As Filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 2023

Registration No. 333-                   

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

 

 

 

FORM S-8

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER

THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

 

 

Ebang International Holdings Inc.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

 

 

Cayman Islands   Not Applicable
(State or other jurisdiction of
Incorporation or Organization)
  (I.R.S. Employer
Identification No.)

 

12 Marina view

#20-02B

Asia Square Tower 2

Singapore, 01896

+86 571-8817-6197

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

 

 

 

Ebang International Holdings Inc.
2021 Share Incentive Plan

(Full title of the Plan)

 

 

 

Cogency Global Inc.

122 East 42nd Street, 18th Floor

New York, N.Y. 10168

+1 (800) 221-0102

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

 

 

 

Copies to:

     

Dong Hu
Chairman and CEO
12 Marina view

#20-02B

Asia Square Tower 2

Singapore, 01896

+86 571-8817-6197

 

David E. Danovitch, Esq.

Michael DeDonato, Esq.

Hermione M. Krumm, Esq.

Sullivan & Worcester LLP 

1633 Broadway 

New York, NY 10019

(212) 660-3060

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

PART I

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

 

The information specified in Part I of Form S-8 is omitted from this Registration Statement on Form S-8 (the “Registration Statement”) in accordance with the provisions of Rule 428 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), and the introductory note to Part I of Form S-8. In accordance with the rules and regulations of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and the instructions to Form S-8, such documents are not being filed with the Commission either as part of this Registration Statement or as prospectuses or prospectus supplements pursuant to Rule 424, but will be delivered to the participants in the equity incentive plan covered by this Registration Statement as specified by Rule 428(b)(1) under the Securities Act. Such documents, and the documents incorporated by reference in Item 3 of Part II of this Registration Statement, taken together, constitute a prospectus that meets the requirements of Section 10(a) of the Securities Act.

 

1

 

 

PART II

 

INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

 

ITEM 3. Incorporation of Documents by Reference

 

The following document filed by the Registrant with the Commission is incorporated by reference herein:

 

(1)

The Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the Commission on April 28, 2023; and

 

(2) The description of our Class A ordinary shares contained in (i) our registration statement on Form 8-A, filed with the SEC on June 17, 2020 under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act, including any amendments or reports filed for the purpose of updating such description and (ii) Exhibit 2.5—Description of Securities Registered Pursuant to Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, to our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed with the SEC on April 28, 2023.

 

All documents filed pursuant to Sections 13(a), 13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act after the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment which indicates that all securities offered hereby have been sold or which deregisters all securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference into this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing of such documents. Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference herein shall be deemed to be modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part of this Registration Statement.

 

ITEM 4. Description of Securities

 

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 5. Interests of Named Experts and Counsel

 

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 6. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

 

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent that any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as providing indemnification against fraud or dishonesty.

 

Our second amended and restated articles of association provide that each officer or director of the Company (but not auditors) shall be indemnified out of our assets and profits against all actions, costs, charges, losses, damages and expenses incurred or sustained by such director or officer, by or by reason of any act done, concurred in or omitted in or about the execution of their duty, or supposed duty, in their respective offices or trusts, other than by reason of such person’s own dishonesty or fraud.

 

In addition, the Registrant has entered, and intends to continue to enter into, indemnification agreements, substantially in the form filed as Exhibit 10.1 to the Registrant’s Registration Statement on Form F-1 (Registration No. 333-237843), as amended, initially filed with the Commission on April 24, 2020, with its directors and executive officers to indemnify such persons in connection with claims made by reason of their being such a director or executive officer.

 

II-1

 

 

ITEM 7. Exemption from Registration Claimed

 

Not applicable.

 

ITEM 8. Exhibits

 

The Exhibits listed on the accompanying Exhibit Index are filed as a part of, or incorporated by reference into, this Registration Statement. (See Exhibit Index below).

 

ITEM 9. Undertakings

 

(a) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

 

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

 

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

 

  (ii) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of this Registration Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in this Registration Statement; and

 

  (iii) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in this Registration Statement or any material change to such information in this Registration Statement;

 

provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3, Form S-8 or Form F-3, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement.

 

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

 

  (3)

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

 

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

 

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

 

II-2

 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

EXHIBIT
NUMBER
  DESCRIPTION
   
4.1   Second Amended and Restated Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association of the Registrant, as currently in effect (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.1 to the Registrant’s Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, furnished with the Commission on December 22, 2021)
   
5.1*   Opinion of Conyers Dill & Pearman
     
10.1   Ebang International Holdings Inc. 2021 Share Incentive Plan (incorporated herein by reference to Appendix A to the Registrant’s Proxy Statement, attached as Exhibit 99.1 to the Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K, furnished with the Securities and Exchange Commission on November 15, 2021)
     
10.2   Form of Restricted Share Award Agreement (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.12 to the Registrant’s Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 28, 2023)
   
23.1*   Consent of Conyers Dill & Pearman (included in Exhibit 5.1)
   
23.2*   Consent of MaloneBailey, LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm
   
24.1*   Powers of Attorney (included on the signature page in Part II of this Registration Statement)
     
107   Filing Fee Table

 

*Filed herewith.

 

II-3

 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, People’s Republic of China, on April 28, 2023.

 

  Ebang International Holdings Inc.
     
  By: /s/ Dong Hu
  Name:   Dong Hu
  Title: Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and
Chief Financial Officer

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below does hereby constitute and appoint Dong Hu as his or her true and lawful attorneys-in-fact and agent, each with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement, as amended, and all post-effective amendments thereto and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent, full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in connection therewith and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof. Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature   Title   Date
         
/s/ Dong Hu   Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer   April 28, 2023
Dong Hu   (principal executive officer, principal financial officer and principal accounting officer)    
         
/s/ Chunjuan Peng   Director   April 28, 2023
Chunjuan Peng        
         
/s/ Yanqing Gao   Director   April 28, 2023
Yanqing Gao        
         
/s/ Tingjie Lyu   Director   April 28, 2023
Tingjie Lyu        
         
/s/ Mingming Su   Director   April 28, 2023
Mingming Su        

 

II-4

 

 

SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE IN THE UNITED STATES

 

Pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Ebang International Holdings Inc. has signed this registration statement or amendment thereto in New York, New York on April 28, 2023.

 

 

US Authorized Representative

Cogency Global Inc.

     
  By:

/s/ Colleen A. De Vries

    Name:   Colleen A. De Vries
    Title: Senior Vice President on behalf of Cogency Global Inc.

 

 

II-5

 

 

Exhibit 5.1

 

28 April 2023

 

Matter No.:837356

Doc Ref: PL/BXC/KN/109007829

 

(852) 2842 9551

Paul.lim@conyers.com

 

(852) 2842 9403

Beverly.Cheung@conyers.com

 

Ebang International Holdings Inc.

12 Marina View, #20-02B

Asia Square Tower 2

Singapore, 018961

 

Dear Sirs,

 

Re: Ebang International Holdings Inc. (the “Company”)

 

We have acted as special Cayman Islands legal counsel to the Company in connection with a registration statement on Form S-8, (the “Registration Statement”, which term does not include any other document or agreement whether or not specifically referred to therein or attached as an exhibit or schedule thereto) relating to the registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, (the “Securities Act”) of 333,333 Class A ordinary shares of par value HK$0.03 per share of the Company (the “Class A Ordinary Shares”) issuable pursuant to the 2021 share incentive plan (the “Share Incentive Plan”).

 

1.DOCUMENTS REVIEWED

 

For the purposes of giving this opinion, we have examined copies of the following documents:

 

1.1the Registration Statement; and

 

1.2the Share Incentive Plan.

 

We have also reviewed copies of:

 

1.3the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association of the Company (the “Amended M&A”);

 

1.4the written resolutions of the directors of the Company dated 15 November 2021 and 27 April 2023 (collectively, the “Board Resolutions”) and the minutes of an annual general meeting of the shareholders of the Company held on 15 December 2021 (the “AGM Minutes”);

 

1.5a Certificate of Good Standing issued by the Registrar of Companies in relation to the Company on 25 April 2023 (the “Certificate Date”); and

 

1.6such other documents and made such enquiries as to questions of law as we have deemed necessary in order to render the opinion set forth below.

 

 

 

2.ASSUMPTIONS

 

We have assumed:

 

2.1the genuineness and authenticity of all signatures and the conformity to the originals of all copies (whether or not certified) examined by us and the authenticity and completeness of the originals from which such copies were taken;

 

2.2that where a document has been examined by us in draft form, it will be or has been executed and/or filed in the form of that draft, and where a number of drafts of a document have been examined by us all changes thereto have been marked or otherwise drawn to our attention;

 

2.3the accuracy and completeness of all factual representations made in the Registration Statement and the Share Incentive Plan and other documents reviewed by us;

 

2.4that the Board Resolutions and the resolutions contained in the AGM Minutes were passed at one or more duly convened, constituted and quorate meetings or by unanimous written resolutions, remain in full force and effect and have not been rescinded or amended;

 

2.5that there is no provision of the law of any jurisdiction, other than the Cayman Islands, which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein;

 

2.6that there is no provision of any award agreement, incentive share option, restricted shares or restricted share units or otherwise granted pursuant to the Share Incentive Plan which would have any implication in relation to the opinions expressed herein;

 

2.7that upon issue of any Class A Ordinary Shares, the Company will receive consideration for the full issue price thereof which shall be equal to at least the par value thereof,

 

2.8that on the date of issuance of any of the Class A Ordinary Shares, the Company will have sufficient authorised but unissued Class A Ordinary Shares;

 

2.9that on the date of issuing of any Class A Ordinary Shares, the Company is able to pay its liabilities as they become due; and

 

2.10the issue of the Class A Ordinary Shares are made in accordance with the terms and conditions of the Share Incentive Plan.

 

3.QUALIFICATIONS

 

We have made no investigation of and express no opinion in relation to the laws of any jurisdiction other than the Cayman Islands. This opinion is to be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Cayman Islands and is limited to and is given on the basis of the current law and practice in the Cayman Islands. This opinion is issued solely for the purposes of the filing of the Registration Statement and the issuance of the Class A Ordinary Shares by the Company pursuant to the Share Incentive Plan and is not to be relied upon in respect of any other matter.

 

2

 

 

4.OPINION

 

On the basis of and subject to the foregoing, we are of the opinion that:

 

4.1The Company is duly incorporated and existing under the law of the Cayman Islands and, based on the Certificate of Good Standing, is in good standing as at the Certificate Date. Pursuant to the Companies Act (the “Act”), a company is deemed to be in good standing if all fees and penalties under the Act have been paid and the Registrar of Companies has no knowledge that the Company is in default under the Act

 

4.2When issued and paid for as contemplated by the Share Incentive Plan, the Class A Ordinary Shares will be validly issued, fully paid and non-assessable (which term when used herein means that no further sums are required to be paid by the holders thereof in connection with the issue thereof).

 

We hereby consent to the filing of this opinion as an exhibit to the Registration Statement. In giving this consent, we do not hereby admit that we are experts within the meaning of Section 11 of the Securities Act or that we are within the category of persons whose consent is required under Section 7 of the Securities Act or the Rules and Regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder.

 

Yours faithfully,

 

/s/ Conyers Dill & Pearman

 

Conyers Dill & Pearman

 

 

3

 

 

Exhibit 23.2

 

 

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement on Form S-8 of our report dated April 28, 2023 with respect to the audited consolidated financial statements of Ebang International Holdings Inc. (the “Company”), which appears in the Annual Report on Form 20-F of the Company for the year ended December 31, 2022.

 

/s/ MaloneBailey, LLP

www.malonebailey.com

Houston, Texas

April 28, 2023

 

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 107

 

Calculation of Filing Fee Tables

 

FORM S-8

(Form Type)

 

Ebang Intenational Holdings Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in its Charter)

 

Not Applicable

(Translation of registrant’s name into English)

 

Table 1: Newly Registered and Carry Forward Securities

 

    Security
Type
  Security
Class
Title
  Fee
Calculation
or Carry
Forward Rule
  Amount
Registered
    Proposed
Maximum
Offering
Price Per
Unit
    Maximum
Aggregate
Offering
Price
  Fee
Rate 
  Amount of
Registration
Fee (2)
    Carry
Forward
Form
Type
    Carry
Forward
File
Number
    Carry
Forward
Initial
effective
date
    Filing Fee
Previously
Paid In
Connection
with
Unsold
Securities
to be
Carried
Forward
 
Newly Registered Securities
Fees to Be Paid   Equity   Class A ordinary shares, par value HK$0.03 per share, to be issued under Ebang International Holdings Inc. 2021 Share Incentive Plan (1)   Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h)     333,333     $  5.725(2 )   $ 1,908,331.42(1)(2)    0.0001102   $ 210.30                                   
Fees
Previously
Paid
  -   -   -     -       -       -         -                                  
Carry Forward Securities  
Carry
Forward
Securities
  -   -   -     -             -               -       -       -       -  
    Total Offering Amounts             $ 1,908,331.42       $ 210.30 (2)                                
    Total Fees Previously Paid                         -                                  
    Total Fee Offsets                         -                                  
    Net Fee Due                       $ 210.30 (2)                                

 

(1) Represents Class A ordinary shares, par value HK$0.03 per share (the “Class A Ordinary Shares”) of Ebang International Holdings Inc. (the “Company” or the “Registrant”) reserved for issuance pursuant to the Company’s 2021 Share Incentive Plan (the “2021 Plan”). Pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), this Registration Statement shall cover an indeterminate number of plan interests to be offered or sold pursuant to the 2021 Plan. In addition, pursuant to Rule 416(a) under the Securities Act, this Registration Statement shall also cover any additional Class A Ordinary Shares that become issuable under the 2021 Plan by reason of any stock dividend, stock split, recapitalization or other similar transaction effected without receipt of consideration that increases the number of outstanding Class A Ordinary Shares.

 

(2)

Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(c) and Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act, solely for the purpose of calculating the applicable registration fee. The proposed maximum offering price per Class A Ordinary Share represents the average of the high and low prices of the Class A Ordinary Shares as reported on the Nasdaq Global Select Market on April 24, 2023.