We have a limited operating history upon which you can evaluate our performance, and accordingly, our prospects must be considered in light of the risks that any new company encounters.
We were incorporated under the laws of Delaware on August 21, 2020. Accordingly, we have a limited history upon which an evaluation of our prospects and future performance can be made. Our proposed operations are subject to all business risks associated with a new enterprise. The likelihood of our creation of a viable business must be considered in light of the problems, expenses, difficulties, complications, and delays frequently encountered in connection with the inception of a business, operation in a competitive industry, and the continued development of advertising, promotions, and a corresponding client base. We anticipate that our operating expenses will increase for the near future. There can be no assurances that we will ever operate profitably. You should consider the Company’s business, operations and prospects in light of the risks, expenses and challenges faced as an early-stage company.
We may face potential difficulties in obtaining capital.
We may have difficulty raising needed capital in the future as a result of, among other factors, the inherent business risks associated with our company and present and future market conditions. Future sources of revenue may not be sufficient to meet our future capital requirements. We may require additional funds to execute our business strategy and conduct our operations. If adequate funds are unavailable, we may be required to delay, reduce the scope of or eliminate one or more of our development, product launches or marketing efforts, any of which may materially harm our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In order for the Company to compete and grow, it must attract, recruit, retain and develop the necessary personnel who have the needed experience.
Recruiting and retaining highly qualified personnel is critical to our success. These demands may require us to hire additional personnel and will require our existing management personnel to develop additional expertise. We face intense competition for personnel. The failure to attract and retain personnel or to develop such expertise could delay or halt the development and commercialization of our product features. If we experience difficulties in hiring and retaining personnel in key positions, we could suffer from delays in product development, loss of customers and sales and diversion of management resources, which could adversely affect operating results. Our consultants and advisors may be employed by third parties and may have commitments under consulting or advisory contracts with third parties that may limit their availability to us.
The development and commercialization of our products and services is highly competitive.
We face competition with respect to any products and services that we may seek to develop or commercialize in the future. Our competitors include major companies worldwide. Many of our competitors have significantly greater financial, technical and human resources than we have and superior expertise in research and development and marketing approved products and services and thus may be better equipped than us to develop and commercialize our products and services. These competitors also compete with us in recruiting and retaining qualified personnel and acquiring technologies. Smaller or early-stage companies may also prove to be significant competitors, particularly through collaborative arrangements with large and established companies. Accordingly, our competitors may commercialize products more rapidly or effectively than we are able to, which would adversely affect our competitive position, the likelihood that our products and services will achieve initial market acceptance or become obsolete and our ability to generate meaningful additional revenues from our products and services.
We may face competition from other companies that offer smart card technology, other innovative payment technologies and payment processing, which could result in loss of our existing business and adversely impact our ability to successfully market additional products and services.
Our primary competitors in the payment processing market include established banks, other neobanks, as well as financial institutions, independent sales organizations, and potentially card networks. Many of our competitors are companies who are larger than we are and have greater financial and operational resources than we have. These factors may allow them to offer better pricing terms or incentives to customers, which could result in a loss of our potential or current customers or could force us to lower our prices as well. Either of these actions could have a significant effect on our revenues and earnings.
In addition to competition that our system faces from the use of cash, checks, credit and debit cards, existing payment systems and the providers of financial services and low cost bank accounts, there are a number of other products that use smart card technology in connection with a funds transfer system. During the past several years, smart card technology has become increasingly prevalent. Also, governments and financial institutions are, to an increasing extent, implementing general-purpose reloadable prepaid cards as a low-cost alternative to provide financial services to the unbanked population. Moreover, while we see the acceptance over time of using a mobile phone to facilitate financial services as an opportunity, there is a risk that other companies will be able to introduce such services to the marketplace successfully and that customers may prefer those services to ours, based on technology, price or other factors.
We rely on other companies to provide items and services for our products.
We depend on these suppliers and subcontractors to meet our contractual obligations to our customers and conduct our development and operations. Our ability to meet our obligations to our customers may be adversely affected if suppliers or subcontractors do not provide the agreed-upon supplies or perform the agreed-upon services in a timely and cost-effective manner. Likewise, the quality of our products may be adversely impacted if companies from whom we acquire such items, do not provide items which meet required specifications and perform to our and our customers’ expectations. Our suppliers may be less likely than us to be able to quickly recover from natural disasters and other events beyond their control and may be subject to additional risks such as financial problems that limit their ability to conduct their operations. The risk of these adverse effects may be greater in circumstances where we rely on only one or two subcontractors or suppliers for a particular item or service.
We depend on third-party service providers and outsource providers for a variety of services and we outsource a number of our non-core functions and operations.
In certain instances, we rely on single or limited-service providers and outsourcing vendors because the relationship is advantageous due to quality, price, or lack of alternative sources. If production or service was interrupted and we were not able to find alternate third-party providers, we could experience disruptions in operations including product disruptions and re-engineering costs. If outsourcing services are interrupted or not performed or the performance is poor, this could impact our ability to process, record and report transactions with our customers and other constituents. Such interruptions in the provision of supplies and/or services could result in our inability to meet customer demand, damage our reputation and customer relationships and adversely affect our business.
We depend on third party providers, suppliers and licensors to supply some of the hardware, software and operational support necessary to develop and provide some of our services.
We obtain these materials from a limited number of vendors, some of which do not have a long operating history, or which may not be able to continue to supply the services we desire. Some of our software and operational support vendors represent our sole source of supply or have, either through contract or as a result of intellectual property rights, a position of some exclusivity. If demand exceeds these vendors’ capacity or if these vendors experience operating or financial difficulties or are otherwise unable to provide the services we need in a timely manner, at our specifications and at reasonable prices, our ability to provide some services might be materially adversely affected, or the need to procure or develop alternative sources of the affected materials or services might delay our ability to serve our customers. These events could materially and adversely affect our ability to retain and attract customers, and have a material negative impact on our operations, business, financial results and financial condition.
If our payment processors and disbursement partners experience an interruption in service, our business and revenue would be harmed.
Our banking partners, payment processors, and disbursement partners have experienced service outages or an inability to connect with our processing systems and this may reoccur in the future. We do not directly access the ACH system or payment card networks such as Visa and MasterCard, which systems enable our banking partners acceptance of bank account-funded transactions, credit cards and debit cards. As a result, we rely on banks and other payment processors and disbursement partners to process transactions. In the event of service outages in the payment card or ACH networks, or if our payment processors or disbursement partners were unable to access the payment card or ACH networks, our and our banking partners business would be harmed.
As a distributor of digital banking services, our business depends on developing and maintaining close and productive relationships with our vendors.
We depend on our vendors to provide us quality services at favorable prices. Many factors outside our control, including, without limitation, raw material shortages, inadequate capacity, labor disputes, transportation disruptions or weather conditions, could adversely affect our vendors’ ability to deliver to us quality services at favorable prices in a timely manner. Furthermore, financial or operational difficulties with a particular vendor could cause that vendor to increase the cost of the services or decrease the quality of the services we purchase from it. Vendor consolidation could also limit the number of suppliers from which we may purchase services and could materially affect the prices we pay for these services.
Quality management plays an essential role in determining and meeting customer requirements, preventing defects, improving the Company’s products and services and maintaining the integrity of the data that supports the safety and efficacy of our products.
Our future success depends on our ability to maintain and continuously improve our quality management program. An inability to address a quality or safety issue in an effective and timely manner may also cause negative publicity, a loss of customer confidence in us or our current or future products, which may result in the loss of sales and difficulty in successfully launching new products. In addition, a successful claim brought against us in excess of available insurance or not covered by indemnification agreements, or any claim that results in significant adverse publicity against us, could have an adverse effect on our business and our reputation.
Technical or software defects, unanticipated use of our products and services, or inadequate disclosure of risks relating to the use of the products and services can lead to injury or other adverse events.
These events could lead to disruptions or suspension of our products and services (either voluntary or required by governmental authorities) and could result, in certain cases, in the removal of a product or service from the market. Any disruption or suspension could result in significant costs as well as negative publicity that could reduce demand for our products and services. In some circumstances, such adverse events could also cause delays in new product and service approvals. Similarly, negligence in performing our services can lead to injury or other adverse events.
We plan to implement new lines of business or offer new products and services within existing lines of business.
There are substantial risks and uncertainties associated with these efforts, particularly in instances where the markets are not fully developed. In developing and marketing new lines of business and/or new products and services, we may invest significant time and resources. Initial timetables for the introduction and development of new lines of business and/or new products or services may not be achieved, and price and profitability targets may not prove feasible. We may not be successful in introducing new products and services in response to industry trends or developments in technology, or those new products may not achieve market acceptance. As a result, we could lose business, be forced to price products and services on less advantageous terms to retain or attract customers or be subject to cost increases. As a result, our business, financial condition or results of operations may be adversely affected.
The Company could be negatively impacted if found to have infringed on intellectual property rights.
FinTech companies, including many of the Company’s competitors, frequently enter into litigation based on allegations of patent infringement or other violations of intellectual property rights. In addition, patent holding companies seek to monetize patents they have purchased or otherwise obtained. As the Company grows, the intellectual property rights claims against it will likely increase. The Company intends to vigorously defend infringement actions in court and before the U.S. International Trade Commission. The plaintiffs in these actions frequently seek injunctions and substantial damages. Regardless of the scope or validity of such patents or other intellectual property rights, or the merits of any claims by potential or actual litigants, the Company may have to engage in protracted litigation. If the Company is found to infringe one or more patents or other intellectual property rights, regardless of whether it can develop non-infringing technology, it may be required to pay substantial damages or royalties to a third-party, or it may be subject to a temporary or permanent injunction prohibiting the Company from marketing or selling certain products. In certain cases, the Company may consider the desirability of entering into licensing agreements, although no assurance can be given that such licenses can be obtained on acceptable terms or that litigation will not occur. These licenses may also significantly increase the Company’s operating expenses.
Regardless of the merit of particular claims, litigation may be expensive, time-consuming, disruptive to the Company’s operations and distracting to management. In recognition of these considerations, the Company may enter into arrangements to settle litigation. If one or more legal matters were resolved against the Company’s consolidated financial statements for that reporting period could be materially adversely affected. Further, such an outcome could result in significant compensatory, punitive or trebled monetary damages, disgorgement of revenue or profits, remedial corporate measures or injunctive relief against the Company that could adversely affect its financial condition and results of operations.
We rely heavily on our technology and intellectual property, but we may be unable to adequately or cost-effectively protect or enforce our intellectual property rights, thereby weakening our competitive position and increasing operating costs.
To protect our rights in our services and technology, we rely on a combination of copyright and trademark laws, patents, trade secrets, confidentiality agreements with employees and third parties, and protective contractual provisions. We also rely on laws pertaining to trademarks and domain names to protect the value of our corporate brands and reputation. Despite our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, unauthorized parties may copy aspects of our services or technology, obtain and use information, marks, or technology that we regard as proprietary, or otherwise violate or infringe our intellectual property rights. In addition, it is possible that others could independently develop substantially equivalent intellectual property. If we do not effectively protect our intellectual property, or if others independently develop substantially equivalent intellectual property, our competitive position could be weakened.
Effectively policing the unauthorized use of our services and technology is time-consuming and costly, and the steps taken by us may not prevent misappropriation of our technology or other proprietary assets. The efforts we have taken to protect our proprietary rights may not be sufficient or effective, and unauthorized parties may copy aspects of our services, use similar marks or domain names, or obtain and use information, marks, or technology that we regard as proprietary. We may have to litigate to enforce our intellectual property rights, to protect our trade secrets, or to determine the validity and scope of others’ proprietary rights, which are sometimes not clear or may change. Litigation can be time consuming and expensive, and the outcome can be difficult to predict.
A failure in or breach of our operational or security systems, or those of our third-party service providers, including as a result of cyber-attacks, could disrupt our business, result in unintentional disclosure or misuse of confidential or proprietary information, damage our reputation, increase our costs and cause losses.
As a fintech organization, our operations rely heavily on the secure data processing, storage and transmission of confidential and other information on our computer systems and networks. Cloud technologies, including third-party cloud infrastructure, are also critical to the operation of our systems, and our reliance on cloud technologies is growing. Any failure, interruption or breach in security or operational integrity of these systems could result in failures or disruptions in our online banking system, customer relationship management, general ledger, deposit and loan servicing and other systems. The security and integrity of our systems and the technology we use, including services and solutions provided by third-party vendors, could be threatened by a variety of interruptions or information security breaches, including those caused by computer hacking, cyber-attacks, electronic fraudulent activity or attempted theft of financial assets. The increased use of mobile and cloud technologies, as well as the increase in remote work due to the COVID-19 pandemic, can heighten these and other operational risks. We may fail to promptly identify or adequately address any such failures, interruptions or security breaches if they do occur. While we have certain protective policies and procedures in place, the nature and sophistication of the threats continue to evolve. We may be required to expend significant additional resources in the future to modify and enhance our protective measures.
The nature of our business may make it an attractive target and potentially vulnerable to cyber-attacks, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions. The technology-based platform we use processes sensitive data from our borrowers, depositors, and other customers. While we have taken steps to protect confidential information that we have access to, our security measures and the security measures employed by the owners of the technology in the platform that we use could be breached. Any accidental or willful security breaches or other unauthorized access to our systems could cause confidential customer, borrower, employee, vendor, partner or investor information to be stolen and used for criminal purposes. Security breaches or unauthorized access to confidential information could also expose us to liability related to the loss of the information, time-consuming and expensive litigation, and negative publicity. If security measures are breached because of third-party action, employee error, malfeasance or otherwise, or if design flaws in the technology-based platform that we use are exposed and exploited, our relationships with customers, borrowers, employees, vendors, partners and investors could be severely damaged, and we could incur significant liability.
Because techniques used to sabotage or obtain unauthorized access to systems change frequently and generally are not recognized until they are launched against a target, we and our collaborators may be unable to anticipate these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. In addition, federal regulators and many federal and state laws and regulations require companies to notify individuals of data security breaches involving their personal data. These mandatory disclosures regarding a security breach are costly to implement and often lead to widespread negative publicity, which may cause customers, borrowers, employees, vendors, partners or investors to lose confidence in the effectiveness of our data security measures. Any security breach, whether actual or perceived, would harm our reputation, we could lose customers, borrowers, employees, vendors, partners, or investors, and our business and operations could be adversely affected.
Additionally, we face the risk of operational disruption, failure, termination, or capacity constraints of any of the third parties that facilitate our business activities, including exchanges, clearing agents, clearing houses or other financial intermediaries. Such parties could also be the source of an attack on, or breach of, our operational systems. Any failures, interruptions or security breaches in our information systems could damage our reputation, result in a loss of customer business, result in a violation of privacy or other laws, or expose us to civil litigation, regulatory fines or losses not covered by insurance.
Our business is dependent on the successful and uninterrupted functioning of our information technology and telecommunications systems and third-party providers. The failure of these systems, or the termination of a third-party software license or service agreement on which any of these systems is based, could interrupt our operations. Because our information technology and telecommunications systems interface with and depend on third-party systems, we could experience service denials if demand for such services exceeds capacity or such third-party systems fail or experience interruptions. If significant, sustained, or repeated, a system failure or service denial could compromise our ability to operate effectively, damage our reputation, result in a loss of customer business, and/or subject us to additional regulatory scrutiny and possible financial liability, any of which could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as the value of our common stock.
An intentional or unintentional disruption, failure, misappropriation or corruption of our network and information systems could severely affect our business.
Such an event might be caused by computer hacking, computer viruses, worms and other destructive or disruptive software, "cyber attacks" and other malicious activity, as well as natural disasters, power outages, terrorist attacks and similar events. Such events could have an adverse impact on us and our customers, including degradation of service, service disruption and excessive call volume to call centers. In addition, our future results could be adversely affected due to the theft, destruction, loss, misappropriation or release of confidential customer data or intellectual property. Operational or business delays may result from the disruption of network or information systems and the subsequent remediation activities. Moreover, these events may create negative publicity resulting in reputation or brand damage with customers.
The Company’s success depends on the experience and skill of the board of directors, its executive officers and key employees.
The Company is dependent on its directors, officers, key employees and contractors. The Company has or intends to enter into employment agreements with officers and certain contractors although there can be no assurance that it will do so or that they will continue to be employed by the Company for a particular period of time. The loss of the Company’s directors, officers, key employees and contractors could harm the Company’s business, financial condition, cash flow and results of operations.
The amount of capital the Company is attempting to raise in this Offering will not be enough to sustain the Company’s current business plan.
In order to achieve the Company’s near and long-term goals, the Company will need to procure funds in addition to the amount raised in the Offering. There is no guarantee the Company will be able to raise such funds on acceptable terms or at all. If we are not able to raise sufficient capital in the future, we will not be able to execute our business plan, our continued operations will be in jeopardy and we may be forced to cease operations and sell or otherwise transfer all or substantially all of our remaining assets, which could cause an Investor to lose all or a portion of his or her investment.
Although dependent on certain key personnel, the Company does not have any key man life insurance policies on any such people.
The Company is dependent on its directors, officers, key employees and contractors in order to conduct its operations and execute its business plan, however, the Company has not purchased any insurance policies with respect to those individuals in the event of their death or disability. Therefore, if any of the Company’s directors, officers, key employees and contractors die or become disabled, the Company will not receive any compensation to assist with such person’s absence. The loss of such person could negatively affect the Company and its operations.
We have not prepared any audited financial statements.
Therefore, you have no audited financial information regarding the Company’s capitalization or assets or liabilities on which to make your investment decision. If you feel the information provided is insufficient, you should not invest in the Company.
We are subject to income taxes as well as non-income-based taxes, such as payroll, sales, use, value-added, net worth, property and goods and services taxes, in both the U.S. and various foreign jurisdictions.
Significant judgment is required in determining our provision for income taxes and other tax liabilities. In the ordinary course of our business, there are many transactions and calculations where the ultimate tax determination is uncertain. Although we believe that our tax estimates are reasonable: (i) there is no assurance that the final determination of future tax audits or tax disputes will not be different from what is reflected in our income tax provisions, expense amounts for non-income-based taxes and accruals and (ii) any material differences could have an adverse effect on our financial position and results of operations in the period or periods for which determination is made.
The Company has indicated that it has engaged in certain transactions with related persons.
Please see the section of this Memorandum entitled "Transactions with Related Persons and Conflicts of Interest" for further details.
Changes in employment laws or regulation could harm our performance.
Various federal and state labor laws govern our relationship with our employees and affect operating costs. These laws include minimum wage requirements, overtime pay, healthcare reform and the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, unemployment tax rates, workers’ compensation rates, citizenship requirements, union membership and sales taxes. A number of factors could adversely affect our operating results, including additional government-imposed increases in minimum wages, overtime pay, paid leaves of absence and mandated health benefits, mandated training for employees, changing regulations from the National Labor Relations Board and increased employee litigation including claims relating to the Fair Labor Standards Act.
We face risks related to health epidemics and other outbreaks, which could significantly disrupt the Company’s operations and could have a material adverse impact on us.
The outbreak of pandemics and epidemics could materially and adversely affect the Company’s business, financial condition, and results of operations. If a pandemic occurs in areas in which we have material operations or sales, the Company’s business activities originating from affected areas, including sales, items, services and supply chain related activities, could be adversely affected. Disruptive activities could include the temporary closure of facilities used in the Company’s supply chain processes, business closures in impacted areas, and restrictions on the Company’s employees’ or consultants’ ability to travel and to meet with customers, vendors or other business relationships. The extent to which a pandemic or other health outbreak impacts the Company’s results will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of a virus and the actions to contain it or treat its impact, among others. Pandemics can also result in social, economic, and labor instability which may adversely impact the Company’s business.
If the Company’s employees or employees of any of the Company’s vendors, suppliers or customers become ill or are quarantined and in either or both events are therefore unable to work, the Company’s operations could be subject to disruption. The extent to which a pandemic affects the Company’s results will depend on future developments that are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted.
The banking, payment, and lending industry is highly regulated and changes in regulations or in the way regulations are applied to our business could adversely affect our business.
The regulatory environment in which lending institutions operate has become increasingly complex, and following the financial crisis of 2008, supervisory efforts to enact and apply relevant laws, regulations and policies have become more intense. Changes in laws or regulations or the regulatory application or judicial interpretation of the laws and regulations applicable to us could adversely affect our ability to operate in the manner in which we currently conduct business through our lending partners or make it more difficult or costly for our lending partners to originate or otherwise make additional loans, or for our lending partners to collect payments on loans by subjecting our lending partners to additional licensing, registration and other regulatory requirements in the future or otherwise. For example, if loans were determined for any reason not to be commercial loans, through our lending partners would be subject to many additional requirements, and our fees could be challenged by regulators or our customers. A material failure to comply with any such laws or regulations could result in regulatory actions, lawsuits and damage to our or our lending partners reputation which could have a material adverse effect on our or our lending partners business and financial condition.
Our banking partners are subject to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act.
The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, or the Dodd-Frank Act, was signed into law on July 21, 2010. The Dodd-Frank Act significantly changed federal financial services regulation and affects, among other things, the lending, deposit, investment, trading, and operating activities of financial institutions. The Dodd-Frank Act requires extensive rulemaking by various regulatory agencies. The Dodd-Frank Act rulemaking process is ongoing and any changes resulting from such process, as well as any other changes in the laws or regulations applicable to us more generally, may negatively impact the profitability of our business activities, require us to change certain of our business practices, materially affect our business model, limit the activities in which we may engage or affect retention of key personnel, Any such changes may also require us to invest significant management attention and resources to make any necessary changes and may adversely affect our ability to conduct our business as previously conducted or our results of operations or financial condition. As such, we cannot predict and may not be able to anticipate all the effects of the Dodd-Frank Act on our financial condition or operations.
We could be subject to losses, regulatory action or reputational harm due to fraudulent and negligent acts on the part of loan applicants, our borrowers, our employees and vendors.
In deciding whether to extend credit or enter into other transactions with customers and counterparties, we may rely on information furnished by or on behalf of customers and other third parties, including financial statements, property appraisals, title information, employment and income documentation, account information and other financial information which may include information furnished by sellers to our borrowers in connection with business acquisitions that we finance. We may also rely on representations of clients and other third parties as to the accuracy and completeness of such information and, with respect to financial statements, on reports of independent auditors. Any such misrepresentation or incorrect or incomplete information may not be detected prior to funding a loan or during our ongoing monitoring of outstanding loans. In addition, one or more of our employees or vendors could cause a significant operational breakdown or failure, either as a result of human error or where an individual purposefully sabotages or fraudulently manipulates our loan documentation, operations or systems. Any of these developments could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
The use of individually identifiable data by our business, our business associates and third parties is regulated at the state, federal and international levels.
Costs associated with information security – such as investment in technology, the costs of compliance with consumer protection laws and costs resulting from consumer fraud – could cause our business and results of operations to suffer materially. Additionally, the success of our online operations depends upon the secure transmission of confidential information over public networks, including the use of cashless payments. The intentional or negligent actions of employees, business associates or third parties may undermine our security measures. As a result, unauthorized parties may obtain access to our data systems and misappropriate confidential data. There can be no assurance that advances in computer capabilities, new discoveries in the field of cryptography or other developments will prevent the compromise of our customer transaction processing capabilities and personal data. If any such compromise of our security or the security of information residing with our business associates or third parties were to occur, it could have a material adverse effect on our reputation, operating results and financial condition. Any compromise of our data security may materially increase the costs we incur to protect against such breaches and could subject us to additional legal risk.
Through our operations, we collect and store certain personal information that our customers provide to purchase products or services, enroll in promotional programs, register on our web site, or otherwise communicate and interact with us.
We may share information about such persons with vendors that assist with certain aspects of our business. Security could be compromised, and confidential customer or business information misappropriated. Loss of customer or business information could disrupt our operations, damage our reputation, and expose us to claims from customers, financial institutions, payment card associations and other persons, any of which could have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, compliance with tougher privacy and information security laws and standards may result in significant expense due to increased investment in technology and the development of new operational processes.
The collection, processing, storage, use and disclosure of personal data could give rise to liabilities as a result of governmental regulation, conflicting legal requirements or differing views of personal privacy rights.
We receive, collect, process, transmit, store and use a large volume of personally identifiable information and other sensitive data from customers and potential customers. There are federal, state and foreign laws regarding privacy, recording telephone calls and the storing, sharing, use, disclosure and protection of personally identifiable information and sensitive data. Specifically, personally identifiable information is increasingly subject to legislation and regulations to protect the privacy of personal information that is collected, processed and transmitted. Any violations of these laws and regulations may require us to change our business practices or operational structure, address legal claims and sustain monetary penalties and/or other harms to our business.
The regulatory framework for privacy issues in the United States and internationally is constantly evolving and is likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. The interpretation and application of such laws is often uncertain, and such laws may be interpreted and applied in a manner inconsistent with our current policies and practices or require changes to the features of our platform. If either we or our third-party service providers are unable to address any privacy concerns, even if unfounded, or to comply with applicable laws and regulations, it could result in additional costs and liability, damage our reputation and harm our business.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau or CFPB is a new agency, and there continues to be uncertainty as to how the agency’s actions or the actions of any other new agency could impact our business or that of our issuing banks.
The CFPB, which commenced operations in July 2011, has broad authority over the businesses in which we engage. This includes authority to write regulations under federal consumer financial protection laws, such as the Truth in Lending Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, and to enforce those laws against and examine large financial institutions such as our banking partners, for compliance. The CFPB is authorized to prevent "unfair, deceptive or abusive acts or practices" through its regulatory, supervisory and enforcement authority. To assist in its enforcement, the CFPB maintains an online complaint system that allows consumers to log complaints with respect to various consumer finance products, including the loan products we facilitate. This system could inform future CFPB decisions with respect to its regulatory, enforcement or examination focus.
We and our banking partners are subject to the CFPB’s jurisdiction, including its enforcement authority, as a provider of financial services. The CFPB may request reports concerning our or our banking partners organization, business conduct, markets and activities. The CFPB may also conduct on-site examinations of our or our banking partners business on a periodic basis if the CFPB were to determine, through its complaint system, that we or our banking partners were engaging in activities that pose risks to consumers.
There continues to be uncertainty as to how the CFPB’s strategies and priorities, including in both its examination and enforcement processes, will impact our or our banking partners businesses and our results of operations going forward. Our and our banking partners compliance costs and litigation exposure could increase materially if the CFPB or other regulators enact new regulations, change regulations that were previously adopted, modify, through supervision or enforcement, past regulatory guidance, or interpret existing regulations in a manner different or stricter than have been previously interpreted.
Deterioration in the commercial soundness of our banking partner institutions could adversely affect us.
Our ability to engage in routine transactions could be adversely affected by the actions and commercial soundness of other financial institutions with which we partner. Financial services institutions are interrelated as a result of trading, clearing, counterparty, or other relationships, and we routinely execute transactions with counterparties in the financial industry. As a result, defaults by, or even rumors or questions about, one or more financial services institutions, or the financial services industry generally, could create another market-wide liquidity crisis similar to that experienced in late 2008 and early 2009 and could lead to losses or defaults by us or by other institutions. The deterioration or failure of our counterparties would have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
SBA lending and other government guaranteed lending is an important part of our business. These lending programs are dependent upon the federal government, and we face specific risks associated with originating SBA and other government guaranteed loans.
Our SBA lending referral programs are dependent upon the federal government. As a broker for SBA loans, we enable our clients to obtain SBA loans through SBA lenders with which we partner. The SBA periodically reviews the lending operations of participating lenders to assess, among other things, whether the lender exhibits prudent risk management. When weaknesses are identified, the SBA may request corrective actions or impose enforcement actions, including revocation of a lender’s status. Any changes to the SBA program, or the ability of our partners to underwrite SBA loans, including changes to the level of guarantee provided by the federal government on SBA loans, may also have a material adverse effect on our business. Because government regulation greatly affects the business and financial results of our organization, changes in the laws, regulations, and procedures applicable to SBA loans could adversely affect our ability to operate profitably.
Negative public opinion could damage our reputation and adversely affect our business.
Reputation risk, or the risk to our business from negative public opinion, is inherent in our business. Negative public opinion can result from our actual or alleged conduct in any number of activities, including providing financial services, corporate governance, and actions taken by government regulators and community organizations in response to those activities. Negative public opinion can also result from media coverage, whether accurate or not. Negative public opinion can adversely affect our ability to attract and retain customers and employees and can expose us to litigation and regulatory action.
Our business and operating results may be impacted by adverse economic conditions.
General economic factors and conditions in the United States or worldwide, including the general interest rate environment, unemployment rates and residential home values, may affect borrower willingness to seek loans and other financial services. Should any of these situations occur, our loan referral fees and other revenue would decline, and our business would be negatively impacted.
Our regulatory compliance programs and other enterprise risk management efforts cannot eliminate all fraud and systemic risk.
We have started and will continue to develop our enterprise risk management program, including substantially expanded regulatory compliance and fraud policies and procedures. The goal of enterprise risk management is not to eliminate all risk, but rather to identify, assess and rank risk. The goal of regulatory compliance policies is to have formal written procedures in place that are intended to reduce the risk of inadvertent regulatory violations. The goal of fraud policies is to have formal written procedures in place that are intended to reduce fraud and continuously monitor for new fraud activities. Nonetheless, our efforts to identify, monitor and manage risks may not be fully effective. Many of our methods of managing risk and exposures depend upon the implementation of federal and state regulations and other policies or procedures affecting our customers or employees. Management of operational, fraud, legal and regulatory risks require, among other things, policies and procedures that may not be fully effective in managing these risks.
While many of the risks that we monitor and manage are described in the Risk Factors section of this Memorandum, our business operations could also be affected by additional factors that are not presently described in this section or known to us or that we currently consider immaterial to our operations.
Risks Related to Our Regulatory Environment
We are subject to extensive regulation that could limit or restrict our activities.
We operate in a highly regulated industry and are subject to examination, supervision, and comprehensive regulation by various federal and state regulatory agencies. Our compliance with these regulations is costly and potentially restricts certain of our activities. Should we fail to comply with these regulatory requirements, federal and state regulators could impose additional restrictions on the activities of the Company, which could materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. Further, financial institutions with which we partner and rely upon for certain of our services could be materially and adversely affected, which could affect whether we can provide the services which we obtain from them.
The laws and regulations applicable to the banking, financial, and fintech industry have changed in recent years and may continue to change, and we cannot predict the effects of these changes on our business and profitability.
Our financial condition and results of operations are affected by credit policies of monetary authorities, particularly the Federal Reserve. Actions by monetary and fiscal authorities, including the Federal Reserve, could have an adverse effect on our deposit levels, loan demand, or business and earnings, as well as the value of our common stock.
Our deposit operations are subject to extensive regulation, and we expect additional regulatory requirements to be implemented in the future.
We are subject to significant anti-money laundering, “know your customer” and other regulations under applicable law, including the Bank Secrecy Act and the USA PATRIOT Act, and we could become subject in the future to additional regulatory requirements beyond those that are currently adopted, proposed or contemplated. We expect that federal and state bank regulators will increase their oversight, inspection and investigatory role over deposit operations and the financial services industry generally. Furthermore, we intend to increase our deposit product offerings and grow our customer deposit portfolio in the future and, as a result, we are, and will continue to be, subject to heightened compliance and operating costs that could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition. In addition, legal and regulatory proceedings and other contingencies will arise from time to time that may have an adverse effect on our business practices and results of operations.
We are not subject to Sarbanes-Oxley regulations and lack the financial controls and safeguards required of public companies.
We do not have the internal infrastructure necessary, and are not required, to complete an attestation about our financial controls that would be required under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. There can be no assurance that there are no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses in the quality of our financial controls. We expect to incur additional expenses and diversion of management’s time if and when it becomes necessary to perform the system and process evaluation, testing and remediation required in order to comply with the management certification and auditor attestation requirements.
We operate in a highly regulated environment, and if we are found to be in violation of any of the federal, state, or local laws or regulations applicable to us, our business could suffer.
We are also subject to a wide range of federal, state, and local laws and regulations, such as local licensing requirements, and retail financing, debt collection, consumer protection, environmental, health and safety, creditor, wage-hour, anti-discrimination, whistleblower and other employment practices laws and regulations and we expect these costs to increase going forward. The violation of these or future requirements or laws and regulations could result in administrative, civil, or criminal sanctions against us, which may include fines, a cease-and-desist order against the subject operations or even revocation or suspension of our license to operate the subject business. As a result, we have incurred and will continue to incur capital and operating expenditures and other costs to comply with these requirements and laws and regulations.
The Shares of Class C Common Stock will not be freely tradable until one year from the initial purchase date. Although the Shares of Class C Common Stock may be tradable under federal securities law, state securities regulations may apply and each Purchaser should consult with his or her attorney.
You should be aware of the long-term nature of this investment. There is not now and likely will not be a public market for the Shares of Class C Common Stock. Because the Shares of Class C Common Stock have not been registered under the Securities Act or under the securities laws of any state or non-United States jurisdiction, the Shares of Class C Common Stock have transfer restrictions and cannot be resold in the United States except pursuant to Rule 501 of Regulation CF. It is not currently contemplated that registration under the Securities Act or other securities laws will be affected. Limitations on the transfer of the Shares of Class C Common Stock may also adversely affect the price that you might be able to obtain for the Shares of Class C Common Stock in a private sale. Purchasers should be aware of the long-term nature of their investment in the Company. Each Purchaser in this Offering will be required to represent that it is purchasing the Securities for its own account, for investment purposes and not with a view to resale or distribution thereof.
Neither the Offering nor the Securities have been registered under federal or state securities laws, leading to an absence of certain regulation applicable to the Company.
No governmental agency has reviewed or passed upon this Offering, the Company or any Securities of the Company. The Company also has relied on exemptions from securities registration requirements under applicable state securities laws. Investors in the Company,
therefore, will not receive any of the benefits that such registration would otherwise provide. Prospective investors must therefore assess the adequacy of disclosure and the fairness of the terms of this Offering on their own or in conjunction with their personal advisors.
No Guarantee of Return on Investment
There is no assurance that a Purchaser will realize a return on its investment or that it will not lose its entire investment. For this reason, each Purchaser should read the Form C and all Exhibits carefully and should consult with its own attorney and business advisor prior to making any investment decision.
A majority of the Company is owned by a small number of owners.
Prior to the Offering one shareholder directly or beneficially owns and controls 70.5% of the Company, exclusively in shares of Class A Common Stock. Subject to any fiduciary duties owed to our other owners or investors under Delaware law, these owners may be able to exercise significant influence over matters requiring owner approval, including the election of directors or managers and approval of significant Company transactions, and will have significant control over the Company’s management and policies. Some of these persons may have interests that are different from yours. For example, these owners may support proposals and actions with which you may disagree. The concentration of ownership could delay or prevent a change in control of the Company or otherwise discourage a potential acquirer from attempting to obtain control of the Company, which in turn could reduce the price potential investors are willing to pay for the Company. In addition, these owners could use their voting influence to maintain the Company’s existing management, delay or prevent changes in control of the Company, or support or reject other management and board proposals that are subject to owner approval.
Affiliates of the Company, including officers, directors and existing stockholders of the Company, may invest in this Offering and their funds will be counted toward the Company achieving the Minimum Amount.
There is no restriction on affiliates of the Company, including its officers, directors and existing shareholders, investing in the Offering. As a result, it is possible that if the Company has raised some funds, but not reached the Minimum Amount, affiliates can contribute the balance so that there will be a closing. The Minimum Amount is typically intended to be a protection for investors and gives investors confidence that other investors, along with them, are sufficiently interested in the Offering and the Company and its prospects to make an investment of at least the Minimum Amount. By permitting affiliates to invest in the offering and make up any shortfall between what non-affiliate investors have invested and the Minimum Amount, this protection is largely eliminated. Investors should be aware that no funds other than their own and those of affiliates investing along with them may be invested in this Offering.
The Company has the right to extend the Offering deadline.
The Company may extend the Offering deadline beyond what is currently stated herein. This means that your investment may continue to be held in escrow while the Company attempts to raise the Minimum Amount even after the Offering deadline stated herein is reached. Your investment will not be accruing interest during this time and will simply be held until such time as the new Offering deadline is reached without the Company receiving the Minimum Amount, at which time it will be returned to you without interest or deduction, or the Company receives the Minimum Amount, at which time it will be released to the Company to be used as set forth herein. Upon or shortly after release of such funds to the Company, the Securities will be issued and distributed to you.
Your ownership of the shares of stock will be subject to dilution.
Owners of do not have preemptive rights. If the Company conducts subsequent Offerings of or Securities convertible into , issues shares pursuant to a compensation or distribution reinvestment plan or otherwise issues additional shares, investors who purchase shares in this Offering who do
not participate in those other stock issuances will experience dilution in their percentage ownership of the Company’s outstanding shares. Furthermore, shareholders may experience a dilution in the value of their shares depending on the terms and pricing of any future share issuances (including the shares being sold in this Offering) and the value of the Company’s assets at the time of issuance.
The Securities will be equity interests in the Company and will not constitute indebtedness.
The Securities will rank junior to all existing and future indebtedness and other non-equity claims on the Company with respect to assets available to satisfy claims on the Company, including in a liquidation of the Company. Additionally, unlike indebtedness, for which principal and interest would customarily be payable on specified due dates, there will be no specified payments of dividends with respect to the Securities and dividends are payable only if, when and as authorized and declared by the Company and depend on, among other matters, the Company’s historical and projected results of operations, liquidity, cash flows, capital levels, financial condition, debt service requirements and other cash needs, financing covenants, applicable state law, federal and state regulatory prohibitions and other restrictions and any other factors the Company’s board of directors deems relevant at the time. In addition, the terms of the Securities will not limit the amount of debt or other obligations the Company may incur in the future. Accordingly, the Company may incur substantial amounts of additional debt and other obligations that will rank senior to the Securities.
There can be no assurance that we will ever provide liquidity to Purchasers through either a sale of the Company or a registration of the Securities.
There can be no assurance that any form of merger, combination, or sale of the Company will take place, or that any merger, combination, or sale would provide liquidity for Purchasers. Furthermore, we may be unable to register the Securities for resale by Purchasers for legal, commercial, regulatory, market-related or other reasons. In the event that we are unable to effect a registration, Purchasers could be unable to sell their Securities unless an exemption from registration is available.
The Company does not anticipate paying any cash dividends for the foreseeable future.
The Company currently intends to retain future earnings, if any, for the foreseeable future, to repay indebtedness and to support its business. The Company does not intend in the foreseeable future to pay any dividends to holders of its shares of Class C Common Stock.
In addition to the risks listed above, businesses are often subject to risks not foreseen or fully appreciated by the management. It is not possible to foresee all risks that may affect us. Moreover, the Company cannot predict whether the Company will successfully effectuate the Company’s current business plan. Each prospective Purchaser is encouraged to carefully analyze the risks and merits of an investment in the Securities and should take into consideration when making such analysis, among other, the Risk Factors discussed above.
THE SECURITIES OFFERED INVOLVE A HIGH DEGREE OF RISK AND MAY RESULT IN THE LOSS OF YOUR ENTIRE INVESTMENT. ANY PERSON CONSIDERING THE PURCHASE OF THESE SECURITIES SHOULD BE AWARE OF THESE AND OTHER FACTORS SET FORTH IN THIS FORM C AND SHOULD CONSULT WITH HIS OR HER LEGAL, TAX AND FINANCIAL ADVISORS PRIOR TO MAKING AN INVESTMENT IN THE SECURITIES. THE SECURITIES SHOULD ONLY BE PURCHASED BY PERSONS WHO CAN AFFORD TO LOSE ALL OF THEIR INVESTMENT.
Paybby’s team is comprised of a dynamic and robust group of professionals across a wide range of industries with a singular mission in mind: to revolutionize banking for the people. The skills and experiences accumulated across the team are uniquely poised to lead the movement to become a disruptor in the Neobanking market.