen the supervision over overseas listings by Chinese companies. Effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems will be taken to deal with the risks and incidents of companies with operations in the PRC, and cybersecurity and data privacy protection requirements and similar matters. The Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities and any related implementing rules to be enacted may subject us to compliance requirement in the future. Given the current regulatory environment in the PRC, we are still subject to the uncertainty of interpretation and enforcement of the rules and regulations in the PRC, which can change quickly with little advance notice, and any future actions of the PRC authorities could result in a material change in our operations, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of the securities we are registering for sale to significantly decline or in extreme cases, become worthless. It is uncertain when and whether the Company will be required to obtain permission from the PRC government to list on U.S. exchanges, and even if such permission is obtained, whether it will be denied or rescinded. As a result, our operations could be adversely affected, directly or indirectly, by existing or future laws and regulations relating to our business or industry. Furthermore, if we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and Hong Kong Subsidiary, (i) do not receive or maintain any required approvals or record-filing or (ii) inadvertently conclude that approvals or record-filing are not required, or (iii) if the CAC, the CSRC or other regulatory agencies promulgate new rules, explanations or interpretations requiring that we shall obtain their prior approvals or ex-post record-filing for this offering and any follow-on offering in the future, we may be unable to obtain such approvals and record-filing timely, or at all, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our ordinary shares to significantly decline or become worthless. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The approval or other administration requirements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, or other PRC governmental authorities, may be required in connection with this offering under a PRC regulation or any new laws, rules or regulations to be enacted, and if required, we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain such approval. The regulation also establishes more complex procedures for acquisitions conducted by foreign investors that could make it more difficult for us to grow through acquisitions,” “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The CSRC has released for public consultation the draft rules for companies based in China seeking to conduct initial public offerings in overseas markets. While such rules have not yet been adopted, the PRC government may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in issuers based in mainland China and Hong Kong, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our ordinary shares to significantly decline or become worthless” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—We are subject to stringent and changing privacy laws, regulations and standards as well as contractual obligations related to data privacy and security. Our actual or perceived failure to comply with such

 

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obligations could harm our reputation, subject us to significant fines and liability, or otherwise adversely affect our business or prospects.”

Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act

On December 2, 2021, the SEC adopted amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCA Act. The rules apply to registrants the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate, or the Commission-Identified Issuers. The final amendments require Commission-Identified Issuers to submit documentation to the SEC establishing that it is not owned or controlled by a governmental entity in the public accounting firm’s foreign jurisdiction.

Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if enacted into law would amend the HFCA Act and require the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive “non-inspection” years instead of three, and therefore reducing the time before our securities may be prohibited from trading on the Nasdaq or other U.S. stock exchanges, and this ultimately could result in our Class A ordinary shares being delisted. On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final rule implementing the HFCA Act, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCA Act, whether the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report on its determinations that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, because of positions taken by PRC authorities in these jurisdictions. The PCAOB included in its report a list of registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely, including our auditor, KPMG Huazhen LLP.

We may take measures to enable PCAOB’s inspection of our auditor. Given that we have operations in the U.S., we may in the future maintain our accounting books and records in the U.S., and if required by the HFCA Act, the PCAOB or the SEC, we shall in the future, but shall in no event later than after being identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer for three consecutive years, change our auditor to an independent registered public accounting firm located in the U.S. subject to the PCAOB’s inspection in order to maintain the listing of our Class A ordinary shares. We may incur additional costs in connection with such change and we cannot assure you that we could do so in a timely manner, if at all. If we fail to implement measures to comply with the HFCA Act and the uncertainty surrounding the possible new rule and regulations regarding the implementation of the HFCA Act remains, such uncertainty could cause the market price of our Class A ordinary shares to be materially and adversely affected, and our securities could be delisted or prohibited from being traded “over-the-counter” earlier than would be required by the HFCA Act. If our securities are unable to be listed on another securities exchange by then, such a delisting would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase our Class A ordinary shares when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with a potential delisting would have a negative impact on the price of our Class A ordinary shares. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to our Class A ordinary shares—Our Class A ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect auditors who are located in China and if we fail to implement measures to enable PCAOB’s inspection of our auditor. The delisting of our Class A ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections deprives our investors of the benefits of such inspections.”

 

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Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company

As a company with less than $1.07 billion in revenue during our last fiscal year, we qualify as an “emerging growth company” as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, as amended, or the JOBS Act. As long as we remain an emerging growth company, we may rely on exemptions from some of the reporting requirements applicable to public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These exemptions include:

 

   

being permitted to provide only two years of selected financial data (rather than five years) and only two years of audited financial statements (rather than three years), in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements, with correspondingly reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure;

 

   

not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting; and

 

   

not being required to comply with any new or revised financial accounting standards until such date that a private company is otherwise required to comply with such new or revised accounting standards.

We have taken, and may continue to take, advantage of some of these exemptions until we are no longer an emerging growth company. We will not “opt out” of such exemptions afforded to an emerging growth company.

We will remain an emerging growth company until the earliest of:

 

   

the last day of our fiscal year during which we have total annual gross revenues of at least $1.07 billion;

 

   

the last day of our fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering;

 

   

the date on which we have, during the previous three year period, issued more than $1.00 billion in non-convertible debt; or

 

   

the date on which we become a “large accelerated filer” under the U.S. Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our Class A ordinary shares held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter.

We will not be entitled to the above exemptions if we cease to be an emerging growth company.

Implications of Being a Foreign Private Issuer

We are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Exchange Act, and as such we are exempt under the Exchange Act from, among other things, the rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K with the SEC, the rules prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements, and our executive officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will not be required under the Exchange Act to file periodic reports and financial statements with the SEC as frequently or as promptly as U.S. companies whose securities are registered under the Exchange Act. We will be required to file an annual report on Form 20-F within four months of the end of each fiscal year

 

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and we intend to publish our results on a quarterly basis. However, the information we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC will be less extensive and less timely compared to that required to be filed with the SEC by U.S. domestic issuers.

In addition, as a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we are permitted to adopt certain home country practices in relation to corporate governance matters that differ significantly from the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. These practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. Currently, we do not plan to rely on home country practices with respect to our corporate governance after we complete this offering.

Implications of Being a Controlled Company

Immediately prior to the completion of this offering, our outstanding share capital will consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, will beneficially own all of our issued Class B ordinary shares and will be able to exercise approximately 75.4% of the total voting power of our issued and outstanding share capital immediately following the completion of this offering. Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares will have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. Each Class A ordinary share will be entitled to one vote, and each Class B ordinary share will be entitled to ten votes. Our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders, except as may otherwise be required by law. Each Class B ordinary share will be convertible into Class A ordinary share. Class A ordinary shares will not be convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances.

As a result, upon the completion of this offering, we will be a “controlled company” as defined under the Nasdaq Stock Market Listing Rules because Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, will hold more than 50% of the voting power for the election of directors through TALENT BOOM GROUP LIMITED and Ji Xiang Hu Tong Holdings Limited, the entities controlled by Mr. Wu. As a “controlled company,” we are permitted to elect not to comply with certain corporate governance requirements. If we rely on these exemptions, you will not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements.

As a result of the dual-class share structure and the concentration of ownership, holders of Class B ordinary shares will have considerable influence over matters such as decisions regarding mergers and consolidations, election of directors and other significant corporate actions. For a detailed description of the risks associated with our dual-class structure, see “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Class A Ordinary Shares and this Offering—Our dual-class voting structure will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change of control transactions that holders of our Class A ordinary shares may view as beneficial” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Class A Ordinary Shares and this Offering—Our dual-class voting structure may render our Class A ordinary shares ineligible for inclusion in certain stock market indices, and thus adversely affect the trading price and liquidity of our Class A ordinary shares.”

Corporate Information

Our principal executive offices are located at Unit A, 12/F, Shun Ho Tower, 24-30 Ice House Street, Central, Hong Kong. Our telephone number at this address is +852 2369-8219. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at the offices of Maples Corporate Services Limited at PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands.

Investors should submit any inquiries to the address and telephone number of our principal executive offices. Our corporate website is https://www.gigacloudtech.com/. The information contained on our website is

 

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not a part of this prospectus. Our agent for service of process in the U.S. is Cogency Global Inc. located at 122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor New York, NY 10168.

Conventions that Apply to this Prospectus

Unless we indicate otherwise, references in this prospectus to:

 

   

“Active 3P sellers” means sellers who have sold a product in GigaCloud Marketplace within the last 12-month period, irrespective of cancellations or returns;

 

   

“Active buyers” means buyers who have purchased a product in the GigaCloud Marketplace within the last 12-month period, irrespective of cancellations or returns;

 

   

“Cayman Islands holding company” are to GigaCloud Technology Inc, our Cayman Islands holding company and its predecessor entity;

 

   

“China” and the “PRC” are to the People’s Republic of China, and “mainland China” are to the People’s Republic of China excluding, for the purposes of this prospectus only, Taiwan, the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the Macao Special Administrative Region;

 

   

“Class A ordinary shares” or “our Class A ordinary shares” are to the Class A ordinary shares, par value $0.05 per share, of GigaCloud Technology Inc;

 

   

“Class B ordinary shares” or “our Class B ordinary shares” are to the Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.05 per share, of GigaCloud Technology Inc;

 

   

“GigaCloud Marketplace GMV” means the total gross merchandise value of transactions ordered through our GigaCloud Marketplace including GigaCloud 3P and GigaCloud 1P, before any deductions of value added tax, goods and services tax, shipping charges paid by buyers to sellers and any refunds;

 

   

“GMV” means the total gross merchandise value of transactions;

 

   

“Hong Kong” are to Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China;

 

   

“off-platform ecommerce” means the sale of our own inventory to and through third-party ecommerce platforms;

 

   

“preferred shares” or “our preferred shares” are to the redeemable convertible preferred shares of $0.05 par value per share, of GigaCloud Technology Inc, including series A redeemable convertible preferred shares of $0.05 par value per share, or “series A preferred shares,” series B redeemable convertible preferred shares of $0.05 par value per share, or “series B preferred shares,” series C redeemable convertible preferred shares of $0.05 par value per share, or “series C preferred shares,” series D redeemable convertible preferred shares of $0.05 par value per share, or “series D preferred shares,” and series E redeemable convertible preferred shares, or “series E preferred shares.” The preferred shares will automatically convert into our ordinary shares and be re-designated as Class A ordinary shares or Class B ordinary shares, where applicable, immediately prior to the completion of this offering;

 

   

“RMB” and “Renminbi” are to the legal currency of China;

 

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“shares,” “our shares” “ordinary shares” or “our ordinary shares” are to the ordinary shares, par value $0.05 per share, of GigaCloud Technology Inc, and upon and after the completion of this offering, are to our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, par value $0.05 per share;

 

   

“Share Consolidation” means consolidation of every 500 shares of each class with a par value of $0.0001 each in our authorized share capital (including all issued and unissued shares) into one share of the same class with a par value of US$0.05 each which was approved by our board of directors and shareholders in July 2022 and effected in July 2022;

 

   

“SKU” means the stock keeping unit for our inventory;

 

   

“Spend per active buyer” is calculated by dividing the total GigaCloud Marketplace GMV within the last 12-month period by the number of active buyers as of such date;

 

   

“US$,” “$” and “U.S. dollars” are to the legal currency of the U.S.;

 

   

“VIEs” are to our variable interest entities who entered into account control agreements, or control agreements, with GigaCloud Technology Inc, as detailed in “Corporate History and Structure”; and

 

   

“we,” “us,” “our company,” “our,” “our group” or “GigaCloud Group” refer to GigaCloud Technology Inc, our Cayman Islands holding company, its predecessor entity, together as a group with its subsidiaries, and, in the context of describing our operations and consolidated financial statements, its consolidated VIEs and any subsidiaries of its consolidated VIEs, as the context requires.

In this prospectus, any PRC laws, rules, regulations, statutes, notices, circulars and court’s judicial interpretation or the like refer to those currently in force, published for comments (if specifically stated) or being promulgated but have not come into effect (if specifically stated) and publicly available in mainland China as of the date of this prospectus.

Unless the context indicates otherwise, all information in this prospectus assumes (i) no exercise by the underwriter of its over-allotment option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares and (ii) a 1-for-500 Share Consolidation of our ordinary shares approved and effected in July 2022.

Restatement of Previously Issued Financial Statements

During the course of preparing the consolidated financial statements as of and for the year ended December 31, 2021, we restated previously issued 2019 and 2020 consolidated financial statements and the previously issued unaudited condensed financial statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2021 to correct errors in the recognition of share-based compensation expenses and the related impact on various line items. For more information, see Note 2(c) of our audited consolidated financial statements and Note 1(b) of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

We have made rounding adjustments to reach some of the figures included in this prospectus. Consequently, numerical figures shown as totals in some tables may not be arithmetic aggregations of the figures that precede them.

 

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THE OFFERING

 

Offering Price

We currently estimate that the initial public offering price will be between $10.25 and $12.25 per Class A ordinary share.

 

Class A Ordinary Shares Offered by Us

2,450,000 Class A ordinary share (or 2,817,500 Class A ordinary share if the underwriter exercises the over-allotment option to purchase additional Class A ordinary share in full).

 

Ordinary Shares Outstanding Immediately After This Offering

30,426,814 Class A ordinary shares (or 30,794,314 Class A ordinary shares if the underwriter exercises the over-allotment option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares in full) and 9,326,732 Class B ordinary shares.

 

Ordinary Shares

We will adopt a dual-class voting structure that will become effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering. Holders of our Class A ordinary shares and holders of our Class B ordinary shares will have the same rights, except for voting and conversion rights. In respect of matters requiring a shareholders’ vote, each Class A ordinary share will be entitled to one vote and each Class B ordinary share will be entitled to ten votes. Our Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares vote together as a single class on all matters submitted to a vote of our shareholders, except as may otherwise be required by law. Each Class B ordinary share will be convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time, by the holder thereof. However, Class A ordinary shares will not be convertible into Class B ordinary shares at any time, under any circumstances.

 

  Upon (i) any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of ownership in Class B ordinary shares by a holder thereof to any person or entity that is not our controlling shareholder or an entity that is ultimately controlled by our controlling shareholder or (ii) upon any change in the ultimate beneficial ownership of any Class B ordinary share to a person who is neither our controlling shareholder nor an entity that is ultimately controlled by our controlling shareholder, such Class B ordinary shares will automatically and immediately converted into an equal number of Class A ordinary shares without any actions on the part of the transferor or the transferee. For further information, see “Description of Share Capital.”

 

Over-Allotment Option

We have granted to the underwriter an option, exercisable within 45 days from the date of this prospectus, to purchase up to an aggregate of 367,500 additional Class A ordinary shares, representing 15% of the Class A ordinary shares sold in the offering, at the initial public offering price, less underwriting discounts and commissions.

 

Use of Proceeds

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds of approximately $21.9 million (or $25.7 million if the underwriter exercises the over-

 

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allotment option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares in full) from this offering, assuming an initial public offering price of $11.25 per Class A ordinary share, which is the mid-point of the estimated range of the initial public offering price, after deducting estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

 

  We anticipate using the net proceeds of this offering primarily for working capital, operating expenses, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes including funding potential strategic acquisitions, investments and alliances, although we do not presently have specific plans and are not currently engaged in any discussions or negotiations with respect to any such transaction.

 

  See “Use of Proceeds” for more information.

 

Lock-up

We, our directors, executive officers and all existing holders of our outstanding ordinary shares have agreed with the underwriter, subject to certain exceptions, not to sell, transfer or otherwise dispose of any ordinary shares or similar securities or any securities convertible into or exchangeable or exercisable for our ordinary shares, for a period of 180 days after the date of this prospectus. See “Shares Eligible for Future Sale” and “Underwriting.”

 

Founder’s Undertaking

Under an undertaking letter dated July 6, 2022, Mr. Larry Lei Wu, or the Founder, together with Ji Xiang Hu Tong Holdings Limited and TALENT BOOM GROUP LIMITED, or collectively, the Founder Holders, have undertaken to our company that: for a period of five years after the closing of this offering, (i) without the prior written consent of our board of directors and at least a majority of the independent directors, the Founder Holders will not agree to, approve, support, vote (in favor of or against), or otherwise cause our company to agree to, enter into or consummate, a privatization transaction, as defined in “Description of Share Capital—Ordinary Shares—Conversion,” unless the consideration per Class A ordinary share payable to shareholders of the Class A ordinary shares in connection with such privatization transaction is at least equal to the price per Class A ordinary share initially offered to the public in this offering (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Class A ordinary shares), provided, for greater clarity, if the Founder is serving on the board, the Founder may vote in favor of, against, or abstain from voting on, a privatization transaction in the capacity of a director, and if such privatization transaction is approved by the board and at least a majority of the independent directors, the Founder Holders as shareholders may vote in favor of, against, or abstain from voting on, the privatization transaction; and (ii) upon the first to occur of: (a) the Founder being permanently unable to engage in the business affairs of our company as a result of incapacity solely due to his then physical and/or mental condition

 

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(which, for the avoidance of doubt, does not include any confinement against his will) or (b) the Founder’s primary business occupation no longer being either a director or an employee of our company, the Founder Holders shall cause, at such time, such Class B ordinary shares held by the Founder Holders to be converted into an equal number of Class A ordinary shares in accordance with our post-offering amended and restated memorandum and articles of association. See “Description of Share Capital—Ordinary Shares—Conversion” for more information.

 

Directed Share Program

At our request, the underwriter has reserved for sale, at the initial public offering price, up to an aggregate of 1% of the Class A ordinary shares offered in this offering to certain of our directors, officers, employees, business associates and other persons having relationships with us through a directed share program. Any sales made through the directed share program will be made by Aegis. We do not know if these persons will choose to purchase all or any portion of these reserved Class A ordinary shares, but any purchases they do make will reduce the number of Class A ordinary shares available to the general public. Any reserved Class A ordinary shares not so purchased will be offered by the underwriter to the general public on the same terms as the other Class A ordinary shares. Certain participants may be subject to the lock-up agreements as described in “Underwriting—Directed Share Program.”

 

Listing

We have applied to list our Class A ordinary shares on the Nasdaq under the symbol “GCT.” Our ordinary shares will not be listed on any other stock exchange or traded on any automated quotation system.

 

Payment and settlement

The underwriter expects to deliver the Class A ordinary shares against payment therefor on            , 2022, through the facilities of The Depository Trust Company, or DTC.

 

Risk Factors

See “Risk Factors” and other information included in this prospectus for a discussion of risks you should carefully consider before investing in our Class A ordinary shares.

 

Transfer Agent and Share Registrar

Computershare Trust Company, N.A.

The total number of ordinary shares that will be outstanding immediately after this offering is based upon:

 

   

37,303,546 ordinary shares issued and outstanding on an as-converted basis as of the date of this prospectus; and

 

   

2,450,000 Class A ordinary shares that we will issue and sell in this offering (assuming the underwriter does not exercise the over-allotment option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares).

 

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Summary Consolidated Financial and Operating Data

The following summary consolidated statements of comprehensive income data and consolidated statement of cash flows data for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and summary consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2020 and 2021 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The following summary consolidated statements of comprehensive income data for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, summary consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2022, and summary consolidated statements of cash flows data for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022 have been derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and have been prepared on the same basis as our audited consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments, consisting only of ordinary and recurring adjustments, that we consider necessary for a fair statement of our financial position and results of operations for the periods presented. Our consolidated financial statements are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of results for any future periods. You should read this section together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

   

For the Year Ended December 31,

   

For the Three Months Ended
March 31,

 
   

2019

   

2020

Restated*

   

2021

   

2021
Restated*

   

2022

 
    ($ in thousands, except for share data and per share data)  

Summary Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income Data:

         

Revenues

         

Service revenues

    15,151       60,130       98,332       20,418       31,218  

Product revenues

    107,145       215,348       315,865       74,110       81,224  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total revenues

    122,296       275,478       414,197       94,528       112,442  

Cost of revenues

         

Services

    (9,697     (37,147     (84,723     (14,146     (29,201

Product sales

    (90,405     (163,215     (239,877     (59,494     (66,371
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total cost of revenues

    (100,102     (200,362     (324,600     (73,640     (95,572
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Gross profit

    22,194       75,116       89,597       20,888       16,870  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating expenses

         

Selling and marketing expenses

    (12,680     (22,215     (25,728     (7,359     (5,562

General and administrative expenses

    (4,712     (8,717     (24,516     (2,941     (3,827
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

    (17,392 )      (30,932 )      (50,244     (10,300     (9,389
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Operating income

    4,802       44,184       39,353       10,588       7,481  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Interest expense

    —         (46     (309     (65     (164

Interest income

    2       58       537       98       92  

Foreign currency exchange gains (losses), net

    166       1,023       (2,012     (727     (1,230

Others, net

    (168     56       156       39       167  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income before income taxes

    4,802       45,275       37,725       9,933       6,346  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Income tax expense

    (1,945     (7,820     (8,468     (1,950     (1,607
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income

    2,857       37,455       29,257       7,983       4,739  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Accretion of redeemable convertible preferred shares

    —         (152     (1,500     (370     (370

Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of our company

    2,857       37,303       27,757       7,613       4,369  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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For the Year Ended December 31,

   

For the Three Months Ended
March 31,

 
   

2019

   

2020

Restated*

   

2021

   

2021
Restated*

   

2022

 
    ($ in thousands, except for share data and per share data)  

Other comprehensive income (loss)

         

Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of nil income taxes

    (54     (364     123       (35     (69
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total other comprehensive income (loss)

    (54     (364     123       (35     (69
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Comprehensive income

    2,803       37,091       29,380       7,948       4,670  
 

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Net income per ordinary share

         

—Basic and diluted

    0.11       1.36       0.88       0.25       0.13  

Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding used in computing net income per ordinary share

         

—Basic and diluted

    9,495,844       9,495,844       10,248,079       9,495,844       12,999,986  

 

*

See “Prospectus Summary—Conventions that Apply to this Prospectus,” Note 2(c) of our audited consolidated financial statements and Note 1(b) of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     As of December 31,     

As of March 31,

 
    

2020

    

2021

    

2022

 
Summary Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:    ($ in thousands)  

Accounts receivable, net

     24,020        18,036        21,112  

Inventories

     35,578        81,441        110,744  

Total current assets

     132,369        172,419        187,309  

Total non-current assets

     5,974        14,358        159,902  

Total assets

     138,343        186,777        347,211  

Accounts payable

     18,831        25,140        33,217  

Total current liabilities

     48,907        57,044        100,722  

Total non-current liabilities

     2,665        3,901        115,788  

Total liabilities

     51,572        60,945        216,510  

Total mezzanine equity

     25,152        26,652        27,022  

Total shareholders’ equity

     61,619        99,180        103,679  

Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and shareholders’ equity

     138,343        186,777        347,211  

 

   

For the Year Ended
December 31,

   

For the

Three Months
December 31,

 
   

2019

   

2020

   

2021

   

2021

   

2022

 
Summary Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow Data:   ($ in thousands)  

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

    1,157       33,284       8,556       (6,459     (14,512

Net cash used in investing activities

    (944     (647     (1,825     (594     (80

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

    89       23,272       (2,956     (530     261  

Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash and restricted cash

    139       735       (2,110     (3     (5

Net increase (decrease) in cash and restricted cash

    441       56,644       1,665       (7,586     (14,336

Cash and restricted cash at the beginning of the year

    5,112       5,553       62,197       62,197       63,862  

Cash and restricted cash at the end of the year

    5,553       62,197       63,862       54,611       49,526  

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we use Adjusted EBITDA, which is net income excluding interest, income taxes and depreciation, further adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expenses, a non-GAAP financial measure, to

 

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understand and evaluate our core operating performance. Non-GAAP financial measure, which may differ from similarly titled measures used by other companies, are presented to enhance investors’ overall understanding of our financial performance and should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The table below sets forth a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA from net income for the periods indicated:

 

    

For the Year Ended
December 31,

   

For the Three Months
Ended March 31,

 
    

2019

   

2020

Restated*

   

2021

   

2021
Restated*

   

2022

 
     ($ in thousands)  

Net income

     2,857       37,455       29,257       7,983       4,739  

Add: Income tax expense

     1,945       7,820       8,468       1,950       1,607  

Add: Interest expense

     —         46       309       65       164  

Less: Interest income

     (2     (58     (537     (98     (92

Add: Depreciation and amortization

     128       227       775       128       311  

Add: Share-based compensation expense

     —         —         9,681       —         199  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

     4,928       45,490       47,953       10,028       6,928  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

*

See “Prospectus Summary—Conventions that Apply to this Prospectus,” Note 2(c) of our audited consolidated financial statements and Note 1(b) of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

Key Financial and Operating Metrics

The following table sets forth certain key financial and operating metrics for the periods presented:

 

    

For the Year Ended December 31,

    

For the 12 Months
Ended March 31,

 
GigaCloud Marketplace:   

2019

    

2020

    

2021

    

2021

    

2022

 

GigaCloud Marketplace GMV (in $ thousands)

   $ 35,468      $ 190,480      $ 414,192      $ 259,050      $ 438,126  

Active 3P sellers

     71        210        382        236        410  

Active buyers

     441        1,689        3,566        2,138        3,782  

Spend per active buyer (in $)

   $ 80,427      $ 112,777      $ 116,150      $ 121,165      $ 115,845  

For additional information about our key financial and operating metrics, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Key Financial and Operating Metrics.”

Cash Transfers and Dividend Distribution

GigaCloud Technology Inc is a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and not a direct Chinese or Hong Kong operating company. As a holding company with no material operations of its own, GigaCloud Technology Inc conducts its operations through its subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs.

We have operations in many locations globally through our principal subsidiaries incorporated in mainland China, Hong Kong, Japan and the U.S. and our principal consolidated VIEs incorporated in the U.S. and the U.K. If needed, cash can be transferred between our holding company and subsidiaries through intercompany fund advances.

In 2019, GigaCloud Technology Inc, our Cayman Islands holding company (i) received a total of $4.4 million in cash from our subsidiaries and our consolidated VIEs, of which nil was from our Hong Kong

 

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Subsidiary or PRC Subsidiaries; and (ii) transferred a total of $3.3 million in cash to our subsidiaries and our consolidated VIEs, of which $1.0 million was to our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $1.4 million was to Suzhou GigaCloud. In 2020, GigaCloud Technology Inc (i) received a total of $12.3 million in cash from our subsidiaries and our consolidated VIEs, of which $1.1 million was from our Hong Kong Subsidiary and nil from our PRC Subsidiaries; and (ii) transferred a total of $2.1 million in cash to our subsidiaries and our consolidated VIEs, of which $1.8 million was to our Hong Kong Subsidiary. In 2021, GigaCloud Technology Inc (i) received a total of $6.7 million in cash, of which $6.7 million was from our Hong Kong Subsidiary; and (ii) transferred a total of $18.6 million in cash to our subsidiaries, of which $18.5 million was to our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $0.1 million was to GigaCloud Trading (HongKong) Limited. In the three months ended March 31, 2022, GigaCloud Technology Inc (i) did not receive any cash transfer from our subsidiaries or consolidated VIEs; and (ii) transferred a total of $10.1 million to our subsidiaries, of which $10.0 million was to our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $0.1 million was to GigaCloud Trading (HongKong) Limited. Suzhou GigaCloud was a consolidated VIE in mainland China from 2018 to February 2021, and we acquired 100% of the equity interest in Suzhou GigaCloud in February 2021, which then became our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary. In 2019, Suzhou GigaCloud did not have any transfers, dividends or distributions with our Cayman Islands holding company or other intercompany entities. In 2020 and 2021, Suzhou GigaCloud received a total of $0.4 million and $1.5 million, respectively, in cash from our Hong Kong Subsidiary. In the three months ended March 31, 2022, Suzhou GigaCloud received a total of $0.3 million in cash from our Hong Kong Subsidiary. In 2020 and 2021, Suzhou GigaCloud transferred a total of nil and $0.5 million, respectively, in cash to our subsidiary in Japan and our consolidated VIE in the U.S. In the three months ended March 31, 2022, Suzhou GigaCloud did not have any transfers, dividends or distributions with our Cayman Islands holding company or other intercompany entities. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2022, GigaCloud Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., our wholly-owned subsidiary in mainland China, transferred a total of $0.04 million, nil, $0.06 million, nil, respectively, in cash to our subsidiaries in mainland China. In 2019, 2020, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2022, GigaCloud Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. received a total of $3.1 million in cash, of which $1.7 million was from our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $1.4 million was from GigaCloud Technology Inc, $4.6 million in cash from our Hong Kong Subsidiary, $15.1 million in cash, of which $15.0 million was from our Hong Kong Subsidiary and $0.1 million was from one of our PRC Subsidiaries, and $2.9 million in cash from our Hong Kong Subsidiary, respectively. As of the date of this prospectus, other than the cash transfer described hereto, there were no transfer of other assets between our Cayman Islands holding company, our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs. Our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs have never made any dividends or distributions to our Cayman Islands holding company, or to investors. Similarly, our Cayman Islands holding company has not declared or made any dividend or other distribution to its shareholders, including U.S. investors, in the past.

If we decide to pay dividends on any of our ordinary shares in the future, as a holding company, we will be dependent on receipt of funds from our principal subsidiaries in Hong Kong, Japan and the U.S. and our principal consolidated VIEs in the U.S. and the U.K. There are currently no restrictions on foreign exchange and our ability to transfer cash among our Cayman Islands holding company and our principal subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs, as applicable, in Hong Kong, Japan, the U.S. and the U.K., or to investors. Although we did not rely on our PRC Subsidiaries in dividends or other distributions on equity in the past, in the event that our PRC Subsidiaries were to issue dividends or distribution to us out of mainland China in the future, our PRC Subsidiaries may be subject to the applicable foreign currency control. To date, there have not been any such dividends or other distributions from our PRC Subsidiaries to our subsidiaries located outside of mainland China. In addition, save as disclosed above, as of the date of this prospectus, none of our subsidiaries have ever issued any dividends or distributions to us or their respective shareholders outside of mainland China. In the PRC, the PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the Renminbi into foreign currencies and the remittance of currency out of mainland China which may restrict our PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash from our PRC Subsidiaries to our other non-mainland China entities. To the extent cash is generated in our PRC Subsidiaries, and may need to be used to fund operations outside of mainland China, such funds may not be available due to limitations placed by the PRC government. Furthermore, to the extent assets (other than cash) in

 

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our business are located in mainland China or held by a mainland China entity, the assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of mainland China due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us and our subsidiaries to transfer assets by the PRC government. If certain PRC laws and regulations, including existing laws and regulations and those enacted or promulgated in the future were to become applicable to our Hong Kong Subsidiary in the future, and to the extent cash is generated in our Hong Kong Subsidiary and to the extent assets (other than cash) in our business are located in Hong Kong or held by a Hong Kong entity and may need to be used to fund operations outside of Hong Kong, such funds or assets may not be available due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us and our subsidiaries to transfer funds or assets by the PRC government. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions on GigaCloud Group’s ability to transfer or distribute cash within its organization, which could result in an inability or prohibition on making transfers or distributions to entities outside of mainland China and Hong Kong and adversely affect its business. Saved as the foregoing limitations imposed by the PRC government as described hereto, there are currently no limitations on our or our subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash to investors. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our revenues, transfer or distribute cash within our group effectively and affect the value of your investment” and “Regulation—Regulatory Overview of the PRC—Regulations Relating to Dividend Distributions” for a detailed discussion of the PRC legal restrictions on dividends and our ability to transfer cash within our group. In addition, holders of our ordinary shares may potentially be subject to PRC taxes on dividends paid by us in the event GigaCloud Technology Inc is deemed as a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes. See “Taxation—PRC Taxation” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Dividends paid to our foreign investors and gains on the sale of our Class A ordinary shares by our foreign investors may become subject to PRC tax” for more details.

We currently have not maintained any cash management policies that dictate the purpose, amount and procedure of fund transfers among our Cayman Islands holding company, our subsidiaries, the consolidated VIEs, or investors. Rather, the funds can be transferred in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations. We may require additional capital resources in the future and we may seek to issue additional equity or debt securities or obtain new or expanded credit facilities, which could subject us to operating and financing covenants, including requirements to maintain certain amount of cash reserves. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Our ability to raise capital in the future may be limited, and our failure to raise capital when needed could prevent us from growing.”

Our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs have never made any dividends or distributions to our Cayman Islands holding company. Similarly, our Cayman Islands holding company has not declared or made any dividend or other distribution to its shareholders, including U.S. investors, in the past. U.S. investors will not be subject to Cayman Islands taxation on dividend distributions, and no withholding will be required on the payment of dividends or distributions to them while they may be subject to U.S. federal income tax. See “Taxation—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Taxation of Dividends.” We currently anticipate that we will retain future earnings for the development, operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of any future debt agreements may preclude us from paying dividends. Our board of directors has complete discretion on whether to distribute dividends, subject to applicable laws. Even if our board of directors decides to pay dividends, the form, frequency, and amount will depend upon our future operations and earnings, capital requirements and surplus, general financial condition, contractual restrictions, and other factors that the board of directors may deem relevant.

In considering any distribution of the earnings of the subsidiaries to their respective holding companies, we must consider their respective financial conditions before making a decision. There are no other significant restrictions and limitations on our ability to distribute earnings from our businesses, including our subsidiaries

 

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and consolidated VIEs, to the holding company and U.S. investors or our ability to settle amounts owed. Except the aforementioned restrictions on our PRC Subsidiaries, there are no significant restrictions on foreign exchange or our ability to transfer cash between entities within our group, across borders, or to U.S. investors.

 

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RISK FACTORS

Investing in our Class A ordinary shares entails a significant level of risk. Before investing in our Class A ordinary shares, you should carefully consider all of the risks and uncertainties mentioned in this section, in addition to all of the other information in this prospectus, including the financial statements and related notes. We may face additional risks and uncertainties aside from the ones mentioned below. There may be risks and uncertainties that we are unaware of, or that we currently do not consider material but may become important factors that adversely affect our business in the future. Any of the following risks and uncertainties could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects. In such case, the market prices of our Class A ordinary shares could decline and you may lose part or all of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

Uncertainties in economic conditions and their impact on the ecommerce industry, particularly for large parcel merchandise, could adversely impact our operating results.

We generate a significant portion of our revenues by offering global end-to-end B2B ecommerce solutions for large parcel merchandise via our GigaCloud Marketplace and by selling our own inventory through the GigaCloud Marketplace, to and through off-platform ecommerce websites such as Rakuten in Japan, Amazon and Walmart in the U.S. and Wayfair in the U.K. Our business and growth are therefore highly dependent on the viability and prospects of the ecommerce industry, particularly for the large parcel merchandise market.

Any uncertainties relating to the growth, profitability and regulatory regime of the ecommerce industry for large parcel merchandise in the U.S. and other jurisdictions in which we operate could have a significant impact on us. The development of the ecommerce industry is affected by a number of factors, most of which are beyond our control. These factors include:

 

   

the consumption power and disposable income of ecommerce consumers, as well as changes in demographics and consumer tastes and preferences;

 

   

the availability, reliability and security of ecommerce platforms;

 

   

the selection, price and popularity of products offered on ecommerce platforms;

 

   

the potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to our business operations and the economy in the U.S. and elsewhere generally;

 

   

the development of revenues fulfillment, payment and other ancillary services associated with ecommerce; and

 

   

changes in laws and regulations, as well as government policies, that govern the ecommerce industry in the U.S.

The ecommerce industry is highly sensitive to changes in macroeconomic conditions, and ecommerce spending tends to decline during recessionary periods. Many factors beyond our control, including inflation and deflation, fluctuations in currency exchange rates, volatility of stock and property markets, interest rates, tax rates and other government policies and changes in unemployment rates can adversely affect consumer confidence and spending behavior on ecommerce platforms, which could in turn materially and adversely affect our growth and profitability. In addition, unfavorable changes in domestic and international politics, including military conflicts, political turmoil and social instability, may also adversely affect consumer confidence and spending, which could in turn negatively impact our growth and profitability.

 

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Our historical growth rates and performance may not be sustainable or indicative of our future growth and financial results. We cannot guarantee that we will be able to maintain the growth rate we have experienced to date.

We have grown rapidly over the last few years. Our revenues increased from $122.3 million in 2019 to $275.5 million in 2020 and $414.2 million in 2021 and further increased from $94.5 million in the three months ended March 31, 2021 to $112.4 million in the three months ended March 31, 2022. GigaCloud Marketplace GMV increased from $35.5 million in 2019 to $190.5 million in 2020 and $414.2 million in 2021 and increased from $89.5 million in the three months ended March 31, 2021 to $113.4 million in the three months ended March 31, 2022. However, our historical performance may not be indicative of our future growth or financial results. We cannot assure you that we will be able to grow at the same rate as we did in the past, or avoid any decline in the future. Our growth may slow or become negative, and revenues may decline for a number of possible reasons, some of which are beyond our control, including decreasing consumer spending, increasing competition, declining growth of our overall market or industry, the emergence of alternative business models and changes in rules, regulations, government policies or general economic conditions. In addition, our B2B ecommerce platform, GigaCloud Marketplace, from which we have generated 46.8%, 66.2%, 69.2%, 66.3% and 76.0% of our total revenues in 2019, 2020, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively, is a relatively new initiative and may not grow as quickly as we have anticipated. Our growth rate may also be slower than the previous years due to inflationary pressure and changes in the global economic conditions. It is difficult to evaluate our prospects, as we may not have sufficient experience in addressing the risks to which companies operating in rapidly evolving markets may be exposed. If our growth rate declines, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

System interruptions that impair access to our GigaCloud Marketplace, or other performance failures in our technology infrastructure, could damage our reputation and results of operations.

The satisfactory performance, reliability and availability of our marketplace, software such as our AI, data analytics tools, warehouse management system and other technology infrastructures are critical to our reputation and our ability to acquire and retain customers, as well as maintain adequate customer service levels.

For example, if one of our data centers fails or suffers an interruption or degradation of services, we could lose customer data and miss order fulfillment deadlines, which could harm our business. Our systems and operations, including our ability to fulfill customer orders through our logistics network, are also vulnerable to damage, breakdown, breach or interruption from inclement weather, fire, flood, power loss, telecommunications failure, terrorist attacks, labor disputes, employee error or malfeasance, theft or misuse, cyber-attacks, denial-of-service attacks, computer viruses, ransomware or other malware, data loss, acts of war, break-ins, earthquake and similar events. In the event of a data center failure, the failover to a back-up could take substantial time, during which time our sites could be completely shut down. Further, our back-up services may not effectively process spikes in demand, may process transactions more slowly and may not support all of our sites’ functionality.

We use complex AI software in our technology infrastructure, which we seek to continually update and improve. We may not always be successful in executing these upgrades and improvements, and the operation of our systems may be subject to failure. In particular, we may in the future experience slowdowns or interruptions in our marketplace or our warehouse management system when we are updating them, and new technologies or infrastructures may not be fully integrated with existing systems on a timely basis, or at all. Our revenues depends on the number of sellers and buyers who trade in our marketplace and the amount of GMV we can handle. Unavailability of our marketplace or our logistics algorithm would reduce the volume of GMV in our business operations.

We may experience periodic system interruptions from time to time. In addition, continued growth in our transaction volume, as well as surges in online traffic and orders associated with promotional activities or

 

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seasonal trends in our marketplace or on third-party ecommerce platforms, place additional demands on our technology infrastructure and could cause or exacerbate slowdowns or interruptions. Any substantial increase in the volume of traffic or the number of orders placed in our marketplace or the third-party ecommerce platforms may require us to further expand and upgrade our logistics network, precision logistics algorithm, warehouse management system and technology infrastructure. There can be no assurance that we will be able to accurately project the rate or timing of increases, if any, in the use of our marketplace, the third-party ecommerce platforms or expand and upgrade our systems and infrastructure to accommodate such increases on a timely basis. To remain competitive, we continue to enhance and improve the responsiveness, functionality and features of our marketplace, which is particularly challenging given the rapid rate at which new technologies, customer preferences and expectations and industry standards and practices are evolving in the ecommerce industry. Accordingly, we redesign and enhance various functions in our marketplace on a regular basis, and we may experience instability and performance issues as a result of these changes.

Any slowdown, interruption or performance failure of our marketplace and the underlying technology and logistics infrastructure could harm our business, reputation and our ability to acquire, retain and serve our customers, which could materially adversely affect our results of operations.

Our international operations are subject to a variety of legal, regulatory, political and economic risks.

We operate warehouses in four countries across North America, Europe and Asia, with the U.S. being our largest market. Our international activities are significant to our revenues and profits, and we plan to further expand internationally. In certain international market segments, we have relatively little operating experience and may not benefit from any first-to-market advantages. It is costly to establish, develop, and maintain international operations, and promote our brand internationally. Our international operations may not become profitable on a sustained basis.

In addition, our international sales and operations are subject to a number of risks, including:

 

   

local economic, inflation and political conditions;

 

   

government regulation (such as regulation of our product and service offerings and of competition); restrictive governmental actions (such as trade protection measures, including export duties and quotas and custom duties and tariffs); nationalization; and restrictions on foreign ownership;

 

   

restrictions on sales or distribution of certain products or services and uncertainty regarding liability for products, services, and content, including uncertainty as a result of less Internet-friendly legal systems, local laws, lack of legal precedent, and varying rules, regulations, and practices regarding the physical and digital distribution of media products and enforcement of intellectual property rights;

 

   

business licensing or certification requirements;

 

   

limitations on the repatriation and investment of funds and foreign currency exchange restrictions;

 

   

limited fulfillment and technology infrastructure;

 

   

potential impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business operations and the economy in globally;

 

   

shorter payable and longer inventory and receivable cycles and the resultant negative impact on cash flow;

 

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laws and regulations regarding consumer and data protection, privacy, network security, encryption, payments, advertising, and restrictions on pricing or discounts;

 

   

lower levels of use of the Internet;

 

   

lower levels of consumer spending and fewer opportunities for growth compared to the U.S., Europe, Japan or the PRC;

 

   

difficulty in staffing, developing, and managing foreign operations as a result of distance, language, and cultural differences;

 

   

different employee/employer relationships and the existence of works councils and labor unions;

 

   

differing labor regulations where labor laws may be more advantageous to employees as compared to the U.S. and the other jurisdictions we operate in;

 

   

compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act and other applicable U.S. and foreign laws prohibiting corrupt payments to government officials and other third parties;

 

   

laws and policies of the U.S. and other jurisdictions affecting trade, foreign investment, loans, and taxes; and

 

   

geopolitical events, including pandemic, war and terrorism.

As international physical, ecommerce, and omni-channel retail and other services grow, competition will intensify, including through adoption of evolving business models. Local companies may have a substantial competitive advantage because of their greater understanding of, and focus on, the local customer, as well as their more established local brand names. The inability to hire, train, retain, and manage sufficient required personnel may limit our international growth.

If we fail to maintain and expand our relationships with third-party platforms and sellers and buyers in our marketplace, our revenues and results of operations will be harmed.

Our business operations have relied on certain third-party ecommerce platforms, such as Rakuten in Japan, Amazon and Walmart in the U.S. and Wayfair in the U.K., and we still expect to be significantly influenced by these third-party ecommerce platforms in the foreseeable future.

Such third-party ecommerce platforms have significant influence over how transactions take place on their ecommerce platforms, including how purchase orders are fulfilled by indicating to consumers the preferred express delivery companies for orders placed. We may have to accommodate the demands and requirements from various players in the third-party ecommerce platforms such as packing standards and the selection of specified shippers. Such demands and requirements may increase our costs or weaken our connection with our end customers.

Furthermore, approximately 67.1%, 76.4%, 73.8% and 80.8% of our GMV was generated from our GigaCloud Marketplace in 2020, 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. As a result, our ability to maintain the relationship with and attract new third-party merchants, who are sellers and buyers trading on large parcel merchandise, to our marketplace is critical to our business operations and growth prospects. However, we may not be able to maintain our relationship with third-party ecommerce platforms or sellers and buyers due to a number of factors, some of which are beyond our control. For example, if the transaction volume or active users in our marketplace drop significantly, our third-party merchants may experience sales declines or shortage in products. As a result, they may not be able to generate profits or procure

 

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products as they expected, and thus choose not to renew their agreements with us. In addition, we may also be unable to continuously offer attractive terms or economic benefits to our sellers and buyers. As a result, our sellers and buyers may not be effectively motivated to sell or order more products or maintain the relationships with us.

Even if we are able to maintain our relationship with sellers and buyers and attract more sellers and buyers to our marketplace, we are subject to various risks in connection with third-party merchants. If any third-party sellers does not control the quality of the products that it sells in our marketplaces, delivers products that are defective or materially different from description, the reputation of our online marketplace could be materially and adversely affected and we could face claims to hold us liable for the losses. Moreover, despite our efforts to prevent it, some products sold by the sellers in our online marketplace may compete with the products we sell directly, which may cannibalize our sales under our self-operated business. In order for our online marketplace to be successful, we must continue to identify and attract sellers and buyers, and we may not be successful in this regard. The occurrence of any of the above could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Risks associated with the manufacturers of the products we sell as our own inventory could materially adversely affect our financial performance as well as our reputation and brand.

We source products from third-party suppliers and manufacturers which we sell as our own inventory through GigaCloud Marketplace and also through off-platform ecommerce. We depend on our ability to provide our customers with a wide range of products from qualified suppliers in a timely and efficient manner. Political and economic instability, global or regional adverse conditions, such as pandemics or other disease outbreaks or natural disasters, the financial stability of suppliers, suppliers’ ability to meet our standards, labor problems experienced by suppliers, the availability or cost of raw materials, merchandise quality issues, currency exchange rates, trade tariff developments, transport availability and cost, including import-related taxes, transport security, inflation, and other factors relating to our suppliers are beyond our control. As an example, the COVID-19 pandemic could adversely impact supplier facilities and operations due to extended holidays, factory closures and risks of labor shortages, among other things, which may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our agreements with most of our suppliers do not provide for the long-term availability of merchandise or the continuation of particular pricing practices, nor do they usually restrict such suppliers from selling products to other buyers. There can be no assurance that our current suppliers will continue to seek to sell us products on current terms or that we will be able to establish new or otherwise extend current supply relationships to ensure product acquisitions in a timely and efficient manner and on acceptable commercial terms. Our ability to develop and maintain relationships with reputable suppliers and offer high quality merchandise to our customers is critical to our success. If we are unable to develop and maintain relationships with suppliers that would allow us to offer a sufficient amount and variety of quality merchandise on acceptable commercial terms, our ability to satisfy our customers’ needs, and therefore our long-term growth prospects, may be materially adversely affected.

Further, we rely on our suppliers’ representations of product quality, safety and compliance with applicable laws and standards. If our suppliers or other vendors violate applicable laws, regulations or our supplier code of conduct, or implement practices regarded as unethical, unsafe, or hazardous to the environment, it could damage our reputation and negatively affect our operating results. Further, concerns regarding the safety and quality of products provided by our suppliers could cause our customers to avoid purchasing those products from us, or avoid purchasing products from us altogether, even if the basis for the concern is outside of our control. As such, any issue, or perceived issue, regarding the quality and safety of any items we sell, regardless of the cause, could adversely affect our brand, reputation, operations and financial results.

We also are unable to predict whether any of the countries in which our suppliers’ products are currently manufactured or may be manufactured in the future will be subject to new, different, or additional trade

 

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restrictions imposed by the U.S. or foreign governments or the likelihood, type or effect of any such restrictions. Any event causing a disruption or delay of imports from suppliers with international manufacturing operations, including the imposition of additional import restrictions, restrictions on the transfer of funds or increased tariffs or quotas, could increase the cost or reduce the supply of merchandise available to our customers and materially adversely affect our financial performance as well as our reputation and brand. Furthermore, some or all of our suppliers’ foreign operations may be adversely affected by political and financial instability, resulting in the disruption of trade from exporting countries, restrictions on the transfer of funds or other trade disruptions.

In addition, our business with foreign suppliers, particularly with respect to our international sites, may be affected by changes in the value of the U.S. dollar relative to other foreign currencies. For example, any movement by any other foreign currency against the U.S. dollar may result in higher costs to us for those goods. Declines in foreign currencies and currency exchange rates might negatively affect the profitability and business prospects of one or more of our foreign suppliers. This, in turn, might cause such foreign suppliers to demand higher prices for merchandise in their effort to offset any lost profits associated with any currency devaluation, delay merchandise shipments, or discontinue selling to us altogether, any of which could ultimately reduce our revenues or increase our costs.

If we fail to manage our inventory effectively, our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity may be materially and adversely affected.

Our business model requires us to manage a large volume of inventory effectively. We procure products from third-party manufacturers and sell as our own inventory through our GigaCloud Marketplace and off-platform ecommerce. We depend on our demand forecasts for various kinds of products to make purchase decisions and to manage our inventory. Demand for products, however, can change significantly between the time inventory is ordered and the date by which we target to sell it. Demand may be affected by seasonality, new product launches, changes in product cycles and pricing, product defects, changes in consumer spending patterns, changes in consumer tastes with respect to our products and other factors, and our customers may not order products in the quantities that we expect. In addition, when we begin selling a new product, we may not be able to accurately forecast demand. The procurement of certain types of inventory may require significant lead time and prepayment, and they may not be returnable. If we are unable to anticipate or respond to changes in customer preferences or fail to bring products that satisfy new customer preferences to GigaCloud Marketplace and off-platform ecommerce in a timely manner, our results of operations, financial condition and liquidity could be adversely affected.

Our inventories have increased from $35.6 million as of December 31, 2020 to $81.4 million as of December 31, 2021, and further to $110.7 million as of March 31, 2022. Our annual inventory turnover days for our own inventory were 53 days in 2020 and 65 days in 2021. Our inventory turnover day for the three months ended March 31, 2022 was 90 days. Our inventory turnover days for a given period are equal to average balances of inventories calculated from the beginning and ending balances of the period divided by cost of revenues during the period and then multiplied by the number of days during the period. The increase in inventory turnover days in 2021 was primarily attributable to the increase in cost of revenues as ocean freight costs surged in 2021, the increase in the balance of inventories as we continued to increase our own inventory for our 1P sales and an increased inventory backlog. The further increase in inventory turnover days in the three months ended March 31, 2022 was primarily attributable to the continued increase in ocean freight costs due to COVID-19 induced travel restrictions which substantially reduced global air freight capacities and led to shortages in global ocean freight capacities. Shipping costs to procure our inventories, including ocean freight costs, are included in the balance of inventories and the increase in ocean freight costs has contributed to an increase in our inventories. The increase in shipping costs also caused us to adjust our product prices upward, which may have affected consumer demand and lengthened the inventory turnover days. We believe ocean freight costs will continue to increase in 2022 as the uncertainty regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic remains, and there is risk that we may not be able to pass the cost increases entirely to customers, in which case, our margins may be adversely affected.

 

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If we fail to manage our inventory effectively, we may be subject to a heightened risk of inventory obsolescence, a decline in inventory values, and significant inventory write-downs or write-offs. To reduce our inventory level, we usually choose to sell certain of our products at lower prices, which may lead to lower gross margins. High inventory levels may also require us to commit substantial capital resources, preventing us from using that capital for other important purposes. Any of the above may materially and adversely affect our results of operations and financial condition.

On the other hand, if we underestimate demand for our products, or if our suppliers fail to supply quality products in a timely manner, we may experience inventory shortages, which might result in missed sales, diminished brand loyalty and lost revenues, any of which could harm our business and reputation.

We depend on our relationships with third-parties, including third-party carriers, and changes in our relationships with these parties could adversely impact our revenues and profits.

We rely on third parties to operate certain elements of our business. For example, we rely on local carriers and third-party national, regional, and local transportation companies to deliver our large parcel merchandise. As a result, we may be subject to shipping delays or disruptions caused by inclement weather, natural disasters, system interruptions and technology failures, labor activism, health epidemics or bioterrorism. We are also subject to risks of breakage or other damage during delivery by any of these third parties. We also use and rely on other services from third parties, such as telecommunications services, customs, consolidation and shipping services, as well as warranty, installation, assembly and design services. We may be unable to maintain these relationships, and these services may also be subject to outages and interruptions that are not within our control. Third parties may in the future determine they no longer wish to do business with us or may decide to take other actions that could harm our business. We may also determine that we no longer want to do business with them. If parcels are not delivered in a timely fashion or are damaged during the delivery process by these third parties, or if we are not able to provide adequate customer support or other services or offerings, our customers could become dissatisfied and cease using our cross border fulfillment services or stop trading products through our marketplace, which would adversely affect our operating results.

We may not be successful in optimizing our warehouses and fulfillment network.

As of March 31, 2022, we had 21 large scale warehouses spreading across the U.S., Japan, the U.K. and Germany. Failures to adequately predict customer demand or otherwise optimize and operate our fulfillment network successfully from time to time result in excess or insufficient fulfillment capacity, increased costs and impairment charges, any of which could materially harm our business. As we continue to add warehouses and fulfillment capability, our fulfillment and logistics networks become increasingly complex and operating them becomes more challenging. There can be no assurance that we will be able to operate our networks effectively.

In addition, failure to optimize inventory in our fulfillment network increases our net shipping cost by requiring long-zone or partial shipments. We may be unable to adequately staff our warehousing network and customer service centers. As we maintain the inventory of other companies, the complexity of tracking inventory and operating our fulfillment network has further increased. Our failure to properly handle such inventory or the inability of the other businesses on whose behalf we perform inventory fulfillment services to accurately forecast product demand may result in us being unable to secure sufficient storage space or to optimize our warehouses and fulfillment network or cause other unexpected costs and other harm to our business and reputation.

Damage to our brand image could have a material adverse effect on our growth strategy and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Maintaining and enhancing our brand is critical to expanding our base of customers, including attracting third-party ecommerce platforms to use our third-party logistics services and the sellers and buyers to trade in our marketplace. Our ability to maintain and enhance our brand depends largely on our ability to maintain customer

 

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confidence in our service offerings, including by delivering parcels on time and without damage to end customers. If end customers do not have a satisfactory experience with our logistics services, our customers may seek out alternative logistics services from our competitors. Alternatively, if our sellers and buyers are not satisfied with the products selection or service offerings in our marketplace, they may not return to our marketplace in the future, or at all.

In addition, unfavorable publicity regarding, for example, our practices relating to privacy and data protection, product quality, delivery problems, competitive pressures, litigation or regulatory activity, could seriously harm our reputation. Such negative publicity also could have an adverse effect on the size, engagement, and loyalty of our customer base and result in decreased total revenues, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. A significant portion of our customers’ brand experience also depends on third parties outside of our control, including carrier and freight service providers and other third-party delivery agents. If these third parties do not meet our or our customers’ expectations, our brands may suffer irreparable damage.

Customer complaints or negative publicity about our marketplace, products, delivery times, company practices, employees, customer data handling and security practices or customer support, especially on social media websites and in our marketplace, could rapidly and severely diminish buyers’ and sellers’ use of our marketplace and third-party ecommerce platforms’ confidence in us and result in harm to our brands.

Our efforts to launch new products or services may not be successful.

Our business success depends to some extent on our ability to expand our service offerings by launching new products and services and by expanding our existing offerings into new geographies. For example, we expanded into Germany for our third-party logistics services in 2018, and we launched GigaCloud Marketplace, our B2B marketplace, in 2019. Launching new products and services or expanding internationally requires significant upfront investments, including investments in marketing, information technology, and additional personnel. Expanding our service offerings internationally is particularly challenging because it requires us to gain country-specific knowledge about consumers, regional competitors and local laws, purchase or lease warehouse, build local logistics capabilities and customize portions of our technology for local markets. We may not be able to generate satisfactory revenues from these efforts to offset these costs. Any lack of market acceptance of our efforts to launch new services or to expand our existing offerings could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Further, as we continue to expand our fulfillment capability or add new businesses with different requirements, our logistics networks become increasingly complex and operating them becomes more challenging. There can be no assurance that we will be able to operate our networks effectively.

We have also entered and may continue to enter into new markets in which we have limited or no experience, which may not be successful or appealing to our customers. These activities may present new and difficult technological and logistical challenges, and resulting service disruptions, failures or other quality issues may cause customer dissatisfaction and harm our reputation and brand. Further, our current and potential competitors in new market segments may have greater brand recognition, financial resources, longer operating histories and larger customer bases than we do in these areas. As a result, we may not be successful enough in these newer areas to recoup our investments in them. If this occurs, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

The COVID-19 pandemic could materially and adversely impact our business.

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, was first reported in Wuhan, PRC and has since become a global pandemic. In an effort to contain the spread of COVID-19, many countries, including the U.S., the PRC and most other jurisdictions around the world, have imposed unprecedented restrictions on travel, business and office closures, quarantines and lock-downs, resulting in a substantial reduction in economic

 

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activity. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization, or WHO, declared this COVID-19 outbreak a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. On February 28, 2020, the WHO increased the assessment of the risk of spread and the risk of impact of COVID-19 to “very high” at a global level. On March 11, 2020, the WHO declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic.

As COVID-19 has evolved into a worldwide health crisis, it has resulted in adverse effects in the global economy and financial markets, such as significant declines in the global stock markets. The effects of government actions and our own policies and those of third parties to reduce the spread of COVID-19 have and may continue to negatively impact all or portions of our workforce, operations, suppliers and customers, demand for our products and services and our ongoing and business activities, and have caused, and may further cause, disruptions to our supply chain and logistics networks and may impair our ability to execute our business development strategy. For example, the COVID-19 pandemic has temporarily disrupted the global supply chain, including many of our suppliers, as factory closures and reduced manufacturing output impacted inventory levels, potentially exacerbated by surging demand for products. Since the COVID-19 outbreak, however, we have seen increased GMV and revenues in our business as more people stayed at home and re-furnished their apartments to be better fitted for remote working environment. We cannot assure you that such trends will continue going forward as the U.S. and other key markets in which we operate begin to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.

As the severity, magnitude and duration of the COVID-19 pandemic, corresponding public health responses and the economic consequences of the foregoing remain uncertain, rapidly changing and difficult to predict, we may experience ongoing disruptions that could severely impact our business, including:

 

   

a significant reduction in revenues due to curtailment of business from our customers;

 

   

a reduction in our operating margins due to long-term changes in the mix of our products and services;

 

   

other effects from governmental, business and individuals’ actions that have been and continue to be taken in response to the pandemic (including restrictions on travel and transportation and workforce pressures);

 

   

reductions in operating effectiveness due to employees working remotely; unavailability of personnel;

 

   

the delay or cancellation of capital projects and related delays in, or loss of, expected benefits therefrom;

 

   

limited access to liquidity; increased volatility and pricing in the capital and commercial paper markets;

 

   

further disruption of our global supply chain and logistics networks; and

 

   

a requirement that we recognize an impairment in the fair value of our assets; an increase in our pension funding obligations; and the effect of the pandemic on the credit-worthiness of our customers.

Any of these and other disruptions in our operations and the global economy could negatively impact our business, financial condition and results of operations.

In addition, quarantines, shelter-in-place and similar government orders related to COVID-19 or other infectious diseases, or the perception that such orders, shutdowns or other restrictions on the conduct of business

 

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operations could occur, could adversely affect personnel at third parties which we rely on. These third parties include our manufacturing suppliers and logistics providers and other third-party delivery agents, as their workers may be temporarily prohibited or otherwise unable to report to work and transporting products within regions or countries may be limited due to extended holidays, factory closures, port closures and increased border controls and closures, among other things. As a result of the foregoing, we experienced interruptions to our logistics network, resulting in delays in delivery times for our third party-logistics services in the second quarter of 2020. We may also incur higher shipping costs due to various surcharges by third-party delivery agents on retailers related to the increased shipping demand resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. To the extent our service providers are unable to comply with their obligations under our agreements with them or they are otherwise unable to deliver or are delayed in delivering goods and services to us due to the COVID-19 pandemic, our operations may be negatively impacted.

The spread of COVID-19 and actions taken to reduce its spread may also materially affect us economically. While the potential economic impact brought by, and the duration of, the COVID-19 pandemic may be difficult to assess or predict, it has already caused, and could result in further, significant disruption of global financial markets, reducing our ability to access capital, which could in the future negatively affect our liquidity and financial position.

COVID-19 and actions taken to reduce its spread continue to rapidly evolve. In late March and April 2022, certain regions in China were subject to lock-down and other constraints imposed by the local government authorities due to a new wave of COVID-19 outbreak in those regions. Employees who are located in those regions were required to work remotely and/or suspended any business travels. There were a few days of delays in the shipping and handling of parcel in and out of the Shanghai port due to the lock-down in the area. The percentage of shipments from Shanghai port made up approximately 15% and 9% of our total shipments in March and April 2022, respectively. Although a majority of our employees are located in China, our business, products, lines of service, projects and operations were not materially impacted by such pandemic-related lockdown in China because we were able to maintain normal business operations under a remote working arrangement with our employees. Furthermore, since most of the buyers in our GigaCloud Marketplace are typically resellers based in the U.S. and Europe and the buyers on third-party ecommerce websites are located outside of China, the lock-down in China in 2022 did not have a material impact of consumer demand of our products and services. The extent to which COVID-19 may reduce the productivity of our employees, disrupt our service supply chains, reduce our access to capital or limit our business development activities, will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted with confidence, such as the ultimate geographic spread of the disease, the duration of the outbreak, travel restrictions and social distancing in the U.S. and other countries, business closures or business disruptions and the effectiveness of actions taken in the U.S. and other countries to contain and treat the disease. To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business, financial condition and results of operations, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section.

Despite the foregoing, in 2020 and 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2022, we saw an increased revenues and order activity since the COVID-19 pandemic. These results, as well as those of other metrics such as revenues, gross margins and other financial and operating data, may not be indicative of results for future periods. Some of the increased demand is likely due to customers being required or encouraged to stay at home, school closures and employers requiring employees to work remotely. Such increased demand may increase beyond manageable levels, may fluctuate significantly, or may not continue, including the possibility that demand may decrease from historical levels. The duration and severity of the COVID-19 pandemic, the amount of time it will take for normal economic activity to resume, and future government actions that may be taken are all unknown, and accordingly the situation remains dynamic and subject to rapid and possibly material change, including but not limited to changes that may materially affect the operations of our suppliers, logistics providers and customers, which ultimately could result in material adverse effects on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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We are subject to risks related to online transactions and payment methods.

We accept payments using a variety of methods, including credit card, debit card, PayPal, credit accounts (including promotional financing) and customer invoicing. As we offer new payment options to our customers, we may be subject to additional regulations, compliance requirements and fraud. For certain payment methods, including credit and debit cards, we pay interchange and other fees, which may increase over time and raise our operating costs and lower profitability. We are also subject to payment card association operating rules and certification requirements, including the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard and rules governing electronic funds transfers, which could change or be reinterpreted to make it difficult or impossible for us to comply. As our business changes, we may also be subject to different rules under existing standards, which may require new assessments that involve costs above what we currently pay for compliance. If we fail to comply with the rules or requirements of any provider of a payment method we accept, if the volume of fraud in our transactions limits or terminates our rights to use payment methods we currently accept, or if a data breach occurs relating to our payment systems, we may, among other things, be subject to fines or higher transaction fees and may lose, or face restrictions placed upon, our ability to accept credit card and debit card payments from customers or to facilitate other types of online payments. If any of these events were to occur, our business, financial condition and operating results could be materially adversely affected.

We occasionally receive orders placed with fraudulent credit card data. We may suffer losses as a result of orders placed with fraudulent credit card data even if the associated financial institution approved payment of the orders. Under current credit card practices, we may be liable for fraudulent credit card transactions. We may also suffer losses from other online transaction fraud, including fraudulent returns. If we are unable to detect or control credit card or transaction fraud, our liability for these transactions could harm our business, financial condition and operating results.

Our failure or the failure of third-party service providers to protect our marketplace, networks and systems against security breaches, or otherwise to protect our confidential information, could damage our reputation and substantially harm our business and operating results.

We have access to confidential information in our day-to-day operations. We collect, maintain, transmit and store data about our customers, employees, contractors, suppliers, vendors and others, including personally identifiable information of the senders and recipients of the parcels, as well as other confidential and proprietary information. The proper use and protection of confidential information is essential to maintaining customer trust in us and our services.

We are materially dependent upon our networks, information technology infrastructure and related technology systems to provide services to our customers and to manage our internal operations. Many of our customers require access to our services on a continuous basis and may be materially impaired by interruptions in our or our third-party service providers’ infrastructure. Our technology systems also process and store certain confidential information and data for the proper functioning of our network. Security breaches and hacker attacks on our system might result in a compromise to the technology that we use to protect confidential information. We may not be able to prevent third parties, especially hackers or other individuals or entities engaging in similar activities, from illegally obtaining confidential information in our possession. Such individuals or entities may engage in various other illegal activities using such information. Further, as parcels move through our network from pickup to delivery, a large number of personnel handle the flow of parcels and have access to significant amounts of confidential information. Some of these personnel may misappropriate the confidential information despite the security policies and measures we have implemented. In addition, most of the delivery and pickup personnel are not our employees, which makes it more difficult for us to implement sufficient and effective control over them. Additionally, other disruptions can occur, such as infrastructure gaps, hardware and software vulnerabilities, inadequate or missing security controls, exposed or unprotected customer data and the accidental or intentional disclosure of source code or other confidential information by former or current employees. Any such incidents could (i) interfere with the delivery of services to our customers, (ii) impede our customers’ ability

 

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to do business, (iii) compromise the security of infrastructure, systems and data, (iv) lead to the dissemination to third parties of proprietary information or sensitive, personal, or confidential data about us, our employees or our customers, including personally identifiable information of individuals involved with our customers and their end users and (v) impact our ability to do business in the ordinary course. If a breach or other security incident were to occur, it could expose us to increased risk of claims and liability, including litigation, regulatory enforcement, notification obligations and indemnity obligations, as well as loss of existing or potential customers, harm to our reputation, increases in our security costs (including spending material resources to investigate or correct the breach or incident and to prevent future security breaches and incidents), disruption of normal business operations, the impairment or loss of industry certifications and government sanctions (including debarment). Moreover, containing and remediating any IT system failure, cybersecurity attack or vulnerability may require significant investment of resources. Any of the foregoing could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Similar security risks exist with respect to our third-party vendors that we rely on for aspects of our IT support services, pickup and delivery services, and administrative functions, including the systems owned, operated or controlled by other unaffiliated operators to the extent we rely on such other systems to deliver services to our customers. Our ability to monitor our third-party service providers’ data security is limited. As a result, we are subject to the risk that cyber-attacks on, or other security incidents affecting, our third-party service providers may adversely affect our business even if an attack or breach does not directly impact our systems. It is also possible that security breaches sustained by, or other security incidents affecting, our competitors could result in negative publicity for our entire industry that indirectly harms our reputation and diminishes demand for our services. Practices regarding the collection, use, storage, transmission and security of personal information have recently come under increased public scrutiny. Any failure or perceived failure by us to prevent information security breaches or to comply with privacy policies or privacy-related legal obligations could cause our customers to lose trust in us and our services. Any perception that the confidentiality or privacy of information is unsafe or vulnerable when using our services, could damage our reputation and substantially harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The secure processing, storage, maintenance and transmission of critical customer and business information are vital to our operations and our business strategy. Although we devote significant resources to protecting such information and take what we believe to be reasonable and appropriate measures, including a formal and dedicated IT department and limiting the amount of any data we stored to non-sensitive customer information, such as zip codes and business addresses, to protect sensitive information from compromises such as unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification or lack of availability, our information technology and infrastructure may still be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or viruses or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. We may be exposed to significant monetary damages. Saved as the foregoing, we have not taken additional measures to mitigate the risks against cybersecurity in our supply chain based on third-party products, software, services and business. Further, a security breach could require us to expend substantial additional resources relating to the security of our information systems and providing required breach notifications to affected parties, diverting resources from other projects and disrupting our businesses.

Real or perceived errors, failures or bugs in our services, software or technology could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Undetected real or perceived errors, failures, bugs or defects may be present or occur in the future in our solutions, software or technology or the technology or software we license from third parties, including open source software. Despite testing by us, real or perceived errors, failures, bugs or defects may not be found until our customers use our services. Real or perceived errors, failures, bugs or defects in our solutions could result in negative publicity, loss of or delay in market acceptance of our services and harm to our brand, weakening of our competitive position, claims by customers for losses sustained by them or failure to meet the stated service level commitments in our customer agreements. In such an event, we may be required, or may choose, for customer relations or other reasons, to expend significant additional resources in order to help correct the problem. Any

 

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real or perceived errors, failures, bugs or defects in our services could also impair our ability to attract new customers, retain existing customers or expand their use of our services, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our ability to raise capital in the future may be limited, and our failure to raise capital when needed could prevent us from growing.

We may require additional cash capital resources in order to fund future growth and the development of our businesses, including expansion of our ecommerce platform, our third-party logistics services and any investments or acquisitions we may decide to pursue. If our cash resources are insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements, we may seek to issue additional equity or debt securities or obtain new or expanded credit facilities. Our ability to obtain external financing in the future is subject to a variety of uncertainties, including our future financial condition, results of operations, cash flows, share price performance, liquidity of international capital and lending markets, governmental regulations over foreign investment and the ecommerce and logistics services industries. In addition, incurring indebtedness would subject us to increased debt service obligations and could result in operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations. There can be no assurance that financing will be available in a timely manner or in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, or at all. Any failure to raise needed funds on terms favorable to us, or at all, could severely restrict our liquidity as well as have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Moreover, any issuance of equity or equity-linked securities could result in significant dilution to our existing shareholders.

Our business is highly competitive. Competition presents an ongoing threat to the success of our business.

Our business is rapidly evolving and intensely competitive, and we have many competitors in different industries. Our competition includes third-party logistics service providers, furniture stores, big box retailers, and online ecommerce platforms and marketplaces in the U.S., Europe, Japan and China. We compete with third-party logistics service providers based on a number of factors, including warehouse and infrastructure capacity, network stability, business model, operational capabilities, cost control and service quality. We also compete with other retailers and ecommerce platforms that offer large parcel merchandise for the variety and availability of products, number of users in the marketplace, flexibility in delivery options and freight rates.

Many of our current competitors have, and potential competitors may have, longer operating histories, greater brand recognition, larger fulfillment infrastructures, greater technical capabilities, faster and less costly shipping, significantly greater financial, marketing and other resources and larger customer bases than we do. These factors may allow our competitors to derive greater revenues and profits from their existing customer base, acquire customers at lower costs or respond more quickly than we can to new or emerging technologies and changes in customers habits. These competitors may engage in more extensive research and development efforts, undertake more far-reaching marketing campaigns and adopt more aggressive pricing policies, which may allow them to build larger customer bases or generate revenues from their customer bases more effectively than we do.

We may be subject to product liability claims and other similar claims if people or property are harmed by the products we sell or sold through our platform.

Some of the products we sell may expose us to product liability and other claims and litigation (including class actions) or regulatory action relating to safety, personal injury, death or environmental or property damage. Some of our agreements with members of our supply chain may not indemnify us from product liability for a particular product, and some members of our supply chain may not have sufficient resources or insurance to satisfy their indemnity and defense obligations. Although we maintain product liability insurance, we cannot be certain that our coverage will be adequate for liabilities actually incurred or that insurance will continue to be available to us on economically reasonable terms, or at all.

 

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Fluctuations in the price or availability of fuel and uncertainty in third-party transportation capacity may adversely affect our transportation costs and operational results.

Our transportation costs mainly consist of fuel costs and transportation expenses incurred in relation to the use of third-party transportation services. The availability and price of fuel and third-party transportation capacity are subject to political, economic, and market factors that are outside of our control. In 2020 and 2021, we continued to increase the use of self-owned and operated, cost-efficient high capacity trucks to replace some, but not all, of our third-party outsourced trucks to further enhance transportation efficiency. In the event of a significant increase in fuel prices and third-party transportation service charges, our transportation expenses may rise, and our gross profit may decrease if we are unable to adopt effective cost control-measures or pass on incremental costs to our customers. As a result, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We face risks associated with parcels handled and transported through our network and risks associated with transportation.

We handle a large volume of parcels across our cross border fulfillment network, and face challenges with respect to the protection and inspection of these parcels. Parcels in our fulfillment network may be stolen, damaged or lost for various reasons, and we may face actual or alleged liability for such incidents. In addition, we may fail to detect unsafe or prohibited/restricted items. Further, the big and bulky parcel handled by us are prone to damages, and may injure their recipients, harm our personnel and result in property damage. Failure to prevent prohibited or restricted items from entering our network may result in administrative or criminal penalties as well as civil liability for personal injury and property damage.

The transportation of parcels involves inherent risks. We have multiple warehouses and personnel involved in our logistics operations at all times, who are subject to risks associated with logistics and transportation safety, including transportation related injuries and losses at our warehouses or during the course of transportation. For example, our personnel may be involved in traffic accidents from time to time, resulting in personal injury and loss or damage to parcels carried by them. In addition, frictions or disputes may occasionally arise from the direct interaction of our personnel with parcel senders and recipients, which may result in personal injury or property damage if such incidents escalate. The insurance policies carried by us may not fully cover the damages caused by transportation related injuries or losses.

Any of the foregoing could disrupt our services, cause us to incur substantial expenses and divert the time and attention of our management. We may face claims and incur significant liabilities if found liable or partially liable for any injuries, damages or losses. Claims against us may exceed the amount of our insurance coverage or may not be covered by insurance at all. Government authorities may also impose significant fines on us or require us to adopt costly preventive measures. Furthermore, if our services are perceived to be unsafe by our end customers, ecommerce platforms and customers, our business volume may be significantly reduced, and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

Significant merchandise refunds and product warranty claims could have a material adverse effect on our business.

We allow our customers to claim refunds or product warranties for our 1P sales subject to our return policy. See “Business—Logistics Network and Value-added Services—Warranties and Refunds.” If merchandise returns and product warranty claims are significant, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be harmed. Further, we modify our policies relating to returns and warranties from time to time, which may result in customer dissatisfaction or an increase in the number of product returns. Many of our products are large and require special handling and delivery. From time to time our products are damaged in transit, which can increase return rates and harm our brand.

 

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Our business may be affected by increase in rental expenses or the termination of leases of our warehouses.

We lease properties to operate all of our warehouses, offices, ports and other pickup and delivery outlets. We may be subjected to increase in rental expenses. We may also not be able to successfully extend or renew such leases upon expiration, on commercially reasonable terms or at all, and may be forced to relocate the affected operations. Such relocation may disrupt our operations and result in significant relocation expenses, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. We may not be able to locate desirable alternative sites for our facilities as our business continues to grow and failure in relocating our operations when required could adversely affect our business and operations. In addition, we compete with other businesses for premises at certain locations or of desirable sizes. Even if we are able to extend or renew the respective leases, rental payments may significantly increase as a result of the high demand for the leased properties.

We have recorded negative cash flows from operating activities in the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022 and may experience significant cash outflows in the future.

We have recorded cash outflows from operating activities in the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022. We had net cash used in operating activities of $6.5 million and $14.5 million in the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively, as compared to net cash provided by operating activities of $1.2 million, $33.3 million and $8.6 million in 2019, 2020 and 2021, respectively. We believe the negative cash flow in the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022 was primarily due to timing difference in the recording of our operating assets and liabilities. In 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2022, ocean freight costs increased significantly due to COVID-19 induced travel restrictions which substantially reduced global air freight capacities and led to shortages in global ocean freight capacities. Shipping costs to procure our inventories, including ocean freight costs, are included in the balance of inventories and the increase in ocean freight costs has contributed to an increase in our inventories and cash outflows from operating activities in 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2022. We believe ocean freight costs will continue to increase in 2022 as the uncertainty regarding the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic remains, and there is risk that we may not be able to pass the cost increases entirely to customers, in which case, our margins may be adversely affected.

We expect to continue to procure inventories and invest in additional warehouses and logistics infrastructure to further expand our business, and there can be no assurance that we will successfully execute our business strategies. We may not generate sufficient revenues for a number of reasons, including increasing gasoline and transportation costs, inflation, increasing competition, challenging macro-economic environment due to the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as other risks discussed herein. Our ability to remain profitable in the future will not only depend on our efforts to generate revenues from our products and services but also to control our costs. If we are unable to adequately control the costs associated with our operations, we may experience losses and negative cash flows from operating activities in the future.

We believe that taking into account cash on hand and our operating cash flows, we have sufficient working capital for our present requirements and for at least the next 12 months from the date of this prospectus. However, we may need additional capital resources in the future if we experience changes in business condition or other unanticipated developments, or if we wish to pursue opportunities for investments, acquisitions, capital expenditures or similar actions.

Our business requires significant capital investments and a high level of working capital to sustain our operations and business growth.

We require significant capital investments in our business which consist of building and setting up warehouse facilities, technology, sorting and other types of equipment. These investments support both our existing business and anticipated growth. Forecasting projected volume involves many factors which are subject to uncertainty, such as general economic trends, changes in governmental regulation and competition. If we do

 

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not accurately forecast our future capital investment needs, we could have excess capacity or insufficient capacity, either of which would negatively affect our revenues and profitability. In addition to forecasting our capital investment requirements, we adjust other elements of our operations and cost structure in response to adverse economic conditions; however, these adjustments may not be sufficient to allow us to maintain our operating margins.

Our strategic investments or acquisitions may be unsuccessful.

We have acquired, and may continue to acquire other assets, technologies, products and businesses that are complementary to our existing business or otherwise. We may also enter into strategic partnerships or cooperation agreements with other businesses to expand our marketplace. Negotiating these transactions can be time-consuming, challenging and expensive, and our ability to close these transactions may often be subject to regulatory approvals that are beyond our control. In addition, investments and acquisitions could result in the use of substantial amounts of cash, potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities, significant amortization expenses related to intangible assets, significant diversion of management attention and exposure to potential unknown liabilities of the acquired business. Moreover, the cost of identifying and consummating investments and acquisitions and integrating the acquired businesses into ours may be significant, and the integration of acquired businesses may be disruptive to our existing business operations. Consequently, these transactions, even if undertaken and announced, may not close. For one or more of those transactions, we may issue additional equity securities that would dilute our shareholders’ ownership interest, use cash that we may need in the future to operate our business, incur debt on terms unfavorable to us or that we are unable to repay, incur expenses or substantial liabilities, encounter difficulties retaining key employees of the acquired company or integrating diverse software codes or business cultures, encounter difficulties in assimilating acquired operations, encounter diversion of management’s attention to other business concerns, and become subject to adverse tax consequences, substantial depreciation, impairment losses, or deferred compensation charges. If our investments and acquisitions are not successful, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

We rely on the performance of members of management and highly skilled IT personnel, and if we are unable to attract, develop, motivate and retain well-qualified employees, our business could be harmed.

Our success depends in part on our continued ability to attract, retain and motivate highly qualified management and other key personnel. We are highly dependent upon our senior management, particularly our chief executive officer, as well as our vice presidents and other members of our senior management team. Although we have executed employment agreements or offer letters with each member of our senior management team, these agreements are terminable at will with or without notice and, therefore, we may not be able to retain their services as expected. We do not currently maintain “key person” life insurance on the lives of our executives or any of our employees. This lack of insurance means that we may not have adequate compensation for the loss of the services of these individuals.

The increasing scale of our business also requires us to hire and retain a wide range of capable and experienced personnel and technology talents who can adapt to a dynamic, competitive and challenging business environment. Competition for talents is intense, and the availability of suitable and qualified candidates is limited in the jurisdiction we operate. Competition for talents, together with inflation, could cause us to offer higher compensation and other benefits to attract and retain them, which further increase our labor cost. Even if we were to offer higher compensation and other benefits, these individuals may not choose to join or continue to work for us. Any failure to attract or retain key management and personnel could severely disrupt our business and growth.

We will need to expand and effectively manage our managerial, operational, financial and other resources in order to successfully pursue our business strategies. We may not be successful in maintaining our unique company culture and continuing to attract or retain qualified management and personnel in the future. If

 

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we are not able to attract, integrate, retain and motivate necessary personnel to accomplish our business objectives, we may experience constraints that will significantly impede the achievement of our development objectives, our ability to raise additional capital and our ability to implement our business strategy.

We may not be able to prevent others from unauthorized use of our intellectual property, which could harm our business and competitive position.

We rely on a wide portfolio of intellectual property to operate our businesses and we may not be able to effectively protect these intellectual property and proprietary rights against infringement, misappropriation or other violation, or efforts to safeguard our intellectual property may be costly.

We rely on a combination of trademark, copyright and trade secret protection laws in the U.S., the PRC and other jurisdictions, as well as confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions, to protect our intellectual property rights. We enter into confidentiality agreements with our employees and any third parties who may access our proprietary information, and we rigorously control access to our technology and information. However, we cannot guarantee that we have entered into confidentiality agreements with each party that may have or have had access to our trade secrets or proprietary information. Such agreements may be breached by counterparties, who may disclose our proprietary information, including our trade secrets, or claim ownership in intellectual property that we believe is owned by us, and there may not be adequate remedies available to us for any such breach. In addition, we do not enter into intellectual property assignment agreements in the ordinary course and rely on the intellectual property rights we obtain from our employees by operation of law. The intellectual property rights we obtain by operation of law may not extend to all intellectual property rights developed by our employees and contractors and individuals not subject to invention assignment agreements may make adverse ownership claims to our current and future intellectual property rights. We therefore may not possess ownership rights in all intellectual property rights that we regard as our own or that are necessary for the conduct of our business.

Intellectual property protection may not be sufficient in the regions in which we operate. Our trademarks or other intellectual property rights may be challenged by others through administrative process or litigation, and our pending trademark applications may not be allowed. In addition, policing any unauthorized use of our intellectual property is difficult, time-consuming and costly, and the steps we have taken may be inadequate to prevent the misappropriation of our intellectual property. In the event that we resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, such litigation could result in substantial costs and a diversion of our managerial and financial resources. We can provide no assurance that we will prevail in such litigation and some courts in the U.S. and certain foreign jurisdictions are less willing or unwilling to protect trade secrets. Furthermore, it is often difficult to maintain and enforce intellectual property rights in the PRC. Statutory laws and regulations in the PRC are subject to judicial interpretation and enforcement and may not be applied consistently due to the lack of clear guidance on statutory interpretation. Confidentiality and non-compete agreements may be breached by counterparties, and there may not be adequate remedies available to us for any such breach. Accordingly, we may not be able to effectively protect our intellectual property rights or the intellectual properties licensed from third parties, or to enforce our contractual rights in the PRC and other jurisdictions we operate.

In addition, our trade secrets may be leaked or otherwise become available to, or be independently discovered by, our competitors. If any of our trade secrets were to be lawfully obtained or independently developed by a competitor or other third parties, we would have no right to prevent them from using that technology or information to compete with us. Any failure in protecting or enforcing our intellectual property rights could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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We may not be able to protect and enforce our trademarks and trade names, or build name recognition in our markets of interest thereby harming our competitive position.

The registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names that we own may be challenged, infringed, circumvented, declared generic, lapsed or determined to be infringing on or dilutive of other marks. We may not be able to protect our rights in these trademarks and trade names, which we need in order to build name recognition. In addition, third parties have filed, and may in the future file, for registration of trademarks similar or identical to our trademarks, thereby impeding our ability to build brand identity and possibly leading to market confusion. If they succeed in registering or developing common law rights in such trademarks, and if we are not successful in challenging such rights, we may not be able to use these trademarks to develop brand recognition of our technologies, products or services. In addition, there could be potential trade name or trademark infringement claims brought by owners of other registered trademarks or trademarks that incorporate variations of our registered or unregistered trademarks or trade names. Further, we may in the future enter into agreements with owners of such third-party trade names or trademarks to avoid potential trademark litigation which may limit our ability to use our trade names or trademarks in certain fields of business.

We have not yet registered certain of our trademarks in all of our potential markets, although we have registered “GIGACLOUD TECHNOLOGY” and “大健云仓” in Hong Kong. If we apply to register these trademarks in other countries, and/or other trademarks in the U.S. and other countries, our applications may not be allowed for registration in a timely fashion or at all; and further, our registered trademarks may not be maintained or enforced. In addition, third parties may file first for our trademarks in certain countries. If they succeed in registering such trademarks, and if we are not successful in challenging such third-party rights, we may not be able to use these trademarks to market our products and technologies in those countries. If we do not secure registrations for our trademarks, we may encounter more difficulty in enforcing them against third parties than we otherwise would. If we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks and trade names, we may not be able to compete effectively, which could harm our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. And, over the long-term, if we are unable to establish name recognition based on our trademarks, then our marketing abilities may be materially adversely impacted.

We may be accused of infringing, misappropriating or otherwise violating the intellectual property rights of third parties.

The ecommerce industry is characterized by vigorous protection and pursuit of intellectual property rights, which has resulted in protracted and expensive litigation for many companies. We may be subject to claims and litigation by third parties that we infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate their intellectual property rights. Furthermore, under our current marketplace, the products offered in our marketplace are supplied by third-party merchants, who are separately responsible for sourcing the products that are sold in our marketplace. We have been and may continue to be subject to allegations, and may in the future be subject to lawsuits, claiming that products listed or sold through our marketplace by third-party merchants are counterfeit, unauthorized, illegal, or otherwise infringe, misappropriate or violate third-party copyrights, trademarks, patents or other intellectual property rights, or that content posted on our user interface contains misleading information on description of products and comparable prices in the U.S., China or any other jurisdictions we have operations. The costs of supporting such litigation and disputes are considerable, and there can be no assurances that favorable outcomes will be obtained. Further, the application and interpretation of China’s intellectual property laws and the procedures and standards for granting intellectual property rights in China are still evolving and are uncertain, and we cannot assure you that PRC courts or regulatory authorities would agree with our analysis. As our business expands and the number of competitors in our market increases and overlaps occur, we expect that infringement claims may increase in number and significance. Any claims or proceedings against us, whether meritorious or not, could be time-consuming, result in considerable litigation costs, require significant amounts of management time or result in the diversion of significant operational resources, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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Legal claims regarding intellectual property rights are subject to inherent uncertainties due to the oftentimes complex issues involved, and we cannot be certain that we will be successful in defending ourselves against such claims. In addition, whereas we currently do not own or in-license any patents, some of our larger competitors have extensive portfolios of issued patents. Many potential litigants, including patent holding companies, have the ability to dedicate substantially greater resources to enforce their intellectual property rights and to defend claims that may be brought against them. Furthermore, a successful claimant could secure a judgment that requires us to pay substantial damages or prevents us from conducting our business as we have historically done or may desire to do in the future. We might also be required to seek a license and pay royalties for the use of such intellectual property, which may not be available on commercially acceptable terms, or at all. Alternatively, we may be required to develop non-infringing technology or intellectual property, which could require significant effort and expense and may ultimately not be successful.

We have received in the past, and we may receive in the future, communications alleging that certain items posted on or sold through our marketplace infringe, misappropriate or otherwise violate third-party copyrights, designs, marks and trade names or other intellectual property rights or other proprietary rights. Brand and content owners and other proprietary rights owners have actively asserted their purported rights against online companies. In addition to litigation from rights owners, we may be subject to regulatory, civil or criminal proceedings and penalties if governmental authorities believe we have aided and abetted in the sale of counterfeit or infringing products. Such claims, whether or not meritorious, may result in the expenditure of significant financial, managerial and operational resources, injunctions against us or the payment of damages by us. We may need to obtain licenses from third parties who allege that we have violated their rights, but such licenses may not be available on terms acceptable to us, or at all. These risks have been amplified by the increase in third parties whose sole or primary business is to assert such claims.

Furthermore, we use open source software in connection with our GigaCloud Marketplace. Companies that incorporate open source software into their products and services have, from time to time, faced claims challenging the ownership of open source software and compliance with open source license terms. As a result, we could be subject to suits by parties claiming ownership of what we believe to be open source software or noncompliance with open source licensing terms. Additionally, the use and distribution of open source software can lead to greater risks than the use of third-party commercial software, and some open source projects have known vulnerabilities and open source software does not come with warranties or other contractual protections regarding infringement claims or the quality of the code. Some open source software licenses require users who distribute open source software as part of their software to publicly disclose all or part of the source code to such software and make available any derivative works of the open source code on unfavorable terms or at no cost. While we monitor our use of open source software and try to ensure that none is used in a manner that would require us to disclose our source code or that would otherwise breach the terms of an open source license, such use could inadvertently occur, or could be claimed to have occurred, in part because open source license terms are often ambiguous. These claims could also result in litigation, which could be costly to defend, and if portions of our software are determined to be subject to an open source license or if the license terms for the open source software that we incorporate change, we could be required to publicly release or disclose our source code or pay damages for breach of contract or cease offering the implicated services unless and until we can re-engineer all or a portion of our software, including GigaCloud Marketplace, in a manner that avoids infringement or otherwise change our business, any of which could reduce or eliminate the value of our services and adversely affect our business. The re-engineering process could require us to expend significant additional research and development resources, and we may not be able to complete the re-engineering process successfully. Further, we could be required to seek licenses from third parties to continue using certain software or offering certain of our services or to discontinue the use of such software or the sale of our affected services in the event we could not obtain such licenses, which may not be available to us on commercially reasonable terms or at all. Any of the foregoing could be harmful to our business, financial condition and results of operations.

 

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We are subject to legal and regulatory proceedings from time to time in the ordinary course of our business.

We may be, and in some instances have been, subject to claims, lawsuits including class actions and individual lawsuits, government investigations, and other proceedings relating to intellectual property, consumer protection, privacy, labor and employment, import and export practices, competition, securities, tax, marketing and communications practices, commercial disputes, and other matters. The number and significance of our legal disputes and inquiries have increased as we have grown larger, as our business has expanded in scope and geographic reach, and as our services have increased in complexity.

Moreover, becoming a public company will raise our public profile, which may result in increased litigation as well as increased public awareness of any such litigation. There is substantial uncertainty regarding the scope and application of many of the laws and regulations to which we are subject, which increases the risk that we will be subject to claims alleging violations of those laws and regulations. In the future, we may also be accused of having, or be found to have, infringed, misappropriated or otherwise violated third-party intellectual property rights.

Regardless of the outcome, legal proceedings can have a material and adverse impact on us due to their costs, diversion of our resources, and other factors. We may decide to settle legal disputes on terms that are unfavorable to us. Furthermore, if any litigation to which we are a party is resolved adversely, we may be subject to an unfavorable judgment that we may not choose to appeal or that may not be reversed upon appeal. In addition, the terms of any settlement or judgment in connection with any legal claims, lawsuits, or proceedings may require us to cease some or all of our operations, or pay substantial amounts to the other party and could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our insurance coverage may not be sufficient to cover all the risks which our operations are exposed to and therefore we are susceptible to significant liabilities.

We have limited insurance coverage. We do not maintain business interruption insurance, cybersecurity insurance or general third-party liability insurance, nor do we maintain key-man life insurance. Although we maintain product liability insurance, we cannot assure you that our insurance coverage is sufficient to prevent us from any loss or that we will be able to successfully claim our losses under our current insurance policies on a timely basis, or at all. If we incur any loss that is not covered by our insurance policies, or the compensated amount is significantly less than our actual loss, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

Trade restrictions could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are focused on facilitating B2B ecommerce transactions for large parcel merchandise. Our cross-border logistics services may be affected by trade restrictions implemented by countries or territories in which our customers are located or in which our customers’ products are manufactured or sold.

For example, we are subject to risks relating to changes in trade policies, tariff regulations, embargoes or other trade restrictions adverse to our customers’ business. Actions by governments that result in restrictions on movement of parcel or otherwise could also impede our ability to carry out our cross-border ecommerce solutions and logistics services. In addition, international trade and political issues, tensions and conflicts may cause delays and interruptions to cross-border transportation and result in limitations on our insurance coverage. If we are unable to connect our global customers in our marketplace or provide solutions to transports parcel to and from countries with trade restrictions in a timely manner or at all, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.

 

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Any lack of requisite approvals, licenses or permits applicable to our business operations may harm our business.

We may not be able to obtain all the licenses and approvals that may be deemed necessary to operate our business. Because we operate in multiple jurisdictions, the relevant laws and regulations, as well as their interpretations, could be different from the U.S. This can make it difficult to know which licenses and approvals are necessary, or the processes for obtaining them. For these same reasons, we also cannot be certain that we will be able to maintain the licenses and approvals that we have previously obtained, or that once they expire we will be able to renew them. We cannot be sure that our interpretations of the rules and their exemptions have always been or will be consistent with those of the local regulators.

As we expand our businesses, we may be required to obtain new licenses and will be subject to additional laws and regulations in the markets we plan to operate in. If we fail to obtain, maintain or renew any required licenses or approvals or make any necessary filings or are found to require licenses or approvals that we believed were not necessary or we were exempted from obtaining, we may be subject to various penalties, such as confiscation of the revenues or assets that were generated through the unlicensed business activities, imposition of fines, suspension or cancelation of the applicable license, written reprimands, termination of third-party arrangements, criminal prosecution and the discontinuation or restriction of our operations. Any such penalties may disrupt our business operations and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We have granted and expect to continue to grant share-based awards in the future under our share incentive plan, which may result in increased share-based compensation expenses.

We adopted the 2008 share incentive plan in 2008, together with the amendments thereto, the “2008 Plan,” for the purpose of granting share-based compensation awards to employees, directors and consultants to incentivize their performance and align their interests with ours. According to the 2008 Plan, the maximum aggregate number of shares which may be issued pursuant to all awards under the plan is 2,513,743 ordinary shares. We are authorized to grant options, share appreciation rights, share awards of restricted shares and non-restricted shares and other types of awards the administrator of the 2008 Plan decides.

In March 2017, our shareholders and board of directors approved and adopted the 2017 share incentive plan, together with the amendments thereto, the “2017 Plan.” According to the 2017 Plan, the maximum aggregate number of shares which may be issued pursuant to all awards under the plan is 6,367,238 ordinary shares. We are authorized to grant option, share appreciation right, dividend equivalent right, restricted share, restricted share unit or other right or benefit under the 2017 Plan.

We account for compensation costs for all share options using a fair-value based method and recognize expenses in our consolidated statements of comprehensive income in accordance with U.S. GAAP. As of December 31, 2021, awards to purchase an aggregate of 5,757,713 ordinary shares under the 2008 Plan and the 2017 Plan were granted, excluding awards that were forfeited, repurchased, cancelled, lapsed, settled or otherwise expired after the relevant grant dates. As a result of these grants, we incurred share-based compensation of nil (restated) and $9.7 million in 2020 and 2021, respectively. In February 2022, we issued 26,738 ordinary shares to our former chief financial officer and as a result, share-based compensation expenses of $199 thousand was recorded in the three months ended March 31, 2022. For more information on our share incentive plan, see “Management—Share Incentive Plans.” We will incur additional share-based compensation expenses in the future as we continue to grant share-based incentives. We believe the granting of share-based compensation is of significant importance to our ability to attract and retain key personnel and employees, and we will continue to grant share-based compensation to employees in the future. As a result, our expenses associated with share-based compensation may increase, which may have an adverse effect on our results of operations.

 

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We could be held liable if our GigaCloud Marketplace is used for fraudulent, illegal or improper purposes such as money laundering.

Despite we have taken and continue to take measures, our GigaCloud Marketplace is susceptible to potentially illegal or improper uses, which could damage our reputation and subject us to liability. These may include the use of our marketplace in connection with fraudulent sales of merchandise and other intellectual property piracy, money laundering, bank fraud and prohibited sales of restricted products. Criminals are using increasingly sophisticated methods to engage in illegal activities such as counterfeiting and fraud and incidents of fraud could increase in the future. We could be subject to fraud claims if confidential information obtained from our users is used for unauthorized purposes.

Our risk management policies and procedures may not be fully effective in identifying, monitoring and managing these risks. We are not able to monitor in each case the sources of funds for our digital financial services platform users, or the ways in which they are used. An increase in fraudulent transactions or publicity regarding payment disputes could harm our reputation and reduce customers confidence in our marketplace and solutions.

Natural disasters, pandemics, epidemics, acts of war, terrorist attacks and other events could materially and adversely affect our business.

Severe weather conditions and other natural or man-made disasters, including storms, floods, fires, earthquakes, epidemics, pandemics, conflicts, unrest, or terrorist attacks, may disrupt our business and result in decreased revenues. Customers may reduce their demand for logistics services or shipments, or our costs to operate our business may increase, either of which could have a material adverse effect on us. Any such event affecting one of our major facilities could result in a significant interruption in or disruption of our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Government regulation of the Internet and ecommerce in the U.S. and globally is evolving, and unfavorable changes or failure by us to comply with these regulations could substantially harm our business and results of operations.

We are subject to general business regulations and laws as well as regulations and laws specifically governing the Internet and ecommerce in the U.S. and globally. Existing and future regulations and laws could impede the growth of the Internet, ecommerce or mobile commerce. These regulations and laws may involve taxes, tariffs, privacy and data security, anti-spam, content protection, electronic contracts and communications, consumer protection, Internet neutrality and gift cards. It is not clear how existing laws governing issues such as property ownership, sales and other taxes and consumer privacy apply to the Internet as the vast majority of these laws were adopted prior to the advent of the Internet and do not contemplate or address the unique issues raised by the Internet or ecommerce. It is possible that general business regulations and laws, or those specifically governing the Internet or ecommerce, may be interpreted and applied in a manner that is inconsistent from one jurisdiction to another and may conflict with other rules or our practices. We cannot be sure that our practices have complied, comply or will comply fully with all such laws and regulations. Any failure, or perceived failure, by us to comply with any of these laws or regulations could result in damage to our reputation, a loss in business and proceedings or actions against us by governmental entities or others. Any such proceeding or action could hurt our reputation, force us to spend significant amounts in defense of these proceedings, distract our management, increase our costs of doing business, decrease the use of our sites by consumers and suppliers and may result in the imposition of monetary liability. We may also be contractually liable to indemnify and hold harmless third parties from the costs or consequences of non-compliance with any such laws or regulations. Adverse legal or regulatory developments could substantially harm our business. Further, if we enter into new market segments or geographical areas and expand the products and services we offer, we may be subject to additional laws and regulatory requirements or prohibited from conducting our business, or certain aspects of it, in certain jurisdictions. We will incur additional costs complying with these additional obligations and any failure or perceived failure to comply would adversely affect our business and reputation.

 

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We are subject to U.S., PRC and certain foreign export and import controls, sanctions, embargoes, anti-corruption laws and anti-money laundering laws and regulations. Compliance with these legal standards could impair our ability to compete in domestic and international markets. We could face criminal liability and other serious consequences for violations, which could harm our business.

We are subject to export control and import laws and regulations, including the U.S. Export Administration Regulations, U.S. Customs regulations, and various economic and trade sanctions regulations administered by the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls, and anti-corruption and anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act of 1977, as amended, the U.S. domestic bribery statute contained in 18 U.S.C. § 201, the U.S. Travel Act, the USA PATRIOT Act, and other state and national anti-bribery and anti-money laundering laws in the countries in which we conduct activities. We are also subject to anti-bribery laws in the PRC that generally prohibit companies and their intermediaries from making payments to government officials for the purpose of obtaining or retaining business or securing any other improper advantage. State and national anti-corruption laws are interpreted broadly and prohibit companies and their employees and agents from authorizing, promising, offering, providing, soliciting or receiving, directly or indirectly, improper payments or anything else of value to recipients in the public or private sector. We may engage third-party carriers outside of the U.S. to deliver our parcels internationally and/or other third-party agents to obtain necessary permits, licenses, patent registrations and other regulatory approvals in new geographic areas which we are expanding into. We can be held liable for the corrupt or other illegal activities of our employees, agents and third-party carriers, even if we do not explicitly authorize or have actual knowledge of such activities. Any violations of the laws and regulations described above may result in substantial civil and criminal fines and penalties, imprisonment, the loss of export or import privileges, debarment, tax reassessments, breach of contract and fraud litigation, reputational harm and other consequences.

We are subject to stringent and changing privacy laws, regulations and standards as well as contractual obligations related to data privacy and security. Our actual or perceived failure to comply with such obligations could harm our reputation, subject us to significant fines and liability, or otherwise adversely affect our business or prospects.

We are, and may increasingly become, subject to various laws and regulations, as well as contractual obligations, relating to data privacy and security in the jurisdictions in which we operate. The regulatory environment related to data privacy and security is increasingly rigorous, with new and constantly changing requirements applicable to our business, and enforcement practices are likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. These laws and regulations may be interpreted and applied differently over time and from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and it is possible that they will be interpreted and applied in ways that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In the U.S., various federal and state regulators have adopted, or are considering adopting, laws and regulations concerning personal information and data security. Certain state laws may be more stringent or broader in scope, or offer greater individual rights, with respect to personal information than federal, international or other state laws, and such laws may differ from each other, all of which may complicate compliance efforts. For example, the California Consumer Privacy Act, or CCPA, which increases privacy rights for California residents and imposes obligations on companies that process their personal information, came into effect on January 1, 2020. Among other things, the CCPA requires covered companies to provide new disclosures to California consumers about their data collection, use and sharing practices and provide such consumers new data protection and privacy rights, including the ability to opt out of certain sales of personal information. The CCPA provides for civil penalties for violations, as well as a private right of action for certain data breaches that result in the loss of personal information. This private right of action may increase the likelihood of, and risks associated with, data breach litigation. On November 3, 2020, California voters approved a new privacy law, the California Privacy Rights Act, or CPRA, which significantly modifies the CCPA, including by expanding consumers’ rights with respect to certain personal information and creating a new state agency to oversee implementation and enforcement efforts. Many of the CPRA’s provisions will become

 

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effective on January 1, 2023. State laws are changing rapidly and there is discussion in the U.S. of a new comprehensive federal data privacy law to which we would become subject if it is enacted.

In the PRC, the PRC regulatory and enforcement regime with regard to data security and data protection is constantly evolving and can be subject to significant change, making the extent of our obligations in that regard uncertain. In November 2016, the Standing Committee of the NPC promulgated the PRC Cybersecurity Law, which took effect on June 1, 2017. According to the PRC Cybersecurity Law and relevant regulations, network operators are obligated to provide assistance and support in accordance with the law for public security and national security authorities to protect national security or assist with criminal investigations. In addition, the PRC Cybersecurity Law provides that personal information and important data collected and generated by operators of critical information infrastructure in the course of their operations in the PRC should be stored in the PRC, and the law imposes heightened regulation and additional security and privacy protection obligations on operators of critical information infrastructure. However, there are uncertainties with respect to how the PRC Cybersecurity Law will be implemented and interpreted in practice. PRC regulators, including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or the MIIT, and the CAC have been increasingly focused on regulation in the areas of data security and data protection. Furthermore, according to the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2020 Version) promulgated by the CAC and certain other PRC regulatory authorities in April 2020, which became effective in June 2020, “operators of critical information infrastructure” must pass a cybersecurity review when purchasing network products and services which do or may affect national security. Due to the lack of further interpretations, the exact scope of “operator of critical information infrastructure” under the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2020 Version) remains unclear as of the date of this prospectus. On July 10, 2021, the CAC issued a revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review for public comments, which required that, in addition to “operator of critical information infrastructure,” any “data processor” carrying out data processing activities that affect or may affect national security should also be subject to cybersecurity review. On December 28, 2021, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) were promulgated, which has become effective on February 15, 2022 and simultaneously replaced the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2020 Version) in whole. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) further iterated that any “network platform operators” carrying out data processing activities that affect or may affect national security should be subject to cybersecurity review and any network platform operator possessing personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) further elaborated the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities, including, among others, (i) the risk of core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or exited the country, and (ii) the risk of critical information infrastructure, core data, important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled, or maliciously used by foreign governments after listing abroad. On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) for public comments, which reiterates that data processors that process personal information of more than one million users listing in a foreign country should apply for a cybersecurity review.

Due to the uncertainties in the interpretation of data processing activities that affect or may affect national security, in July 2021, we made an inquiry with the relevant local branch of the CAC regarding the interpretation of the revised draft Measures for Cybersecurity Review after the revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review was released, and in March 2022, after the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) came into effect, we made another inquiry with the CCRC regarding the interpretation of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version). Based on the descriptions regarding our business operations and our marketplace, the relevant local authority and the CCRC concurred with us that we are not required to go through a cybersecurity review with the CAC because (i) our GigaCloud Marketplace is operated in Hong Kong under our Hong Kong Subsidiary with under one million users, and (ii) our GigaCloud Marketplace is a B2B ecommerce platform and any data we collected on our sellers and buyers are limited without any personal information. Based on the foregoing and also the advice of our PRC legal counsel, Han Kun Law Offices, we believe we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, are currently not required to go through a cybersecurity review with the CAC as of the date hereof. As of the date of this prospectus, we have also not been involved in any investigations on

 

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cybersecurity or data security initiated by related governmental regulatory authorities, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanction in such respect. However, as the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) were newly adopted, and the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) have not been adopted, there remains uncertainty in the interpretation and enforcement of such PRC cybersecurity laws and regulations. Thus, we cannot assure you that we would not be subject to cybersecurity review requirement, and if so, that we would be able to pass such review in relation to this offering. Furthermore, we cannot guarantee that the relevant authority that we have inquired will be the authorized regulatory body to make a determination that we are not subject to the requirement of cybersecurity review. If any interpretation or implementation rules of the relevant PRC cybersecurity laws and regulations in future provide that certain other PRC regulatory body shall be authorized to make the final decision on cybersecurity review, there can be no assurance that the authorized PRC regulatory body would reach the same conclusion as the authority we have inquired. If the authorized PRC regulatory body subsequently determines that we are required to go through such cybersecurity review or if any other PRC government authorities promulgates any interpretation or implementation rules before our listing that would require us to go through a cybersecurity review for this offering, we may fail to complete such cybersecurity review procedures in a timely manner, or at all. Any failure or delay in the completion of the cybersecurity review procedures or any other non-compliance with the related laws and regulations may result in fines or other penalties, including suspension of business and website closure as well as reputational damage or legal proceedings or actions against us, which may have material adverse effect on our business, financial condition or results of operations.

In June 2021, the Standing Committee of the NPC promulgated the PRC Data Security Law, which has taken effect on September 1, 2021. The Data Security Law also sets forth the data security protection obligations for entities and individuals handling personal data, including that no entity or individual may acquire such data by stealing or other illegal means, and the collection and use of such data should be for the purpose and within the limit that is prescribed by applicable laws and regulations. Furthermore, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council recently jointly promulgated the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law which was made available to the public on July 6, 2021, or the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities, under which, among other things, relevant governmental authorities are required to accelerate the revision of the Provisions on Strengthening the Confidentiality and Archives Management Related to Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities, and improve laws and regulations related to data security, cross-border data flow, and management of confidential information. However, there are uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of these opinions or other relevant laws and regulations, how soon the legislative or administrative regulation making bodies will respond and what existing or new laws or regulations or detailed implementations and interpretations will be modified or promulgated, if any, and the potential impact of such modified or new laws and regulations will have.

Furthermore, in the European Union, the collection and use of personal data is governed by the provisions of the General Data Protection Regulation, or the GDPR, in addition to other applicable laws and regulations. The GDPR came into effect in May 2018, repealing and replacing the European Union Data Protection Directive, and imposing revised data privacy and security requirements on companies in relation to the processing of personal data of European Union and U.K. data subjects. The GDPR, together with national legislation, regulations and guidelines of the European Union Member States and the U.K. governing the processing of personal data, impose strict obligations with respect to, and restrictions on, the collection, use, retention, protection, disclosure, transfer and processing of personal data. The GDPR imposes strict rules on the transfer of personal data to countries outside the European Union, including the U.S. For example, in 2016, the European Union and the U.S. agreed to a transfer framework for data transferred from the European Union to the U.S., called the Privacy Shield, but the Privacy Shield was invalidated in July 2020 by the Court of Justice of the European Union and it cast uncertainty around when the standard contractual clauses issued by the European Commission can be used. Companies must now conduct their own risk assessment and determine whether additional safeguards needs to be put in place. The GDPR authorizes fines for certain violations of up to 4% of the total global annual turnover of the preceding financial year or €20 million, whichever is greater. Such fines are in addition to any civil litigation claims by data subjects. Separately, Brexit could also lead to further

 

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legislative and regulatory changes and increase our compliance costs. As of January 1, 2021, and the expiry of transitional arrangements agreed to between the U.K. and the European Union, data processing in the U.K. is governed by a U.K. version of the GDPR (combining the GDPR and the Data Protection Act 2018), exposing us to two parallel regimes, each of which potentially authorizes similar fines and other potentially divergent enforcement actions for certain violations. There will be increasing scope for divergence in application, interpretation and enforcement of the data protection law as between the U.K. and the European Union. Other jurisdictions outside the European Union are similarly introducing or enhancing privacy and data security laws, rules and regulations, which could increase our compliance costs and the risks associated with non-compliance. In Hong Kong, the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance (Cap. 486) of Hong Kong), or the PDPO, applies to data users such as our business, that control the collection, holding, processing or use of personal data in Hong Kong. We are subject to the general requirements under PDPO including the need to obtain the prescribed consent of the data subject and to take all practicable steps to protect the personal data held by data users against unauthorized or accidental access, loss or use. Breaches of the PDPO may lead to a variety of civil and criminal sanctions including fines and imprisonment. In addition, data subjects have a right to bring proceedings in court to seek compensation for damage. We cannot guarantee that we are, or will be, in compliance with all applicable international regulations as they are enforced now or as they evolve.

Many countries have adopted, or are in the process of adopting, regulations governing the use of cookies and similar tracking technologies, and individuals may be required to “opt-in” to their placement for the purposes of marketing. In the European Union, regulators are increasingly focusing on compliance with requirements in the online behavioral advertising ecosystem, and current national laws that implement the ePrivacy Directive are likely to be replaced by an EU Regulation, known as the ePrivacy Regulation, which will significantly increase fines for non-compliance. Informed consent is required for the placement of a cookie on a user’s device and for direct electronic marketing which prohibits pre-checked consents and imposes a requirement to ensure separate consents are sought for each type of cookie or similar technology. Recent guidance, court cases and regulatory and consumer group led action are driving increased attention compliance with these rules. Increased enforcement of these strict requirements could lead to substantial costs, require significant systems changes, limit the effectiveness of our marketing activities, divert the attention of our technology personnel, adversely affect our margins, increase costs, and subject us to additional liabilities. Widespread adoption of regulations that significantly restrict our ability to use performance marketing technology could adversely affect our ability to market effectively to current and prospective hosts and guests, and thus materially adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition.

All of these evolving compliance and operational requirements impose significant costs, such as costs related to organizational changes, implementing additional protection technologies, training employees and engaging consultants, which are likely to increase over time. In addition, such requirements may require us to modify our data processing practices and policies, distract management or divert resources from other initiatives and projects, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with any applicable laws and regulations, or similar laws and regulations in the jurisdictions we operate relating to data privacy and security could result in damage to our reputation, as well as proceedings or litigation by governmental agencies or other third parties, including class action privacy litigation in certain jurisdictions, which would subject us to significant fines, sanctions, awards, injunctions, penalties or judgments. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

 

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We are subject to, and likely will be subject in the future to further, stringent and changing laws, regulations and standards relating to the provision of platforms, services and goods online. With regard to the current legislation in this area, our actual or perceived failure to comply with such obligations could harm our reputation, subject us to significant fines and liability, or otherwise adversely affect our business or prospects. We may also need to spend significant time and resource on understanding upcoming legislation in this area and considering and implementing changes to our websites, processes, policies and procedures in order to become compliant with current and future legislation.

We are, and are likely increasingly to become, subject to various laws and regulations, as well as contractual obligations, relating to the provision of goods and services online, online platforms, e-commerce and online contracts, online advertising and the online provision of information and the regulation of online content, both in the context of the B2B and B2C aspects of our business. There is a body of legislation in this area with which we are already required to comply, including the E-Commerce Directive 2000/31/EC, the Consumer Rights Directive 2011/83/EU, as amended by the Directive on better enforcement and modernization of EU consumer protection (EU) 2019/2161 (and member state implementing legislation in each case) and the Electronic Commerce (Amendment etc.) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019, among others. In addition to the current legislative framework, this is an area of current legislative focus for a number of jurisdictions, including the European Union and the U.K. where proposals for short-term future legislative change has been published, particularly in relation to online harms. For example, the Digital Services Act (for which the EC published a proposal on December 15, 2020) proposes new obligations for online platforms and changes to the safe harbors from liability for infringing content. In addition, on May 12, 2021, the U.K. government published new draft legislation in the form of the Online Safety Bill which aims to establish a new regulatory regime to address illegal and harmful content online, including fines and other sanctions in the event of non-compliance. Other jurisdictions, including France, Germany, Singapore and Australia have each already passed legislation addressing online harms. As such, this regulatory landscape is changing rapidly and becoming increasingly more vigorous. The extent of the obligations (at least in certain jurisdictions) and enforcement practices are likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. These laws and regulations may be interpreted and applied differently over time and from jurisdiction to jurisdiction, and it is possible that they will be interpreted and applied in ways that may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Furthermore, following the expiration of the specified period, there will be increasing scope for divergence in application, interpretation and enforcement of the data protection law as between the U.K. and the European Union. Other jurisdictions outside the European Union are similarly introducing or enhancing privacy and data security laws, rules and regulations, which could increase our compliance costs and the risks associated with non-compliance. We cannot guarantee that we are, or will be, in compliance with all applicable international regulations as they are enforced now or as they evolve.

All of these evolving compliance and operational requirements impose significant costs, such as costs related to organizational changes, implementing additional protection technologies, training employees and engaging consultants, which are likely to increase over time. In addition, such requirements may require us to modify our online and e-commerce practices and policies, distract management or divert resources from other initiatives and projects, all of which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects. Any failure or perceived failure by us to comply with any applicable federal, state or similar foreign laws and regulations in this area could result in damage to our reputation, as well as proceedings or litigation by governmental agencies or other third parties, including class action litigation in certain jurisdictions, which could subject us to significant fines, sanctions, awards, injunctions, penalties or judgments. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and prospects.

 

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Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure

We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders for a portion of our business operations. These arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control.

We have relied and expect to continue relying on contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders to operate a portion of our business. See “Corporate History and Structure.”

These contractual arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over our consolidated VIEs. For example, our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders could breach their contractual arrangements with us by, among other things, failing to conduct their operations in an acceptable manner or taking other actions that are detrimental to our interests. If we had direct ownership of our consolidated VIEs, we would be able to exercise our rights as a shareholder to effect changes in the board of directors of our consolidated VIEs, which in turn could implement changes, subject to any applicable fiduciary obligations, at the management and operational level. However, under the current contractual arrangements, we rely on the performance by our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders of their obligations under the contracts to exercise control over our consolidated VIEs. The shareholders of our consolidated VIEs may not act in the best interests of our company or may not perform their obligations under these contracts. Such risks exist throughout the period in which we intend to operate certain portions of our business through the contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs. As a result, we face increased risk that these shareholders may breach the contractual arrangements or take other actions that are detrimental to our interests.

If our consolidated VIEs or their shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations under the contractual arrangements, we may have to incur substantial costs and expend additional resources to enforce such arrangements. For example, if the shareholders of our consolidated VIEs refuse to transfer their equity interest in our consolidated VIEs to us if we exercise the purchase option pursuant to these contractual arrangements, or if they otherwise act in bad faith toward us, then we may have to take legal actions to compel them to perform their contractual obligations. In addition, if any third parties claim any interest in such shareholders’ equity interests in our consolidated VIEs, our ability to exercise shareholders’ rights or foreclose the share pledge according to the contractual arrangements may be impaired. If these or other disputes between the shareholders of our consolidated VIEs and third parties were to impair our control over our consolidated VIEs, our ability to consolidate the financial results of our consolidated VIEs would be affected, which would in turn result in a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Our strategic decision to enter into contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders may subject the beneficiaries of the consolidated VIEs to greater uncertainty as to the legality of their share ownership.

We have entered into a series of control agreements with our consolidated VIEs and their respective shareholders, including our four principal consolidated VIEs established and operating in the U.S. and the U.K., namely GIGA CLOUD LOGISTICS INC, B.T.M TRAVEL AND TRADING LTD, COMHARBOR LIMITED and BRIHOME LIMITED. We entered into contractual arrangements with our principal consolidated VIEs because we needed to expeditiously set up our business in overseas market with minimized administrative constraints to capture market opportunities. In certain instances, the contractual arrangements provided us with potentially the flexibility to conduct business activities that could be subjected to restrictions on foreign investment. For example, the PRC government had imposed foreign ownership restriction and the licensing and permit requirements for companies in the industry of telecommunications services, and we had a consolidated VIE set up initially in mainland China from 2018 to 2020. To our knowledge, our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs are not conducting business activities that are subject to restrictions on foreign investment. We launched our GigaCloud Marketplace under our Hong Kong Subsidiary, GigaCloud Technology (HongKong) Limited (formerly known as Giga Cloud Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited), in 2019. As our business scale in the overseas markets continued to grow and in anticipation of this offering, we began to restructure our non-principal VIEs

 

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into wholly-owned subsidiaries. From 2018 to 2020, we had one consolidated VIE in mainland China, namely Suzhou GigaCloud, and in February 2021, our Cayman Islands holding company entered into a termination agreement with Suzhou GigaCloud to terminate the control agreement with respect to Suzhou GigaCloud and Suzhou GigaCloud became our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary in mainland China and we do not currently have any VIE in mainland China. See also “Corporate History and Structure—Contractual Arrangements with Our Consolidated VIEs and their Shareholders.”

Our strategic decision to operate a portion of our business under contractual agreements may subject the beneficiaries of the consolidated VIEs to greater uncertainty as to the legality of their share ownership. It is uncertain whether any new laws or regulations relating to contractual agreements will be adopted in the jurisdictions where our consolidated VIEs are, or had been organized, or if adopted, what they would provide. If we or our consolidated VIEs are, currently or retrospectively, found to be in violation of any existing or future laws or regulations in the jurisdictions where our consolidated VIEs are organized, we may be required to pay fines or penalties, or restructure our corporate structure which may affect our business operations. Either of these results, or any other significant penalties that might be imposed on us in this event, would have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. We endeavor to restructure all of our VIEs within the next 12 months after the completion of this offering, however, we cannot guarantee that we will be able to complete the restructuring without any interruptions to our business operations, or that there will be no events that may cause delays in our corporate restructuring.

Any failure by our consolidated VIEs or their shareholders to perform their obligations under such contractual arrangements would have a material and adverse effect on our business.

The shareholders of our consolidated VIEs may have actual or potential conflicts of interest with us. These shareholders may refuse to sign or breach, or cause our consolidated VIEs to breach, or refuse to renew, the existing contractual arrangements we have with them and our consolidated VIEs, which would have a material and adverse effect on our ability to effectively control our consolidated VIEs and receive economic benefits from them. For example, the shareholders may be able to cause our agreements with our consolidated VIEs to be performed in a manner adverse to us by, among other things, failing to remit payments due under the contractual arrangements to us on a timely basis. We cannot assure you that when conflicts of interest arise any or all of these shareholders will act in the best interests of our company or such conflicts will be resolved in our favor. Currently, we do not have any arrangements to address potential conflicts of interest between these shareholders and our company. If we cannot resolve any conflict of interest or dispute between us and these shareholders, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in disruption of our business and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings.

We may lose the ability to use, or otherwise benefit from, the assets held, or the services provided by our consolidated VIEs, which could severely disrupt our business, render us unable to conduct some or all of our business operations and constrain our growth.

We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated VIEs to use, or otherwise benefit from, certain overseas off-platform services that we need or may need in the future as our business continues to expand.

The contractual arrangements contain terms that specifically obligate the shareholders of our consolidated VIEs to ensure the valid existence of our consolidated VIEs. However, in the event the shareholders of our consolidated VIEs breach the terms of these contractual arrangements and voluntarily liquidate our consolidated VIEs, or our consolidated VIEs declare bankruptcy and all or part of their assets become subject to liens or rights of third-party creditors, or are otherwise disposed of without our consent, we may be unable to conduct some or all of our business operations or otherwise benefit from the assets held by our consolidated VIEs, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, if our consolidated VIEs undergo a voluntary or involuntary liquidation proceeding, their

 

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shareholders or unrelated third-party creditors may claim rights to some or all of the assets of our consolidated VIEs, thereby hindering our ability to operate our business as well as constrain our growth.

You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law.

We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, which we refer to as the Companies Act below, and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors, actions by our minority shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from the common law of England, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the U.S. In particular, the Cayman Islands have a less developed body of securities laws than the U.S. Some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have standings to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the U.S.

Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies like us have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records (other than the memorandum and articles of association and any special resolutions passed by such companies, and the registers of mortgages and charges of such companies) or to obtain copies of lists of shareholders of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our articles of association that will become effective immediately prior to completion of this offering to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest.

As a result of all of the above, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by our management, users of the board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a company incorporated in the U.S. For a discussion of significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the U.S. and their shareholders, see “Description of Share Capital—Differences in Corporate Law.”

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

We could be adversely affected by political tensions between the U.S. and the PRC.

During 2018 and 2019, both the PRC and the U.S. each imposed tariffs that have adversely affected trade between the two countries. Although the U.S. and the PRC reached a Phase One trade deal in January 2020, there was no Phase Two trade deal implemented and most of the tariffs imposed remain in place, while uncertainty persists in the trade relationship between the two countries that impacts the global trade landscape. Although most of third-party suppliers for our 1P inventory are located in South East Asian countries and our 3P sellers are typically responsible for any export taxes and tariffs, we are unable to predict whether any of the countries in which our suppliers’ products are currently manufactured or may be manufactured in the future will be subject to new, different, or additional trade restrictions imposed by the U.S. or foreign governments or the likelihood, type or effect of any such restrictions.

Political tensions between the U.S. and the PRC have escalated due to, among other things, trade disputes, the COVID-19 outbreak, sanctions imposed by the U.S. Department of Treasury on certain officials of

 

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the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and the central government of the PRC, U.S. export restrictions regarding China, restrictions on U.S. investments in designated “Communist Chinese Military Companies,” and the executive orders issued by former U.S. President Donald J. Trump that seek to prohibit certain transactions with ByteDance Ltd., Tencent Holdings Ltd., developers of certain software applications and the respective subsidiaries of such companies, as well as the Rules on Counteracting Unjustified Extra-territorial Application of Foreign Legislation and Other Measures promulgated by MOFCOM on January 9, 2021, which will apply to situations where the extra-territorial application of foreign legislation and other measures, in violation of international law and the basic principles of international relations, unjustifiably prohibits or restricts the citizens, legal persons or other organizations of China from engaging in normal economic, trade and related activities with a third State (or region) or its citizens, legal persons or other organizations. Rising political tensions could reduce levels of trades, investments, technological exchanges and other economic activities between the two major economies, which would have a material adverse effect on global economic conditions and the stability of global financial markets. Any of these factors could have a material adverse effect on our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, there have been recent media reports on deliberations within the U.S. government regarding potentially limiting or restricting companies with operations in the PRC from accessing U.S. capital markets. If any such deliberations were to materialize, the resulting legislation may have a material and adverse impact on the stock performance of issuers with operations in the PRC listing in the U.S. It is unclear if this proposed legislation would be enacted.

A substantial part of our revenues is derived from the U.S., and we are required to comply with the U.S. laws and regulations. However, we may be affected by future changes in the U.S. export control and other laws and regulations. If we were unable to transfer our parcels to and out of the U.S., our business, results of operations and financial condition would be materially and adversely affected.

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

We have operations in the PRC. Accordingly, our business, financial condition and results of operations are affected to an extent by economic, political and legal developments in the PRC.

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

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

 

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Increasing focus with respect to environmental, social and governance matters may impose additional costs on us or expose us to additional risks. Failure to comply with the laws and regulations on environmental, social and governance matters may subject us to penalties and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The PRC government and public advocacy groups have been increasingly focused on environment, social and governance, or ESG, issues in recent years, making our business more sensitive to ESG issues and changes in governmental policies and laws and regulations associated with environment protection and other ESG-related matters. Investor advocacy groups, certain institutional investors, investment funds, and other influential investors are also increasingly focused on ESG practices and in recent years have placed increasing importance on the implications and social cost of their investments. Regardless of the industry, increased focus from investors and the PRC government on ESG and similar matters may hinder access to capital, as investors may decide to reallocate capital or to not commit capital as a result of their assessment of a company’s ESG practices. Any ESG concern or issue could increase our regulatory compliance costs. If we do not adapt to or comply with the evolving expectations and standards on ESG matters from investors and the PRC government or are perceived to have not responded appropriately to the growing concern for ESG issues, regardless of whether there is a legal requirement to do so, we may suffer from reputational damage and the business, financial condition, and the price of our Class A ordinary shares could be materially and adversely effected.

There are uncertainties regarding the PRC legal system.

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

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

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

 

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The PRC government may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in mainland China- and Hong Kong-based issuers, may exercise significant oversight and discretion over a company’s ability to conduct business in mainland China and Hong Kong and may intervene in or influence our operations at any time, which could result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale.

Although we have operations in many locations globally, we face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties as a result of being based in and having operations in mainland China and Hong Kong. We launched our GigaCloud Marketplace under our Hong Kong Subsidiary, GigaCloud Technology (HongKong) Limited (formerly known as Giga Cloud Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited), in 2019. Our PRC Subsidiaries perform cost functions and internal operational functions, but our PRC Subsidiaries do not generate revenue in mainland China. Accordingly, the laws and regulations of the PRC have an impact on the operational and procurement aspects of our business. Furthermore, the PRC government has authority to exert political and economic influence on the ability of a company with operations in mainland China and Hong Kong to conduct business, accept foreign investment or list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange. For example, we may face risks associated with regulatory approvals of offshore offerings, anti-monopoly regulatory actions, oversight on cybersecurity and data privacy, the lack of inspection of the PCAOB of our auditors, as well as regulatory risks relating to companies in Hong Kong. In light of recent statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government related to the PRC’s extension of authority into Hong Kong, there is also risk that the PRC government may intervene or influence our operations in Hong Kong, as our operations in Hong Kong are subject to political and economic influence from the PRC government. Our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be subject to direct intervention or influence from the PRC government in the future due to changes in laws or other unforeseeable reasons. Such risks could impact our ability to conduct our business, accept foreign investments, or list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange, result in a material change in our operations and/or the value of our Class A ordinary shares or could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer Class A ordinary shares and/or other securities to investors and cause the value of the securities we are registering for sale to significantly decline or be worthless.

Furthermore, the PRC government has recently indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over overseas securities offerings and other capital markets activities by, and overseas and/or foreign investment in, companies with operations in mainland China and Hong Kong, including enhancing supervision over companies with operations in mainland China that are listed overseas using VIE structure, and that the PRC regulatory authorities could disallow the use of such VIE holding structure. We do not believe that we are directly subject to these regulatory actions or statements, as we do not currently have any VIE in mainland China. However, the rules and regulations and the enforcement thereof in China can change quickly. While our current corporate structure does not contain any VIE in mainland China and our group has no intention establishing any VIEs in mainland China in the future, if in the future our group’s corporate structure were to contain a VIE, the PRC regulatory authorities could disallow the VIE structure, which would likely result in a material change in our operations and/or a material change in the value of the securities we are registering for sale, including that it could cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or in extreme cases, become worthless. The PRC regulatory authorities could change the rules, regulations and policies regarding foreign ownership in the industry in which we operate, which would likely result in material change in our operations and/or a material change in the value of the securities we are registering for sale, including that it could cause the value of the securities to significantly decline, or become worthless. The PRC government may also intervene with or influence our operations in mainland China and Hong Kong as the government deems appropriate to further regulatory, political and societal goals. Any such action, once taken by the PRC government, could result in a material change in our operations, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of the securities we are registering for sale to significantly decline or in extreme cases, become worthless.

For example, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the General Office of the State Council jointly issued the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities

 

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Activities which was made available to the public on July 6, 2021. The Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities, and the need to strengthen the supervision over overseas listings by Chinese companies. Effective measures, such as promoting the construction of relevant regulatory systems will be taken to deal with the risks and incidents of overseas listing companies based in China, and cybersecurity and data privacy protection requirements and similar matters. On July 10, 2021, the CAC issued a revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review for public comments, which required that, in addition to “operator of critical information infrastructure,” any “data processor” carrying out data processing activities that affect or may affect national security should also be subject to cybersecurity review, and further elaborated the factors to be considered when assessing the national security risks of the relevant activities. According to the revised draft Measures for Cybersecurity Review, any data processor who possesses of personal information of more than one million users must apply for a cybersecurity review if it seeks a listing in a foreign country. On December 28, 2021, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) were promulgated, which has become effective on February 15, 2022 and simultaneously replaced the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2020 Version) in whole. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) further iterated that any “network platform operators” carrying out data processing activities that affect or may affect national security should be subject to cybersecurity review and any network platform operator possessing personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) for public comments, which reiterated that data processors that process personal information of more than one million users listing in a foreign country should apply for a cybersecurity review. On December 24, 2021, the CSRC released the Draft Overseas Listing Rules, according to which, any direct or indirect offshore listing of domestic enterprises shall be filed with the CSRC. If the Draft Overseas Listing Rules were enacted, we may be subject to additional compliance requirements in the future. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—We are subject to stringent and changing privacy laws, regulations and standards as well as contractual obligations related to data privacy and security. Our actual or perceived failure to comply with such obligations could harm our reputation, subject us to significant fines and liability, or otherwise adversely affect our business or prospects” and “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The CSRC has released for public consultation the draft rules for companies based in China seeking to conduct initial public offerings in overseas markets. While such rules have not yet been adopted, the PRC government may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in issuers based in mainland China and Hong Kong, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our ordinary shares to significantly decline or become worthless.” Given that the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) were newly adopted, and the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) and the Draft Overseas Listing Rules have not been adopted, it remains unclear how the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant PRC governmental authorities, it is still uncertain how PRC governmental authorities will regulate overseas listing in general and whether we are required to obtain any specific regulatory approvals or to fulfill any record-filing requirements. If we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and Hong Kong Subsidiary, (i) do not receive or maintain any required approvals or record-filing or (ii) inadvertently conclude that approvals or record-filing are not required, or (iii) if the CAC, the CSRC or other regulatory agencies promulgate new rules, explanations or interpretations requiring that we shall obtain their prior approvals or ex-post record-filing for this offering and any follow-on offering in the future, we may be unable to obtain such approvals and record-filing timely, or at all, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our ordinary shares to significantly decline or become worthless.

The rules and regulations and the enforcement thereof in China can change quickly. The PRC government may intervene with or influence our operations in mainland China and Hong Kong as the government deems appropriate to further regulatory, political and societal goals. Any such action by the PRC government to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in mainland China- and Hong Kong-based issuers, once taken by the PRC government, could

 

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significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of our securities to significantly decline or in extreme cases, become worthless.

We operate our GigaCloud Marketplace through our Hong Kong Subsidiary. If the PRC government were to extend its oversight into companies in Hong Kong, our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be subject to additional regulations which could have a material effect on our business operations.

We launched our GigaCloud Marketplace under our Hong Kong Subsidiary, GigaCloud Technology (HongKong) Limited (formerly known as Giga Cloud Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited), in 2019. Our PRC Subsidiaries perform cost functions and internal operational functions, but our PRC Subsidiaries do not generate revenue in mainland China. Accordingly, the laws and regulations of the PRC have an impact on the operational and procurement aspects of our business. Pursuant to the Basic Law of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, or the Basic Law, which is a national law of the PRC and the constitutional document for Hong Kong, national laws of the PRC shall not be applied in Hong Kong except for those listed in Annex III of the Basic Law (which shall be confined to laws relating to defense and foreign affairs as well as other matters outside the autonomy of Hong Kong). Whilst the NPC of the PRC has the power to amend the Basic Law, the Basic Law also expressly provides that no amendment to the Basic Law shall contravene the established basic policies of the PRC regarding Hong Kong. As a result, national laws of the PRC not listed in Annex III of the Basic Law, including the PRC Data Security Law, The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) and the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) do not apply to our businesses in Hong Kong.

As of the date of this prospectus, our Hong Kong Subsidiary has not received any inquiry or notice or any objection from any PRC authority in connection with our operations in Hong Kong. In light of recent statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government related to the PRC’s extension of authority into Hong Kong, there is risk that the PRC government may intervene or influence our operations in Hong Kong, as our operations in Hong Kong are subject to political and economic influence from the PRC government. Our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be subject to such direct intervention or influence from the PRC government in the future due to changes in laws or other unforeseeable reasons. If certain PRC laws and regulations, including existing laws and regulations and those enacted or promulgated in the future, were to become applicable to our Hong Kong Subsidiary in the future, the application of such laws and regulations may have a material adverse impact on our business operations in Hong Kong. For example, if the PRC Data Security Law were to apply to our Hong Kong Subsidiary, our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be subject to data security and privacy obligations imposed by the PRC government, our Hong Kong Subsidiary may be required to obtain licenses for the operation of our ecommerce platform GigaCloud Marketplace and be subject to regulations restricting or prohibiting foreign ownership. However, the rules and regulations and the enforcement thereof in China can change quickly. In light of recent statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government related to the PRC’s extension of authority into Hong Kong, there is also risk that the PRC government may intervene with or influence our operations in mainland China and Hong Kong at any time as the government deems appropriate to further regulatory, political and societal goals and that our Hong Kong Subsidiary and PRC Subsidiaries may be subject to such direct intervention or influence in the future due to changes in laws or other unforeseeable reasons. Any such actions by the PRC government to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in mainland China- and Hong Kong-based issuers could significantly change our Hong Kong Subsidiary’s ability to conduct its business and operate our GigaCloud Marketplace in its current form, which could result in a material change in our operations, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of the securities we are registering for sale to significantly decline or in the extreme cases, become worthless.

 

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Implementation of the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong involves uncertainty, and the recent policy pronouncements by the PRC government regarding business activities of U.S.-listed PRC businesses may negatively impact GigaCloud Group’s existing and future operations in Hong Kong.

On June 30, 2020, the Standing Committee of the NPC promulgated the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong. The interpretation of the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong involves a degree of uncertainty.

Recently, the PRC government announced that it would step up supervision of overseas listed PRC businesses. Under the new measures, the PRC government will enhance regulation of cross-border data flows and security, crack down on illegal activity in the securities market and punish fraudulent securities issuance, market manipulation and insider trading. The PRC government will also check sources of funding for securities investment and control leverage ratios. The PRC government has also opened a probe into several U.S.-listed technology companies focusing on anti-monopoly, financial technology regulation and more recently, with the passage of the PRC Data Security Law, how companies collect, store, process and transfer personal data. Currently these laws (other than the Law of the PRC on Safeguarding National Security in Hong Kong) are expected to apply to mainland China domestic businesses, rather than businesses in Hong Kong which operate under a different set of laws from mainland China. However, there can be no assurance that the government of Hong Kong will not enact similar laws and regulations applicable to companies operating in Hong Kong.

GigaCloud Group is a pioneer of global end-to-end B2B ecommerce solutions for large parcel merchandise and our global marketplace seamlessly connects manufacturers, primarily in Asia, with resellers, primarily in the U.S., Asia and Europe. We also operate warehouses in four countries across North America, Europe and Asia. Although none of our business activities appears to be within the current targeted areas of concern mentioned above by the PRC government, given the PRC government’s significant oversight over the conduct of business operations in mainland China and in Hong Kong, and in light of the PRC government’s recent extension of authority not only in mainland China but into Hong Kong, there are risks and uncertainties which we cannot foresee for the time being, and rules and regulations in the PRC can change quickly with little or no advance notice. For example, the PRC government may pressure the government of Hong Kong to enact similar laws and regulations to those in the PRC, which may seek to exert control over offerings conducted overseas by Hong Kong companies. If any or all of the foregoing were to occur, it could lead to a material adverse change in GigaCloud Group’s operations and limit or hinder our ability to offer securities to overseas investors or remain listed in the U.S., which could cause the value of the securities we are registering for sale to significantly decline or become worthless.

The approval or other administration requirements of the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, or other PRC governmental authorities, may be required in connection with this offering under a PRC regulation or any new laws, rules or regulations to be enacted, and if required, we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain such approval. The regulation also establishes more complex procedures for acquisitions conducted by foreign investors that could make it more difficult for us to grow through acquisitions.

On August 8, 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies, including MOFCOM, the State-Owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission, the SAT, the SAMR, the CSRC, and the SAFE, jointly adopted the M&A Rules, which came into effect on September 8, 2006 and were amended on June 22, 2009. The M&A Rules include, among other things, provisions that purport to require that an offshore special purpose vehicle that is controlled by PRC domestic companies or individuals and that has been formed for the purpose of an overseas listing of securities through acquisitions of PRC domestic companies or assets to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose vehicle’s securities on an overseas stock exchange. On September 21, 2006, the CSRC published on its official website procedures regarding its approval of overseas listings by special purpose vehicles. However, substantial uncertainty remains regarding the scope and applicability of the M&A Rules to offshore special purpose vehicles.

 

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We believe, based on the advice of our PRC legal counsel, Han Kun Law Offices, based on its understanding of the current PRC laws and regulations, that the CSRC approval under the M&A Rules is not required in the context of this offering because the CSRC currently has not issued any definitive rule or interpretation concerning whether offerings such as this offering contemplated by our company are subject to the M&A Rules and our wholly owned PRC Subsidiary, GigaCloud Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd., was established by foreign direct investment, rather than through a merger or acquisition of a domestic company as defined under the M&A Rules. However, we have also been advised by our PRC legal counsel that there are uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of the PRC law, and there can be no assurance that the relevant PRC government agencies, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as our PRC legal counsel. If the CSRC or any other PRC regulatory body subsequently determines that we need to obtain the CSRC’s approval or any other regulatory approval for this offering or if the CSRC or any other PRC government authorities promulgates any new laws, rules, regulations or any interpretation or implementation rules before our listing that would require us to obtain CSRC or other governmental approvals for this offering, we may face adverse actions or sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies for failure to seek approval for this offering.

In addition, the recently promulgated Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities, among others, call for strengthening the administration and supervision of stocks with China nexus, revising the Special Provisions of the State Council on Overseas Issuance and Listing of Shares by Limited Stock Companies, and clarifying the responsibilities of domestic industry competent authorities and regulatory authorities. However, given the fairly recent issuance date of the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities, there are no further explanations, detailed rules or regulations issued as of the date of this prospectus, leaving uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities. Moreover, there is no assurance that any new rules or regulations promulgated in the future will not impose additional requirements on companies with operations in the PRC. Furthermore, on July 10, 2021, the CAC issued a revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review for public comments, according to which, in addition to “operator of critical information infrastructure,” any “data processor” carrying out data processing activities that affect or may affect national security should also be subject to cybersecurity review, and any data processor who possesses of personal information of more than one million users must apply for a cybersecurity review if it seeks a listing in a foreign country. On December 28, 2021, the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) were promulgated, which has become effective on February 15, 2022 and simultaneously replaced the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2020 Version) in whole. The Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) further iterated that any “network platform operators” carrying out data processing activities that affect or may affect national security should be subject to cybersecurity review and any network platform operator possessing personal information of more than one million users which seeks to list in a foreign stock exchange should also be subject to cybersecurity review. On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) for public comments, which reiterated that data processors that process personal information of more than one million users listing in a foreign country should apply for a cybersecurity review.

Due to the uncertainties in the interpretation of data processing activities that affect or may affect national security, in July 2021, we made an inquiry with the relevant local branch of the CAC regarding the interpretation of the revised draft Measures for Cybersecurity Review after the revised draft of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review was released, and in March 2022, after the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) came into effect, we made another inquiry with the CCRC regarding the interpretation of the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version). Based on the descriptions regarding our business operations and our marketplace, the relevant local authority and the CCRC concurred with us that we are not required to go through a cybersecurity review with the CAC because (i) our GigaCloud Marketplace is operated in Hong Kong under our Hong Kong Subsidiary with under one million users, and (ii) our GigaCloud Marketplace is a B2B ecommerce platform and any data we collected on our sellers and buyers are limited without any personal information. Based on the foregoing and also the advice of our PRC legal counsel, Han Kun Law Offices, we believe we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, are currently not required to go through a cybersecurity review with the CAC as of the date hereof. As of the date of this prospectus, we have not

 

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been involved in any investigations on cybersecurity or data security initiated by related governmental regulatory authorities, and we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanction in such respect. However, as the Measures for Cybersecurity Review (2021 Version) were newly adopted, and the Regulations on Network Data Security Protection (Draft for Comments) have not been adopted, there remains uncertainty in the interpretation and enforcement of such PRC cybersecurity laws and regulations. Thus, we cannot assure you that we would not be subject to cybersecurity review requirement, and if so, that we would be able to pass such review in relation to this offering. Furthermore, we cannot guarantee that the authority that we have inquired is the authorized regulatory body to make a determination that we are not subject to the requirement of cybersecurity review. If any interpretation or implementation rules of the relevant PRC cybersecurity laws and regulations in future provide that certain other PRC regulatory body shall be authorized to make the final decision on cybersecurity review, there can be no assurance that the authorized PRC regulatory body would reach the same conclusion as the authority we have inquired. If the authorized PRC regulatory body subsequently determines that we are required to go through such cybersecurity review or if any other PRC government authorities promulgates any interpretation or implementation rules before our listing that would require us to go through a cybersecurity review for this offering, we may fail to complete such cybersecurity review procedures in a timely manner, or at all.

On December 24, 2021, the CSRC released the Draft Overseas Listing Rules, according to which, any direct or indirect offshore listing of domestic enterprises shall be filed with the CSRC. If the Draft Overseas Listing Rules were enacted, we may be subject to additional compliance requirements in the future. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The CSRC has released for public consultation the draft rules for companies based in China seeking to conduct initial public offerings in overseas markets. While such rules have not yet been adopted, the PRC government may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in issuers based in mainland China and Hong Kong, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our ordinary shares to significantly decline or become worthless.”

As of the date of this prospectus, we have not received any inquiry or notice or any objection to this offering from the CSRC, the CAC or any other PRC authorities that have jurisdiction over our operations in mainland China and Hong Kong. However, given the current regulatory environment in the PRC, there remain uncertainty regarding the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws, which can change quickly with little advance notice subject to any future actions of the PRC authorities.

It is uncertain what measures will be enacted, interpreted or implemented and how they will affect us. If it is determined that CSRC approval or other governmental approval or record-filing requirements are required for this offering, we, including our PRC Subsidiaries or our Hong Kong Subsidiary, may face penalties imposed by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities for failing to seek regulatory approval and/or record-filing for this offering.

In any such event, these regulatory agencies may impose fines and penalties on our operations in the PRC, limit our operating privileges in the PRC, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from this offering into the PRC, if any, or take other actions that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations, reputation and prospects, as well as our ability to complete this offering. The CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies may also take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, to halt this offering before settlement and delivery of the Class A ordinary shares offered by this prospectus. Consequently, if you engage in market trading or other activities in anticipation of and prior to settlement and delivery, you do so at the risk that such settlement and delivery may not occur. In addition, if the CSRC or other regulatory agencies later promulgate new rules or explanations requiring us to obtain their approvals, filings, registrations or other kinds of authorizations for this offering or any future capital raising, we cannot assure you that we can obtain such approvals, filings, registrations or authorizations or complete any required procedures in a timely manner, or at all, and we may be unable to obtain waivers of such approval, filing or other governmental requirements. Any uncertainties and/or negative publicity regarding such approval and/or filing requirements could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares.

 

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These regulations also established additional procedures and requirements that are expected to make merger and acquisition activities in the PRC by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. For example, the M&A Rules require that the MOFCOM be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise if (i) any important industry is concerned, (ii) such transaction involves factors that have or may have impact on the national economic security, or (iii) such transaction will lead to a change in control of a domestic enterprise which holds a famous trademark or PRC time-honored brand. The approval from the MOFCOM shall be obtained in circumstances where overseas companies legitimately established or controlled by PRC enterprises or residents acquire affiliated domestic companies. Mergers, acquisitions or contractual arrangements of domestic enterprises by foreign investors must also be notified in advance to the anti-monopoly authority under the PRC State Council when the threshold under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings issued by the PRC State Council in August 2008 and amended in September 2018, is triggered. In addition, the security review rules issued by the MOFCOM that became effective in September 2011 specify that mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors that raise “national defense and security” concerns and mergers and acquisitions through which foreign investors may acquire de facto control over domestic enterprises that raise “national security” concerns are subject to strict review by the MOFCOM, and the rules prohibit any activities attempting to bypass a security review, including by structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual control arrangement.

In addition, NDRC and MOFCOM promulgated the Measures for the Security Review of Foreign Investments, effective from January 18, 2021, which require foreign investors or relevant domestic parties to file a prior report before making a foreign investment if such investment involves, among others, military related industry, national defense security or taking control of an enterprise in a key industry that concerns national security; and if a foreign investment will or may affect national security, the relevant party shall report to the standing working office organized by NDRC and MOFCOM for the decision of whether to conduct security review. Based on the advice of our PRC legal counsel, Han Kun Law Offices, based on its understanding of the current PRC laws and regulations, we believe that we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, are currently not subject to such record-filing requirements with the NDRC and MOFCOM under the Measures for the Security Review of Foreign Investment, because we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, do not and will not have foreign investments that involve military related industry, national defense security or taking control of an enterprise in a key industry that concerns national security. Complying with the requirements of the new regulations to complete such transactions could be time-consuming, and any required approval processes, including approval from the MOFCOM, may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share.

The CSRC has released for public consultation the draft rules for companies based in China seeking to conduct initial public offerings in overseas markets. While such rules have not yet been adopted, the PRC government may exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and foreign investment in issuers based in mainland China and Hong Kong, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our ordinary shares to investors and could cause the value of our ordinary shares to significantly decline or become worthless.

On December 24, 2021, the CSRC released the Draft Overseas Listing Rules which have a comment period that expired on January 23, 2022. The Draft Overseas Listing Rules have stipulated the determination criteria for direct and indirect overseas listing, the filing arrangement for both direct and indirect overseas listing, and the punishment for the breach of such newly promulgated filling requirements. As none of our PRC Subsidiaries is the issuer of the securities we are registering, listing and offering in this offering, our PRC Subsidiaries are not “directly” offering and listing securities on an overseas market.

The Draft Overseas Listing Rules stipulate that the determination as to whether a domestic company is indirectly offering and listing securities in an overseas market shall be made on a substance-over-form basis and if an issuer meets the following conditions, its overseas offering and listing shall be determined as an “indirect overseas offering and listing by a domestic enterprise”: (i) the operating revenue, total profits, total assets or net

 

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assets of the domestic enterprise in the most recent accounting year account for more than 50% of the corresponding figure in the issuer’s audited consolidated financial statements for the same period; (ii) most of the senior managers in charge of business operation and management are Chinese citizens or have habitual residences in mainland China, the principal operation premises are located in mainland China or the operation activities are mostly conducted in mainland China. According to the Draft Overseas Listing Rules, in the case of an “indirect overseas offering and listing by a domestic enterprise,” the issuer shall fulfill the filing procedures within three working days after the issuer makes an application for initial public offering and listing in an overseas market. The required filing materials for an initial public offering and listing should include at least the followings: the record-filing report and related undertakings; the regulatory opinions, record-filing, approval and other documents issued by competent regulatory authorities of relevant industries (if applicable); the security assessment opinion issued by relevant regulatory authorities (if applicable); the PRC legal opinion; and the prospectus.

In addition, an overseas offering and listing is prohibited under any of the following circumstances: (i) if the intended securities offering and listing is specifically prohibited by PRC laws and regulations and relevant provisions; (ii) if the intended securities offering and listing may constitute a threat to or endangers national security as reviewed and determined by competent authorities under the State Council in accordance with laws; (iii) if there are material ownership disputes over the equity, principal assets, and core technology, etc. of the issuer; (iv) if, in the past three years, the domestic enterprise, its controlling shareholders or its actual controllers have committed corruption, bribery, embezzlement, misappropriation of property, or other criminal offenses disruptive to the order of the socialist market economy, or are currently under judicial investigation for suspicion of criminal offenses, or are under investigation for suspicion of major violations; (v) if, in the past three years, directors, supervisors, or senior executives have been subject to administrative punishments for severe violations, or are currently under judicial investigation for suspicion of criminal offenses, or are under investigation for suspicion of material violations of laws and regulations; and (vi) other circumstances as prescribed by the State Council. The Draft Overseas Listing Rules defined the legal liabilities for the failure in fulfilling filing obligations, imposing a fine between RMB 1 million and RMB 10 million, and in cases of severe violations, a parallel order to suspend relevant business or halt operation for rectification, revoke relevant business permits or business license.

According to the CSRC Answers, after the Draft Overseas Listing Rules are implemented upon completion of public consultation and due legislative procedures, the CSRC will formulate and issue guidance for filing procedures to further specify the details of filing administration and ensure that market entities could refer to clear guidelines for filing, which means it still takes time for the Draft Overseas Listing Rules come into effect.

As advised by our PRC legal counsel, based on its understanding of the Draft Overseas Listing Rules and the confirmation by us that (i) none of the operating revenue, total profits, total assets and net assets of our PRC Subsidiaries in the most recent accounting year accounted for more than 50% of the corresponding figure in our audited consolidated financial statements for the same period; and (ii) most of the senior managers in charge of business operation and management are not Chinese citizens or do not have habitual residences in mainland China (only one of the three executive officers is a PRC citizen and none of three executive officers have residence located in mainland China), the principal operation premises are not located in mainland China and the operation activities are not mostly conducted in mainland China as our PRC Subsidiaries perform cost functions and internal operational functions, our PRC Subsidiaries do not generate revenue in mainland China, and all of our warehouses were located outside of the PRC, we believe that we, including our PRC Subsidiaries and our Hong Kong Subsidiary, will not be required to make a filing with the CSRC for this offering and listing under the Draft Overseas Listing Rules, if the Draft Overseas Listing Rules have been enacted before the completion of this offering and listing as they are currently released for comments. However, as the Draft Overseas Listing Rules have not been adopted, there remains uncertainty in the final form of and the enforcement of such overseas listing rules, and there can be no assurance that the relevant PRC governmental authorities, including the CSRC, would reach the same conclusion as us or our PRC legal counsel, or that the CSRC or any other PRC

 

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governmental authorities would not promulgate new rules or new interpretation of current rules to require us to obtain CSRC or other PRC governmental approvals for this offering. Furthermore, according to CSRC Answers, new initial public offerings and refinancing by existent overseas listed Chinese companies will firstly be required to go through the filing process; other existent overseas listed companies will be allowed sufficient transition period to complete their filing procedure, which means if we complete this offering prior to the effectiveness of the Draft Overseas Listing Rules, we may still be required to complete the filing process in the future, or be subject to additional compliance requirements in the future. If the final form of the Draft Overseas Listing Rules is enacted before the completion of this offering and the CSRC requires that we complete the filing procedure, the offering will be delayed until we have completed the CSRC filing procedure, which may take several months or longer. There is also the possibility that we may not be able to complete or maintain such filing or that we inadvertently concluded that such filing was not required. If CSRC filing was required as a prerequisite for this offering while we inadvertently concluded that such filing was not required or if applicable laws and regulations or the interpretation of such were modified to require us to obtain the CSRC filing in the future, we may face regulatory actions or other sanctions from the CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities. Furthermore, if certain PRC laws and regulations, including existing laws and regulations and those enacted or promulgated in the future (such as the Draft Overseas Listing Rules), were to become applicable to our Hong Kong Subsidiary in the future, the application of such laws and regulations may have a material adverse impact on our business operations in Hong Kong. These authorities may impose fines and penalties upon our operations in mainland China and Hong Kong, delay or restrict the repatriation of the proceeds from this offering into mainland China and Hong Kong, and any failure of us to fully comply with such new regulatory requirements may significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer our ordinary shares, cause significant disruption to our business operations, and severely damage our reputation, which would materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations and cause our ordinary shares to significantly decline in value or become worthless. The CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies may also take actions requiring us, or making it advisable for us, to terminate this offering prior to the closing.

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

Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementing rules, enterprises established under the laws of jurisdictions outside of the PRC with “de facto management bodies” located in the PRC may be considered PRC tax resident enterprises for tax purposes and may be subject to the PRC enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on their global income. “De facto management body” refers to a managing body that exercises substantial and overall management and control over the production and operations, personnel, accounting and assets of an enterprise. The SAT issued the Notice Regarding the Determination of Chinese-Controlled Offshore-Incorporated Enterprises as PRC Tax Resident Enterprises on the Basis of De Facto Management Bodies, or Circular 82, on April 22, 2009, which was most recently amended on December 29, 2017. Circular 82 provides certain specific criteria for determining whether the “de facto management body” of a Chinese-controlled offshore-incorporated enterprise is located in the PRC. Further to Circular 82, on July 27, 2011, SAT issued the Administrative Measures for Enterprise Income Tax of Chinese-Controlled Offshore-Incorporated Resident Enterprises (Trial Version), or Bulletin 45, which became effective on September 1, 2011 and most recently revised and effective on June 15, 2018, to provide more guidance on the implementation of Circular 82. Bulletin 45 clarified certain issues in the areas of resident status determination, post-determination administration and competent tax authorities’ procedures. See “Regulations—Regulatory Overview of the PRC—Laws and Regulations Relating to Taxation—Enterprise Income Tax.” Although Circular 82 and Bulletin 45 only apply to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by foreign enterprises or individuals, the determining criteria set forth in Circular 82 and Bulletin 45 may reflect the SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” test should be applied in determining the tax resident status of offshore enterprises, regardless of whether they are controlled by PRC enterprises, PRC enterprise groups or by PRC or foreign individuals. If we were to be considered a PRC resident enterprise by the PRC tax authorities for PRC tax purpose, we would be subject to PRC enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on our global income. In such case, our cash flow may be materially reduced as a result of our global income being

 

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taxed under the Enterprise Income Tax Law. We believe that none of our entities outside of the PRC is a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes. However, the tax resident status of an enterprise is subject to determination by the PRC tax authorities and uncertainties remain with respect to the interpretation of the term “de facto management body.”

Dividends paid to our foreign investors and gains on the sale of our Class A ordinary shares by our foreign investors may become subject to PRC tax.

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

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

On February 3, 2015, the SAT issued the Bulletin on Issues of Enterprise Income Tax on Indirect Transfers of Assets by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises, or SAT Bulletin 7. In December 2017, Article 13 and Paragraph 2 of Article 8 of SAT Bulletin 7 were abolished. Pursuant to this SAT Bulletin 7 (as amended), an “indirect transfer” of assets, including non-publicly traded equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise, by non-PRC resident enterprises may be re-characterized and treated as a direct transfer of PRC taxable assets, if such arrangement does not have a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of avoiding payment of PRC enterprise income tax. As a result, gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax. According to SAT Bulletin 7, “PRC taxable assets” include assets attributed to an establishment in the PRC, immovable properties located in the PRC, and equity investments in PRC resident enterprises, in respect of which gains from their transfer by a direct holder, being a non-PRC resident enterprise, would be subject to PRC enterprise income taxes. When determining whether there is a “reasonable commercial purpose” of the transaction arrangement, features to be taken into consideration include, without limitation: whether the main value of the equity interest of the relevant offshore enterprise derives from PRC taxable assets; whether the assets of the relevant offshore enterprise mainly consists of direct or indirect investment in the PRC or if its income mainly derives from the PRC; whether the offshore enterprise and its subsidiaries directly or indirectly holding PRC taxable assets have real commercial nature which is evidenced by their actual function and risk exposure; the duration of existence of the overseas shareholder, the business model and organizational structure; information about the payment of due income tax outside PRC on indirect transfer of PRC taxable assets; the replicability of the transaction by direct transfer of PRC taxable assets; and the tax

 

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situation of such indirect transfer and applicable tax treaties or similar arrangements. In respect of an indirect offshore transfer of assets of a PRC establishment, the resulting gain is to be included with the enterprise income tax filing of the PRC establishment or place of business being transferred, and would consequently be subject to PRC enterprise income tax at a rate of 25%. Where the underlying transfer relates to the immovable properties located in the PRC or to equity investments in a PRC resident enterprise, which is not related to a PRC establishment or place of business of a non-resident enterprise, a PRC enterprise income tax of 10% would apply, subject to available preferential tax treatment under applicable tax treaties or similar arrangements, and the party who is obligated to make the transfer payments has the withholding obligation. SAT Bulletin 7 does not apply to transactions of sale of shares by investors through a public stock exchange where such shares were acquired from a transaction through a public stock exchange. On October 17, 2017, the SAT promulgated Announcement of the SAT on Issues Concerning the Withholding of Non-resident Enterprise Income Tax at Source, or SAT Circular 37, which became effective on December 1, 2017 and was most recently amended on June 15, 2018. SAT Circular 37, among other things, simplified procedures of withholding and payment of income tax levied on non-resident enterprises.

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

PRC regulation of loans to, and direct investments in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may restrict or prevent us from using the proceeds of this offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.

In utilizing the proceeds of this offering, we, as an offshore holding company, are permitted under PRC laws and regulations to provide funding to our PRC Subsidiaries, which are treated as “foreign-invested enterprises” under PRC laws, through loans or capital contributions. However, loans by us to our PRC Subsidiaries to finance their activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the local counterpart of SAFE and capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries are subject to the requirement of making necessary registration with competent governmental authorities in the PRC.

SAFE promulgated the Notice of the SAFE on Reforming the Administration of Foreign Exchange Settlement of Capital of Foreign-invested Enterprises, or Circular 19, effective on June 1, 2015. According to Circular 19, the flow and use of the RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company is regulated such that RMB capital may not be used, whether directly or indirectly, for the issuance of RMB entrusted loans, the repayment of inter-enterprise loans (including third-party advance) or the repayment of banks loans that have been transferred to a third party. Although Circular 19 allows RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested enterprise to be used for equity investments within the PRC, it also reiterates the principle that RMB converted from the foreign currency-denominated capital of a foreign-invested company may not be directly or indirectly used for purposes beyond its business scope. Thus, it is unclear whether SAFE will permit such capital to be used for equity investments in the PRC in actual practice. SAFE promulgated the Notice of the SAFE on Reforming and Regulating the Foreign Exchange Settlement Management Policy of Capital Account, or Circular 16, effective on June 9, 2016, which reiterates some of the rules set forth in Circular 19, but changes the prohibition against using RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company to

 

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issue RMB entrusted loans to a prohibition against using such capital to issue loans to non-associated enterprises. Violations of Circular 19 and Circular 16 could result in administrative penalties. Circular 19 and Circular 16 may significantly limit our ability to transfer any foreign currency we hold, including the net proceeds from this offering, to our PRC Subsidiaries, which may adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business in the PRC.

On October 23, 2019, the SAFE promulgated the Notice of the SAFE on Further Promoting the Convenience of Cross-border Trade and Investment, or the SAFE Circular 28, which permits non-investment foreign-invested enterprises to use their capital funds to make equity investments in the PRC, with genuine investment projects and in compliance with effective foreign investment restrictions and other applicable laws. However, as the SAFE Circular 28 was issued recently, there are still substantial uncertainties as to its interpretation and implementations in practice.

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

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

On February 15, 2012, SAFE promulgated the Notices of the SAFE on Issues Relating to the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plan of Overseas Publicly Listed Company, replacing earlier rules promulgated in 2007. Pursuant to these rules, PRC citizens and non-PRC citizens who reside in mainland China for a continuous period of not less than one year and participate in any share incentive plan of an overseas publicly listed company are required to register with the SAFE through a domestic qualified agent, which could be the PRC subsidiaries of such overseas-listed company, and complete certain other procedures, unless certain exceptions are available. In addition, an overseas-entrusted institution must be retained to handle matters in connection with the exercise or sale of share options and the purchase or sale of shares and interests. We and our executive officers and other employees who are PRC citizens or non-PRC citizens living in mainland China for a continuous period of not less than one year and have been granted options will be subject to these regulations when our company becomes an overseas-listed company upon the completion of this offering. Failure to complete SAFE registrations may subject them to fines of up to RMB300,000 for entities and up to RMB50,000 for individuals and may also limit our ability to contribute additional capital into our PRC Subsidiaries and our PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to us. We also face regulatory uncertainties that could restrict our ability to adopt additional incentive plans for our directors, executive officers and employees under PRC law. See “Management—Share Incentive Plans.”

In addition, the SAT has issued certain circulars concerning employee share options and restricted shares. Under these circulars, our employees working in mainland China who exercise share options or are granted restricted shares will be subject to PRC individual income tax. Our PRC Subsidiaries have obligations to file documents related to employee share options or restricted shares with relevant tax authorities and to withhold individual income taxes for those employees who exercise their share options. If our employees fail to pay or we fail to withhold their income taxes according to relevant laws and regulations, we may face sanctions imposed by the tax authorities or other PRC government authorities. See “Management—Share Incentive Plans.”

 

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PRC regulations relating to offshore investment activities by PRC residents may limit our PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to change their registered capital or distribute profits to us or otherwise expose us or our PRC resident beneficial owners to liability and penalties under PRC laws.

On July 4, 2014, SAFE promulgated the Notice on Issues Relating to Foreign Exchange Administration over the Overseas Investment and Financing and Round-trip Investment by Domestic Residents via Special Purpose Vehicles, or the SAFE Circular 37. The SAFE Circular 37 requires PRC residents (including PRC individuals and PRC corporate entities as well as foreign individuals that are deemed as PRC residents for foreign exchange administration purposes) to register with SAFE or its local branches in connection with their direct or indirect offshore investment activities. The SAFE Circular 37 further requires amendment to the SAFE registrations in the event of any changes with respect to the basic information of the offshore special purpose vehicle, such as change of a PRC individual shareholder, name and operation term, or any significant changes with respect to the offshore special purpose vehicle, such as increase or decrease of capital contribution, share transfer or exchange, or mergers or divisions. The SAFE Circular 37 is applicable to our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents and may be applicable to any offshore acquisitions that we make in the future. According to the Notice of the SAFE on Further Simplifying and Improving the Foreign Exchange Administration Policies for Direct Investment, promulgated by the SAFE on February 13, 2015 and effective on June 1, 2015, local banks will examine and handle foreign exchange registration for overseas direct investment, including the initial foreign exchange registration and amendment registration, under the SAFE Circular 37 from June 1, 2015.

If our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents or entities do not complete their registration with the local SAFE branches or qualified local banks, our PRC Subsidiaries may be prohibited from distributing to us its profits and proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation, and we may be restricted in our ability to contribute additional capital to our PRC Subsidiaries. Moreover, failure to comply with the SAFE registration described above could result in liability under PRC laws for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions.

We may not be informed of the identities of all the PRC residents or entities holding direct or indirect interest in our company, nor can we compel our shareholders or beneficial owners to comply with SAFE registration requirements. We cannot assure you that all shareholders or beneficial owners of ours who are PRC residents or entities have complied with, and will in the future make, obtain or update any applicable registrations or approvals required by, SAFE regulations.

The failure or inability of such shareholders or beneficial owners to comply with SAFE regulations, or failure by us to amend the foreign exchange registrations of our PRC Subsidiaries, could subject us or the non-complaint shareholders or beneficial owners to fines or legal sanctions, restrict our overseas or cross-border investment activities, limit our PRC Subsidiaries’ ability to make distributions or pay dividends to us or affect our ownership structure. As a result, our business operations and our ability to distribute any future profits to you could be materially and adversely affected.

Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our revenues, transfer or distribute cash within our group effectively and affect the value of your investment.

The PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the Renminbi into foreign currencies and the remittance of currency out of mainland China. Under our current corporate structure, our Cayman Islands holding company may rely on dividend payments from our subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. The ability of our subsidiaries to pay dividends to us may be restricted by the debt they incur on their own behalf or laws and regulations applicable to them. Our PRC Subsidiaries perform cost functions and internal operational functions and none of our PRC Subsidiaries have issued any dividends or distributions. Although we did not rely on our PRC Subsidiaries in dividends or other distributions on equity in the past, in the event that our PRC Subsidiaries were to issue dividends or distribution to us out of mainland

 

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China in the future, our PRC Subsidiaries may be subject to the applicable foreign currency control. To date, there have not been any such dividends or other distributions from our PRC Subsidiaries to our subsidiaries located outside of mainland China. In addition, save as disclosed, as of the date of this prospectus, none of our subsidiaries have ever issued any dividends or distributions to us or their respective shareholders outside of mainland China. In the event that our PRC Subsidiaries were to issue dividends or distribution to us out of mainland China in the future, our PRC Subsidiaries may be subject to the applicable foreign currency control. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval of SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. Specifically, under the existing exchange restrictions, without prior approval of SAFE, cash generated from the operations of our PRC Subsidiaries in mainland China, if any, may be used to pay dividends to our company. However, approval from or registration or filing with appropriate government authorities is required where Renminbi is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of mainland China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, we need to obtain SAFE approval to use cash generated from the operations of our PRC Subsidiaries, if any, to pay off their respective debt in a currency other than Renminbi owed to entities outside mainland China, or to make other capital expenditure payments outside mainland China in a currency other than Renminbi. To the extent cash is generated in our PRC Subsidiaries, and may need to be used to fund operations outside of mainland China, such funds may not be available due to limitations placed by the PRC government. Furthermore, to the extent assets (other than cash) in our business are located in the PRC or held by a PRC entity, the assets may not be available to fund operations or for other use outside of the PRC due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us and our subsidiaries to transfer assets by the PRC government. If certain PRC laws and regulations, including existing laws and regulations and those enacted or promulgated in the future were to become applicable to our Hong Kong Subsidiary in the future, and to the extent cash is generated in our Hong Kong Subsidiary, and to the extent assets (other than cash) in our business are located in Hong Kong or held by a Hong Kong entity and may need to be used to fund operations outside of Hong Kong, such funds or assets may not be available due to interventions in or the imposition of restrictions and limitations on the ability of us and our subsidiaries to transfer funds or assets by the PRC government. Furthermore, there can be no assurance that the PRC government will not intervene or impose restrictions or limitations on GigaCloud Group’s ability to transfer or distribute cash within its organization, which could result in an inability or prohibition on making transfers or distributions to entities outside of mainland China and Hong Kong and adversely affect its business. Saved as the foregoing limitations imposed by the PRC government as described hereto, there are currently no limitations on our or our subsidiaries’ ability to transfer cash to investors.

In light of the flood of capital outflows of the PRC in 2016 due to the weakening Renminbi, the PRC government has imposed more restrictive foreign exchange policies and stepped-up scrutiny of major outbound capital movement including overseas direct investment. More restrictions and a substantial vetting process have been put in place by SAFE to regulate cross-border transactions falling under the capital account. If any of our shareholders regulated by such policies fails to satisfy the applicable overseas direct investment filing or approval requirement timely or at all, it may be subject to penalties from the relevant PRC authorities. The PRC government may at its discretion further restrict access in the future to foreign currencies for current account transactions. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currencies to satisfy our foreign currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders.

Recent litigation and negative publicity surrounding companies listed in the U.S. with operations in the PRC may result in increased regulatory scrutiny of us and negatively impact the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares.

We believe that litigation and negative publicity surrounding companies with operations in the PRC that are listed in the U.S. have negatively impacted stock prices for such companies. Various equity-based research organizations have published reports on companies with operations in the PRC after examining, among other

 

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things, their corporate governance practices, related party transactions, sales practices and financial statements that have led to special investigations and stock suspensions on national exchanges. Due to our operations in the PRC, any similar scrutiny of us, regardless of its lack of merit, could result in a diversion of management resources and energy, potential costs to defend ourselves against rumors, decreases and volatility in the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares, and increased directors and officers insurance premiums, and could have a material adverse effect upon our business, results of operations and financial condition.

The enforcement of the PRC Labor Contract Law, and other labor-related regulations in the PRC may increase our labor costs and limit our flexibility to use labor. Our failure to comply with PRC labor-related laws may expose us to penalties.

On June 29, 2007, the Standing Committee of the NPC enacted the PRC Labor Contract Law, which became effective on January 1, 2008 and was amended on December 28, 2012. The PRC Labor Contract Law introduces specific provisions related to fixed-term employment contracts, part-time employment, probation, consultation with labor unions and employee assemblies, employment without a written contract, dismissal of employees, severance, and collective bargaining, which together represent enhanced enforcement of labor laws and regulations. According to the PRC Labor Contract Law, an employer is obliged to sign an unfixed-term labor contract with any employee who has worked for the employer for 10 consecutive years. Further, if an employee requests or agrees to renew a fixed-term labor contract that has already been entered into twice consecutively, the resulting contract must have an unfixed term, with certain exceptions. The employer must pay economic compensation to an employee where a labor contract is terminated or expires in accordance with the PRC Labor Contract Law, except for certain situations which are specifically regulated. As a result, our ability to terminate employees is significantly restricted. In addition, the government has issued various labor-related regulations to further protect the rights of employees. According to such laws and regulations, employees are entitled to annual leave ranging from five to 15 days and are able to be compensated for any untaken annual leave days in the amount of three times their daily salary, subject to certain exceptions. In the event that we decide to change our employment or labor practices, the PRC Labor Contract Law and its implementation rules may also limit our ability to effect those changes in a manner that we believe to be cost-effective. In addition, as the interpretation and implementation of these new regulations are still evolving, our employment practices may not be at all times deemed in compliance with the new regulations. If we are subject to severe penalties or incur significant liabilities in connection with labor disputes or investigations, our business and financial conditions may be adversely affected.

Companies operating in the PRC are required to participate in various government sponsored employee benefit plans, including certain social insurance, housing funds and other welfare-oriented payment obligations, and contribute to the plans in amounts equal to certain percentages of salaries, including bonuses and allowances, of their employees up to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time. The requirement to maintain employee benefit plans has not been implemented consistently by local governments in the PRC given the different levels of economic development in different locations. We may not pay social security and housing fund contributions in strict compliance with the relevant PRC regulations for and on behalf of our employees due to differences in local regulations and inconsistent implementation or interpretation by local authorities in the PRC and varying levels of acceptance of the housing fund system by our employees. We may be subject to fines and penalties for any such failure to make payments in accordance with the applicable PRC laws and regulations. We may be required to make up the contributions for these plans as well as to pay late fees and fines. If we are subject to penalties, late fees or fines in relation to any underpaid employee benefits, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

Our leasehold interests in leased properties have not been registered with the relevant PRC governmental authorities as required by relevant PRC laws. The failure to register leasehold interests may expose us to potential fines.

We have not registered any of our lease agreements with the relevant government authorities. Under the relevant PRC laws and regulations, we may be required to register and file with the relevant government

 

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authority executed leases. The failure to register the lease agreements for our leased properties will not affect the validity of these lease agreements, but the competent housing authorities may order us to register the lease agreements in a prescribed period of time and impose a fine ranging from RMB1,000 to RMB10,000 for each non-registered lease if we fail to complete the registration within the prescribed timeframe.

The ability of U.S. authorities to bring actions for violations of U.S. securities law and regulations against us, our directors or executive officers may be limited. Therefore, you may not be afforded the same protection as provided to investors in the U.S. domestic companies.

The SEC, the U.S. Department of Justice, or the DOJ, and other U.S. authorities often have substantial difficulties in bringing and enforcing actions against non-U.S. incorporated companies such as us, and non-U.S. persons, such as our directors and executive officers in mainland China and Hong Kong. Due to jurisdictional limitations, matters of comity and various other factors, the SEC, the DOJ and other U.S. authorities may be limited in their ability to pursue bad actors, including in instances of fraud, in emerging markets such as the PRC. Some of our directors and executive officers are located in mainland China and Hong Kong. There are significant legal and other obstacles for U.S. authorities to obtain information needed for investigations or litigation against us or our directors, executive officers or other gatekeepers in case we or any of these individuals engage in fraud or other wrongdoing. In addition, local authorities in the PRC may be constrained in their ability to assist U.S. authorities and overseas investors in connection with legal proceedings. As a result, if we, our directors, executive officers or other gatekeepers commit any securities law violation, fraud or other financial misconduct, the U.S. authorities may not be able to conduct effective investigations or bring and enforce actions against us, our directors, executive officers or other gatekeepers. Therefore, you may not be able to enjoy the same protection provided by various U.S. authorities as it is provided to investors in the U.S. domestic companies.

You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing original actions in the PRC, based on U.S. or other foreign laws, against us, our directors or executive officers. Therefore, you may not be able to enjoy the protection of such laws in an effective manner.

We are a company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and some of our directors and executive officers are located in the PRC. As a result, it may not be possible to effect service of process within the U.S. or elsewhere outside the PRC upon us, our directors and executive officers, including with respect to matters arising under U.S. federal securities laws or applicable state securities laws. Even if you obtain a judgment against us, our directors or executive officers in a U.S. court or other court outside the PRC, you may not be able to enforce such judgment against us or them in the PRC. The PRC does not have treaties providing for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of judgments of courts in the U.S., the U.K., Japan or most other western countries. Therefore, recognition and enforcement in the PRC of judgments of a court in any of these jurisdictions may be difficult or impossible. In addition, you may not be able to bring original actions in the PRC based on the U.S. or other foreign laws against us, our directors or executive officers. As a result, shareholder claims that are common in the U.S., including class actions based on securities law and fraud claims, are difficult or impossible to pursue as a matter of law and practicality in the PRC.

For example, in the PRC, there are significant legal and other obstacles to obtaining information needed for shareholder investigations or litigation outside the PRC or otherwise with respect to foreign entities. Although the local authorities in the PRC may establish a regulatory cooperation mechanism with the securities regulatory authorities of another country or region to implement cross-border supervision and administration, such regulatory cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the Unities States have not been efficient in the absence of mutual and practical cooperation mechanism. According to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law which became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within the territory of the PRC. Accordingly, without the consent of the competent PRC securities regulators and relevant authorities, no organization or individual may provide the documents and materials relating to securities business activities to overseas parties. While detailed interpretation of or implementation rules under Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law is not yet available, the

 

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inability for an overseas securities regulator to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within the PRC may further increase difficulties faced by investors in protecting your interests. Therefore, you may not be able to effectively enjoy the protection offered by the U.S. laws and regulations that are intended to protect public investors.

Additional remedial measures could be imposed on certain PRC-based accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm, in administrative proceedings instituted by the SEC, as a result of which our consolidated financial statements may be determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, if at all.

In December 2012, the SEC brought administrative proceedings against the PRC-based “big four” accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm, alleging that they had violated U.S. securities laws by failing to provide audit work papers and other documents related to certain other PRC-based companies under investigation by the SEC. On January 22, 2014, an initial administrative law decision was issued, censuring and suspending these accounting firms from practicing before the SEC for a period of six months. The decision was neither final nor legally effective until reviewed and approved by the SEC. In February 2015, each of the four PRC-based accounting firms agreed to a censure and to pay a fine to the SEC to settle the dispute and avoid suspension of their ability to practice before the SEC and to audit U.S.-listed companies. The settlement required the firms to follow detailed procedures to seek to provide the SEC with access to such firms’ audit documents via the CSRC. If the firms did not follow these procedures or if there is a failure in the process between the SEC and the CSRC, the SEC could impose penalties such as suspensions, or it could restart the administrative proceedings. Under the terms of the settlement, the underlying proceeding against the four PRC-based accounting firms was deemed dismissed with prejudice four years after entry of the settlement. The four-year mark occurred on February 6, 2019. While we cannot predict if the SEC will further challenge the four PRC-based accounting firms’ compliance with U.S. law in connection with U.S. regulatory requests for audit work papers or if the results of such challenge would result in the SEC imposing penalties such as suspensions, if the accounting firms are subject to additional remedial measures, our ability to file our consolidated financial statements in compliance with SEC requirements could be impacted. A determination that we have not timely filed consolidated financial statements in compliance with SEC requirements could ultimately lead to our delisting from the Nasdaq Global Market or deregistration from the SEC, or both, which would substantially reduce or effectively terminate the trading of our Class A ordinary shares in the U.S.

In the event that the PRC-based “big four” accounting firms become subject to additional legal challenges by the SEC or the PCAOB depending upon the final outcome, listed companies in the U.S. with major PRC operations may find it difficult or impossible to retain auditors in respect of their operations in the PRC, which could result in financial statements being determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, including possible delisting. Moreover, any negative news about any such future proceedings against these audit firms may cause investor uncertainty regarding U.S.-listed companies with operations in the PRC and the market price of our Class A ordinary shares may be adversely affected.

If our independent registered public accounting firm were denied, even temporarily, the ability to practice before the SEC and we were unable to timely find another registered public accounting firm to audit and issue an opinion on our consolidated financial statements, our consolidated financial statements could be determined not to be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act. Such a determination could ultimately lead to the delay or abandonment of this offering, delisting of our Class A ordinary shares from the Nasdaq Global Market or deregistration from the SEC, or both, which would substantially reduce or effectively terminate the trading of our Class A ordinary shares in the U.S.

 

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Risks Related to Our Class A Ordinary Shares and this Offering

An active, liquid and orderly market for our Class A ordinary shares may not develop, and you may not be able to resell the shares at or above the public offering price.

Prior to this offering, there has been no public market for our ordinary shares. Although we have applied to quote our Class A ordinary shares offered in this offering on the Nasdaq, an active trading market for our Class A ordinary shares may never develop or be sustained following this offering. We and the underwriter will determine the initial public offering price of our Class A ordinary shares through negotiation. This price will not necessarily reflect the price at which investors in the market will be willing to buy and sell our Class A ordinary shares following this offering. In addition, an active trading market for our Class A ordinary shares may not develop following the consummation of this offering or, if it does develop, may not be sustained. The lack of an active market may impair your ability to sell the shares at the time you wish to sell them or at a price that you consider reasonable. An inactive market may also impair our ability to raise capital by selling our Class A ordinary shares and may impair our ability to acquire other businesses or technologies using our Class A ordinary shares as consideration, which, in turn, could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

The trading price of our Class A ordinary shares could be highly volatile, and purchasers of our Class A ordinary shares could incur substantial losses.

The trading price of our Class A ordinary shares is likely to be volatile. The stock market in general and the market for shares of ecommerce solutions companies in particular have experienced extreme volatility that has often been unrelated to the operating performance of particular companies. As a result of this volatility, investors may not be able to sell our Class A ordinary shares at or above the initial public offering price. The market price for our Class A ordinary shares may be influenced by those factors discussed in this “Risk Factors” section and many others, including:

 

   

regulatory developments in the U.S., the PRC and foreign countries;

 

   

innovations or new products or solution offerings developed by us or our competitors;

 

   

announcements by us or our competitors of significant acquisitions, strategic partnerships, joint ventures or capital commitments;

 

   

supply or distribution delays or shortages;

 

   

any changes to our relationship with any third-party ecommerce platforms, sellers and buyers or other strategic partners;

 

   

achievement of expected product sales and profitability;

 

   

variations in our financial results or those of companies that are perceived to be similar to us;

 

   

market conditions in the large parcel merchandise and ecommerce solutions market and issuance of securities analysts’ reports or recommendations;

 

   

trading volume of our Class A ordinary shares;

 

   

an inability to obtain additional funding;

 

   

sales of our securities by insiders and shareholders;

 

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general economic, industry and market conditions other events or factors, many of which are beyond our control;

 

   

additions or departures of key personnel;

 

   

the ongoing and future impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and actions taken to slow its spread; and

 

   

intellectual property, product liability or other litigation against us.

In addition, in the past, shareholders of public companies have initiated class action lawsuits against those companies following periods of volatility in the market prices of these companies’ shares. Such litigation, if instituted against us, could cause us to incur substantial costs and divert management’s attention and resources, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our failure to meet the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq could result in a delisting of our Class A ordinary shares.

If, after listing, we fail to satisfy the continued listing requirements of the Nasdaq, such as the corporate governance requirements or the minimum closing bid price requirement, the Nasdaq Global Market may take steps to delist our Class A ordinary shares. Such a delisting would likely have a negative effect on the price of our Class A ordinary shares and would impair your ability to sell or purchase our Class A ordinary shares when you wish to do so. In the event of a delisting, we can provide no assurance that any action taken by us to restore compliance with listing requirements would allow our Class A ordinary shares to become listed again, stabilize the market price or improve the liquidity of our Class A ordinary shares, prevent our Class A ordinary shares from dropping below the Nasdaq minimum bid price requirement or prevent future non-compliance with the Nasdaq’s listing requirements.

We may allocate the net proceeds from this offering in ways that you may not approve.

Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds from this offering, including for any of the purposes described in “Use of Proceeds.” Because of the number and variability of factors that will determine our use of the net proceeds from this offering, their ultimate use may vary substantially from their currently intended use. Our management might not apply the net proceeds in ways that ultimately increase the value of your investment, and the failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business. Pending their use, we plan to invest the net proceeds from this offering in future acquisitions, working capital, upgrading our information technology systems and expanding our logistics infrastructure. These investments may not yield a favorable return to our shareholders. If we do not invest or apply the net proceeds from this offering in ways that enhance the shareholder value, we may fail to achieve expected results, which could cause the price of our Class A ordinary shares to decline.

You will suffer immediate and substantial dilution in the net tangible book value of our Class A ordinary shares you purchase.

The initial public offering price of our Class A ordinary shares is substantially higher than the pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per share of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares immediately after the completion of this offering. Purchasers of our Class A ordinary shares in this offering will experience immediate dilution of approximately $7.39 per share, assuming an initial public offering price of $11.25 per share, the midpoint of the estimated initial public offering price range shown on the front cover page of this prospectus. In the past, we issued options to acquire ordinary shares at prices significantly below the initial public offering price. To the extent these outstanding options are ultimately exercised, investors purchasing our Class A ordinary shares in this offering will sustain further dilution. For a further description of the dilution that you will experience immediately after this offering, see “Dilution.”

 

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After this offering, our executive officers, directors and principal shareholders, if they choose to act together, will continue to have the ability to control or significantly influence all matters submitted to shareholders for approval. Furthermore, many of our current directors were appointed by our principal shareholders.

Following the completion of this offering, we anticipate that our executive officers, directors and greater than 5% shareholders, in the aggregate, will beneficially own approximately 85.2% of our total issued and outstanding ordinary shares (assuming no exercise of the underwriter’s option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares and no exercise of outstanding options), or 95.2% of the total voting power. Furthermore, certain of our current directors were appointed by our principal shareholders. As a result, such persons or their appointees to our board of directors, acting together, will have the ability to control or significantly influence all matters submitted to our board of directors or shareholders for approval, including the appointment of our management, the election and removal of directors and approval of any significant transaction, as well as our management and business affairs. This concentration of ownership may have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing a change in control, impeding a merger, consolidation, takeover or other business combination involving us, or discouraging a potential acquiror from making a tender offer or otherwise attempting to obtain control of our business, even if such a transaction would benefit other shareholders.

We do not currently intend to pay dividends on our securities, and, consequently, your ability to achieve a return on your investment will depend on appreciation, if any, in the price of our Class A ordinary shares.

We have never declared or paid any cash dividend on our ordinary shares. We currently anticipate that we will retain future earnings for the development, operation and expansion of our business and do not anticipate declaring or paying any cash dividends for the foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of any future debt agreements may preclude us from paying dividends.

Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends, subject to certain requirements of Cayman Islands law. In addition, our shareholders may by ordinary resolution declare a dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our directors. Under Cayman Islands law, a Cayman Islands company may pay a dividend out of either profit or its share premium account of our company, provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid if this would result in our company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. Even if our board of directors decides to declare and pay dividends, the timing, amount and form of future dividends, if any, will depend on our future results of operations and cash flow, our capital requirements and surplus, the amount of distributions, if any, received by us from our subsidiaries, our financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. Accordingly, the return on your investment in our Class A ordinary shares will depend on any future price appreciation of our Class A ordinary shares. There is no guarantee that our Class A ordinary shares will appreciate in value after this offering or even maintain the price at which you purchased our Class A ordinary shares. You may not realize a return on your investment in our Class A ordinary shares and you may even lose your entire investment in our Class A ordinary shares.

Sales of a substantial number of our Class A ordinary shares by our existing shareholders in the public market could cause the price of our Class A ordinary shares to fall.

Sales of a substantial number of our Class A ordinary shares in the public market or the perception that these sales might occur could significantly reduce the market price of our Class A ordinary shares and impair our ability to raise adequate capital through the sale of additional equity securities.

Based on ordinary shares outstanding as of the date of this prospectus, upon the closing of this offering, we will have outstanding a total of 39,753,546 ordinary shares after this offering, including 30,426,814 Class A ordinary shares, assuming no exercise of the underwriter’s option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares and no exercise of outstanding options. Of these shares, only the Class A ordinary shares sold in this offering by us, plus any Class A ordinary shares sold upon exercise of the underwriter’s option to purchase additional Class

 

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A ordinary shares, will be freely tradable, without restriction, in the public market immediately following this offering, unless they are purchased by one of our affiliates.

Our directors and executive officers and all existing holders of our outstanding ordinary shares have entered into lock-up agreements with the underwriter pursuant to which they may not, with limited exceptions, for a period of 180 days from the date of this prospectus, offer, sell or otherwise transfer or dispose of any of our securities, without the prior written consent of the underwriter. The underwriter may permit our officers, directors and other shareholders and the holders of our outstanding options who are subject to the lock-up agreements to sell shares prior to the expiration of the lock-up agreements, subject to limitations. See “Underwriting.” Sales of these shares, or perceptions that they will be sold, could cause the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares to decline. After the lock-up agreements expire, additional shares will be eligible for sale in the public market, including the shares held by directors, executive officers and other affiliates which will be subject to volume limitations under Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

In addition, additional ordinary shares that are either subject to outstanding options or reserved for future issuance under our employee benefit plans will become eligible for sale in the public market to the extent permitted by the provisions of various vesting schedules, the lock-up agreements and Rule 144 and Rule 701 under the Securities Act. If these additional ordinary shares are sold, or if it is perceived that they will be sold, in the public market, the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares could decline.

Immediately after this offering, certain holders of our ordinary shares will be entitled to rights with respect to the registration of their shares under the Securities Act, subject to vesting and the 180-day lock-up agreements described above. See “Description of Share Capital—Registration Rights.” Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in the shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act, except for shares held by affiliates, as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act. Any sales of securities by these shareholders could have a material adverse effect on the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares.

We are an emerging growth company, and the reduced disclosure requirements applicable to emerging growth companies may make our Class A ordinary shares less attractive to investors.

We are an emerging growth company, as defined in the JOBS Act, and may remain an emerging growth company until the last day of the fiscal year following the fifth anniversary of the completion of this offering. However, if certain events occur prior to the end of such five-year period, including if we become a “large accelerated filer,” our annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion or we issue more than $1.0 billion of non-convertible debt in any three-year period, we will cease to be an emerging growth company prior to the end of such five-year period. For so long as we remain an emerging growth company, we are permitted and intend to rely on exemptions from certain disclosure requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging growth companies. These exemptions include:

 

   

being permitted to provide only two years of selected financial data and two years of audited financial statements, in addition to any required unaudited interim financial statements, with correspondingly reduced “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” disclosure;

 

   

not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements in the assessment of our internal control over financial reporting;

 

   

not being required to comply with any requirement that may be adopted by the PCAOB regarding mandatory audit firm rotation or a supplement to the auditor’s report providing additional information about the audit and the financial statements;

 

   

reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation; and

 

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exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation and shareholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved.

We have taken advantage of reduced reporting burdens in this prospectus. In particular, in this prospectus, we have provided only two years of audited consolidated financial statements and have not included all of the executive compensation related information that would be required if we were not an emerging growth company. We cannot predict whether investors will find our Class A ordinary shares less attractive if we rely on these exemptions. If some investors find our Class A ordinary shares less attractive as a result, there may be a less active trading market for our Class A ordinary shares and the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares may be reduced or more volatile.

In addition, the JOBS Act provides that an emerging growth company can take advantage of an extended transition period for complying with new or revised accounting standards. This allows an emerging growth company to delay the adoption of these accounting standards until they would otherwise apply to private companies.

As a foreign private issuer, we are not subject to certain U.S. securities law disclosure requirements that apply to a domestic U.S. issuer, which may limit the information publicly available to our shareholders.

As a foreign private issuer, we are not required to comply with all of the periodic disclosure and current reporting requirements of the Exchange Act and therefore there may be less publicly available information about us than if we were a U.S. domestic issuer. For example, we are not subject to the proxy rules in the U.S. and disclosure with respect to our annual general meetings will be governed by the Cayman Islands’ requirements. In addition, our officers, directors and principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and “short-swing” profit recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules thereunder. Therefore, our shareholders may not know on a timely basis when our officers, directors and principal shareholders purchase or sell our Class A ordinary shares.

As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted to adopt certain home country practices in relation to corporate governance matters that differ significantly from the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards. These practices may afford less protection to shareholders than they would enjoy if we complied fully with corporate governance listing standards.

As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted to take advantage of certain provisions in the Nasdaq Stock Market Listing Rules that allow us to follow Cayman Islands law for certain governance matters. Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands may differ significantly from corporate governance listing standards as, except for general fiduciary duties and duties of care, Cayman Islands law has no corporate governance regime which prescribes specific corporate governance standards. Cayman Islands law does not impose a requirement that our board of directors consist of a majority of independent directors. Nor does Cayman Islands law impose specific requirements on the establishment of a compensation committee or nominating committee or nominating process. To the extent we choose to follow home country practice in the future, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would have under corporate governance listing standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.

We may lose our foreign private issuer status in the future, which could result in significant additional costs and expenses.

As discussed above, we are a foreign private issuer, and therefore, we are not required to comply with all of the periodic disclosure and current reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. The determination of foreign private issuer status is made annually on the last business day of an issuer’s most recently completed second fiscal quarter. We would lose our foreign private issuer status if, for example, more than 50% of our ordinary shares are directly or indirectly held by residents of the U.S. and we fail to meet additional requirements

 

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necessary to maintain our foreign private issuer status. If we lose our foreign private issuer status on this date, we will be required to file with the SEC periodic reports and registration statements on U.S. domestic issuer forms, which are more detailed and extensive than the forms available to a foreign private issuer. We will also have to mandatorily comply with U.S. federal proxy requirements, and our officers, directors and principal shareholders will become subject to the short-swing profit disclosure and recovery provisions of Section 16 of the Exchange Act. In addition, we will lose our ability to rely upon exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements under the Nasdaq Stock Market Listing Rules. As a U.S.-listed public company that is not a foreign private issuer, we will incur significant additional legal, accounting and other expenses that we will not incur as a foreign private issuer, and accounting, reporting and other expenses in order to maintain a listing on a U.S. securities exchange.

Our Class A ordinary shares may be delisted under the HFCA Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect auditors who are located in China and if we fail to implement measures to enable PCAOB’s inspection of our auditor. The delisting of our Class A ordinary shares, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. Additionally, the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections deprives our investors of the benefits of such inspections.

The HFCA Act was enacted on December 18, 2020. The HFCA Act states if the SEC determines that we have filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspection by the PCAOB for three consecutive years beginning in 2021, the SEC shall prohibit our Class A ordinary shares from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over the counter trading market in the U.S.

Our auditor, the independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit report included elsewhere in this prospectus, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the U.S. and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the U.S. pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards. Since our auditor is located in China, a jurisdiction where the PCAOB has been unable to conduct inspections without the approval of the Chinese authorities, our auditor is currently not inspected by the PCAOB.

On March 24, 2021, the SEC adopted interim final rules relating to the implementation of certain disclosure and documentation requirements of the HFCA Act. We will be required to comply with these rules if the SEC identifies us as having a “non-inspection” year under a process to be subsequently established by the SEC. The SEC is assessing how to implement other requirements of the HFCA Act, including the listing and trading prohibition requirements described above. On December 2, 2021, the SEC adopted amendments to finalize rules implementing the submission and disclosure requirements in the HFCA Act. The rules apply to registrants the SEC identifies as having filed an annual report with an audit report issued by a registered public accounting firm that is located in a foreign jurisdiction and that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate, or the Commission-Identified Issuers. The final amendments require Commission-Identified Issuers to submit documentation to the SEC establishing that it is not owned or controlled by a governmental entity in the public accounting firm’s foreign jurisdiction.

Furthermore, on June 22, 2021, the U.S. Senate passed the Accelerating Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, which, if enacted into law would amend the HFCA Act and require the SEC to prohibit an issuer’s securities from trading on U.S. stock exchanges if its auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspections for two consecutive “non-inspection” years instead of three, and therefore reducing the time before our securities may be prohibited from trading on the Nasdaq or other U.S. stock exchanges, and this ultimately could result in our Class A ordinary shares being delisted. On September 22, 2021, the PCAOB adopted a final rule implementing the HFCA Act, which provides a framework for the PCAOB to use when determining, as contemplated under the HFCA Act, whether the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms located in a foreign jurisdiction because of a position taken by one or more authorities in that jurisdiction. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report on its determinations that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, because

 

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of positions taken by PRC authorities in these jurisdictions. The PCAOB included in its report a list of registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely, including our auditor, KPMG Huazhen LLP. We may take measures to enable PCAOB’s inspection of our auditor. Given that we have operations in the U.S., we may in the future maintain our accounting books and records in the U.S., and if required by the HFCA Act, the PCAOB or the SEC, we shall in the future, but shall in no event later than after being identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer for three consecutive years, change our auditor to an independent registered public accounting firm located in the U.S. subject to the PCAOB’s inspection in order to maintain the listing of our Class A ordinary shares. We may incur additional costs in connection with such change and we cannot assure you that we could do so in a timely manner, if at all. If we fail to implement measures to comply with the HFCA Act and the uncertainty surrounding the possible new rule and regulations regarding the implementation of the HFCA Act remains, such uncertainty could cause the market price of our Class A ordinary shares to be materially and adversely affected, and our securities could be delisted or prohibited from being traded “over-the-counter” earlier than would be required by the HFCA Act. If our securities are unable to be listed on another securities exchange by then, such a delisting would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase our Class A ordinary shares when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with a potential delisting would have a negative impact on the price of our Class A ordinary shares.

The SEC may propose additional rules or guidance that could impact us if our auditor is not subject to PCAOB inspection. For example, on August 6, 2020, the President’s Working Group on Financial Markets, or the PWG, issued the Report on Protecting United States Investors from Significant Risks from Chinese Companies to the then President of the United States. This report recommended the SEC implement five recommendations to address companies from jurisdictions that do not provide the PCAOB with sufficient access to fulfill its statutory mandate. Some of the concepts of these recommendations were implemented with the enactment of the HFCA Act. However, some of the recommendations were more stringent than the HFCA Act. For example, if a company was not subject to PCAOB inspection, the report recommended that the transition period before a company would be delisted would end on January 1, 2022.

The SEC has announced that the SEC staff is preparing a consolidated proposal for the rules regarding the implementation of the HFCA Act and to address the recommendations in the PWG report. It is unclear when the SEC will complete its rulemaking and when such rules will become effective and what, if any, of the PWG recommendations will be adopted. The implications of this possible regulation in addition the requirements of the HFCA Act are uncertain.

The PCAOB’s inability to conduct inspections in China prevents it from fully evaluating the audits and quality control procedures of our independent registered public accounting firm. As a result, we and investors in our securities are deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China makes it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of our independent registered public accounting firm’s audit procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that are subject to the PCAOB’s inspections, which could cause investors and potential investors in our stock to lose confidence in our audit procedures and reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements.

In May 2013, the PCAOB announced that it had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on Enforcement Cooperation with the CSRC and the PRC Ministry of Finance, which establishes a cooperative framework between the parties for the production and exchange of audit documents relevant to investigations undertaken by the PCAOB in the PRC or by the CSRC or the PRC Ministry of Finance in the U.S. The PCAOB continues to be in discussions with the CSRC and the PRC Ministry of Finance to permit joint inspections in the PRC of audit firms that are registered with the PCAOB and audit Chinese companies that trade on U.S. exchanges.

 

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Certain industry data and information in this prospectus were obtained from third-party sources and were not independently verified by us.

This prospectus contains certain industry data and information from third-party sources. We have not independently verified the data and information contained in such third-party publications and reports. Data and information in such third-party publications and reports may use third-party methodologies, which may differ from the data collection methods used by us. In addition, these industry publications and reports generally indicate that the information is believed to be reliable, but do not guarantee the accuracy and completeness of such information.

Statistical data in these publications also include projections based on a number of assumptions. The agile office space industry may not grow at the rates projected by market data, or at all. If any of the assumptions underlying the market data is later found to be incorrect, actual results may differ from the projections based on these assumptions. Material slowdown of the agile office space industry against the projected rates may have materially adversely affect our business and the market price of our ordinary shares.

The requirements of being a U.S. public company may strain our resources, result in more litigation and divert management’s attention.

As a U.S. public company following this offering, we will be subject to various reporting requirements of the Exchange Act, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the Dodd-Frank Act, the listing requirements of the Nasdaq and other applicable securities rules and regulations. Complying with these rules and regulations has increased and will increase our legal and financial compliance costs, make some activities more difficult, time consuming or costly and increase demand on our systems and resources, particularly after we are no longer an “emerging growth company” and/or a foreign private issuer. For example, for so long as we remain a foreign private issuer, we will not be required to file with the SEC quarterly reports with respect to our business and results of operations, which are required to be made by domestic issuers pursuant to the Exchange Act.

In addition, changing laws, regulations and standards relating to corporate governance and public disclosure are creating uncertainty for U.S. public companies, increasing legal and financial compliance costs and making some activities more time consuming. These laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, in many cases due to their lack of specificity and, as a result, their application in practice may evolve over time as new guidance is provided by regulatory and governing bodies. This could result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to disclosure and governance practices. Further, being a U.S. public company and a Cayman Islands company will have an impact on disclosure of information and require compliance with two sets of applicable rules. This could result in uncertainty regarding compliance matters and higher costs necessitated by legal analysis of dual legal regimes, ongoing revisions to disclosure and adherence to heightened governance practices.

We intend to invest resources to comply with evolving laws, regulations and standards, and this investment may result in increased general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management’s time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance activities. If our efforts to comply with new laws, regulations and standards differ from the activities intended by regulatory or governing bodies due to ambiguities related to their application and practice, regulatory authorities may initiate legal proceedings against us and our business may be adversely affected.

These new rules and regulations may make it more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance and, in the future, we may be required to accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage. These factors could also make it more difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors, particularly to serve on our audit committee and compensation committee, and qualified executive officers.

 

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By disclosing information in this prospectus and in future filings required of a U.S. public company, our business and financial condition will become more visible, which we believe may result in threatened or actual litigation, including by competitors and other third parties. If those claims are successful, our business could be seriously harmed. Even if the claims do not result in litigation or are resolved in our favor, the time and resources needed to resolve them could divert our management’s resources and seriously harm our business.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish research or reports or publish unfavorable research or reports about our business, the price and trading volume of our Class A ordinary shares could decline.

The trading market for our Class A ordinary shares will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. We do not currently have and may never obtain research coverage by securities and industry analysts. If no securities or industry analysts commence coverage of our company, the trading price for our Class A ordinary shares would be negatively impacted. In the event we obtain securities or industry analyst coverage, if one or more of the analysts who covers us downgrades our Class A ordinary shares, the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares would likely decline. If one or more of these analysts ceases to cover us or fails to regularly publish reports on us, interest in our Class A ordinary shares could decrease, which could cause the price or trading volume of our Class A ordinary shares to decline.

Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.

The value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes in political and economic conditions. On July 21, 2005, the PRC government changed its decade-old policy of pegging the value of the Renminbi to the U.S. dollar, and the Renminbi appreciated more than 20% against the U.S. dollar over the following three years. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted, and the exchange rate between the Renminbi and U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. In June 2010, the People’s Bank of China, or PBOC, announced that the PRC government would increase the flexibility of the exchange rate, and thereafter allowed the Renminbi to appreciate slowly against the U.S. dollar within the narrow band fixed by the PBOC. However, more recently, on August 11, 12 and 13, 2015, the PBOC significantly devalued the Renminbi by fixing its price against the U.S. dollar 1.9%, 1.6%, and 1.1% lower than the previous day’s value, respectively. On October 1, 2016, the Renminbi joined the International Monetary Fund’s basket of currencies that make up the Special Drawing Right, or SDR, along with the U.S. dollar, the Euro, the Japanese yen and the British pound. In the fourth quarter of 2016, the Renminbi depreciated significantly while the U.S. dollar surged and the PRC experienced persistent capital outflows. With the development of the foreign exchange market and progress towards interest rate liberalization and Renminbi internationalization, the PRC government may in the future announce further changes to the exchange rate system. There is no guarantee that the Renminbi will not appreciate or depreciate significantly in value against the U.S. dollar in the future. It is difficult to predict how market forces, PRC and U.S. government’s policies and regulations may impact the exchange rate between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar in the future.

Significant revaluation of the Renminbi may have a material adverse effect on your investment. For example, to the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars into Renminbi for our operations, appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the Renminbi amount we would receive from the conversion. Conversely, if we decide to convert our Renminbi into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our ordinary shares or for other business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Renminbi would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amount available to us. In addition, appreciation or depreciation in the value of the Renminbi relative to U.S. dollars would affect our financial results reported in U.S. dollar terms regardless of any underlying change in our business or results of operations.

Very limited hedging options are available in the PRC to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. To date, we have not entered into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to

 

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foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of these hedges may be limited and we may not be able to adequately hedge our exposure or at all. In addition, our currency exchange losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert Renminbi into foreign currency.

Your right to participate in any future rights offerings may be limited, which may cause dilution to your holdings, and you may not receive distributions with respect to the underlying ordinary shares if it is impractical to make them available to you.

We may from time to time distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire our securities. However, we cannot make rights available to you in the U.S. unless we register the rights and the securities to which the rights relate under the Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirements is available. We are under no obligation to file a registration statement with respect to any such rights or securities or to endeavor to cause such a registration statement to be declared effective. Moreover, we may not be able to establish an exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly, you may be unable to participate in our rights offerings and may experience dilution in your holdings.

We may be classified as a passive foreign investment company, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to United States Holders of our ordinary shares.

In general, a non-U.S. corporation is a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year in which (i) 50% or more of the average value of its assets (generally determined on a quarterly basis) consists of assets that produce, or are held for the production of, passive income, or (ii) 75% or more of its gross income consists of passive income. For purposes of the above calculations, a non-U.S. corporation that owns, directly or indirectly, at least 25% by value of the shares of another corporation is treated as if it held its proportionate share of the assets of the other corporation and received directly its proportionate share of the income of the other corporation. Passive income generally includes dividends, interest, certain gains, rents and royalties (other than certain rents and royalties derived in the active conduct of a trade or business). Cash is generally a passive asset for these purposes. Goodwill is generally characterized as an active asset to the extent it is associated with business activities that produce active income.

Based on the manner in which we currently operate our business, the current and expected composition of our income and assets and the expected value of our assets (including the value of our goodwill, which is based on the expected price of our Class A ordinary shares in this offering), we believe we were not a PFIC for our taxable year ended December 31, 2021, and we do not expect to be a PFIC for our current taxable year. However, our PFIC status for any taxable year is an annual determination that can be made only after the end of that year and will depend on the composition of our income and assets and the value of our assets from time to time (which may be determined, in large part, by reference to the market price of our Class A ordinary shares, which could be volatile). Because we will hold a substantial amount of cash following this offering, we may be or become a PFIC if our market capitalization declines. Moreover, it is not entirely clear how the contractual arrangements between us, our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders will be treated for purposes of the PFIC rules, and we may be or become a PFIC if our consolidated VIEs are not treated as owned by us for these purposes. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that we will not be a PFIC for our current or any future taxable year. If we were a PFIC for any taxable year during which a United States Holder (as defined in “Taxation—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences”) held ordinary shares, the United States Holder generally would be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences, including increased tax liability on disposition gains and additional reporting requirements. See “Taxation—Material U.S. Federal Income Tax Consequences—Passive Foreign Investment Company.”

 

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If a United States person is treated as owning at least 10% of our ordinary shares, such holder may be subject to adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences.

If a United States Holder is treated as owning, directly, indirectly or constructively, at least 10% of the value or voting power of our ordinary shares, such United States Holder may be treated as a “United States shareholder” with respect to each “controlled foreign corporation” in our group, if any. Because our group includes one or more U.S. subsidiaries, certain of our non-U.S. subsidiaries could be treated as controlled foreign corporations, regardless of whether we are treated as a controlled foreign corporation. A United States shareholder of a controlled foreign corporation may be required to annually report and include in its U.S. taxable income its pro rata share of “Subpart F income,” “global intangible low-taxed income” and investments in U.S. property by controlled foreign corporations, regardless of whether we make any distributions. Failure to comply with these reporting obligations may subject a United States shareholder to significant monetary penalties and may prevent the statute of limitations with respect to such shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax return for the year for which reporting was due from starting. An individual that is a United States shareholder with respect to a controlled foreign corporation generally would not be allowed certain tax deductions or foreign tax credits that would be allowed to a United States shareholder that is a U.S. corporation. We cannot provide any assurances that we will assist our investors in determining whether any of our non-U.S. subsidiaries are treated as a controlled foreign corporation or whether such investor is treated as a United States shareholder with respect to any of such controlled foreign corporations. Further, we cannot provide any assurances that we will furnish to any United States Holder information that may be necessary to comply with the reporting and tax paying obligations described in this risk factor. United States Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the potential application of these rules to their investment in our Class A ordinary shares.

You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law.

We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Our corporate affairs are governed by our amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands and the common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors and the fiduciary duties of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands as well as from the common law of England, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary duties of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedents in some jurisdictions in the U.S. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the U.S. Some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not have the standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the U.S.

Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies like us have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate records (other than the memorandum and articles of association and any special resolutions passed by such companies, and the registers of mortgages and charges of such companies) or to obtain copies of lists of shareholders of these companies. Under Cayman Islands law, the names of our current directors can be obtained from a search conducted at the Registrar of Companies. Our directors have discretion under our amended and restated articles of association that will become effective immediately prior to completion of this offering to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection with a proxy contest.

As a result of all of the above, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken by management or members of our board of directors than they would as

 

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public shareholders of a company incorporated in the U.S. For a discussion of significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the U.S. and their shareholders, see “Description of Share Capital—Differences in Corporate Law.”

We have identified one material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. If our remediation of the material weakness is not effective, or if we experience additional material weaknesses in the future or otherwise fail to maintain proper and effective internal control over financial reporting, our ability to produce accurate and timely consolidated financial statements could be impaired, investors may lose confidence in our financial reporting and the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares may decline.

Pursuant to Section 404 of Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, our management will be required to report upon the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting beginning with the annual report for our fiscal year ending December 31, 2023. When we lose our status as an “emerging growth company” and reach an accelerated filer threshold, our independent registered public accounting firm will be required to attest to the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. The rules governing the standards that must be met for management to assess our internal control over financial reporting are complex and require significant documentation, testing and possible remediation. To comply with the requirements of being a reporting company under the Exchange Act, we will need to upgrade our information technology systems, implement additional financial and management controls, reporting systems and procedures and hire additional accounting and finance staff. If we or, if required, our auditor is unable to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, investors may lose confidence in our financial reporting and the trading price of our Class A ordinary shares may decline.

We and our independent registered public accounting firm identified one material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2020 and 2021. The material weakness identified is our lack of sufficient accounting personnel with appropriate U.S. GAAP knowledge to prepare financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting requirements. For example, we had inadvertently reflected in our previously issued 2019 and 2020 consolidated financial statements and our previously issued unaudited condensed financial statements as of and for the three months ended March 31, 2021 the recognition of share-based compensation expenses. In particular, with respect to those share awards which contain, in addition to requisite service condition, a performance condition of being exercisable only after the consummation of a qualified initial public offering by our company, we had recognized share-based payment expenses using the straight-line basis over the requisite service period for each separately vesting portion instead of recognizing the compensation expenses relating to these share awards vested cumulatively upon the consummation of a qualified initial public offering. As a result, we have restated the previously issued 2019 and 2020 consolidated financial statements. For details, please refer to note 2(c) to our consolidated financial statements and note 1(b) of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. Neither we nor our independent registered public accounting firm undertook a comprehensive assessment of our internal control under the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 for purposes of identifying and reporting any weakness in our internal control over financial reporting. Had we performed a formal assessment of our internal control over financial reporting or had our independent registered public accounting firm performed an audit of our internal control over financial reporting, additional material weaknesses or control deficiencies may have been identified.

We are working to remediate the material weakness and are taking steps to strengthen our internal control over financial reporting through the development and implementation of processes and controls over the financial reporting process. See “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Internal Control Over Financial Reporting.” However, we cannot assure you that these measures will significantly improve or remediate the material weakness described above.

We cannot assure you that there will not be additional material weaknesses or any significant deficiencies in our internal control over financial reporting in the future. Any failure to maintain internal control over financial reporting could severely inhibit our ability to accurately report our financial condition, results of

 

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operations or cash flows. If we are unable to conclude that our internal control over financial reporting is effective, or if our independent registered public accounting firm determines we have a material weakness or significant deficiency in our internal control over financial reporting once that firm begin its reviews under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, investors may lose confidence in the accuracy and completeness of our financial reports, the market price of our Class A ordinary shares could decline, and we could be subject to sanctions or investigations by the Nasdaq, the SEC or other regulatory authorities. Failure to remedy any material weakness in our internal control over financial reporting, or to implement or maintain other effective control systems required of public companies, could also restrict our future access to the capital markets.

Our post-offering amended and restated memorandum and articles of association contain anti-takeover provisions that could discourage a third party from acquiring us, which could limit our shareholders’ opportunity to sell their shares at a premium.

Our post-offering amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that will become effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering contain provisions to limit the ability of others to acquire control of our company or cause us to engage in change-of-control transactions. These provisions could have the effect of depriving our shareholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of our company in a tender offer or similar transaction. For example, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our shareholders, to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to fix their designations, powers, preferences, privileges, and relative participating, optional or special rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, including dividend rights, conversion rights, voting rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the rights associated with our ordinary shares, or otherwise. Preferred shares could be issued quickly with terms calculated to delay or prevent a change in control of our company or make removal of management more difficult. If our board of directors decides to issue preferred shares, the price of our Class A ordinary shares may fall and the voting and other rights of the holders of our ordinary shares may be materially and adversely affected.

Our post-offering amended and restated memorandum and articles of association provide that the courts of the Cayman Islands and the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (or, if the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York lacks subject matter jurisdiction over a particular dispute, the state courts in New York County, New York) will be the exclusive forums for substantially all disputes between us and our shareholders, which could limit our shareholders’ ability to obtain a favorable judicial forum for complaints against us or our directors, officers or employees.

Our post-offering amended and restated memorandum and articles of association that will become effective immediately prior to the completion of this offering provide that, unless otherwise agreed by us, (i) the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York (or, if the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York lacks subject matter jurisdiction over a particular dispute, the state courts in New York County, New York) shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear, settle and/or determine any dispute, controversy or claim arising under the provisions of the Securities Act or the Exchange Act, which are referred to as the “U.S. Actions” and (ii) save for such U.S. Actions, the courts of the Cayman Islands shall have exclusive jurisdiction to hear, settle and/or determine any dispute, controversy or claim whether arising out of or in connection with our articles of association or otherwise, including without limitation:

 

   

any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of our company;

 

   

any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any of our director, officer or other employee to our company or our shareholders;

 

   

any action asserting a claim under any provision of the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands or our memorandum and articles of association; or

 

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any action asserting a claim against our company which if brought in the U.S. would be a claim arising under the internal affairs doctrine (as such concept is recognized under the laws of the U.S.).

These exclusive-forum provisions may increase a shareholder’s cost and limit the shareholder’s ability to bring a claim in a judicial forum that it finds favorable for disputes with us or our directors, officers or other employees, which may discourage lawsuits against us and our directors, officers and other employees. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any of our shares or other security, whether by transfer, sale, operation of law or otherwise, shall be deemed to have notice of and have irrevocably agreed and consented to these provisions. There is uncertainty as to whether a court would enforce such provisions, and the enforceability of similar choice of forum provisions in other companies’ charter documents has been challenged in legal proceedings. It is possible that a court could find this type of provisions to be inapplicable or unenforceable, and if a court were to find this provision in our post-offering amended and restated memorandum and articles of association to be inapplicable or unenforceable in an action, we may incur additional costs associated with resolving the dispute in other jurisdictions, which could have adverse effect on our business and financial performance.

We could be subject to securities class action litigation.

In the past, securities class action litigation has often been brought against a company following a decline in the market price of its securities. If we face such litigation, it could result in substantial costs and a diversion of management’s attention and resources, which could harm our business.

Our dual-class voting structure will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change of control transactions that holders of our Class A ordinary shares may view as beneficial.

Our authorized and issued ordinary shares will be divided into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares immediately prior to the completion of this offering (with certain shares remaining undesignated, with power for our directors to designate and issue such classes of shares as they think fit). Holders of Class A ordinary shares will be entitled to one vote per share, while holders of Class B ordinary shares will be entitled to ten votes per share. We will issue Class A ordinary shares in this offering. Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time by the holder thereof, while Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. After this offering, the holder of Class B ordinary shares will have the ability to control matters requiring shareholders’ approval, including any amendment of our memorandum and articles of association and approval over any change of control transactions. See the paragraph herebelow for more details. Any conversions of Class B ordinary shares into Class A ordinary shares may dilute the percentage ownership of the existing holders of Class A ordinary shares within their class of ordinary shares.

Upon the completion of this offering, Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, will continue to beneficially own all of our Class B ordinary shares. These Class B ordinary shares will constitute approximately 23.5% of our total issued and outstanding share capital immediately after the completion of this offering and 75.4% of the aggregate voting power of our total issued and outstanding share capital immediately after the completion of this offering due to the disparate voting powers associated with our dual-class share structure, assuming the underwriter does not exercise the over-allotment option. As a result of the dual-class share structure and the concentration of ownership, holders of Class B ordinary shares will have considerable influence over matters such as decisions regarding mergers and consolidations, election of directors and other significant corporate actions. Such holders may take actions that are not in the best interest of us or our other shareholders. This concentration of ownership may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could have the effect of depriving our other shareholders of the opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of a sale of our company and may reduce the price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, Mr. Larry Lei Wu, together with certain of his affiliates, have undertaken to the our company,

 

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among other things, that, for a period of five years after the closing of this offering, without the prior written consent of our board of directors and at least a majority of the independent directors, he and his affiliates will not agree to, approve, support, vote (in favor of or against), or otherwise cause our company to agree to, enter into or consummate, a privatization transaction, as defined in “Description of Share Capital—Ordinary Shares—Conversion,” unless the consideration per Class A ordinary share payable to shareholders of the Class A ordinary shares in connection with such privatization transaction is at least equal to the price per Class A ordinary share initially offered to the public in this offering (subject to appropriate adjustment in the event of any stock dividend, stock split, combination or other similar recapitalization with respect to the Class A ordinary shares). See “Description of Share Capital—Ordinary Shares—Conversion” for more information. This concentrated control will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transactions that holders of Class A ordinary shares may view as beneficial.

Our dual-class voting structure may render our Class A ordinary shares ineligible for inclusion in certain stock market indices, and thus adversely affect the trading price and liquidity of our Class A ordinary shares.

Certain shareholder advisory firms have announced changes to their eligibility criteria for inclusion of shares of public companies on certain indices, including the S&P 500, to exclude companies with multiple classes of shares and companies whose public shareholders hold no more than 5% of total voting power from being added to such indices. In addition, several shareholder advisory firms have announced their opposition to the use of multiple class structures. As a result, the dual class structure of our ordinary shares may prevent the inclusion of our Class A ordinary shares in such indices and may cause shareholder advisory firms to publish negative commentary about our corporate governance practices or otherwise seek to cause us to change our capital structure. Any such exclusion from indices could result in a less active trading market for our Class A ordinary shares. Any actions or publications by shareholder advisory firms critical of our corporate governance practices or capital structure could also adversely affect the value of our Class A ordinary shares.

Upon the completion of this offering, we will be, a “controlled company” within the meaning of the Nasdaq Stock Market Listing Rules and, as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies.

Upon the completion of this offering, we will be a “controlled company” as defined under the Nasdaq Stock Market Listing Rules because Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, will hold more than 50% of our total voting power for the election of directors through TALENT BOOM GROUP LIMITED and Ji Xiang Hu Tong Holdings Limited, the entities controlled by Mr. Wu. For so long as we remain a “controlled company” under that definition, we are permitted to elect to rely, and may rely, on certain exemptions from corporate governance rules, including an exemption from the rule that a majority of our board of directors must be independent directors or that we have to establish a nominating committee and a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors. In the event that we elect to rely on one or more of these exemptions, you will not have the same protection afforded to shareholders of companies that are subject to these corporate governance requirements.

 

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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This prospectus contains forward-looking statements about our current expectations and views of future events, which are contained principally in the sections entitled “Prospectus Summary,” “Risk Factors,” “Use of Proceeds,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Industry Overview” and “Business.” These forward-looking statements relate to events that involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by these statements.

You can identify some of these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “could,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “is/are likely to,” “propose,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. The forward-looking statements included in this prospectus relate to, among other things:

 

   

our goals;

 

   

our business and operating strategies and plans for the development of existing and new businesses, ability to implement such strategies and plans and expected time;

 

   

our expectation regarding the prospects of our business model;

 

   

our future business development, financial condition and results of operations;

 

   

expected changes in our revenues, costs or expenditures;

 

   

our dividend policy;

 

   

our expectations regarding the effectiveness of our marketing initiatives and the demand for and market acceptance of our products and services;

 

   

our expectations regarding our relationships with customers and business partners;

 

   

the trends in, expected growth in and market size of our industry in the U.S., China and globally;

 

   

our ability to maintain and enhance our market position;

 

   

our ability to continue to develop new technologies and/or upgrade our existing technologies;

 

   

developments in, or changes to, laws, regulations, governmental policies, incentives and taxation affecting our operations, in particular in the markets we are in;

 

   

relevant governmental policies and regulations relating to our businesses and industry;

 

   

competitive environment, competitive landscape and potential competitor behavior in our industry; overall industry outlook in our industry;

 

   

our ability to attract, train and retain executives and other employees;

 

   

our proposed use of proceeds from this offering;

 

   

the development of the global financial and capital markets;

 

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fluctuations in inflation, interest rates and exchange rates;

 

   

the length and severity of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on our business and industry;

 

   

general business, political, social and economic conditions in the U.S., China and other markets we have business; and

 

   

assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing.

These forward-looking statements involve various risks and uncertainties. Although we believe that our expectations expressed in these forward-looking statements are reasonable, our expectations and our actual results could be materially different from our expectations. Important risks and factors that could cause our actual results to be materially different from our expectations are generally set forth in “Prospectus Summary—Summary of Risk Factors,” “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations,” “Business,” “Regulation” and other sections in this prospectus. Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking statements. You should read thoroughly this prospectus and the documents that we refer to with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from and worse than what we expect. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.

This prospectus contains information derived from various government and private publications. These publications include forward-looking statements, which are subject to risks, uncertainties and assumptions. Although we believe the data and information to be reliable, we have not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of the data and information contained in these publications. Statistical data in these publications also include projections based on a number of assumptions. Our industry may not grow at the rate projected by market data, or at all. Failure of the market to grow at the projected rate may have a material and adverse effect on our business and the market price of our Class A ordinary shares. In addition, projections or estimates about our business and financial prospects involve significant risks and uncertainties. Furthermore, if any one or more of the assumptions underlying the market data are later found to be incorrect, actual results may differ from the projections based on these assumptions. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Class A Ordinary Shares and this Offering—Certain industry data and information in this prospectus were obtained from third-party sources and were not independently verified by us.” Therefore, you should not place undue reliance on these statements.

You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements in this prospectus are made based on events and information as of the date of this prospectus. Except as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events. You should read this prospectus and the documents that we refer to in this prospectus and have filed as exhibits to the registration statement, of which this prospectus is a part, completely and with the understanding that our actual future results or performance may materially differ from what we expect.

 

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USE OF PROCEEDS

We estimate that we will receive net proceeds from this offering of approximately $21.9 million, or approximately $25.7 million if the underwriter exercises the over-allotment option to purchase the additional Class A ordinary shares in full, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. These estimates are based upon an assumed initial public offering price of $11.25 per Class A ordinary share, the mid-point of the estimated range of the initial public offering price set forth on the front cover of this prospectus.

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $11.25 per Class A ordinary share would increase (decrease) the net proceeds to us from this offering by $2.3 million, or by $2.6 million if the underwriter exercises the over-allotment option in full, assuming the number of Class A ordinary shares offered by us, as set forth on the front cover of this prospectus, remains the same and after deducting the estimated underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated expenses payable by us.

The primary purposes of this offering are to create a public market for our Class A ordinary shares for the benefit of all shareholders, retain talented employees by providing them with equity incentives and obtain additional capital. We plan to use the net proceeds of this offering for working capital, operating expenses, capital expenditures and other general corporate purposes including funding potential strategic acquisitions, investments and alliances, although we do not presently have specific plans and are not currently engaged in any discussions or negotiations with respect to any such transaction.

The amounts and timing of any expenditures will vary depending on the amount of cash generated by our operations, and the rate of growth, if any, of our business, and our plans and business conditions. The foregoing represents our intentions as of the date of this prospectus based upon our current plans and business conditions to use and allocate the net proceeds of this offering. However, our management will have significant flexibility and discretion in applying the net proceeds of this offering. Unforeseen events or changed business conditions may result in application of the proceeds of this offering in a manner other than as described in this prospectus.

To the extent that the net proceeds we receive from this offering are not immediately applied for the above purposes, we plan to invest the net proceeds in short-term, interest-bearing debt instruments or bank deposits.

As an offshore holding company, certain local laws and regulations may restrict our abilities to fund our local subsidiaries. For example, under PRC laws and regulations, we are permitted to use the net proceeds of this offering to provide funding to our PRC Subsidiaries only through loans or capital contributions. Subject to satisfaction of necessary registrations with government authorities and required governmental approvals, we may extend inter-company loans or make additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries. We cannot assure you that we will be able to make such registrations or obtain such approvals in a timely manner, or at all. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—PRC regulation of loans to, and direct investments in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may restrict or prevent us from using the proceeds of this offering to make loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.”

 

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DIVIDEND POLICY

Our board of directors has discretion as to whether to distribute dividends, subject to applicable laws. In addition, our shareholders may by ordinary resolution declare a dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our board of directors. Under Cayman Islands law, a Cayman Islands company may pay a dividend on its shares out of either profit or share premium account, provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid if this would result in the company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. Even if our board of directors decides to pay or recommend dividends, the form, frequency and amount will depend upon our future operations and earnings, capital requirements and surplus, general financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that our board of directors may deem relevant. Cash dividends on our Class A ordinary shares, if any, will be paid in U.S. dollars. All dividends and other distributions declared and payable on our ordinary shares may under the current laws and regulations of the Cayman Islands be paid to the registered holders of such ordinary shares, and where they are to be paid from the Cayman Islands are freely transferable out of the Cayman Islands and there are no restrictions under Cayman Islands law which would prevent our company from paying dividends to shareholders in US dollars or any other currency.

We do not have any plan to declare or pay any cash dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future after this offering. We intend to retain most, if not all, of our available funds and future earnings to operate and expand our business.

GigaCloud Technology Inc is a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands and not a direct Chinese or Hong Kong operating company. We rely principally on dividends distributed by our operating subsidiaries for our cash requirements, including distribution of dividends to our shareholders. Dividends distributed by our subsidiaries in certain jurisdictions, such as in China and Japan, are subject to local taxes.

In addition, our subsidiaries may be restricted in their ability to pay dividends or distributions, or make other transfers to us as a result of the laws of their respective jurisdictions of organization, agreements of our subsidiaries or covenants under indebtedness that we or they have incurred or may incur. For example, PRC regulations may restrict the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries to pay dividends to us, if any, and only allow a PRC company to pay dividends out of its accumulated distributable after-tax profits as determined in accordance with its articles of association and the PRC accounting standards and regulations. Our consolidated VIEs in the U.K. are only able to make distributions out of profits available for distribution, which are their accumulated, realized profits, so far as not previously utilized by distribution or capitalization, less their accumulated, realized losses, so far as not previously written off in a reduction or reorganization of capital duly made. Our Japanese subsidiaries is permitted to distribute dividends only to the extent of the “distributable amount” stipulated in the Companies Act of Japan, or Japan Companies Act. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Dividends paid to our foreign investors and gains on the sale of our Class A ordinary shares by our foreign investors may become subject to PRC tax,” and “Regulation—Regulatory Overview of the PRC—Regulations Relating to Dividend Distributions” and “Regulation—Regulatory Overview of the PRC—Laws and Regulations Relating to Taxation—Withholding Tax on Dividends.”

 

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CAPITALIZATION

The following table sets forth our capitalization as of March 31, 2022 presented on:

 

   

an actual basis;

 

   

a pro forma basis to reflect:

 

  (i)

the vest and exercise of 4,515,816 share options upon the completion of this offering, which were registered in the Trust Holdcos and recorded as treasury shares at the par value of US$0.05 per share as of March 31, 2022; assuming such exercise, the related exercise price would be recognized as subscription receivable in the amount of US$226 thousand at the exercise price of US$0.05 per share, the unrecognized share-based compensation expense of US$9,712 thousand as of March 31, 2022 would be recognized and the related treasury shares would be reclassified as Class A ordinary shares upon this offering;

 

  (ii)

the vest and exercise of 1,056 share options upon the completion of this offering, which were not registered in the Trust Holdcos nor recorded as treasury shares as of March 31, 2022; no subscription receivable would be recorded for such options, as the exercise price at US$0.05 per share would be trivial for the options in total, the unrecognized share-based compensation expense of US$8 thousand as of March 31, 2022 would be recognized and we would newly issue 1,056 Class A ordinary shares to the option holders upon this offering;

 

  (iii)

the vest and exercise of 120,042 restricted shares which were registered in the Trust Holdcos and recorded as treasury shares at the par value of US$0.05 per share as of March 31, 2022, the prepaid consideration of restricted shares in the amount of US$898 thousand at US$7.48 per share collected by us before March 31, 2022 to be reclassified to equity, with the US$6 thousand recorded as Class A ordinary shares at the par value of US$0.05 per share and the remaining portion of US$892 thousand recorded as additional paid-in capital; the unrecognized share-based compensation expense of US$1.0 thousand as of March 31, 2022 would be recognized and the related treasury shares would be reclassified as Class A ordinary shares upon this offering;

 

  (iv)

the re-designation of 15,875,571 pre-offering ordinary shares, of which, the 7,755,689 pre-offering ordinary shares which were at a par value of US$0.05 per share and beneficially owned by Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our founder, chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, would be reclassified as Class B ordinary shares, and the remaining portion of 8,119,882 pre-offering ordinary shares would be reclassified as Class A ordinary shares at a par value of US$0.05 per share; the re-designation to Class A and Class B ordinary shares would be on a one-for-one basis, immediately prior to the completion of this offering; and

 

  (v)

the re-designation of 21,427,975 pre-offering preferred shares, of which, the 1,571,043 pre-offering Series B preferred shares which were at a par value of US$0.05 per share and beneficially owned by Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our founder, chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, would be reclassified as Class B ordinary shares, and the remaining portion of 19,856,932 Series A to E preferred shares, which included the 3,999,709 Series E preferred shares classified as mezzanine equity, reclassified as Class A ordinary shares at a par value of US$0.05 per share; the re-designation to Class A and Class B ordinary shares would be on a one-for-one basis, immediately prior to the completion of this offering; and

 

   

a pro forma as adjusted basis to reflect:

 

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  (i)

the vest and exercise of 4,515,816 share options upon the completion of this offering, which were registered in the Trust Holdcos and recorded as treasury shares at the par value of US$0.05 per share as of March 31, 2022; assuming such exercise, the related exercise price would be recognized as subscription receivable in the amount of US$226 thousand at the exercise price of US$0.05 per share, the unrecognized share-based compensation expense of US$9,712 thousand as of March 31, 2022 would be recognized and the related treasury shares would be reclassified as Class A ordinary shares upon this offering;

 

  (ii)

the vest and exercise of 1,056 share options upon the completion of this offering, which were not registered in the Trust Holdcos nor recorded as treasury shares as of March 31, 2022; no subscription receivable would be recorded for such options, as the exercise price at US$0.05 per share would be trivial for the options in total, the unrecognized share-based compensation expense of US$8 thousand as of March 31, 2022 would be recognized and we would newly issue 1,056 Class A ordinary shares to the option holders upon this offering;

 

  (iii)

the vest and exercise of 120,042 restricted shares which were registered in the Trust Holdcos and recorded as treasury shares at the par value of US$0.05 per share as of March 31, 2022, the prepaid consideration of restricted shares in the amount of US$898 thousand at US$7.48 per share collected by us before March 31, 2022 to be reclassified to equity, with the US$6 thousand recorded as Class A ordinary shares at the par value of US$0.05 per share and the remaining portion of US$892 thousand recorded as additional paid-in capital; the unrecognized share-based compensation expense of US$1.0 thousand as of March 31, 2022 would be recognized and the related treasury shares would be reclassified as Class A ordinary shares upon this offering;

 

  (iv)

the re-designation of 15,875,571 pre-offering ordinary shares, of which, the 7,755,689 pre-offering ordinary shares which were at a par value of US$0.05 per share and beneficially owned by Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our founder, chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, would be reclassified as Class B ordinary shares, and the remaining portion of 8,119,882 pre-offering ordinary shares would be reclassified as Class A ordinary shares at a par value of US$0.05 per share; the re-designation to Class A and Class B ordinary shares would be on a one-for-one basis, immediately prior to the completion of this offering;

 

  (v)

the re-designation of 21,427,975 pre-offering preferred shares, of which, the 1,571,043 pre-offering Series B preferred shares which were at a par value of US$0.05 per share and beneficially owned by Mr. Larry Lei Wu, our founder, chairman of board of directors and chief executive officer, would be reclassified as Class B ordinary shares, and the remaining portion of 19,856,932 Series A to E preferred shares, which includes the 3,999,709 Series E preferred shares classified as mezzanine equity, reclassified as Class A ordinary shares at a par value of US$0.05 per share; the re-designation to Class A and Class B ordinary shares would be on a one-for-one basis, immediately prior to the completion of this offering; and

 

  (vi)

the issuance and sale by us of 2,450,000 Class A ordinary shares offered in this offering at an assumed initial public offering price of $11.25 per Class A ordinary share, the mid-point of the estimated range of the initial public offering price range set forth on the front cover of this prospectus, after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses in an aggregate amount of $5.7 million payable by us, and assuming no exercise by the underwriter of the over-allotment option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares and no other change to the number of Class A ordinary shares sold by us as set forth on the front cover of this prospectus.

 

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You should read this table in conjunction with the information under “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and our consolidated financial statements and the related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus:

 

    

As of March 31, 2022

 
    

Actual

   

Pro Forma

   

Pro Forma As
Adjusted(1)

 
     ($ in thousands, except for share data)  

Long-term borrowing

      

Long-term borrowing, current portion

     327       327       327  

Long-term borrowing

     143       143       143  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total borrowings

     470       470       470  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Mezzanine equity

      

Series E Preferred Shares ($0.05 par value per share, 3,999,709 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2022, nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis and on a pro forma as adjusted basis; Redemption value of $27,022 thousand as of March 31, 2022; Liquidation preference of $25,000 thousand as of March 31, 2022)

     27,022              
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total mezzanine equity

     27,022              
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Shareholder’s equity

      

Ordinary shares ($0.05 par value per share, 38,572,025 shares authorized; 15,875,571 shares issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2022, nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis and on a pro forma as adjusted basis)

     794              

Treasury shares, at cost (4,765,903 shares held as of March 31, 2022 and 130,045 shares held on a pro forma basis and on a pro forma as adjusted basis)(3)

     (238     (6     (6

Subscription receivable from ordinary shares

     (81     (307     (307

Series A Preferred Shares ($0.05 par value per share, 134,190 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2022, nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis and on a pro forma as adjusted basis; Liquidation value of $6,710 thousand as of March 31, 2022)

     7              

Series B Preferred Shares ($0.05 par value per share, 9,991,588 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2022, nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis and on a pro forma as adjusted basis; Liquidation value of $5,000 thousand as of March 31, 2022)

     500              

Series C Preferred Shares ($0.05 par value per share, 4,358,702 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2022, nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis and on a pro forma as adjusted basis)

     218              

Series D Preferred Shares ($0.05 par value per share, 2,943,786 shares authorized, issued and outstanding as of March 31, 2022, nil shares authorized, issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis and on a pro forma as adjusted basis; Liquidation value of $8,053 thousand as of March 31, 2022)

     147              

Class A ordinary shares ($0.05 par value per share, 50,673,268 shares authorized, 27,977,870 shares issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis and 30,427,870 shares issued and outstanding on a pro forma as adjusted basis)

           1,400       1,523  

 

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As of March 31, 2022

 
    

Actual

   

Pro Forma

   

Pro Forma As
Adjusted(1)

 
     ($ in thousands, except for share data)  

Class B ordinary shares ($0.05 par value per share, 9,326,732 shares authorized, issued and outstanding on a pro forma basis and issued and outstanding on a pro forma as adjusted basis)

           466       466  

Additional paid-in capital(2)

     37,638       75,073       96,832  

Accumulated other comprehensive loss

     (234     (234     (234

Retained earnings

     64,928       55,207       55,207  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total shareholder’s equity(2)

     103,679       131,599       153,481  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Total capitalization(2)

     131,171       132,069       153,951  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

(1)

The pro forma as adjusted information discussed above is illustrative only. Our additional paid-in capital, total shareholders’ equity and total capitalization following the completion of this offering are subject to adjustment based on the actual initial public offering price and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

 

(2)

Assuming the number of Class A ordinary shares offered by us as set forth on the front cover of this prospectus remains the same, and after deduction of underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, a $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed initial public offering price of $11.25 per Class A ordinary share, which is the mid-point of the estimated range of the initial public offering price set forth on the front cover of this prospectus, would increase (decrease) each of additional paid-in capital, total shareholders’ equity, and total capitalization by $2.6 million.

 

(3)

Assuming 4,635,858 shares issued to Trust Holdcos at a par value of US$0.05 per share to be converted into Class A ordinary shares upon completion of this offering on a pro forma basis and on a pro forma as adjusted basis.

The discussion and table above assume no exercise of the underwriter’s warrants which we will issue to the underwriter upon completion of this offering. See “Underwriting—Underwriter Warrants” for details of the underwriter’s warrants.

 

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DILUTION

If you invest in our Class A ordinary shares, your interest will be diluted to the extent of the difference between the initial public offering price per ordinary share and our net tangible book value per ordinary share after this offering. Dilution results because the initial public offering price per ordinary share is substantially in excess of the book value per ordinary share attributable to the existing shareholders for our presently issued and outstanding ordinary shares.

Net tangible book value represents the amount of our total consolidated tangible assets, which represent the amount of our total consolidated assets, excluding consolidated intangible assets, if any, less total consolidated liabilities. Net tangible book value per ordinary share represents the net tangible book value divided by the aggregate number of issued and outstanding ordinary shares of 15,875,571 as of March 31, 2022. Our net tangible book value as of March 31, 2022 was approximately $130.7 million, or $8.23 per ordinary share.

Dilution is determined by subtracting net tangible book value per ordinary share from the assumed initial public offering price of $11.25 per Class A ordinary share, which is the mid-point of the estimated range of the initial public offering price set forth on the front cover of this prospectus, after giving effect to the proceeds we will receive from this offering and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, as well as certain pro forma adjustments as described in the table below. Because the Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares have the same dividend and other rights, except for voting and conversion rights, the dilution is presented based on all issued and outstanding ordinary shares, including Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares.

Without taking into account any other changes in net tangible book value after March 31, 2022, other than to give effect to our sale of our Class A ordinary shares offered in this offering at the assumed initial public offering price of $11.25 per Class A ordinary share, the mid-point of the estimated range of the initial public offering price set forth on the front cover of this prospectus, after deducting the underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us and assuming no exercise by the underwriter of the over-allotment option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares, our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value as of March 31, 2022 would have been $153.5 million, or $3.86 per ordinary share.

This represents an immediate increase in net tangible book value of $0.33 per ordinary share to the existing shareholders and an immediate dilution in net tangible book value of $7.39 per ordinary share to investors purchasing our Class A ordinary shares in this offering. The following table illustrates such dilution:

 

    

Per ordinary
share

 

Assumed initial public offering price

   $ 11.25  

Net tangible book value as of March 31, 2022

   $ 8.23  

Pro forma net tangible book value after giving effect to (i) the vest and exercise of our share options and restricted shares recorded in the Trust Holdcos to be reclassified from treasury shares into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis upon completion of this offering, (ii) the vest and exercise of 1,056 of share options not recorded in the Trust Holdcos to be newly issued as Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis upon completion of this offering and (iii) the automatic conversion and re-designation of all of our issued and outstanding pre-offering ordinary shares and preferred shares as of March 31, 2022 into Class A or Class B ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis immediately prior to the completion of this offering(1)

   $ 3.53  

 

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Per ordinary
share

 

Pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value after giving effect to (i) the vest and exercise of our share options and restricted shares recorded in the Trust Holdcos to be reclassified from treasury shares into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis upon completion of this offering, (ii) the vest and exercise of 1,056 of share options not recorded in the Trust Holdcos to be newly issued as Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis upon completion of this offering, (iii) the automatic conversion and re-designation of all of our issued and outstanding pre-offering ordinary shares and preferred shares as of March 31, 2022 into Class A or Class B ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis immediately prior to the completion of this offering and (iv) this offering(1)

   $ 3.86  

Amount of dilution in net tangible book value to new investors in this offering

   $ 7.39  

 

(1)

See “Capitalization” for an explanation of the pro forma adjustments.

A $1.00 increase (decrease) in the assumed public offering price of $11.25 per Class A ordinary share would increase (decrease) our pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value after giving effect to this offering by $2.3 million, or $0.06 per ordinary share, and the dilution in pro forma as adjusted net tangible book value per ordinary share to new investors in this offering by $0.94 per ordinary share, assuming no change to the number of Class A ordinary shares offered by us as set forth on the front cover of this prospectus and assuming no exercise by the underwriter of the over-allotment option to purchase additional Class A ordinary shares, and after deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us.

The following table summarizes, on a pro forma as adjusted basis as of March 31, 2022, the differences between existing shareholders and the new investors with respect to the number of ordinary shares purchased from us, the total consideration paid and the average price per ordinary share paid before deducting underwriting discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us. The total number of ordinary shares does not include the Class A ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of the over-allotment option granted to the underwriter.

 

    

Ordinary Shares

Purchased

    

Total Consideration

    

Average Price
per

Ordinary
Share

 
    

Number

    

Percent

    

Amount in
thousands

    

Percent

 

Existing shareholders(1)

     37,304,602        93.8%      $ 76,939        73.6%        $2.06  

New investors

     2,450,000        6.2%      $ 27,563        26.4%        $11.25  
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

Total

     39,754,602        100.0%      $ 104,501        100.0%     
  

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

(1)

Assumes the vest and exercise of 1,056 share options upon the completion of this offering, which were not registered in the Trust Holdcos nor recorded as treasury shares as of March 31, 2022, and the inclusion of 1,056 shares issued therefor.

The pro forma information discussed above is illustrative only. Our net tangible book value following the completion of this offering is subject to adjustment based on the actual initial public offering price of our Class A ordinary shares and other terms of this offering determined at pricing.

The discussion and tables above assume no exercise of the underwriter’s warrants which we will issue to the underwriter upon completion of this offering. See “Underwriting—Underwriter Warrants” for details of the underwriter’s warrants. To the extent that any of these underwriter’s warrants are exercised, there will be further dilution to new investors.

 

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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands to take advantage of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability:

 

   

political and economic stability;

 

   

an effective judicial system;

 

   

a favorable tax system;

 

   

the absence of exchange control or currency restrictions; and

 

   

the availability of professional and support services.

However, certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. These disadvantages include, but are not limited to, the following:

 

   

the Cayman Islands has a less exhaustive body of securities laws than the U.S. and these securities laws provide significantly less protection to investors; and

 

   

Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to sue before the federal courts of the U.S.

Our constitutional documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the U.S., between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated.

Some of our directors and executive officers are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the U.S. and a majority of their assets are located outside the U.S. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for a shareholder to effect service of process within the U.S. upon us or these persons, or to enforce against us or them judgments obtained in U.S. courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the U.S. or any state in the U.S.

We have appointed Cogency Global Inc. located at 122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor, New York, NY 10168, as our agent upon whom process may be served in any action brought against us under the securities laws of the U.S.

Cayman Islands

Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP, our counsel as to Cayman Islands law, and Han Kun Law Offices, our counsel as to PRC law, have advised us, respectively, that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts in the Cayman Islands and the PRC, respectively, would:

 

   

recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or officers to impose liabilities against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the U.S. or any state in the U.S.; or

 

   

entertain original actions brought in each respective jurisdiction against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the federal securities laws of the U.S. or the securities laws of any state in the U.S.

Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP, our counsel as to Cayman Islands laws, has further advised us that although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgements obtained in the federal or

 

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state courts of the U.S. (and the Cayman Islands are not a party to any treaties for the reciprocal enforcement or recognition of such judgements), a judgment obtained in such jurisdiction will be recognized and enforced in the courts of the Cayman Islands at common law, without any reexamination of the merits of the underlying dispute, by an action commenced on the foreign judgment debt in the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, provided such judgment (a) is given by a foreign court of competent jurisdiction, (b) imposes on the judgment debtor a liability to pay a liquidated sum for which the judgment has been given, (c) is final, (d) is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty, and (e) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands. However, the Cayman Islands courts are unlikely to enforce a judgment obtained from the U.S. courts under civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities law if such judgment is determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands to give rise to obligations to make payments that are penal or punitive in nature. A Cayman Islands court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.

Mainland China

Han Kun Law Offices, our counsel as to PRC law, has further advised us that the PRC Civil Procedures Law governs the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. PRC courts may recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the PRC Civil Procedures Law based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on principles of reciprocity between jurisdictions.

The PRC does not have any treaties or other agreements with the U.S. that provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, courts in the PRC will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they determine that the judgment violates the basic principles of PRC law or national sovereignty, security or public interest. As a result, it is uncertain whether a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the U.S. Under the PRC Civil Procedures Law, foreign shareholders may originate actions based on PRC law against us in the PRC, if they can establish sufficient nexus to the PRC for a PRC court to have jurisdiction, and meet other procedural requirements, including, among others, the plaintiff must have a direct interest in the case, and there must be a concrete claim, a factual basis and a cause for the suit.

However, it will be difficult for foreign shareholders to establish sufficient nexus to the PRC by virtue only of holding our ordinary shares.

Hong Kong

Judgment of the U.S. courts will not be directly enforced in Hong Kong. There are currently no treaties or other arrangements providing for reciprocal enforcement of foreign judgments between Hong Kong and the U.S. However, the common law permits an action to be brought upon a foreign judgment. That is to say, a foreign judgment itself may form the basis of a cause of action since the judgment may be regarded as creating a debt between the parties to it. In a common law action for enforcement of a foreign judgment in Hong Kong, the enforcement is subject to various conditions, including but not limited to, that the foreign judgment is a final judgment conclusive upon the merits of the claim, the judgment is for a liquidated amount in a civil matter and not in respect of taxes, fines, penalties, or similar charges, the proceedings in which the judgment was obtained were not contrary to natural justice, and the enforcement of the judgment is not contrary to public policy of Hong Kong. Such a judgment must be for a fixed sum and must also come from a “competent” court as determined by the private international law rules applied by the Hong Kong courts. The defenses that are available to a defendant in a common law action brought on the basis of a foreign judgment include lack of jurisdiction, breach of natural justice, fraud, and contrary to public policy. However, a separate legal action for debt must be commenced in Hong Kong in order to recover such debt from the judgment debtor.

 

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CORPORATE HISTORY AND STRUCTURE

Corporate History

On August 29, 2006, we incorporated Oriental Standard Human Resources Holdings Limited, our holding company, as a limited liability company in the Cayman Islands. We began our ecommerce business in Japan in 2010 through our wholly-owned subsidiary, Oriental Standard Japan Co., Ltd. We expanded to the U.K. in 2013 through our consolidated VIE, B.T.M TRAVEL AND TRADING LTD, and further expanded to the U.S. through our acquisition of COMPTREE INC. in 2014. COMPTREE INC. was renamed as GIGACLOUD TECHNOLOGY (USA) INC. in July 2021. In January 2019, we launched our ecommerce platform, GigaCloud Marketplace, through our Hong Kong Subsidiary, GigaCloud Technology (HongKong) Limited (formerly known as Giga Cloud Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited). As our marketplace and our ecommerce business continue to grow, we believe it is important to have a name for our holding company that is more representative of our businesses. Effective February 28, 2021, our holding company’s name is changed from Oriental Standard Human Resources Holdings Limited to GigaCloud Technology Inc.

Corporate Structure

GigaCloud Technology Inc is a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands that does not have substantive operations and not a direct Chinese or Hong Kong operating company. As of the date of this prospectus, we conduct our business operations across 13 subsidiaries and seven consolidated VIEs, among those, eight of which are our principal subsidiaries and four of which are our principal consolidated VIEs. We also have two equity incentive trusts which are treated as consolidated VIEs under U.S. GAAP. See “Management—Share Incentive Plans—Equity Incentive Trusts.” All of our consolidated VIEs contributed an aggregate of 14.2%, 8.4%, 10.7% and 9.6% to our total assets as of December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and March 31, 2022, respectively. All of our consolidated VIEs contributed an aggregate of 13.6%, 12.9%, 11.5%, 10.3% and 12.0% to our revenues in 2019, 2020 and 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. See “—Contractual Arrangements with Our Consolidated VIEs and their Shareholders.”

As of the date of this prospectus, our principal subsidiaries and principal consolidated VIEs consist of the following entities (in alphabetical order based on the jurisdiction and in chronological order within the jurisdiction based on their dates of incorporation):

Cayman Islands

 

   

Comptree International, our wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of Cayman Islands in April 2010, principally for holding Tmall, Inc. through GIGACLOUD TECHNOLOGY (USA) INC.;

Mainland China

 

   

GigaCloud Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Oriental Standard Network Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.), our wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of the PRC in July 2013, principally for procurement and providing inter-group services to the group companies;

 

   

Suzhou Dajianyun Transport Co., Ltd., or Suzhou GigaCloud, our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of the PRC in September 2017, principally for providing inter-group services to the group companies;

Hong Kong

 

   

GigaCloud Technology (HongKong) Limited (formerly known as Giga Cloud Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited), our wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of Hong Kong in March 2019, principally for operating our B2B GigaCloud Marketplace;

 

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Japan

 

   

Oriental Standard Japan Co., Ltd., our wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of Japan in August 2006, principally for operating our ecommerce solutions;

 

   

BTM Co., Ltd., our wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of Japan in September 2014, principally for operating our ecommerce solutions;

United Kingdom

 

   

B.T.M TRAVEL AND TRADING LTD, our consolidated VIE organized under the laws of England and Wales in April 2013, principally for operating our warehouse logistics services and ecommerce service;

 

   

COMHARBOR LIMITED, our consolidated VIE organized under the laws of England and Wales in October 2017, principally for operating our ecommerce service;

 

   

BRIHOME LIMITED, or our consolidated VIE organized under the laws of England and Wales in October 2017, principally for operating our ecommerce service;

United States

 

   

GIGACLOUD TECHNOLOGY (USA) INC. (formerly known as COMPTREE INC.), our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of State of California, the U.S., in March 1994, principally for operating our warehouse logistics services and ecommerce service;

 

   

Tmall, Inc., our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary organized under the laws of State of California, the U.S., in January 2012, principally for operating our ecommerce service; and

 

   

GIGA CLOUD LOGISTICS INC, our consolidated VIE organized under the laws of State of Nevada, the U.S., in September 2017, principally for operating our logistics services for third-parties.

 

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The chart below shows our corporate structure and identifies our principal subsidiaries and principal consolidated VIEs described above as of the date of this prospectus:

 

 

LOGO

 

(1)

GIGA CLOUD LOGISTICS INC, our principal consolidated VIE, is wholly owned by Mr. Kunming Xu, our employee.

 

(2)

B.T.M TRAVEL AND TRADING LTD, our principal consolidated VIE, is wholly owned by Mr. Wenbo Dou, our employee.

 

(3)

COMHARBOR LIMITED, our principal consolidated VIE, is wholly owned by Mr. Wenjun Chang, our employee.

 

(4)

BRIHOME LIMITED, our principal consolidated VIE, is wholly owned by Mr. Yaoxuan Wang, our employee.

Contractual Arrangements with Our Consolidated VIEs and their Shareholders

In 2013, 2017 and 2018, GigaCloud Technology Inc (formerly known as Oriental Standard Human Resources Holdings Limited), our holding company and an exempted company with limited liability incorporated in the Cayman Islands, entered into a series of control agreements with our consolidated VIEs and their respective shareholders, including our four principal consolidated VIEs established and operating in the U.S. and the U.K., namely GIGA CLOUD LOGISTICS INC, B.T.M TRAVEL AND TRADING LTD, COMHARBOR LIMITED and BRIHOME LIMITED. We entered into contractual arrangements with our principal consolidated VIEs because we needed to expeditiously set up our business in overseas market with minimized administrative constraints to capture market opportunities. In certain instances, the contractual arrangements provided us with potentially the flexibility to conduct business activities that could be subjected to restrictions on foreign investment. For example, the PRC government had imposed foreign ownership restriction and the licensing and permit requirements for companies in the industry of telecommunications service, and we had a consolidated VIE set up initially in mainland China from 2018 to 2020. To our knowledge, our subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs are not conducting business activities that are subject to restrictions on foreign

 

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investment. We launched our GigaCloud Marketplace under our Hong Kong Subsidiary, GigaCloud Technology (HongKong) Limited (formerly known as Giga Cloud Logistics (Hong Kong) Limited) in 2019. As our business scale in the overseas markets continued to grow and in anticipation of this offering, we began to restructure our non-principal VIEs into wholly-owned subsidiaries. From 2018 to 2020, we had one consolidated VIE in mainland China, namely Suzhou GigaCloud, and in February 2021, we entered into a termination agreement with Suzhou GigaCloud to terminate the control agreement with respect to Suzhou GigaCloud, and in February 2021, GigaCloud Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd. (formerly known as Oriental Standard Network Technology (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.) acquired 100% of the equity interest in Suzhou GigaCloud which then became our indirect wholly-owned subsidiary in mainland China and we do not currently have any VIE in mainland China. We intend to continue our corporate restructuring. To the extent permissible by applicable laws and without the potential for disruptions to our operations, we will obtain direct ownership in all of the VIEs that are currently effective and we intend to complete our corporate restructuring within 12 months after the completion of this offering. As of the date of this prospectus, seven of these control agreements, including four control agreements related to our four principal consolidated VIEs, are still effective. The shareholders of the four principal consolidated VIEs are our trusted long-term employees. As of the date of this prospectus, with respect to our four principal consolidated VIEs, Mr. Kunming Xu is the sole shareholder of GIGA CLOUD LOGISTICS INC., Mr. Wenbo Dou is the sole shareholder of B.T.M TRAVEL AND TRADING LTD, Mr. Wenjun Chang is the sole shareholder of COMHARBOR LIMITED and Mr. Yaoxuan Wang is the sole shareholder of BRIHOME LIMITED.

We entered into control agreements with each of these consolidated VIEs and their respective shareholders, through which we are able to consolidate the financial results of these entities. The equity interests of the consolidated VIEs are legally held by their shareholders. Through the control agreements, including the relevant provisions on powers of attorney and exclusive option to purchase all or part of the equity interests in our consolidated VIEs, the shareholders of our consolidated VIEs have granted GigaCloud Technology Inc all their legal rights including voting rights and disposition rights of their equity interests in our consolidated VIEs. The shareholders of our consolidated VIEs do not participate significantly in income and loss and do not have the power to direct the activities of our consolidated VIEs that most significantly impact their economic performance.

The functions of the consolidated VIEs include operating accounts registered on third-party ecommerce websites to sell merchandise to local individual customers, and to provide warehousing and logistic services to users’ registered in our GigaCloud Marketplace, by utilizing our cross-border trading experience, international logistic network and our own online marketplace. All of the consolidated VIEs’ nominal shareholders are our trusted employees. We have funded, through either direct capital contribution or intercompany loans, substantially all of our consolidated VIEs’ capital and operation fund. We have information right, management right and control right of daily operation of our consolidated VIEs, especially with respect to all the bank accounts and operating accounts registered on third-party ecommerce websites in the name of, or for the benefit of our consolidated VIEs. Except for local fulfillment tasks such as warehouse management, all other major operations including purchase, sales, customer service and cash management are dealt with by our shared operation team in mainland China.

Our control agreements with our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders allow us to (i) exercise effective control over our consolidated VIEs, (ii) receive substantially all of the economic benefits of our consolidated VIEs, and (iii) have an exclusive option to purchase all or part of the equity interests in our consolidated VIEs when and to the extent permitted by the applicable laws.

As a result of these control agreements, we are regarded as the primary beneficiary of our consolidated VIEs including all the bank accounts and the operating accounts with relevant ecommerce platforms established or to be established in the name of or for the benefit of the consolidated VIEs, and we treat our consolidated VIEs as our consolidated entities under U.S. GAAP. We have consolidated the financial results of our consolidated VIEs in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. However, our control over our consolidated VIEs through contractual arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership. In addition,

 

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uncertainties exist as to whether our operation of the business in these jurisdictions through our consolidated VIEs would be found not in compliance with existing or future respective local laws and we may incur substantial costs to enforce the terms of these control agreements with our consolidated VIEs. For a detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure and the contractual arrangements that support our corporate structure, see “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure.”

The following is a summary of the currently effective control agreements by and among GigaCloud Technology Inc, each of our consolidated VIEs, and their respective shareholders.

Pursuant to the control agreements, our consolidated VIEs and each of their shareholders shall not terminate the control agreements unilaterally in any event unless otherwise required by the applicable laws. The control agreements became effective upon execution by the parties, and remain effective until the respective shareholder has transferred all of such shareholder’s equity interests in our consolidated VIEs to us.

Pursuant to each control agreement, we have the following powers:

Power to Exercise Effective Control over Our Consolidated VIEs

GigaCloud Technology Inc has information right, management right and control right of daily operation of our consolidated VIEs, especially with respect to all the bank accounts and operating accounts with relevant ecommerce platforms established or to be established in the name of, or for the benefit of our consolidated VIEs.

Our consolidated VIEs and their shareholders shall act in good faith under instructions of GigaCloud Technology Inc and shall not damage the control and management of GigaCloud Technology Inc or affect its financial results and consolidation of such result.

GigaCloud Technology Inc has sole and exclusive power of attorney to act on behalf of each shareholder of our consolidated VIEs with respect to all rights and matters concerning all equity interest held by such shareholder including without limitation to exercising all of the shareholder’s rights and voting rights; deciding the sale, transfer, pledge or disposition of the shares of our consolidated VIEs; representing the shareholder to execute any resolutions and minutes as a shareholder (and director) of our consolidated VIEs; approving the amendments to the articles of association without written consent of such shareholder; approving any change of the share capital of our consolidated VIEs; and appoint directors to our consolidated VIEs at the discretion of GigaCloud Technology Inc. During the term of each control agreement, each shareholder of our consolidated VIEs waives all rights with respect to the equity interests in our consolidated VIEs held by him/her and shall not exercise such rights by himself/herself.

In order to secure the performance of our consolidated VIEs, each shareholder of our consolidated VIEs agrees to pledge all the equity interests to GigaCloud Technology Inc as security for performance of the contract obligations under the control agreement.

Power to Receive Substantially All of the Economic Benefits of Our Consolidated VIEs

GigaCloud Technology Inc is the beneficial owner of all the bank accounts and the operating accounts with relevant ecommerce platforms established or to be established in the name of or for the benefit of our consolidated VIEs. Each shareholder of our consolidated VIEs shall procure the respective VIEs to pay GigaCloud Technology Inc any proceeds received to the bank account designated by GigaCloud Technology Inc weekly as set forth in the control agreements.

Power to Have an Exclusive Option to Purchase All or Part of the Equity Interests

GigaCloud Technology Inc has irrevocable and exclusive right to purchase the equity interests in our consolidated VIEs held by their shareholder at the sole discretion of GigaCloud Technology Inc at the minimum

 

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price permitted by the applicable laws. Except for GigaCloud Technology Inc, no other person shall be entitled to such option or other rights with respect to the equity interests in our consolidated VIEs.

We rely on the account control agreements to operate and control VIEs. All of the account control agreements are governed by local laws and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration under local laws. Accordingly, these agreements would be interpreted in accordance with local laws and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with local legal procedures. Uncertainties in the local legal system could limit our ability to enforce these contractual arrangements. In the event that we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements, or if we suffer significant time delays or other obstacles in the process of enforcing these account control agreements, it would be difficult to exert effective control over VIEs, and our ability to conduct our business and the results of operations and financial condition may be materially and adversely affected. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure.”

There are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future local laws and regulations. Accordingly, if the local government finds that the contractual arrangements do not comply with its restrictions on foreign ownership of businesses, or if the local government otherwise finds that we and the consolidated VIEs are in violation of local laws or regulations or lack the necessary permits or licenses to operate our business, the relevant regulatory authorities would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations, including:

 

   

revoking our business and operating licenses;

 

   

discontinuing or restricting our operations;

 

   

imposing fines or confiscating any of the VIEs’ income that they deem to have been obtained through illegal operations;

 

   

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

 

   

requiring us to restructure the ownership structure or operations, including terminating the contractual arrangements with the VIEs;

 

   

restricting or prohibiting our use of the proceeds of overseas offering to finance the business and operations in these jurisdictions; or

 

   

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

If the imposition of any of these penalties or requirement to restructure our corporate structure causes it to lose the rights to direct the activities of the VIEs or our right to receive their economic benefits, we would no longer be able to consolidate the financial results of the VIEs in the consolidated financial statements. In the opinion of management, the likelihood of deconsolidation of the VIEs is remote based on current facts and circumstances.

 

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SELECTED CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL AND OPERATING DATA

The following selected consolidated statements of comprehensive income data and consolidated statement of cash flows data for the years ended December 31, 2019, 2020 and 2021 and selected consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2020 and 2021 have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus. The following selected consolidated statements of comprehensive income data for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022, selected consolidated balance sheet data as of March 31, 2022, and selected consolidated statements of cash flows data for the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022 have been derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus and have been prepared on the same basis as our audited consolidated financial statements and include all adjustments, consisting only of ordinary and recurring adjustments, that we consider necessary for a fair statement of our financial position and results of operations for the periods presented. Our consolidated financial statements are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of results for any future periods. You should read this section together with our consolidated financial statements and the related notes and the “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” section included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,      For the Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2019     2020
Restated*
    2021      2021
Restated*
     2022  
     ($ in thousands, except for share data and per share data)  

Selected Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income Data:

            

Revenues

            

Service revenues

     15,151       60,130       98,332        20,418        31,218  

Product revenues

     107,145       215,348       315,865        74,110        81,224  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total revenues

     122,296       275,478       414,197        94,528        112,442  

Cost of revenues

            

Services

     (9,697     (37,147     (84,723      (14,146      (29,201

Product sales

     (90,405     (163,215     (239,877      (59,494      (66,371
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total cost of revenues

     (100,102     (200,362     (324,600      (73,640 )       (95,572 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Gross Profit

     22,194       75,116       89,597        20,888        16,870  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating expenses

            

Selling and marketing expenses

     (12,680     (22,215     (25,728      (7,359      (5,562

General and administrative expenses

     (4,712     (8,717     (24,516      (2,941      (3,827
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total operating expenses

     (17,392 )      (30,932 )      (50,244      (10,300 )       (9,389 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Operating income

     4,802       44,184       39,353        10,588        7,481  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Interest expense

     —         (46     (309      (65      (164

Interest income

     2       58       537        98        92  

Foreign currency exchange gains (losses), net

     166       1,023       (2,012      (727      (1,230

Others, net

     (168     56       156        39        167  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

 

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     For the Year Ended December 31,      For the Three Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2019     2020
Restated*
    2021      2021
Restated*
     2022  
     ($ in thousands, except for share data and per share data)  

Income before income taxes

     4,802       45,275       37,725        9,933        6,346  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Income tax expense

     (1,945     (7,820     (8,468      (1,950      (1,607
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income

     2,857       37,455       29,257        7,983        4,739  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Accretion of redeemable convertible preferred shares

     —         (152     (1,500      (370      (370

Net income attributable to ordinary shareholders of our company

     2,857       37,303       27,757        7,613        4,369  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Other comprehensive income (loss)

            

Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of nil income taxes

     (54     (364     123        (35      (69
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Total other comprehensive income (loss)

     (54     (364     123        (35 )       (69 ) 
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Comprehensive income

     2,803       37,091       29,380        7,948        4,670  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

    

 

 

    

 

 

 

Net income per ordinary share

            

—Basic and diluted

     0.11       1.36       0.88        0.25        0.13  

Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding used in computing net income per ordinary share

            

—Basic and diluted

     9,495,844       9,495,844       10,248,079        9,495,844        12,999,986  

 

*

See “Prospectus Summary—Conventions that Apply to this Prospectus,” Note 2(c) of our audited consolidated financial statements and Note 1(b) of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

 

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     As of December 31,      As of
March 31,
 
     2020      2021      2022  

Selected Consolidated Balance Sheet Data:

     ($ in thousands)  

Accounts receivable, net

     24,020        18,036        21,112  

Inventories

     35,578        81,441        110,744  

Total current assets

     132,369        172,419        187,309  

Total non-current assets

     5,974        14,358        159,902  

Total assets

     138,343        186,777        347,211  

Accounts payable

     18,831        25,140        33,217  

Total current liabilities

     48,907        57,044        100,722  

Total non-current liabilities

     2,665        3,901        115,788  

Total liabilities

     51,572        60,945        216,510  

Total mezzanine equity

     25,152        26,652        27,022  

Total shareholders’ equity

     61,619        99,180        103,679  

Total liabilities, mezzanine equity and shareholders’ equity

     138,343        186,777        347,211  

 

     For the Year Ended
December 31,
    For the Three
Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2019     2020     2021     2021     2022  

Selected Consolidated Statement of Cash Flow Data:

     ($ in thousands)  

Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities

     1,157       33,284       8,556       (6,459     (14,512

Net cash used in investing activities

     (944     (647     (1,825     (594     (80

Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities

     89       23,272       (2,956     (530     261  

Effect of foreign currency exchange rate changes on cash and restricted cash

     139       735       (2,110     (3     (5

Net increase (decrease) in cash and restricted cash

     441       56,644       1,665       (7,586     (14,336

Cash and restricted cash at the beginning of the year

     5,112       5,553       62,197       62,197       63,862  

Cash and restricted cash at the end of the year

     5,553       62,197       63,862       54,611       49,526  

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement our consolidated financial statements, which are prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP, we use Adjusted EBITDA, which is net income excluding interest, income taxes and depreciation, further adjusted to exclude share-based compensation expenses, a non-GAAP financial measure, to understand and evaluate our core operating performance. Non-GAAP financial measure, which may differ from similarly titled measures used by other companies, are presented to enhance investors’ overall understanding of our financial performance and should not be considered a substitute for, or superior to, the financial information prepared and presented in accordance with U.S. GAAP. The table below sets forth a reconciliation of Adjusted EBITDA from net income for the periods indicated:

 

     For the Year Ended
December 31,
    For the Three
Months Ended
March 31,
 
     2019     2020
Restated*
    2021     2021
Restated*
    2022  
     ($ in thousands)  

Net income

     2,857       37,455       29,257       7,983       4,739  

Add: Income tax expense

     1,945       7,820       8,468       1,950       1,607  

Add: Interest expense

     —         46       309       65       164  

Less: Interest income

     (2     (58     (537     (98     (92

Add: Depreciation and amortization

     128       227       775       128       311  

Add: Share-based compensation expense

     —         —         9,681       —         199  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

Adjusted EBITDA

     4,928       45,490       47,953       10,028       6,928  
  

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

   

 

 

 

 

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*

See “Prospectus Summary—Conventions that Apply to this Prospectus,” Note 2(c) of our audited consolidated financial statements and Note 1(b) of our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements included elsewhere in this prospectus.

Key Financial and Operating Metrics

The following table sets forth certain key financial and operating metrics for the periods presented:

 

     For the Year Ended December 31,      For the 12 Months
Ended March 31,
 
GigaCloud Marketplace:    2019      2020      2021      2021      2022  

GigaCloud Marketplace GMV (in $ thousands)

   $ 35,468      $ 190,480        414,192      $ 259,050      $ 438,126  

Active 3P sellers

     71        210        382        236        410  

Active buyers

     441        1,689        3,566        2,138        3,782  

Spend per active buyer (in $)

   $ 80,427      $ 112,777        116,150      $ 121,165      $ 115,845  

For additional information about our key financial and operating metrics, see “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations—Key Financial and Operating Metrics.”

 

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MANAGEMENT’S DISCUSSION AND ANALYSIS OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS

Overview

We are a pioneer of global end-to-end B2B ecommerce solutions for large parcel merchandise. We generate revenues through three revenue streams:

 

   

GigaCloud 3P: generates service revenues by facilitating transactions between sellers and buyers in our GigaCloud Marketplace.

 

   

GigaCloud 1P: generates product revenues through the sale of our inventory in our GigaCloud Marketplace.

 

   

Off-platform ecommerce: generates product revenues through the sale of our inventory to and through third-party ecommerce websites.

GigaCloud 3P and GigaCloud 1P together make up our GigaCloud Marketplace, generating service revenues and product revenues, respectively. GigaCloud 1P and off-platform ecommerce make up our total 1P, or product revenues. These three revenue streams complement each other to improve our value proposition to sellers and buyers in our GigaCloud Marketplace.

The following graphic shows the revenues and GMV contribution from these three revenue streams in 2020 and 2021 and the three months ended March 31, 2021 and 2022:

 

 

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