YOKU Youku Tudou Inc. American Depositary Shares, Each Representing 18 Class A Ordinary Shares.

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549

FORM 20-F

(Mark One)

Date of event requiring this shell company report . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

For the transition period from                       to                        

Commission file number: 001-34977

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

* Not for trading, but only in connection with the listing on the New York Stock Exchange of American depositary shares.

Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:

t he number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report:

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Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

x Yes    o No

If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.

o Yes    x No

Note — Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 from their obligations under those Sections.

x Yes   o No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant: (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

x Yes    o No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically and posted on its corporate Web site, if any, every Interactive Data File required to be submitted and posted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit and post such files).

x Yes   o No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, or a non-accelerated filer. See definition of “accelerated filer and large accelerated filer” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act. (Check one):

Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:

If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow.

o Item 17    o Item 18

If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

o Yes    x No

(APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court.

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INTRODUCTION

Unless otherwise indicated and except where the context otherwise requires, references in this annual report on Form 20-F to:

·                   “ADSs” refers to our American depositary shares, each of which represents 18 Class A ordinary shares;

·                   “we,”“us,”“our company,”“our,” and “Youku” refer to Youku Tudou Inc., its subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities;

·                   “China” or “PRC” refers to the People’s Republic of China, excluding, for the purpose of this annual report only, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau;

·                   “commissions earned by third-party advertising agencies” means the estimated amount of commissions earned by advertising agencies that purchase our services;

·                   “monthly unique visitors” means the number of unique visitors to a specific website within a given month. Once an individual has visited a site in a given month, all subsequent visits from the same IP address during such month are not additive to the monthly unique visitor tally;

·                   “online video market” means the distribution and consumption of video content via any Internet-enabled device. Providers of online video services in China include, among others, stand-alone online video websites, video channels of Internet portals, and video websites of traditional television stations. For the purpose of this annual report, “Internet television” is generally synonymous with “online video”;

·                   “ordinary shares” or “shares” refer to our ordinary shares, which include both Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares, collectively, par value US$0.00001 per share;

·                   “Renminbi” or “RMB” refers to the legal currency of China and all references to “$”, “US$”, “dollars” or “U.S. dollars” refers to the legal currency of the United States;

·                   “Youku platform” refers to our Youku.com website, our Youku apps that are downloadable and accessible on mobile devices and all other software clients that we carry under the Youku brand name, together with the content, products and services we deliver and provide to our customers and advertisers through these channels; and

·                   “Tudou platform” refers to our Tudou.com website, our Tudou apps that are downloadable and accessible on mobile devices and all other software clients that we carry under the Tudou brand name, together with the content, products and services we deliver and provide to our customers and advertisers through these channels.

FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

This annual report on Form 20-F contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

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

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·                   our expectations regarding the retention and strengthening of our relationships with key advertisers and customers;

·                   our plans to enhance user experience, infrastructure and service offerings;

You should read thoroughly this annual report and the documents that we refer to in this annual report 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. Other sections of this annual report include additional factors which could adversely impact our business and financial performance. 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 not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements made in this annual report relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this annual report. We undertake no obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

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(1)          Net revenues are presented net of commissions earned by third-party advertising agencies as set forth below:

(2)          Including share-based compensation expenses as set forth below:

(3)          Each ADS represents 18 Class A ordinary shares.

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The following table presents a summary of our selected consolidated balance sheet data as of December 31, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 and 2013:

Exchange Rate Information

Substantially all of our operations are conducted in China and all of our revenues are denominated in Renminbi. This annual report contains translations of Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollars at specific rates solely for the convenience of the reader. The conversion of RMB into U.S. dollars in this annual report is based on the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Unless otherwise noted, all translations from RMB to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to RMB in this annual report were made at a rate of RMB6.0537 to US$1.00, the noon buying rate in effect as of December 31, 2013. We make no representation that any RMB or U.S. dollar amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars or RMB, as the case may be, at any particular rate, or at all. The PRC government imposes control over its foreign currency reserves in part through direct regulation of the conversion of RMB into foreign exchange and through restrictions on foreign trade. On April 11, 2014, the noon buying rate was RMB6.2111 to US$1.00.

The following table sets forth information concerning exchange rates between the RMB and the U.S. dollar for the periods indicated.

Source: Federal Reserve Statistical Release

(1)         Annual averages are calculated using the average of month-end rates of the relevant year. Monthly averages are calculated using the average of the daily rates during the relevant period.

B         Capitalization and Indebtedness

Not Applicable.

C         Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds

Not Applicable.

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D         Risk Factors

Risks Related to Our Business and Industry

We have incurred net losses since our inception and may continue to incur losses in the future.

We incurred net losses since our inception, including net losses in the amount of RMB172.1 million, RMB424.0 million and RMB580.7 million (US$95.9 million) in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively, primarily due to significant bandwidth and content costs, and capital expenditures required to ramp up our business and operations. Our net losses increased from 2012 to 2013 primarily due to the increases in our sales and marketing efforts, content costs, bandwidth costs. Our ability to achieve profitability is affected by various factors, many of which are beyond our control. For example, our revenues and profitability depend on the continuous development of the online advertising industry in China and brand advertisers’ allocation of more budgets to online video websites. We cannot assure you that online advertising, as a relatively new marketing channel, will become more widely accepted in China or that the advertisers will increase their spending on online video websites. The procurement of bandwidth and content has historically accounted for the majority of our cost of revenues. Although we expect our bandwidth and content costs as a percentage of net revenues to decrease over time, we expect our bandwidth and content costs to increase on an absolute basis as traffic to our websites grow, the resolution of our videos increases and as we acquire more content to enrich user experience. If we cannot successfully offset our increased bandwidth and content costs with an increase in net revenues, our financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. Therefore, although we expect our net loss to decrease as a percentage of our total net revenues in the foreseeable future, we may continue to incur net losses in the future due to our continued investments in bandwidth, content and technology. We may also continue to incur net losses in the future due to changes in the macroeconomic and regulatory environment, competitive dynamics and our inability to respond to these changes in a timely and effective manner.

We generate substantially all of our revenues from online advertising. If we fail to retain existing advertisers or attract new advertisers to advertise on our websites or if we are unable to collect accounts receivable from the advertisers or advertising agencies in a timely manner, our financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

We generate substantially all of our revenues from online advertising. We retain existing advertisers and attract new advertisers by maximizing return on their investment. On our Youku platform, 57% of our brand advertisers in 2012 remained as our advertisers in 2013. However, we cannot assure you that we will continue to maintain similar retention rates in the future, attract new advertisers continuously or be able to retain our advertisers at all. If our advertisers determine that their expenditures on online video websites do not generate expected returns, they may allocate a portion or all of their advertising budgets to traditional advertising channels such as television, newspapers and magazines or new Internet channels such as e-commerce or social media websites, and reduce or discontinue business with us. Since most of our advertisers are not bound by long-term contracts, they may amend or terminate advertising arrangements with us easily without incurring liabilities. Failure to retain existing advertisers or attract new advertisers to advertise on our websites may materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

Substantially all of our online advertising agreements are entered into with various third-party advertising agencies. In China’s advertising industry, advertising agencies typically have good relationships and maintain longer periods of cooperation with the brand advertisers they represent as compared to media companies which provide advertising services on their properties. As a relatively young media company, we intend to strategically leverage advertising agencies’ relationships and network resources to increase our sales and expand our customer base. Therefore, we generally enter into advertising contracts with third-party advertising agencies, which represent advertisers, even if we have direct contact with such advertisers. As a result, we rely on third-party advertising agencies for sales to, and collection of payment from, our advertisers. In consideration for the third-party advertising agencies’ services, we pay them commissions based on the volume of business they bring to us. The financial soundness of our advertisers and advertising agencies may affect our collection of accounts receivable. We make a credit assessment of the advertiser and advertising agency to evaluate the collectibility of the advertising service fees before entering into an advertising contract. However, we cannot assure you that we are or will be able to accurately assess the creditworthiness of each advertiser or advertising agency, and any inability of advertisers or advertising agencies to pay us in a timely manner may adversely affect our liquidity and cash flows. In addition, there has been some consolidation in China’s online advertising market. If this trend continues, a small number of large advertising agencies may be in a position to demand higher commission for advertising agency services, which could reduce our gross margin.

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In addition, we do not have long-term cooperation agreements or exclusive arrangements with third-party advertising agencies and they may elect to direct business opportunities to other advertising service providers, including our competitors. If we fail to retain and enhance the business relationships with third-party advertising agencies, we may suffer from a loss of advertisers and our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

The online video industry in China and user acceptance of our online video content may not grow as quickly as expected, which may adversely affect our revenues and business prospects.

Our business and prospects depend on the continuing development of the online video industry in China. As an emerging industry, China’s online video industry has experienced substantial growth in recent years both in terms of users and content. We cannot assure you, however, that the online video industry will continue to grow as rapidly as it has in the past. With the continued development of technology, new forms of media may emerge and render online video websites less attractive to users. Growth of the online video industry is affected by numerous factors, such as users’ general online video experience, technological innovations, development of Internet and Internet-based services, regulatory changes, especially regulations affecting copyrights, and the macroeconomic environment. If the online video industry in China does not grow as quickly as expected or if we fail to benefit from such growth by successfully implementing our business strategies, our user traffic may decrease and our business and prospects may be adversely affected.

Youku Tudou is a relatively young company facing risks and uncertainties, and our limited operating history makes it difficult to evaluate our business and prospects.

We launched our Youku.com website and online video services in December 2006 and have experienced rapid growth since then. As part of our strategic expansion plan, we completed the business combination in August 2012 with Tudou Holdings Limited, or Tudou, a leading Internet video company in China providing premium licensed content, user generated content and original in-house produced content, in a 100% stock-for-stock transaction. See also “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure.” We expect our expansion trend to continue as we grow our user and customer bases and explore new market opportunities. However, due to our limited operating history, especially our limited history since the business combination with Tudou, our historical growth rate may not be indicative of our future performance. We cannot assure you that we will grow at the same rate as we have in the past. You should consider our prospects in light of the risks and uncertainties fast-growing companies with limited operating histories may encounter.

Our strategy to acquire or invest in complementary businesses and assets and establish strategic alliances involves significant risk and uncertainty that may prevent us from achieving our objectives and harm our financial condition and results of operations.

As part of our plan to expand our product and service offerings, we from time to time consider opportunities for strategic acquisitions or investments in complementary businesses and assets and strategic alliances. On August 23, 2012, we completed the business combination with Tudou in a 100% stock-for-stock transaction. Upon completion of the business combination, Tudou has become a wholly owned subsidiary of Youku Inc. and we then changed our name to Youku Tudou Inc. See also “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure.” As of the date of this annual report, we operate both the Youku platform and the Tudou platform. Our future strategic acquisitions and investments could subject us to uncertainties and risks, including:

·                   costs associated with, and difficulties in, integrating acquired businesses and managing a larger business;

·                   potentially significant goodwill impairment charges;

·                   high acquisition and financing costs;

·                   potential ongoing financial obligations and unforeseen or hidden liabilities;

·                   failure to achieve our intended objectives, benefits or revenue-enhancing opportunities;

·                   potential claims or litigation regarding our board’s exercise of its duty of care and other duties required under applicable law in connection with any of our significant acquisitions or investments approved by the board; and

·                   diversion of our resources and management attention.

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Our failure to address these uncertainties and risks may have a material adverse effect on our liquidity, financial condition and results of operations. In addition, we establish strategic alliances with various third parties, such as sub-licensing arrangements for content and revenue sharing agreements with e-commerce companies, to further our business purposes from time to time. Strategic alliances with third parties could subject us to a number of risks, including risks associated with sharing proprietary information, non-performance by the counter-party, and an increase in expenses incurred in establishing new strategic alliances, any of which may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

We may be unable to successfully integrate the operations of combined or acquired businesses and may not achieve the anticipated operating results in connection with these acquisitions or business combinations.

Achieving the anticipated benefits of acquisitions or business combinations will depend in part upon our ability to integrate these businesses in an efficient and effective manner. The integration of companies that have previously operated independently may result in significant challenges in various respects, and we may be unable to accomplish the integration successfully. In particular, the efficient coordination of similar organizations with differences in corporate cultures and management philosophies may increase the difficulties of integration. The integration of acquired businesses has involved, and may continue to require, the dedication of significant management resources, which may distract our management’s attention from the day-to-day operations. In addition, the process of integrating operations may cause an interruption of, or loss of momentum in, the activities of one or more of our businesses and the loss of key personnel from us or the acquired or combined businesses. Further, employee uncertainty and lack of focus during the integration process may disrupt our businesses or the acquired businesses.

Increases in market prices for professionally produced content may have an adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

A majority of our user traffic is attributable to professionally produced content. The market prices for professionally produced content, especially television serial dramas and movies, have increased significantly in China during the past few years. Due to the improving monetization perspective of online video advertising, online video websites are generating more revenues and are competing aggressively to license popular television serial dramas and movies, and the increasingly intense content bidding process has in turn led to increases in license fees of professionally produced content in general. In addition, as the market develops, the expectations of copyright owners, distributors and industry associations may continue to rise, and as such they may demand higher licensing fees for professionally produced content. Furthermore, with the expansion of our content library, we expect the costs for professionally produced content to continue to increase. If we are unable to generate sufficient revenues to outpace the increase in market prices for professionally produced content, we may incur more losses and our business, financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected.

We operate in a capital intensive industry and require a significant amount of cash to fund our operations and content, technology and bandwidth acquisitions. If we cannot obtain sufficient capital, our business, financial condition and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

The operation of an online video business requires significant capital expenditures as well as continuous, substantial investment in content, technology and infrastructure. We believe the cash we received from the initial public offering in 2010, the follow-on offering in 2011 and the anticipated cash flows from operations will provide us with sufficient capital to meet our anticipated cash needs for the foreseeable future. However, in order to implement our development strategies to expand our infrastructure and optimize our services across Internet-enabled devices, and further expand and diversify our revenue sources, we may incur additional capital needs in the future. We may obtain additional financing, including further equity offerings or debt financing in capital markets, to fund the operation and expansion of our online video business. Our ability to obtain additional financing in the future, however, is subject to a number of uncertainties, including:

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

·                   general market conditions for financing activities by companies in our industry; and

·                   macro-economic, political and other conditions in China and elsewhere.

If we cannot obtain sufficient capital to meet our capital expenditure needs, we may not be able to execute our growth strategies and our business, financial condition and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

Videos and other content displayed on our websites may be found objectionable by PRC regulatory authorities and may subject us to penalties and other administrative actions.

The PRC government has adopted regulations governing Internet access and the distribution of videos and other information over the Internet. Under these regulations, Internet content providers and Internet publishers are prohibited from posting or displaying over the Internet any content that, among other things, violates PRC laws and regulations, impairs the national dignity of China or the public interest, or is obscene, superstitious, fraudulent or defamatory. Furthermore, Internet content providers are also prohibited from displaying content that may be deemed by relevant government authorities as “socially destabilizing” or leaking “state secrets” of the PRC. Failure to comply with these requirements may result in the revocation of licenses to provide Internet content or other licenses, the closure of the concerned websites and reputational harm. The website operator may also be held liable for the content displayed on or linked to its website that is subject to censorship.

In addition to professionally produced content, we allow our users to upload videos to our websites. Our users can upload all types of content, including user-created and professionally produced content, and can upload certain graphical files for limited purposes. Although we have adopted internal procedures to monitor the content displayed on our websites, due to the significant amount of content uploaded by our users, we may not be able to identify all the videos or other content that may violate relevant laws and regulations. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Content Monitoring and Copyright Protection” for more details relating to our content monitoring procedures. Failure to identify and prevent illegal or inappropriate content from being displayed on our websites may subject us to liability. In addition, these laws and regulations are subject to interpretation by the relevant authorities, and it may not be possible to determine in all cases the types of content that could cause us to be held liable as a website operator. For a detailed discussion, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—Regulations on Internet Content Services” and “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—Regulations on Information Security.”

To the extent that PRC regulatory authorities find any content displayed on our websites objectionable, they may require us to limit or eliminate the dissemination of such content on our websites in the form of take-down orders or otherwise. In the past, we have from time to time received phone calls and written notices from the relevant PRC regulatory authorities requesting us to delete certain content that the government deemed inappropriate or sensitive. The General Administration of Press and Publication, Radio, Film and Television, or the GAPPRFT, formerly known as the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television , or SARFT , publishes from time to time lists of content that is objectionable, and our contract employees who work on content screening continuously monitor user-uploaded content and remove those mentioned on the list. In addition, regulatory authorities may impose penalties on us based on content displayed on or linked to our websites in cases of material violations, including a revocation of our operating licenses or a suspension or shutdown of our online operations. Although we have not been penalized for objectionable content in the past, in the event that the PRC regulatory authorities find the video content on our websites objectionable and impose penalties on us or take other administrative actions against us in the future, our business, results of operations and reputation may be materially and adversely affected. Moreover, the costs of compliance with these regulations may continue to increase as a result of more content uploaded by our increasing number of users.

In addition, we operate our websites through 1Verge Information Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., or 1Verge Information, Quan Toodou Network Science and Technology Co., Ltd., or Quan Toodou, and its wholly owned subsidiary, Quan Toodou Cultural Communication Co., Ltd., or Toodou Cultural, as well as our consolidated affiliated entities, and our ability to comply with laws and regulations described above depends in large part on the experience and skills of, and our control over, the management of 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou. We rely on contractual arrangements with 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou and their shareholders to exercise control over the management and operations of 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou. These contractual arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou. 1Verge Information, Quan Toodou and their shareholders may fail to take certain actions required for our business or follow our instructions to comply with the relevant PRC regulations despite their contractual obligations to do so. If we had direct ownership of 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou, we would be able to directly exercise our rights as a shareholder to effect changes in the board of directors of 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou, which in turn could effect changes at the management level, subject to any applicable fiduciary obligations. See “—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated affiliated entities in China and their shareholders for our operations, which may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control.”

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We have been, and may continue to be, subject to liabilities for infringement of third-party intellectual property rights or other allegations based on the content available on our websites or services we provide.

We have been involved in litigation based on allegations of infringement of third-party copyright and other rights, such as privacy and image rights, due to the content available on our websites. We were subject to a total of 340, 334 and 258 lawsuits in China for alleged copyright infringement in 2011, 2012 and 2013, respectively, in connection with our Youku platform. Approximately 97% of the lawsuits filed from 2011 through December 31, 2013 in connection with the Youku platform were rejected by relevant PRC courts, withdrawn by the plaintiffs or settled by the parties. Since our combination with Tudou, we assumed and were subject to a total of 48 and 274 lawsuits in China in 2012 and 2013, respectively, for alleged copyright infringement in connection with the Tudou platform. As of December 31, 2013, we accrued RMB6.5 million (US$1.1 million) in expenses and other liabilities based on judgments by court and out-of-court settlements. We have implemented internal procedures to review videos uploaded by our users and remove any infringing video promptly after we receive infringement notification from the legitimate rights owner claiming that their rights are infringed by a video on our website. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Content Monitoring and Copyright Protection” for more details relating to our content monitoring procedures. Due to the significant number of videos uploaded by users, we may not be able to identify all content that may infringe on third-party rights. Moreover, some rights owners may not send us a notice before bringing a lawsuit against us. Thus, our failure to identify unauthorized videos posted on our website has subjected us to, and may continue to subject us to, claims of infringement on third-party intellectual property rights or other rights. In addition, we may be subject to administrative actions brought by the National Copyright Administration of the PRC or its local branches for alleged copyright infringement.

Although we have not been subject to claims or lawsuits outside China, we cannot assure you that we will not become subject to copyright laws in other jurisdictions, such as the United States, by virtue of our ADSs being listed on the NYSE, the ability of users to access our videos in the United States and other jurisdictions, the ownership of our ADSs by investors in the United States and other jurisdictions, the extraterritorial application of foreign law by foreign courts or otherwise. In addition, as a publicly listed company, we may be exposed to increased risk of litigation. If a claim of infringement brought against us in the United States or other jurisdictions is successful, we may be required to (i) pay substantial statutory or other damages and fines, (ii) remove relevant content from our websites or (iii) enter into royalty or license agreements which may not be available on commercially reasonable terms or at all.

We may also face litigation or administrative actions for defamation, negligence, or other purported injuries resulting from the content we provide or the nature of our services. Such litigation and administrative actions, with or without merits, may be expensive and time-consuming and may result in significant diversion of resources and management attention from our business operations. Furthermore, such litigation or administrative actions may adversely affect our brand image and reputation.

In addition, we operate our websites through our consolidated affiliated entities, 1Verge Information, Quan Toodou and its wholly owned subsidiary, Toodou Cultural, and our ability to monitor content as described above depends in large part on the experience and skills of, and our control over, the management of 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou. Our control over the management and operations of 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou through contractual arrangements may not be as effective as that through direct ownership. See “—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated affiliated entities in China and their shareholders for our operations, which may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control.”

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We may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, and any failure to protect our intellectual property rights could adversely affect our revenues and competitive position.

We believe that trademarks, trade secrets, copyright, and other intellectual property we use are important to our business. We rely on a combination of trademark, copyright and trade secret protection laws in China and other jurisdictions, as well as confidentiality procedures and contractual provisions to protect our intellectual property and our brand. Protection of intellectual property rights in China may not be as effective as in the United States or other jurisdictions, and as a result, we may not be able to adequately protect our intellectual property rights, which could adversely affect our revenues and competitive position. In addition, any unauthorized use of our intellectual property by third parties may adversely affect our revenues and our reputation.

Furthermore, policing unauthorized use of proprietary technology is difficult and expensive, and we may need to resort to litigation to enforce or defend intellectual property or to determine the enforceability, scope and validity of our proprietary rights or those of others. Such litigation and an adverse determination in any such litigation could result in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention.

Advertisements shown on our websites may subject us to penalties and other administrative actions.

Under PRC advertising laws and regulations, we are obligated to monitor the advertising content shown on our websites to ensure that such content is true, accurate and in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In addition, where a special government review is required for specific types of advertisements prior to website posting, such as advertisements relating to pharmaceuticals, medical instruments, agrochemicals and veterinary pharmaceuticals, we are obligated to confirm that such review has been performed and approval has been obtained from competent governmental authority, which is generally the local branch of the State Administration of Industry and Commerce, or SAIC. To fulfill these monitoring functions, we include clauses in all of our advertising contracts requiring that all advertising content provided by advertisers must comply with relevant laws and regulations. Under PRC law, advertising agencies are liable for all damages to us caused by their breach of such representations. Violation of these laws and regulations may subject us to penalties, including fines, confiscation of our advertising income, orders to cease dissemination of the advertisements and orders to publish an announcement correcting the misleading information. In circumstances involving serious violations, such as posting a pharmaceutical product advertisement without approval, or posting an advertisement for fake pharmaceutical product, PRC governmental authorities may force us to terminate our advertising operation or revoke our licenses.

A majority of the advertisements shown on our websites are provided to us by third-party advertising agencies on behalf of advertisers. While significant efforts have been made to ensure that the advertisements shown on our websites are in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations, we cannot assure you that all the content contained in such advertisements is true and accurate as required by the advertising laws and regulations, especially given the uncertainty in the application of these laws and regulations. Although we have not been subject to penalties or administrative sanctions in the past for the advertisements shown on our websites, if we are found to be in violation of applicable PRC advertising laws and regulations in the future, we may be subject to penalties and our reputation may be harmed, which may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects.

In addition, we operate our websites through our consolidated affiliated entities, 1Verge Information, Quan Toodou and its wholly owned subsidiary, Toodou Cultural, and our ability to comply with laws and regulations described above depends in large part on the experience and skills of, and our control over, the management of 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou. Our control over the management and operations of 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou through contractual arrangements may not be as effective as that through direct ownership. See “—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated affiliated entities in China and their shareholders for our operations, which may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control.”

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Ineffective implementation of separation of our advertising sales and regulatory compliance functions may result in insufficient supervision over the content of advertisements shown on our websites and may subject us to penalties or administrative actions.

We keep our advertising sales function separate from our team in charge of government compliance to address the potential conflicts between our compliance with relevant PRC advertising laws and regulations and advertising business, where we derive substantially all of our revenues. Before a sale is confirmed and the relevant advertisements are publicly posted on our websites, our account execution personnel, which is a separate back-office team that does not interface directly with advertisers, are required to review all advertising materials, including video commercials, flashes and pictures, to ensure there is no racial, violent, pornographic or any other improper content. They will request the advertiser to provide proof of governmental approval if the advertisement is subject to special governmental review and such process is designed to enhance our regulatory compliance efforts. However, in the event that the separation of advertising sales and regulatory compliance functions is not effectively implemented, the content of our advertisements may not be in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations. Although we have not been subject to any penalties for the three years ended December 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013, and have not been subject to any administrative actions in the past for the advertisements shown on our websites, if we are found to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations in the future, we may be subject to penalties and our reputation may be harmed. This may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Changes in government policies or regulations may have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our online video business is subject to strict government regulations in the PRC. Under the current PRC regulatory scheme, a number of regulatory agencies, including the GAPPRFT, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or MIIT, and the State Council Information Office, or SCIO, jointly regulate all major aspects of the Internet industry, including the online video industry. Operators must obtain various government approvals and licenses, including an Internet content provider license, or ICP license, and an Internet audio/video program transmission license, prior to the commencement of online video operations. We have obtained the licenses and permits essential for our business operations. We have obtained the ICP license, the Internet audio/video program transmission license and a permit from the Beijing Drug Administration to post approved non-prescription drug advertisements on our websites. We are in the process of applying for the approval from the SCIO to publish news on our websites or disseminate news through the Internet. We currently operate a current events channel on our websites which includes audio/video content relating to current topics and social events. We have made oral inquiries with the SCIO, and were orally informed that such operations do not violate the regulations on Internet news publication. If the PRC government finds that we were operating without the proper licenses or approvals, promulgates new laws and regulations that require additional licenses or imposes additional restrictions on the operation of online video businesses and/or mobile and web-based subscription services that we plan to launch, the PRC government has the power to, among other things, levy fines, confiscate our income or the income of our affiliates, revoke our business licenses or the business licenses of our affiliates, and require us to discontinue or impose restrictions on the affected portion or our business. Any of these actions by the PRC government may have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations. In addition, the PRC government may promulgate regulations restricting the types and content of advertisements that may be transmitted online, which could have a direct adverse impact on our business.

Any lack of requisite permits for any of our online video content may expose us to regulatory sanctions.

In 2009, SARFT released a Notice on Strengthening the Administration of Online Audio/Video Content. This notice reiterated, among other things, that all movies and television shows released or published online must be in compliance with relevant regulations on the administration of radio, film and television. In other words, these movies and television shows, whether produced in the PRC or overseas, must be pre-approved by SARFT and distributors of these movies and television shows must obtain an applicable permit before releasing any movie or television show.

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We rely on written representations from the content providers regarding the SARFT approval status of the content licensed to us. Under our content licensing agreements, the content providers generally represent and warrant that (i) the content they provide has legitimate copyright or authorization, and they are entitled to grant us the rights of communication through information networks; (ii) the content itself as well as the authorization or rights granted to us neither breach any applicable laws, regulations or public morals, nor impair any third party rights; and (iii) that they will indemnify us for any loss resulting from both the non-compliance of such content with the law and claims from third parties. However, we cannot guarantee that the remedies provided by these content providers, if any, will be sufficient to compensate us for potential regulatory sanctions imposed by the State Administration for Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television due to violations of the approval and permit requirements. Nor can we ensure that any such sanctions will not adversely affect either the general availability of video content on our websites or our reputation. In addition, such risks may persist due to ambiguities and uncertainties relating to the implementation and enforcement of this notice.

If the online advertising industry does not further grow in China, our profitability and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

Both the Internet and broadband penetration rates in China are relatively low as compared to those in many developed countries. Many advertisers in China have limited experience with online advertising, have historically allocated an insignificant portion of their advertising budgets to online advertising and may consider online advertising a less attractive channel than traditional broadcast and print media in promoting their products and services. Our profitability and prospects depend on the continuing development of the online advertising industry in China and may be affected by a number of factors, many of which are beyond our control, including:

·                   development of a larger user base with demographic characteristics attractive to advertisers;

·                   our ability to keep up with technological innovation and improvements in the measurement of user traffic and online advertising;

·                   acceptance of online advertising as an effective marketing channel;

·                   changes in government regulations or policies affecting the online advertising industry; and

·                   increased Internet usage in China.

We operate in a highly competitive market and we may not be able to compete successfully against our competitors.

We face significant competition, primarily from other online video websites in China, such as iQiyi.com, as well as from major Chinese Internet portals which provide online video products, such as SINA, Tencent and Sohu. We compete for both users and advertisers. Some of our competitors have a longer operating history and significantly greater financial resources than we do, and, in turn, may be able to attract and retain more users and advertisers. Our competitors may compete with us in a variety of ways, including by obtaining exclusive online distribution rights for popular content, conducting brand promotions and other marketing activities, and making acquisitions. Although in August 2012, we completed the business combination with Tudou, who used to be our competitor, we expect the competition with the other competitors to continue. In addition, certain online video websites may continue to derive their revenues from providing content that infringes third-party copyright and may not monitor their websites for any such infringing content. As a result, we may be placed at a disadvantage to some of these websites that do not incur similar costs as we do with respect to content acquisition and content monitoring. If any of our competitors achieves greater market acceptance than we do or are able to offer more attractive online video content, our user traffic may decrease and our market share may decrease, which may result in a loss of advertisers and have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We also face competition from traditional advertising media such as television, newspapers, magazines, billboards, radio and other forms of out-of-home media. Most large companies in China allocate, and will likely continue to allocate, a significant portion of their advertising budgets to traditional advertising media, particularly television. If online advertising, as a new marketing channel, does not become more widely accepted in China, we may experience difficulties in competing with traditional advertising media.

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The success of our business depends on our ability to maintain and enhance our brands.

We believe that maintaining and enhancing our Youku 优 酷 brand and Tudou 土豆 brand is of significant importance to the success of our business. Our well-recognized brands are critical to increasing our user base and, in turn, enhancing our attractiveness to advertisers. Since the online video market is highly competitive, maintaining and enhancing our brands depends largely on our ability to remain the market leader in China, which may be difficult and expensive.

As a company with a limited operating history, we have conducted, and may continue to conduct, various marketing and brand promotion activities, mainly through cooperation with our business partners. We cannot assure you, however, that these activities will be successful and achieve the brand promotion effects we expect. In addition, any negative publicity in relation to our services or products, regardless of its veracity, could harm our brand image and, in turn, result in a reduced number of users. If we fail to maintain and enhance our brands, or if we incur excessive expenses in this effort, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

If we fail to continue to anticipate user preferences and provide products and services to attract and retain users, we may not be able to generate sufficient user traffic to remain competitive.

Our success depends on our ability to generate sufficient user traffic through provision of attractive products and services. To attract and retain users and compete against our competitors, we must continue to offer high-quality content that provides our users with a satisfactory online video experience. To this end, we must continue to source new professionally produced content, produce new in-house content or encourage more user-generated content, while balancing the value of each type of content to our advertising services.

Other than the fees we pay for licensed content, we do not provide any additional compensation or benefits to professional content providers and their affiliates. In order to maintain good relationships with current licensors of professionally produced content to renew our current licenses and license new content from them, we need to continue to grow our platforms and content demand to strategically keep our status as an important customer of the major content licensors. Given that we operate in a rapidly evolving industry, we also need to continue to anticipate user preferences and industry changes and respond to such changes in a timely and effective manner. If we fail to cater to the needs and preferences of our users and, as a result, fail to deliver satisfactory user experience, we may suffer from reduced user traffic and our business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.

We operate in a rapidly evolving industry. If we fail to keep up with the technological developments and users’ changing requirements, our business, results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

The online video industry is rapidly evolving and subject to continuous technological changes. Our success will depend on our ability to keep up with the changes in technology and user behavior resulting from the technological developments. For example, the development of broadband enabled the enjoyment of high definition videos online. In addition, the number of people accessing the Internet via devices other than personal computers, including mobile phones and other hand-held devices, has increased in recent years. If we fail to adapt our products and services to such changes in an effective and timely manner, we may suffer from decreased user traffic, which may result in a reduced number of advertisers using our online advertising services. Furthermore, changes in technologies may require substantial capital expenditures in product development as well as in modification of products, services or infrastructure. We may not execute our business strategies successfully due to a variety of reasons such as technical hurdles, misunderstanding or erroneous prediction of market demand or lack of necessary resources. Failure to keep up with technological development may result in our products and services being less attractive, which, in turn, may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and prospects.

Our quarterly revenues and operating results may fluctuate, which makes our results of operations difficult to predict and may cause our quarterly results of operations to fall short of expectations.

Our quarterly revenues and operating results have fluctuated in the past and may continue to fluctuate depending upon a number of factors, many of which are out of our control. For these reasons, comparing our operating results on a period-to-period basis may not be meaningful, and you should not rely on our past results as an indication of our future performance. Our quarterly and annual revenues and costs and expenses as a percentage of our revenues in a given period may be significantly different from our historical or projected rates and our operating results in future quarters may fall below expectations. Factors that may affect our financial results include, among others:

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·                   global economic conditions;

·                   our ability to maintain and increase user traffic;

·                   geopolitical events or natural disasters such as war, threat of war, earthquake or epidemics.

Our operating results tend to be seasonal. For instance, we may have slightly lower revenues during the first quarter of each year primarily due to the Chinese New Year holidays in that quarter. In addition, advertising spending in China has historically been cyclical, reflecting overall economic conditions as well as the budgeting and buying patterns of customers.

We may not be able to manage our expansion effectively.

We have experienced rapid growth since we commenced our online video business in 2006. According to iResearch, the number of our monthly unique visitors from homes and offices was approximately 50 million in December 2007. In December 2013, our monthly unique visitors from home and office PC users amounted to approximately 245 million and 174 million for Youku platform and Tudou platform, respectively. The daily mobile views of both Youku and Tudou platforms combined reached 281 million in 2013. In addition, the number of our employees grew rapidly from 100 as of December 31, 2007 to 2,056 as of December 31, 2013 on both platforms (exclusive of our approximately 649 contract employees who work on content files screening, copyright checking, source file acquisition and editing). To manage the further expansion of our business and the growth of our operations and personnel, we need to continuously expand and enhance our infrastructure and technology, and improve our operational and financial systems, procedures and controls. We also need to expand, train and manage our growing employee base. In addition, our management will be required to maintain and expand our relationships with content providers, advertisers, advertising agencies and other third parties. We cannot assure you that our current infrastructure, systems, procedures and controls will be adequate to support our expanding operations. If we fail to manage our expansion effectively, our business, results of operations and prospects may be materially and adversely affected.

Disruption or failure of our systems could impair our users’ online video experience and adversely affect our reputation.

Our ability to provide users with a high-quality online video experience depends on the continuous and reliable operation of our systems. We cannot assure you that we will be able to procure sufficient bandwidth in a timely manner or on acceptable terms or at all. Failure to do so may significantly impair user experience on our websites and decrease the overall effectiveness of our websites to both users and advertisers. Disruptions, failures, unscheduled service interruptions or a decrease in connection speeds could hurt our reputation and cause our users and advertisers to switch to our competitors’ websites. Our systems and proprietary content delivery network, or CDN, are vulnerable to damage or interruption as a result of fires, floods, earthquakes, power losses, telecommunications failures, undetected errors in software, computer viruses, hacking and other attempts to harm our systems. We have experienced service interruptions for up to three hours in the past, which typically were caused by (i) overload of our servers; (ii) unexpected overflow of user traffic; and/or (iii) service malfunction of the telecommunications operators, such as power outage of Internet data centers or network transmission congestion. We may continue to experience similar interruptions in the future despite our continuous efforts to improve our systems. Since we host our servers at third-party Internet data centers, any natural disaster or unexpected closure of Internet data centers operated by third-party providers may result in lengthy service interruptions.

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If we experience frequent or persistent service disruptions, whether caused by failures of our own systems or those of third-party service providers, our users’ experience with us may be negatively affected, which in turn, may have a material and adverse effect on our reputation. We cannot assure you that we will be successful in minimizing the frequency or duration of service interruptions.

We may be the subject of detrimental conduct by third parties, including complaints to regulatory agencies, negative blog postings, and the public dissemination of malicious assessments of our business, which could have a negative impact on our reputation and cause us to lose market share, advertisers, customers and revenues, and adversely affect the price of our ADSs.

We have been, and in the future may be, the target of anti-competitive, harassing or other detrimental conduct by third parties. Such conduct may include complaints, anonymous or otherwise, to regulatory agencies regarding our operations, accounting, revenues, business relationships, business prospects and business ethics. Additionally, allegations, directly or indirectly against us, may be posted in internet chat-rooms or on blogs or any websites by anyone, whether or not related to us, on an anonymous basis. We may be subject to government or regulatory investigation as a result of such third-party conduct and may be required to expend significant time and incur substantial costs to address such third-party conduct, and there is no assurance that we will be able to conclusively refute each of the allegations within a reasonable period of time, or at all. Our reputation may also be negatively affected as a result of the public dissemination of anonymous allegations or malicious statements about our business, which in turn may cause us to lose market share, advertisers, customers and revenues, and adversely affect the price of our ADSs.

Undetected programming errors could adversely affect our user experience and market acceptance of our video programs, which may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

The video programs, including advertising video programs, on our websites may contain programming errors that may only become apparent after their release. We receive user feedbacks in connection with programming errors affecting the user experience from time to time, and such errors may also come to our attention during our monitoring process. We generally have been able to resolve such programming errors in a timely manner. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to detect and resolve all these programming errors effectively. Undetected audio or video programming errors or defects may adversely affect user experience and cause our advertisers to reduce their use of our services, any of which could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.

Our business is sensitive to global economic conditions. A severe or prolonged downturn in the global or Chinese economy could materially and adversely affect our business and our financial condition.

The global financial markets experienced significant disruptions in 2008 and the United States, Europe and other economies went into recession. The recovery from the lows of 2008 and 2009 was uneven and is facing new challenges, including the escalation of the European sovereign debt crisis in 2011 and the slowdown of the Chinese economy starting in 2012. It is unclear how the European sovereign debt crisis or the Chinese economic slowdown will progress in 2014 and beyond. There is considerable uncertainty over the long-term effects of the expansionary monetary and fiscal policies that have been adopted by the central banks and financial authorities of some of the world’s leading economies, including China’s. There have also been concerns over unrest in the Middle East and Africa, which have resulted in volatility in oil and other markets, and over the possibility of a war involving Iran. There have also been concerns about the economic effect of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis in Japan, typhoon in the Philippines, political unrest in Thailand and diplomatic tensions in the relationship between China and Japan. Economic conditions in China are sensitive to global economic conditions. Any prolonged slowdown in the global or Chinese economy may have a negative impact on our business, results of operations and financial condition, and continued turbulence in the international markets may adversely affect our ability to access the capital markets to meet liquidity needs.

The continuing and collaborative efforts of our senior management and key employees are crucial to our success, and our business may be harmed if we lose their services.

Our success depends on the continuous efforts and services of our senior management, especially the executive officers set out in “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—A. Directors and Senior Management” of this annual report. We have not experienced attrition of our senior management team since we were established. If, however, one or more of our executives or other key personnel are unable or unwilling to continue to provide services to us, we may not be able to find suitable replacements easily or at all. Competition for management and key personnel is intense and the pool of qualified candidates is limited. We may not be able to retain the services of our executives or key personnel, or attract and retain experienced executives or key personnel in the future. If any of our executive officers or key employees joins a competitor or forms a competing company, we may lose advertisers, know-how and key professionals and staff members. Each of our executive officers and key employees has entered into an employment agreement with us, which contains non-compete provisions. However, if any dispute arises between us and our executives or key employees, these agreements may not be enforceable in China, where these executives and key employees reside, in light of uncertainties with China’s legal system. See “—Risks Relating to Doing Business in China—Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could adversely affect us.”

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Our operations depend on the performance of the Internet infrastructure and telecommunications networks in China.

The successful operation of our business depends on the performance of the Internet infrastructure and telecommunications networks in China. Almost all access to the Internet is maintained through state-owned telecommunications operators under the administrative control and regulatory supervision of the MIIT. Moreover, we have entered into contracts with various subsidiaries of a limited number of telecommunications service providers at provincial level and rely on them to provide us with data communications capacity through local telecommunications lines and Internet data centers to host our servers. We have limited access to alternative networks or services in the event of disruptions, failures or other problems with China’s Internet infrastructure or the telecommunications networks provided by telecommunications service providers. Our websites regularly serve a large number of users and advertisers. With the expansion of our business, we may be required to upgrade our technology and infrastructure to keep up with the increasing traffic on our websites. However, we have no control over the costs of the services provided by telecommunications service providers. If the prices we pay for telecommunications and Internet services rise significantly, our results of operations may be materially and adversely affected. If Internet access fees or other charges to Internet users increase, our user traffic may decline and our business may be harmed. Moreover, the agreements we have entered into with domestic telecommunications carriers to host our servers typically have terms of approximately one year and are renewable subject to early termination. If we are not able to renew such hosting services agreements with the telecommunications carriers when they expire and are not able to enter into agreements with alternative carriers at commercially reasonable terms or at all, the quality and stability of our services may be adversely affected.

We have granted, and may continue to grant, share-based awards to our personnel, employees and advisors, which may result in increased share-based compensation expenses.

We adopted a stock option scheme, or the 2006 Plan, on December 1, 2005, which was amended on March 26, 2007, June 20, 2008, December 16, 2009 and September 9, 2010. In November 2010, we adopted our 2010 Share Incentive Plan, or the 2010 Plan, which was amended and restated on September 25, 2012, that permits the grant of options to purchase our Class A ordinary shares, restricted shares and restricted share units. As of March 31 , 2014, options to purchase a total of 86,228,874 Class A ordinary shares and restricted share units to acquire a total of 97,440,084 Class A ordinary shares were outstanding under the 2006 Plan and the 2010 Plan. See “Item 6. Director, Senior Management and Employees—B. Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers—Share Incentive Plan” for detailed discussion. For the years ended December 31, 2011, 2012 and 2013, we recorded RMB47.5 million, RMB118.2 million and RMB188.4 million (US$31.1 million), respectively, in share-based compensation expenses. We believe the granting of share-based awards is of significant importance to our ability to attract and retain key personnel and employees, and we will continue to grant share-based awards 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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If we fail to maintain an effective system of internal control over financial reporting, we may be unable to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud, which may cause our investors to lose confidence in our company, and the market price of our ADSs may be adversely affected.

We are subject to reporting obligations under the U.S. securities laws. Among other things, the Securities Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or Section 404, adopted rules requiring every public company, including us, to include a report from management on the effectiveness of its internal control over financial reporting in its second annual report on Form 20-F. In addition, beginning at the same time, an independent registered public accounting firm must attest to and report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. We began to be subject to these requirements since the annual report for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2011.

Our management has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting is effective as of December 31, 2013. See “Item 15. Controls and Procedures—Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting.” Our independent registered public accounting firm has issued an attestation report, which has concluded that our internal control over financial reporting is effective as of December 31, 2013. However, if we fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in the future, our management and our independent registered public accounting firm may not be able to conclude that we have effective internal control over financial reporting at a reasonable assurance level. This could in turn result in the loss of investor confidence in the reliability of our financial statements and negatively impact the trading price of our ADSs. Furthermore, we have incurred and anticipate that we will continue to incur considerable costs, management time and other resources in an effort to maintain compliance with Section 404 and other requirements of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act.

We have limited business insurance coverage.

Insurance companies in China currently do not offer as extensive an array of insurance products as insurance companies do in more developed economies. We do not have any business liability or disruption insurance to cover our operations. We have determined that the costs of insuring for these risks and the difficulties associated with acquiring such insurance on commercially reasonable terms make it impractical for us to have such insurance. Any uninsured occurrence of business disruption may result in our incurring substantial costs and the diversion of resources, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.

Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure

If the PRC government finds that the agreements that establish the structure for operating our businesses in China do not comply with PRC governmental restrictions on foreign investment in Internet business, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.

Current PRC laws and regulations place certain restrictions on foreign ownership of companies that engage in Internet business, including the provision of online video and online advertising services. Specifically, foreign ownership in an Internet content provider or other value-added telecommunication service providers may not exceed 50%. We conduct our operations in China principally through contractual arrangements among our wholly owned PRC subsidiaries, 1Verge Internet Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., or 1Verge Internet, and Reshuffle Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., or Reshuffle Technology, and our significant consolidated affiliated entities in the PRC, namely, 1Verge Information, Quan Toodou and its wholly owned subsidiary, Toodou Cultural, as well as Zhejiang Dongyang Tianshi Cultural Media Ltd., or Tianshi, and their respective shareholders. 1Verge Information, Quan Toodou and Toodou Cultural hold the licenses and permits necessary to conduct our online video, online advertising and related businesses in China. Our contractual arrangements with our consolidated affiliated entities and their respective shareholders enable us to exercise effective control over these entities and hence treat them as our consolidated affiliated entities and consolidate their results. For a detailed discussion of these contractual arrangements, see also “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure.”

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We cannot assure you, however, that we will be able to enforce these contracts. Although in the opinion of our PRC counsel, TransAsia Lawyers, we are in compliance with current PRC regulations, we cannot assure you that the PRC government would agree that these contractual arrangements comply with PRC licensing, registration or other regulatory requirements, with existing policies or with requirements or policies that may be adopted in the future. PRC laws and regulations governing the validity of these contractual arrangements are uncertain and the relevant government authorities have broad discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations. In or around September 2011, various media sources reported that the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, had prepared a report proposing pre-approval by a competent central government authority of offshore listings by China-based companies with variable interest entity structures, such as ours, that operate in industry sectors subject to foreign investment restrictions. However, it is unclear whether the CSRC officially issued or submitted such a report to a higher level government authority or what any such report provides, or whether any new PRC laws or regulations relating to variable interest entity structures will be adopted or, if adopted, what they would provide. If the PRC government determines that we do not comply with applicable laws and regulations, it could revoke our business and operating licenses, require us to discontinue or restrict our operations, restrict our right to collect revenues, block our websites, require us to restructure our operations, impose additional conditions or requirements with which we may not be able to comply, or take other regulatory or enforcement actions against us that could be harmful to our business. The imposition of any of these penalties would result in a material and adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.

We rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated affiliated entities in China and their shareholders for our operations, which may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control.

Since PRC laws restrict foreign equity ownership in companies engaged in online video and advertising businesses in China, we rely on contractual arrangements with our consolidated affiliated entities and their respective shareholders to operate our business in China. These contractual arrangements may not be as effective in providing us with control over the consolidated affiliated entities as direct ownership. From a legal perspective, if our consolidated affiliated entities, any of their subsidiaries or any of their respective shareholders fails to perform their respective obligations under the contractual arrangements, we may have to incur substantial costs and spend other resources to enforce such arrangements, and rely on legal remedies under PRC law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief and claiming damages, which could be time consuming and costly. If we had direct equity ownership of our consolidated affiliated entities, we would be able to exercise our rights as a shareholder to effect changes in the board of directors of these entities, which in turn could effect changes at the management level, subject to any applicable fiduciary obligations. However, under the current contractual arrangements, we rely on our consolidated affiliated entities and their respective shareholders’ performance of their contractual obligations to exercise effective control. A lawsuit initiated prior to our business combination with Tudou by the ex-wife of Mr. Gary Wei Wang, the then founder, chairman and chief executive officer of Tudou, seeking the division of 76% of the equity interest in Quan Toodou held by Mr. Wang based on marital asset distribution dispute, has been viewed as evidence of the ineffectiveness of Tudou’s control over Quan Toodou and its subsidiaries. The lawsuit was subsequently concluded through a settlement directed by the court in June 2011, and we believe that the equity interests of Quan Toodou will not be subject to any court enforcement measures.

Our contractual arrangements generally have a term of ten years with an automatic extension of successive ten years, which is subject to the unilateral termination rights of our company and our wholly owned subsidiaries, namely, 1Verge Internet and/or Reshuffle Technology, as applicable. In general, neither our consolidated affiliated entities nor their respective shareholders may terminate the contracts prior to the expiration date. However, the shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities may not act in the best interests of our company or may not perform their obligations under these contracts, including the obligation to renew these contracts when their initial ten-year term expires. Such risks exist throughout the period in which we intend to operate our business through the contractual arrangements with our consolidated affiliated entities. We may replace the shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities at any time pursuant to our contractual arrangements with them and their shareholders. However, if any dispute relating to these contracts remains unresolved, we will have to enforce our rights under these contracts through the operations of PRC law and courts and therefore will be subject to uncertainties in the PRC legal system. See “—Any failure by our consolidated affiliated entities or their respective shareholders to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them may have a material adverse effect on our business.” In the event we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements, we may not be able to have the power to direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of our consolidated affiliated entities and their subsidiaries, and our ability to conduct our business may be negatively affected, and we may not be able to consolidate the financial results of our consolidated affiliated entities and their subsidiaries into our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Therefore, these contractual arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over these consolidated affiliated entities.

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Any failure by our consolidated affiliated entities or their respective shareholders to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them may have a material adverse effect on our business.

Our consolidated affiliated entities and their respective shareholders may fail to take certain actions required for our business or follow our instructions despite their contractual obligations to do so. If they fail to perform their obligations under their respective agreements with us, we may have to rely on legal remedies under PRC law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief, which may not be effective.

Under the equity pledge agreements among 1Verge Internet and the respective shareholders of 1Verge Information and Tianshi, these shareholders pledged all of their equity interests in 1Verge Information and Tianshi to 1Verge Internet. Under the pledge agreement among Reshuffle Technology and the shareholders of Quan Toodou, the shareholdres of Quan Toodou pledged all of their equity interests in Quan Toodou to Reshuffle Technology. Our PRC counsel, TransAsia Lawyers, has advised us that the pledges in respect to 1Verge Information, Tianshi and Quan Toodou were duly created and effective given that such pledges have already been duly registered with the relevant local branch of the SAIC in accordance with the PRC Property Rights Law. As a result, if any of 1Verge Information, Tianshi and Quan Toodou or any of their respective shareholders breaches its obligations under the contractual arrangements, we may be able to enforce the pledges.

All of these contractual arrangements are governed by PRC law and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration in the PRC. Accordingly, these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with PRC law and any disputes would be resolved in accordance with PRC legal procedures. The legal environment in the PRC is not as developed as in certain other jurisdictions, such as the United States. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability to enforce these contractual arrangements, which may make it difficult to exert effective control over our consolidated affiliated entities, and our ability to conduct our business may be adversely affected. See “—Risks Relating to Doing Business in China—Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could adversely affect us.”

Contractual arrangements with our consolidated affiliated entities may result in adverse tax consequences to us.

Under applicable PRC tax laws and regulations, arrangements and transactions among related parties may be subject to audit by the PRC tax authorities within ten years after the taxable year when the arrangements or transactions are conducted. We could face material and adverse tax consequences if the PRC tax authorities were to determine that the contractual arrangements among 1Verge Internet and/or Reshuffle Technology, our wholly owned subsidiaries in China, our consolidated affiliated entities in China and their respective shareholders were not entered into on an arm’s-length basis and therefore constituted unfavorable transfer pricing arrangements. Unfavorable transfer pricing arrangements could, among other things, result in an upward adjustment on taxation. In addition, the PRC tax authorities may impose interest on late payments on our consolidated affiliated entities for the adjusted but unpaid taxes. Our results of operations may be materially and adversely affected if our consolidated affiliated entities’ tax liabilities increase significantly or if they are required to pay interest on late payments.

The shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect our business.

Ms. Qiong Qin and Mr. Dele Liu are shareholders of our significant consolidated affiliated entities, namely, 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou. Mr. Zhou Yu formerly owned an 18% stake in Quan Toodou and transferred his entire stake to Ms. Qin in September 2013 upon his resignation from our company.  Ms. Qin is the wife of our founder and chief executive officer, and she does not have any equity interest or management position at our company. Mr. Liu is our director and president. We provide no incentives to Ms. Qin or Mr. Liu for the purpose of encouraging them to act in our best interests in their capacity as the shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities. We may replace Ms. Qin and Mr. Liu as the shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities at any time pursuant to the equity option agreements. As a director and executive officer of our company, Mr. Liu has a duty of loyalty and care to us under Cayman Islands law. In addition, each of Ms. Qin and Mr. Liu, as a shareholder of 1Verge Information, has executed an irrevocable power of attorney to appoint a person to be designated by 1Verge Internet in writing who is approved by us as their attorney-in-fact to vote on her/his behalf and exercise the full voting rights as the shareholder of 1Verge Information. Each of Ms. Qin and  Mr. Liu, as a shareholder of Quan Toodou, has executed a power of attorney to appoint a person to be designated by Reshuffle Technology in writing who is approved by us as their attorney-in-fact to vote on their behalf on all Quan Toodou matters requiring shareholder approval. In addition, 1Verge Internet and Reshuffle Technology each passed a shareholders’ resolution indicating that all activities related to the powers and rights assigned pursuant to the powers of attorney for 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou, respectively, shall be exercised at the direction and approval of the Company and the resolutions are effective for the same term as the powers of attorney. However, we cannot assure you that when conflicts arise, Ms. Qin and Mr. Liu will act in the best interests of our company or that conflicts will be resolved in our favor. If we cannot resolve any conflicts of interest or disputes between us and Ms. Qin and Mr. Liu, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which may be expensive, time-consuming and disruptive to our operations. There is also substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings. Upon completion of an increase of registered capital of Tianshi in 2013, 1Verge Information became a shareholder of Tianshi that holds 70% of its equity interest, and Ms. Wen Lu and Ms. Qiong Hu jointly hold the remaining 30% the equity interest of Tianshi. Ms. Lu and Ms. Hu currently serve as our employees. Each of Ms. Lu, Ms. Hu and 1Verge Information has executed an irrevocable power of attorney to appoint a person to be designated by 1Verge Internet in writing who is approved by us as their attorney-in-fact to vote on their behalf and exercise the full voting rights as the shareholder of Tianshi. In addition, 1Verge Internet passed a shareholders’ resolution indicating that all activities related to the powers and rights assigned pursuant to the powers of attorney for Tianshi shall be exercised at the direction and approval of the Company and the resolutions are effective for the same term as the powers of attorney. We cannot assure you that if conflicts arise, Ms. Wen Lu and Ms. Qiong Hu will act in the best interests of our company or that conflicts will be resolved in our favor. If we cannot resolve any conflicts of interest or disputes between us and Ms. Lu and Ms. Hu, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which may be expensive, time-consuming and disruptive to our operations. The outcome of any such legal proceedings is uncertain.

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We may need to rely principally on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC and Hong Kong subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC and Hong Kong subsidiaries to pay dividends to us could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct our business.

We are a holding company, and we may need to rely principally on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by two of our wholly owned PRC subsidiaries, 1Verge Internet and Reshuffle Technology, and our wholly owned Hong Kong subsidiary, Jet Brilliant, which is the direct holding company of Jet Brilliant Beijing, for our cash and financing requirements, including the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders and service any debt we may incur. If any of these wholly owned subsidiaries incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict its ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us. In addition, the PRC tax authorities may require us to adjust our taxable income under the contractual arrangements that any of our wholly owned PRC subsidiaries currently has in place with our consolidated affiliated entities in a manner that would materially and adversely affect its ability to pay dividends and other distributions to us.

Under PRC laws and regulations, 1Verge Internet, Reshuffle Technology and Jet Brilliant Beijing, as wholly foreign-owned enterprises in the PRC, may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, wholly foreign-owned enterprises such as 1Verge Internet, Reshuffle Technology and Jet Brilliant Beijing are required to set aside at least 10% of their accumulated after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserve funds, until the aggregate amount of such a fund reaches 50% of their respective registered capital. At their discretion, they may allocate a portion of their after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to staff welfare and bonus funds. These reserve funds and staff welfare and bonus funds are not distributable as cash dividends. As of December 31, 2013, the registered capital of 1Verge Internet, Reshuffle Technology and Jet Brilliant Beijing were US$171.9 million, US$63.0 million and RMB1.0 million (US$0.2 million), respectively. 1Verge Internet has incurred losses of RMB441.4 million (US$72.9 million) from incorporation to December 31, 2013, Reshuffle Technology has incurred losses of RMB437.3 million (US$72.2 million) from incorporation to December 31, 2013, and Jet Brilliant Beijing has incurred losses of RMB0.7 million (US$0.1 million) from incorporation to December 31, 2013. As they have not made any profits to date, they have not been subject to the statutory reserve fund requirements and have not set aside any money to fund the statutory reserve funds or staff welfare and bonus funds. Our PRC subsidiaries have not and will not be able to pay dividends to our offshore entities until they generate accumulated profits and meet the requirements for statutory reserve funds. As of December 31, 2013, our PRC subsidiaries had accumulated deficits of RMB1,342.5 million (US$221.8 million) in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Substantially all of their revenues have been used to fund our business operations or expansion.

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Any limitation on the ability of 1Verge Internet, Reshuffle Technology or Jet Brilliant Beijing to pay dividends or make other distributions to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business. See also “—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Our global income and the dividends that we may receive from our PRC subsidiaries may be subject to PRC taxes under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations.”

PRC regulation of loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may limit our use of the proceeds from public offerings, our ability to finance our PRC subsidiaries or to fund our expansion or operations.

In utilizing the proceeds we received from the follow-on public offering we completed in May 2011 and our initial public offering in December 2010 or in other financing activities in the future, as an offshore holding company with PRC subsidiaries, we may (i) make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, (ii) establish new PRC subsidiaries and make capital contributions to these new PRC subsidiaries, (iii) make loans to our PRC subsidiaries or consolidated affiliated entities, or (iv) acquire offshore entities with business operations in China in an offshore transaction. However, most of these uses are subject to PRC regulations and approvals. For example:

·              capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, whether existing ones or newly established ones, must be approved by the PRC Ministry of Commerce or its local counterparts;

·              loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries, each of which is a foreign-invested enterprise, to finance their activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with the PRC State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, or its local branches; and

·              loans by us to our consolidated affiliated entities, which are domestic PRC entities, must be approved by the National Development and Reform Commission and must also be registered with SAFE or its local branches.

In August, 2008, SAFE promulgated the Circular on the Relevant Operating Issues Concerning the Improvement of the Administration of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 142, regulating the conversion by a foreign-invested enterprise of foreign currency registered capital into Renminbi by restricting how the converted Renminbi may be used. On November 16, 2011, SAFE promulgated the Circular on Issues Relating to Further Clarification and Regulation of Certain Capital Account Items under Foreign Exchange Control, or Circular 45, in order to clarify the application of Circular 142. Under Circular 142 and Circular 45, the Renminbi capital converted from foreign currency registered capital of a foreign-invested enterprise may only be used for purposes within the business scope approved by the applicable governmental authority and may not be used for equity investments within the PRC, unless it is provided for otherwise. In addition, SAFE strengthened its oversight of the flow and use of the Renminbi capital converted from foreign currency registered capital of a foreign-invested company. The use of such Renminbi capital may not be altered without SAFE approval, and such Renminbi capital may not in any case be used to repay Renminbi loans if the proceeds of such loans have not been used. Violations of SAFE Circular 142 or Circular 45 could result in severe monetary or other penalties. We expect that if we convert the foreign-denominated currency into Renminbi pursuant to SAFE Circular 142 and Circular 45, our use of Renminbi funds will be for purposes within the approved business scope of our PRC subsidiaries. Such business scope includes “technical services,” which we believe permits our PRC subsidiaries to purchase or lease servers and other equipment for their own technical data and research and to provide operational support to our consolidated affiliated entities. However, we may not be able to use such Renminbi funds to make equity investments in the PRC through our PRC subsidiaries.

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We expect that the PRC regulations of loans and direct investment by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may continue to limit our use of the proceeds we received from the public offerings or from other financing sources. There are no costs associated with registering loans or capital contributions with relevant PRC governmental authorities, other than nominal processing charges. Under the relevant PRC laws and regulations, the PRC governmental authorities are required to process such approvals or registrations or deny our application within a prescribed time period, which is usually less than 90 days. The actual time taken, however, may be longer due to administrative delays. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain these government registrations or approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to our future plans to use the U.S. dollar proceeds we receive from public offerings for our expansion and operations in China. If we fail to receive such registrations or approvals, our ability to use the proceeds of our public offerings and to capitalize our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and ability to fund and expand our business.

We may be unable to collect long-term loans extended to the shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities.

As of December 31, 2013, we have made long-term interest-free loans in an aggregate principal amount of RMB 94.1 million (US$ 15.5 million) to the shareholders of certain of our consolidated affiliated entities to enable them to fund the initial capitalization and the subsequent financial requirements of our consolidated affiliated entities. The initial term for such loans is ten or five years and will be automatically extended for successive ten- or five-year periods (as applicable) unless we give a three-month written notice prior to the expiration of the then current term. We may in the future make additional loans to the shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities in China in connection with any increase in the capitalization or financial requirements of these entities to the extent necessary and permissible under applicable PRC laws and regulations. Our ability to collect these long-term loans will depend on the profitability and results of operations of these consolidated affiliated entities, which is uncertain.

Risks Related to Doing Business in China

Changes in China’s economic, political or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our business and operations.

Substantially all of our assets and operations are located in China. Accordingly, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may be influenced to a significant degree by political, economic and social conditions in China generally and by continued economic growth in China as a whole.

The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the level of government involvement, level of development, growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. Although the Chinese 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 China is still owned by the government. In addition, the Chinese government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The Chinese government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth through allocating resources, controlling payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy, and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.

While the Chinese economy has experienced significant growth over the past decades, growth has been uneven, both geographically and among various sectors of the economy. The Chinese government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of resources. Some of these measures may benefit the overall Chinese economy, but may have a negative effect on us. For example, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely affected by government control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations. In addition, in the past the Chinese government has implemented certain measures, including interest rate increases, to control the pace of economic growth. These measures may cause decreased economic activity in China, which may adversely affect our business and operating results.

Uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system could adversely affect us.

We conduct our business primarily through our PRC subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities in China. Our operations in China are governed by PRC laws and regulations. Our PRC subsidiaries are foreign-invested enterprises and are subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign investment in China and, in particular, laws applicable to foreign-invested enterprises. 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.

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In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in general. The overall effect of legislation over the past three decades has significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms of foreign investments in China. However, China has not developed a fully integrated legal system, and recently enacted laws and regulations may not sufficiently cover all aspects of economic activities in China. In particular, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations involve uncertainties. Since PRC administrative and court authorities have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy. These uncertainties may affect our judgment on the relevance of legal requirements and our ability to enforce our contractual or tort rights. In addition, the regulatory uncertainties may be exploited through unmerited or frivolous legal actions or threats in attempts to extract payments or benefits from us.

Furthermore, 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 may have a retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of any violation of any of these policies and rules until some time after the violation. In addition, any administrative and court proceedings in China may be protracted, resulting in substantial costs and diversion of resources and management attention.

We may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties and changes in PRC regulation of Internet business and companies.

The PRC government extensively regulates the Internet industry, including foreign ownership of, and the licensing and permit requirements pertaining to, companies in the Internet industry. These Internet-related laws and regulations are relatively new and evolving, and their interpretation and enforcement involve significant uncertainty. As a result, in certain circumstances it may be difficult to determine what actions or omissions may be deemed to be in violations of applicable laws and regulations. Issues, risks and uncertainties relating to PRC regulation of the Internet business include, but are not limited to, the following:

·              We only have contractual control over our websites. We do not own the website due to the restriction of foreign investment in businesses providing value-added telecommunication services in China, including Internet content provision services. This may significantly disrupt our business, subject us to sanctions, compromise enforceability of related contractual arrangements, or have other harmful effects on us.

·              There are uncertainties relating to the regulation of Internet businesses in China, including evolving licensing practices. This means that permits, licenses or operations at some of our companies may be subject to challenge, or we may fail to obtain permits or licenses that may be deemed necessary for our operations or we may not be able to obtain or renew certain permits or licenses. The major permits and licenses that could be involved include, without limitation, the Internet Audio/Video Program Transmission License (including ancillary licenses covering services of live broadcasting on general social and cultural activities, sports games or other similar activities, search functionality for services of online audio/video programs and services of distribution of audio/video programs to mobile phones) issued by the SARFT, the Internet Culture Operation Permit issued by the Ministry of Culture, the Value-Added Telecommunications Services Operation Permit issued by the MIIT, the Telecommunications and Information Services Operation Permit issued by the Beijing Communications Administration, the Internet News Information Services License issued by the SCIO, the Internet Medical Information Services License issued by the State Food and Drug Administration and the Internet Publication License issued by the GAPP. If we fail to maintain any of these required licenses or approvals, we may be subject to various penalties, including fines and discontinuation of, or restriction on, our operations. Any such disruption in our business operations may have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations.

·              The evolving PRC regulatory system for the Internet industry may lead to the establishment of new regulatory agencies. For example, in May 2011, the State Council announced the establishment of a new department, the State Internet Information Office (with the involvement of the SCIO, the MIIT and the Ministry of Public Security). The primary role of this new agency is to facilitate the policy-making and legislative development in this field to direct and coordinate with the relevant departments in connection with online content administration and to deal with cross-ministry regulatory matters in relation to the Internet industry. Further, new laws, regulations or policies may be promulgated or announced that will regulate Internet activities, including online video and online advertising businesses. If these new laws, regulations or policies are promulgated, additional licenses may be required for our operations. If our operations do not comply with these new regulations after they become effective, or if we fail to obtain any licenses required under these new laws and regulations, we could be subject to penalties.

·              In 2013, the GAPPRFT released a Supplemental Notice on Improving the Administration of Online Audio/Video Content Including Internet Dramas and Micro Films, which requires that (i) a permit for radio and television program production and operation must be obtained for all online content, such as Internet dramas and micro films, (ii) online audio/video service providers transmitting Internet dramas or micro films produced and uploaded by individual users will be deemed responsible as producers for such content, (iii) online audio/video service providers may only transmit content uploaded by individuals whose identity has been verified and such content shall comply with relevant content management rules and (iv) online audio/video content, including Internet dramas and micro films, must be filed with the relevant authorities before release. This supplementary notice is very new, and thus far no relevant implementation rules or interpretations have been issued. Therefore, it remains unclear what, if any, potential liabilities 1Verge Information and Toodou Cultural could face in respect of the online audio/video content available on our websites.

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In July 2006, the MIIT, the predecessor of which is the Ministry of Information Industry, issued the Notice of the Ministry of Information Industry on Strengthening Administration of Foreign Investment in Value-added Telecommunications Services. This notice prohibits domestic telecommunications services providers from leasing, transferring or selling telecommunications business operating licenses to any foreign investor in any form, or providing any resources, sites or facilities to any foreign investor for their illegal operation of a telecommunications business in China. According to this notice, either the holder of a value-added telecommunications business operating license or its shareholders must directly own the domain names and trademarks used by such license holders in their provision of value-added telecommunications services. The notice also requires each license holder to have the necessary facilities, including servers, for its approved business operations and to maintain such facilities in the regions covered by its license. Currently, all contracts with telecommunications carriers and other service providers to host the servers used in our business were entered into by 1Verge Information, our PRC consolidated affiliated entity, and such arrangements are in compliance with the notice. 1Verge Information also owns the related domain names and holds the value-added telecommunications business operating license and the ICP license necessary to conduct our operations in China, while the related trademarks are owned by 1Verge Internet, our wholly owned subsidiary. There remain significant uncertainties with respect to the procedural requirements involved in effecting the transfer of trademarks from 1Verge Internet to 1Verge Information. It is also unclear as to which, if not all, of the trademarks that 1Verge Internet owns will be subject to the transfer requirement under this notice. To our knowledge, in practice, the notice has not been enforced in respect of trademarks. We have not been required by the MIIT or its local branch to transfer the relevant trademarks held by 1Verge Internet to 1Verge Information. If the relevant government authority strictly enforces the notice, we will be required to transfer the related trademarks to 1Verge Information, which may be time consuming. If we fail to do so, the relevant governmental authority has the discretion to revoke the value-added telecommunications license held by 1Verge Information or impose other penalties, including fines.

The interpretation and application of existing PRC laws, regulations and policies and possible new laws, regulations or policies relating to the Internet industry have created substantial uncertainties regarding the legality of existing and future foreign investments in, and the businesses and activities of, Internet businesses in China, including our business. We cannot assure you that we have obtained all the permits or licenses required for conducting our business in China or will be able to maintain our existing licenses or obtain any new licenses required under any new laws or regulations. There are also risks that we may be found to violate the existing or future laws and regulations given the uncertainty and complexity of China’s regulation of Internet business.

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A PRC tax pilot program may have an adverse impact on our results of operations and financial condition.

The PRC government adopted a PRC tax pilot program, which is initially being implemented in Shanghai and has been extended to other cities. On November 16, 2011, the Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation jointly issued the Circular on the Pilot Program for the Collection of Value Added Tax in Lieu of Business Tax, or Circular 110, and the Circular on the Pilot Program for the Collection of Value Added Tax in Lieu of Business Tax in the Transportation and Certain Modern Service Sectors in Shanghai, or Circular 111. These circulars became effective on January 1, 2012. Pursuant to Circular 110 and Circular 111, starting from January 1, 2012, companies classified by Shanghai’s local tax authorities as being engaged in certain services, including transportation services, research and development services, information technology services and advertising services, are required to pay value added tax, or VAT, at a rate ranging from 6% to 17% in lieu of business tax. The pilot VAT reform program initially applied only to the pilot industries in Shanghai and has been expanded to eight additional regions, including, among others, Beijing, in 2012. The pilot program will also be expanded nationwide when conditions permit. Advertising services provided by our Shanghai and Beijing entities have been subject to a 6% VAT in lieu of business tax since January 1, 2012 and September 1, 2012, respectively. This program may negatively impact our results of operations. On May 24, 2013, the Ministry of Finance, or MOF, and the State Administration of Taxation, or SAT, jointly issued Caishui [2013] No. 37, or Circular 37. From August 1, 2013, the VAT Pilot has been expanded to the transportation industry (expect for railway transport) and some modern service industries nationwide. On December 12, 2013, MOF and SAT jointly issued Caishui [2013] No. 106, or Circular 106, which sets out that railway transportation and postal services would be within the scope of the VAT pilot from January 1, 2014. Circular 106 also includes some updates and changes to VAT pilot rules. Circular 106 replaced Circular 37 from January 1, 2014.

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

The conversion of RMB into foreign currencies, including U.S. dollars, is based on rates set by the People’s Bank of China. The PRC government allowed the RMB to appreciate by more than 20% against the U.S. dollar between July 2005 and July 2008. Between July 2008 and June 2010, this appreciation halted and the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar remained within a narrow band. Since June 2010, the PRC government has allowed the RMB to appreciate slowly against the U.S. dollar again, though there have been periods when the U.S. dollar has appreciated against the Renminbi as well. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between the RMB and the U.S. dollar in the future.

There remains significant international pressure on the Chinese government to adopt a substantial liberalization of its currency policy, which could result in further appreciation in the value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar. To the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars into Renminbi for capital expenditures and working capital and other business purposes, 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 Renminbi into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our ordinary shares or ADSs, strategic acquisitions or investments or 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.

Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our revenues effectively and affect the value of your investment.

The PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the Renminbi into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. We receive substantially all of our revenues in Renminbi. Under our current corporate structure, our Cayman Islands holding company primarily relies on dividend payments from our wholly owned PRC subsidiaries, 1Verge Internet and Reshuffle Technology, and our wholly owned Hong Kong subsidiary, Jet Brilliant, which is the direct holding company of Jet Brilliant Beijing, to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have. 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 SAFE approval by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, approval from or registration with appropriate government authorities is required where the Renminbi is to be converted into foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. Specifically, under the existing exchange restrictions, without prior approval of SAFE, cash generated from the operations of our subsidiaries in China may be used to pay dividends by our PRC subsidiaries to our company either directly or through Jet Brilliant and pay employees of our PRC subsidiaries who are located outside China in a currency other than the Renminbi. With prior approval from SAFE, cash generated from the operations of our PRC subsidiaries and affiliated entities may be used to pay off debt in a currency other than the Renminbi owed by our subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities to entities outside China, and make other capital expenditures outside China in a currency other than the Renminbi. If either or both of our consolidated affiliated entities liquidate, the proceeds from the liquidation of their assets may be used outside of the PRC or be given to investors who are not PRC nationals. The PRC government may at its discretion restrict access to foreign currencies for current account transactions in the future. 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, including holders of our ADSs.

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Certain PRC regulations may make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions.

The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, which became effective in September 2006 and was amended in June 2009, established additional procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. Such regulation requires, among other things, that the Ministry of Commerce be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise or a foreign company with substantial PRC operations, if certain thresholds under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings, issued by the State Council in August 2008, were triggered. We believe that neither the acquisition of Trade Lead Investments Ltd., or Trade Lead, nor the business combination with Tudou met the explicit thresholds under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings. However, even for transactions that do not meet the explicit thresholds, MOFCOM has discretion to initiate an investigation, if it believes it has collected evidence showing that the business concentration caused by such combination results in, or is likely to result in, an elimination or restriction of competition. As a result, we cannot preclude the possibility that MOFCOM may conduct investigation on the two transactions, impose restrictive conditions or even unwind the transactions. According to the Implementing Rules Concerning Security Review on the Mergers and Acquisitions by Foreign Investors of Domestic Enterprises issued by the Ministry of Commerce in August 2011, mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors involved in an industry related to national security are subject to strict review by the Ministry of Commerce. These rules also prohibit any transactions attempting to bypass such security review, including by controlling entities through contractual arrangements. We believe that our business and the business we acquired or combined are not in an industry related to national security. However, we cannot preclude the possibility that the Ministry of Commerce or other government agencies may publish interpretations contrary to our understanding or broaden the scope of such security review in the future.

We may grow our business in part by directly acquiring complementary businesses in China. Complying with the requirements of these regulations to complete such transactions could be time-consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval from the Ministry of Commerce, may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions, which could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share.

PRC regulations relating to the establishment of offshore special purpose vehicles, or SPVs, by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiaries, limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.

SAFE has promulgated several regulations, including the Notice on Issues Relating to the Administration of Foreign Exchange in Fund-Raising and Round-trip Investment Activities of Domestic Residents Conducted via Offshore Special Purpose Companies, or SAFE Circular No. 75, effective on November 1, 2005. To further clarify and simplify the implementation of the SAFE Circular No. 75, the SAFE issued the Implementing Rules Relating to the Administration of Foreign Exchange in Fund-Raising and Round-trip Investment Activities of the Domestic Residents Conducted via Offshore Special Purpose Companies, or SAFE Circular No. 19 on May 20, 2011, which has come into effect on July 1, 2011. These regulations require PRC residents and PRC corporate entities to register with local branches of SAFE in connection with their direct or indirect offshore investment activities. These regulations apply to our shareholders who are PRC residents and may apply to any offshore acquisitions that we make in the future.

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Under these foreign exchange regulations, PRC residents who make, or have previously made prior to the implementation of these foreign exchange regulations, direct or indirect investments in SPVs will be required to register those investments. In addition, any PRC resident who is a direct or indirect shareholder of an SPV is required to update the previously filed registration with the local branch of SAFE, with respect to that SPV, to reflect any material change. Moreover, the PRC subsidiaries of that SPV are required to urge the PRC resident shareholders to update their registration with the local branch of SAFE. If any PRC shareholder fails to make the required registration or update the previously filed registration, the PRC subsidiaries of that SPV may be prohibited from distributing their profits and the proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation to their SPV, and the SPV may also be prohibited from injecting additional capital into its PRC subsidiaries. Moreover, failure to comply with the various foreign exchange registration requirements described above could result in liabilities for such PRC subsidiaries under PRC laws for evasion of applicable foreign exchange restrictions, including (i) the requirement by SAFE to return the foreign exchange remitted overseas within a period specified by SAFE, with a fine of up to 30% of the total amount of foreign exchange remitted overseas and deemed to have been evasive and (ii) in circumstances involving serious violations, a fine of no less than 30% of and up to the total amount of remitted foreign exchange deemed evasive. Furthermore, the persons-in-charge and other persons at such PRC subsidiaries who are held directly liable for the violations may be subject to administrative sanctions. The shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities, Ms. Qiong Qin, Mr. Dele Liu, Ms. Wen Lu and Ms. Qiong Hu, all of whom are PRC citizens, have not conducted any direct or indirect offshore investment activities or held any shares, directly or indirectly in any of our offshore entities other than those due to exercise of their share options. Therefore, these PRC resident shareholders are not required to file the registrations and amendments pursuant to SAFE Circular No. 75 and related rules. Mr. Victor Koo, our founder and chief executive officer, who is a permanent resident of Hong Kong, stays in mainland China for over 183 days per annum. However, as a result of our inquiries with the competent local branch of SAFE responsible for our PRC subsidiaries’ foreign exchange registrations, we were informed that, given the lack of any publicly-available implementing rules or official interpretations issued by the SAFE regarding the issue of whether the registration and amendment filing requirements under SAFE Circular No. 75 and related rules should apply to non-PRC citizens, Mr. Koo should not be deemed a PRC resident for these purposes, and any attempt to submit an application to such local SAFE branch with respect to Mr. Koo’s investment and shareholdings in our offshore SPV will not be officially accepted or examined. In addition, Ms. Qiong Qin should not be required to make an application with respect to Mr. Koo’s offshore SPV activities merely by virtue of being Mr. Koo’s wife.

However, we cannot conclude that the SAFE or the local branch responsible for our PRC subsidiaries’ foreign exchange registrations will not later change its position on, and interpretation of, the applicability of these foreign exchange regulations to Mr. Koo or the PRC resident shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities. In the event the registration procedures set forth in these foreign exchange regulations become applicable to Mr. Koo or the PRC resident shareholders of our consolidated affiliated entities, we will urge these individuals to file necessary registrations and amendments as required under SAFE Circular No. 75 and related rules. However, as SAFE regulations and policies have been evolving rapidly in the past few years, we cannot assure that all of these individuals can successfully make or update any applicable registration or obtain the necessary approval required by these foreign exchange regulations as these individuals may not be able to fully satisfy the new requirements or interpretations that SAFE or its local branch may impose or adopt from time to time. The failure or inability of such individuals to comply with the registration procedures set forth in these regulations may subject us to fines or legal sanctions, restrictions on our cross-border investment activities or our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to, or obtain foreign-exchange-dominated loans from, our company, or prevent us from making distributions or paying dividends. As a result, our business operations and our ability to make distributions to you could be materially and adversely affected.

Furthermore, as these foreign exchange regulations are still relatively new and there is uncertainty concerning the reconciliation of the new regulations with the approval requirements under other existing PRC laws and regulations, such as tax laws, it is unclear how these regulations, and any future regulation concerning offshore or cross-border transactions, will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant government authorities. We cannot predict how these regulations will affect our business operations or future strategy. For example, we may be subject to a more stringent review and approval process with respect to our foreign exchange activities, such as remittance of dividends and foreign-currency-denominated borrowings, which may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations. In addition, if we decide to acquire a PRC domestic company, we cannot assure you that we or the owners of such company, as the case may be, will be able to obtain the necessary approvals or complete the necessary filings and registrations required by the foreign exchange regulations. This may restrict our ability to implement our acquisition strategy and could adversely affect our business and prospects.

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Failure to comply with PRC regulations regarding the registration requirements for employee stock ownership plans or share option plans may subject the PRC plan participants or us to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions.

In December 2006, the People’s Bank of China promulgated the Administrative Measures of Foreign Exchange Matters for Individuals, which set forth the respective requirements for foreign exchange transactions by individuals (both PRC or non-PRC citizens) under either the current account or the capital account. In January 2007, SAFE issued implementing rules for the Administrative Measures of Foreign Exchange Matters for Individuals, which, among other things, specified approval requirements for certain capital account transactions such as a PRC citizen’s participation in the employee stock ownership plans or stock option plans of an overseas publicly-listed company. In March 2007, SAFE promulgated the Application Procedures of Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Employee Stock Ownership Plan or Stock Option Plan of Overseas-Listed Company, or the Stock Option Rules. In February 2012, SAFE promulgated the Notice on the Administration of Foreign Exchange Matters for Domestic Individuals Participating in the Stock Incentive Plans of Overseas Listed Companies, or the Stock Option Notice, and replaced the Stock Option Rules. The Stock Option Notice simplifies the requirements and procedures for the registration of stock incentive plan participants, especially in respect of the required application documents and the elimination of strict requirements on offshore and onshore custodian banks, as were stipulated in the Stock Option Rules. According to the Stock Option Notice, for PRC resident individuals who participate in stock incentive plans of overseas public companies, which includes employee stock ownership plans, stock option plans and other incentive plans permitted by relevant laws and regulations, a PRC domestic qualified agent or the PRC subsidiary of such overseas public company must, among other things, file, on behalf of such individuals, an application with the SAFE or its local counterpart to obtain an annual allowance with respect to the purchase of foreign exchange in connection with stock holding or share option exercises, as PRC domestic individuals may not directly use overseas funds to purchase shares or exercise share options. In addition, within three months after there is any substantial change to such stock incentive plans, including for example any changes due to merger or acquisition or changes of domestic or overseas custodian agent, the domestic agent must update the registration with SAFE. We and our PRC citizen employees who participate in an employee stock ownership plan or a stock option plan are subject to these regulations, since we are a publicly-listed company in the United States. We and our employees have made such applications and intend to continue making such application on an on-going basis and complete all the requisite procedures in accordance with the Stock Option Notice. If we or our PRC optionees fail to comply with these regulations, we or our PRC optionees may be subject to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—Regulations on Employee Stock Options Plan.”

We face uncertainty with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.

Pursuant to the Notice on Strengthening Administration of Enterprise Income Tax for Share Transfers by Non-PRC Resident Enterprises, or SAT Circular 698, issued by the State Administration of Taxation, or the SAT, in December 2009, with retroactive effect from January 1, 2008, where a non-resident enterprise transfers the equity interests of a PRC resident enterprise indirectly by disposition of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, or an Indirect Transfer, and such overseas holding company is located in a tax jurisdiction that: (i) has an effective tax rate of less than 12.5% or (ii) does not impose income tax on foreign income of its residents, the non-resident enterprise, being the transferor, shall report to the competent tax authority of the PRC resident enterprise this Indirect Transfer. Using a “substance over form” principle, the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding or deferring PRC tax. As a result, gains derived from such Indirect Transfer may be subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10%. SAT Circular 698 also provides that, where a non-PRC resident enterprise transfers its equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise to its related parties at a price lower than the fair market value, the relevant tax authority has the power to make a reasonable adjustment to the taxable income of the transaction.

On March 28, 2011, the SAT released the SAT Public Notice (2011) No. 24, or SAT Public Notice 24, to clarify several issues related to SAT Circular 698. SAT Public Notice 24 became effective on April 1, 2011. According to SAT Public Notice 24, the term “effective tax” refers to the effective tax on the gain derived from disposition of the equity interests of an overseas holding company; and the term “does not impose income tax” refers to the cases where the gain derived from disposition of the equity interests of an overseas holding company is not subject to income tax in the country/region where the overseas holding company is a resident.

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There is uncertainty as to the application of SAT Circular 698. For example, while the term “Indirect Transfer” is not clearly defined, it is understood that the relevant PRC tax authorities have jurisdiction regarding requests for information over a wide range of foreign entities having no direct contact with China. Moreover, the relevant authority has not yet promulgated any formal provisions or made any formal declaration as to the process and format for reporting an Indirect Transfer to the competent tax authority of the relevant PRC resident enterprise. In addition, there are not any formal declarations with regard to how to determine whether a foreign investor has adopted an abusive arrangement in order to reduce, avoid or defer PRC tax. SAT Circular 698 may be determined by the tax authorities to be applicable to our private equity financing transactions where non-resident investors were involved, if any of such transactions were determined by the tax authorities to lack reasonable commercial purpose. As a result, we and our non-resident investors may become at risk of being taxed under SAT Circular 698 and may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with SAT Circular 698 or to establish that we should not be taxed under SAT Circular 698, which may have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations or such non-resident investors’ investments in us.

Discontinuation of any of the preferential tax treatments or imposition of any additional taxes could adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.

China passed a new PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, or the New EIT Law, and its implementation rules, both of which became effective on January 1, 2008. The New EIT Law significantly curtails tax incentives granted to foreign-invested enterprises under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law concerning Foreign-Invested Enterprises and Foreign Enterprises, or the Old EIT Law, which was effective prior to January 1, 2008. The New EIT Law, however, (i) reduces the statutory rate of the enterprise income tax from 33% to 25%, (ii) permits companies established before March 16, 2007 to continue to enjoy their existing tax incentives, adjusted by certain transitional phase-out rules promulgated by the State Council on December 26, 2007, and (iii) introduces new tax incentives, subject to various qualification criteria.

The New EIT Law and its implementation rules permit certain “high and new technology enterprises strongly supported by the state” which hold independent ownership of core intellectual property to enjoy a preferential enterprise income tax rate of 15%, subject to certain new qualification criteria. 1Verge Internet, our wholly owned subsidiary, and 1Verge Information, our consolidated affiliated entity, were recognized by the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission as “high and new technology enterprises” on December 24, 2010 and April 27, 2006, respectively, and therefore were eligible for the reduced 15% enterprise income tax rate upon its filing with the relevant tax authority. The qualification as a “high and new technology enterprise” is subject to annual evaluation and a three-year review by the relevant authorities in China. 1Verge Information was reaffirmed as such on December 14, 2009 and was entitled to the preferential tax rate of 15% for 2009, 2010 and 2011. However, 1Verge Information was not recognized as a “high and new technology enterprise” in the three-year review in 2012, and its applicable enterprise income tax rate increased to 25% starting in 2012. 1Verge Internet was recognized as a “high and new technology enterprise” in the three-year review in 2013, and its applicable enterprise income tax rate remained at 15% from 2013 to 2015.

Preferential tax treatment granted to our subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities by the local governmental authorities is subject to review and may be adjusted or revoked at any time. The discontinuation of any preferential tax treatments currently available to us and our wholly owned PRC subsidiary, 1Verge Internet, will cause our effective tax rate to increase, which could have a material adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. We cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain our current effective tax rate in the future.

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Our global income and the dividends that we may receive from our PRC subsidiaries may be subject to PRC taxes under the New EIT Law, which would have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and on the investments of our non-PRC shareholders and ADS holders.

Under the New EIT Law and its implementation rules, both of which became effective on January 1, 2008, an enterprise established outside of the PRC with a “de facto management body” within the PRC is considered a resident enterprise and will be subject to the enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on its global income. The implementation rules define the term “de facto management body” as “establishments that carry out substantial and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel, accounting, properties, etc. 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 SAT Circular 82, on April 22, 2009. SAT Circular 82 provides certain specific criteria for determining whether the “de facto management body” of a Chinese-controlled offshore-incorporated enterprise is located in China. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—Regulations on Tax—PRC Enterprise Income Tax.” Although SAT Circular 82 only applies to offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises, not those controlled by PRC individuals, the determining criteria set forth in the SAT Circular 82 may reflect the SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” test may be applied in determining the tax resident status of offshore enterprises.

According to the SAT Circular 82, a Chinese-controlled offshore incorporated enterprise will be regarded as a PRC tax resident by virtue of having a “de facto management body” in China and will be subject to PRC enterprise income tax on its worldwide income only if all of the following conditions set forth in the SAT Circular 82 are met: (i) the primary location of the day-to-day operational management is in the PRC; (ii) decisions relating to the enterprise’s financial and human resource matters are made or are subject to approval by organizations or personnel in the PRC; (iii) the enterprise’s primary assets, accounting books and records, company seals, and board and shareholder resolutions are located or maintained in the PRC; and (iv) at least 50% of voting board members or senior executives habitually reside in the PRC.

We do not believe that either Youku Tudou Inc. or its Hong Kong, Cayman or BVI subsidiaries, including Jet Brilliant, Tudou Holdings Limited and StarCloud Media Co., Limited, meet all of the conditions above. Each of Youku Tudou Inc. and these offshore subsidiaries is a company incorporated outside the PRC. These entities’ key assets and records, including the resolutions of their respective board of directors and the resolutions of their respective shareholders, are located and maintained outside the PRC. In addition, we are not aware of any offshore holding companies with similar corporate structures ever having been deemed to be a PRC “resident enterprise” by the PRC tax authorities. Therefore, we believe that neither Youku Tudou Inc. nor any of these offshore subsidiaries should be treated as a “resident enterprise” for PRC tax purposes if the criteria for a “de facto management body” as set forth in the SAT Circular 82 were deemed applicable to us. However, as 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” as applicable to our offshore entities, we may be considered a resident enterprise and may therefore be subject to the enterprise income tax at 25% on our global income. If we are considered a resident enterprise and earn income other than dividends from our PRC subsidiary, a 25% enterprise income tax on our global income could significantly increase our tax burden and materially and adversely affect our cash flow and profitability. In addition to the uncertainty regarding how the new “resident enterprise” classification may apply, it is also possible that the rules may change in the future, possibly with retroactive effect.

Pursuant to the New EIT Law and its implementation rules, however, dividends generated after January 1, 2008 and payable by a foreign-invested enterprise in China to its foreign investors, which are non-PRC tax resident enterprises without an establishment in China, or which has an establishment in China but the dividend income is not connected with the establishment, are subject to withholding tax at a rate of 10%, unless any such foreign investor’s jurisdiction of incorporation has a tax treaty with China that provides for a preferential withholding arrangement and the foreign investor is the beneficial owner. We are a Cayman Islands holding company and we plan to conduct our advertising business and derive substantially all of our income from dividends through Jet Brilliant Beijing, which is 100% owned by Jet Brilliant, our wholly owned subsidiary located in Hong Kong. As long as Jet Brilliant, our Hong Kong subsidiary, is considered a non-PRC resident enterprise and holds at least 25% of the equity interest of Jet Brilliant Beijing, dividends that it receives from Jet Brilliant Beijing may be subject to withholding tax at a preferential rate of 5% under the Arrangement between the PRC and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion, effective on January 1, 2007, if it is the beneficial owner of the dividends, upon receiving approval from the local tax authority. However, if Jet Brilliant, our Hong Kong subsidiary, is not considered to be the beneficial owner of such dividends under applicable tax regulations, such dividends would be subject to withholding tax at a rate of 10%. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—Regulations on Tax—Dividends Withholding Tax.” Our PRC subsidiaries have not paid any dividends, and do not currently plan to pay dividends in the future, as they continue to incur losses, to our company or Jet Brilliant, our Hong Kong subsidiary, as the case may be. We have not obtained the approval mentioned above from the local tax authority and do not currently plan to do so in the near future.

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We have been advised by our PRC counsel, TransAsia Lawyers, that according to the interpretation and implementation of the New EIT Law and its implementation rules, if we are regarded as a PRC resident enterprise, any dividends to be distributed by us to our non-PRC shareholders and ADS holders would be subject to PRC withholding tax. If we are regarded as a PRC resident enterprise and if we were required under the New EIT Law to withhold PRC income tax on our dividends payable to our non-PRC enterprise shareholders and ADS holders, your investment in our ordinary shares or ADSs may be materially and adversely affected.

The enforcement of the Labor Contract Law and other labor-related regulations in the PRC may adversely affect our business and our results of operations.

In June 2007, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China enacted the Labor Contract Law, which became effective on January 1, 2008. The Labor Contract Law introduces specific provisions related to fixed-term employment contracts, part-time employment, probation, consultation with labor union 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 Labor Contract Law, an employer is obliged to sign an unlimited-term labor contract with any employee who has worked for the employer for ten 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 unlimited term, with certain exceptions. The employer must also pay severance to an employee in nearly all instances where a labor contract, including a contract with an unlimited term, is terminated or expires. In addition, the government has continued to introduce various new labor-related regulations after the Labor Contract Law. Among other things, new annual leave requirements mandate that annual leave ranging from five to 15 days is available to nearly all employees and further require that the employer compensate an employee for any annual leave days the employee is unable to take in the amount of three times his daily salary, subject to certain exceptions. As a result of these new regulations designed to enhance labor protection, our labor costs are expected to increase. In addition, as the interpretation and implementation of these new regulations are still evolving, we cannot assure you that our employment practice will at all times be deemed in full 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 results of operations may be adversely affected.

Proceedings instituted recently by the SEC against five PRC-based accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm, could result in our financial statements being determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act.

In December 2012, the SEC brought administrative proceedings against five accounting firms, including our independent registered public accounting firm, in China, alleging that they had refused to produce audit work papers and other documents related to certain other China-based companies under investigation by the SEC for potential accounting fraud. On January 22, 2014, an initial administrative law decision was issued, censuring these accounting firms and suspending four of the five firms from practicing before the SEC for a period of six months. The decision is neither final nor legally effective unless and until reviewed and approved by the SEC. The accounting firms appealed the initial administrative law decision to the SEC in February 2014. The sanction will not become effective until after a full appeal process is concluded and a final decision is issued by the SEC. The accounting firms can also further appeal the final decision of the SEC through the federal appellate courts. We are not involved in the proceedings brought by the SEC against the accounting firms. However, our independent registered public accounting firm is one of the four accounting firms subject to the six month suspension from practicing before the SEC in the initial administrative law decision. We may therefore be adversely affected by the outcome of the proceedings, along with other U.S.-listed companies audited by these accounting firms.

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On May 24, 2013, the PCAOB announced that it had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding on Enforcement Cooperation with the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, and the Ministry of Finance which establishes a cooperative framework between the parties for the production and exchange of audit documents relevant to investigations in the United States and China. However, it is not clear how these recent developments could affect the SEC’s final decision in the case against the five accounting firms or any subsequent appeal to courts that the accounting firms may initiate. Therefore, it is difficult to determine the final outcome of the administrative proceedings and the potential consequences thereof.

If our independent registered public accounting firm were denied, 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 financial statements, our financial statements could be determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act. Such a determination could ultimately lead to delisting of our ADSs from the NYSE or deregistration from the SEC, or both, which would substantially reduce or effectively terminate the trading of our ADSs in the United States.

Our auditor, like other independent registered public accounting firms operating in China, is not permitted to be subject to inspection by Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, and consequently, investors may be deprived of the benefits of such inspection.

The independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit reports included in this annual report, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States), or PCAOB, is required by the laws of the United States to undergo regular inspections by the PCAOB to assess its compliance with the laws of the United States and with applicable professional standards. Because our auditor is located in China, a jurisdiction where the PCAOB is currently unable to conduct inspections without the approval of the PRC authorities, our auditor, like other independent registered public accounting firms operating in China, is currently not inspected by the PCAOB.

Inspections of other firms that the PCAOB has conducted outside of China have identified deficiencies in those firms’ audit procedures and quality control procedures, and such deficiencies may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality. The inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of independent registered public accounting firms operating in China makes it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of our auditor’s audit procedures or quality control procedures, and to the extent that such inspections might have facilitated improvements in our auditor’s audit procedures and quality control procedures, investors may be deprived of such benefits.

Risks Related to Our ADSs

The market price for our ADSs has fluctuated and may be volatile.

The market price for our ADSs has fluctuated since we first listed our ADSs. Since our ADSs became listed on the NYSE on December 8, 2010, the trading price of our ADSs have ranged from US$13.76 to US$69.95 per ADS, and the last reported trading price on April 15, 2014 was US$24.57 per ADS.

The market price for our ADSs may be highly volatile and subject to wide fluctuations in response to factors within and outside our control including, but not limited to, the following:

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·              regulatory developments affecting us, our advertisers or our industry;

·              announcements of studies and reports relating to the quality and popularity of our services or those of our competitors;

·              changes in the economic performance or market valuations of other companies that provide online video or online advertising;

·              actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly results of operations and changes of our expected results;

·              changes in financial estimates by securities research analysts;

·              conditions in the online video or online advertising industry;

·              announcements by us or our competitors of new services, acquisitions, strategic relationships, joint ventures or capital commitments;

·              additions to or departures of our senior management;

·              fluctuations of exchange rates between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar; and

·              sales or perceived potential sales of additional ordinary shares or ADSs.

In addition, the securities market has from time to time experienced significant price and volume fluctuations that are not related to the operating performance of any particular companies. These market fluctuations may also have a material adverse effect on the market price of our ADSs. The securities of some China-based companies that have listed their securities in the United States have experienced significant volatility since their initial public offerings in recent years, including, in some cases, substantial declines in the trading prices of their securities. The trading performances of these companies’ securities after their offerings may affect the attitudes of investors towards Chinese companies listed in the United States in general, which consequently may impact the trading performance of our ADSs, regardless of our actual operating performance. In addition, any negative news or perceptions about inadequate corporate governance practices or fraudulent accounting, corporate structure or other matters of other Chinese companies may also negatively affect the attitudes of investors towards Chinese companies in general, including us, regardless of whether we have engaged in any inappropriate activities. In particular, the global financial crisis and the ensuing economic recessions in many countries have contributed and may continue to contribute to extreme volatility in the global stock markets. These broad market and industry fluctuations may adversely affect the market price of our ADSs. Volatility in our ADS price may also adversely affect our ability to retain key employees, most of whom have been granted options or other equity incentives.

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 and ADSs may view as beneficial.

We have a dual-class voting structure such that our ordinary shares consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Subject to certain exceptions, in respect of matters requiring the votes of shareholders, holders of Class A ordinary shares are entitled to one vote per share, while holders of Class B ordinary shares are entitled to four votes per share. We issued Class A ordinary shares represented by ADSs in our initial public offering in December 2010 and the follow-on public offering in May 2011. Since our initial public offering in December 2010, (i) all ordinary shares previously held by 1Look Holdings Ltd., which is wholly owned by our founder, chairman and chief executive officer, Victor Koo, and its affiliates have been automatically re-designated as Class B ordinary shares on a 1-for-1 basis, (ii) all preferred shares previously held by Chengwei Partners, L.P., Chengwei Evergreen Capital, L.P. (formerly known as Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Fund, L.P.) and Chengwei Ventures Evergreen Advisors Fund, LLC, collectively referred to as Chengwei Funds, and their affiliates have been automatically converted into Class B ordinary shares each on a 1-for-1 basis, and (iii) all preferred shares previously held by our shareholders other than Chengwei Funds or their affiliates have been automatically converted into Class A ordinary shares on a 1-for-1 basis. 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. Upon any transfer of Class B ordinary shares by a holder thereof to any person or entity which is not an affiliate of such holder, such Class B ordinary shares shall be automatically and immediately converted into the equal number of Class A ordinary shares. Due to the disparate voting powers attached to these two classes, Victor Koo and Chengwei Funds beneficially own approximately 53% of the aggregate voting power of our company as of the date of this report and have considerable influence over matters requiring shareholder approval, subject to certain exceptions. 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 and ADSs may view as beneficial.

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Because we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on price appreciation of our ADSs for return on your investment.

We intend to retain most, if not all, of our available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and growth of our business. As a result, we do not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Therefore, you should not rely on an investment in our ADSs as a source for any future dividend income.

Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends. 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, among other things, 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 ADSs will likely depend entirely upon any future price appreciation of our ADSs. There is no guarantee that our ADSs will appreciate in value or even maintain the price at which you purchased the ADSs. You may not realize a return on your investment in our ADSs and you may even lose your entire investment in our ADSs.

Substantial future sales or perceived potential sales of our ADSs in the public market could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.

Additional sales of our ADSs or Class A ordinary shares in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur, could cause the market price of our ADSs to decline. As of December 31, 2013, we had 3 , 016 , 091 , 294 ordinary shares outstanding including 2,356,529,401 Class A ordinary shares represented by ADSs. All ADSs are freely transferable without restriction or additional registration under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act.

Certain holders of our ordinary shares have the right to cause us to register under the Securities Act the sale of their shares. Registration of these shares under the Securities Act would result in ADSs representing these shares becoming freely tradable without restriction under the Securities Act immediately upon the effectiveness of the registration. Sales of these registered shares in the form of ADSs, in the public market could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.

We have incurred increased costs as a result of being a public company, and we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional future costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.

As a public company, we have incurred significant legal, accounting and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company. In addition, the Sarbanes-Oxley Act and rules subsequently implemented by the SEC have required changes in corporate governance practices of public companies. These rules and regulations have increased our legal, accounting and financial compliance costs and made some of our corporate activities more time-consuming and costly. Also, we have incurred additional costs associated with satisfying our public company reporting requirements. We are evaluating and monitoring developments with respect to these rules and regulations, and we cannot predict or estimate the amount of additional future costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.

You may not have the same voting rights as the holders of our ordinary shares and may not receive voting materials in time to be able to exercise your right to vote.

Except as described in this annual report and in the deposit agreement, holders of our ADSs are not able to exercise voting rights attaching to the Class A ordinary shares represented by our ADSs on an individual basis. Pursuant to the deposit agreement, holders of our ADSs will appoint the depositary or its nominee as their representative to exercise the voting rights attaching to the Class A ordinary shares represented by the ADSs. You may not receive voting materials in time to instruct the depositary to vote, and it is possible that you, or persons who hold their ADSs through brokers, dealers or other third parties, will not have the opportunity to exercise a right to vote.

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The depositary for our ADSs will give us a discretionary proxy to vote our ordinary shares underlying your ADSs if you do not vote at shareholders’ meetings, except in limited circumstances, which could adversely affect your interests.

Under the deposit agreement for the ADSs, if you do not vote, the depositary will give us a discretionary proxy to vote the Class A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs at shareholders’ meetings unless:

·              we have failed to timely provide the depositary with notice of meeting and related voting materials;

·              we have instructed the depositary that we do not wish a discretionary proxy to be given;

·              we have informed the depositary that there is substantial opposition as to a matter to be voted on at the meeting;

·              we have informed the depositary that a matter to be voted on at the meeting would have a material adverse impact on shareholders; or

·              the voting at the meeting is to be made on a show of hands.

Your right to participate in any future rights offerings may be limited, which may cause dilution to your holdings, and you may not receive cash dividends 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 United States unless we register both the rights and the securities to which the rights relate under the Securities Act or an exemption from the registration requirements is available. Under the deposit agreement, the depositary will not make rights available to you unless both the rights and the underlying securities to be distributed to ADS holders are either registered under the Securities Act or exempt from registration under the Securities Act. 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 and we may not be able to establish a necessary 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.

The depositary of our ADSs has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on our ordinary shares or other deposited securities after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions in proportion to the number of ordinary shares your ADSs represent. However, the depositary may, at its discretion, decide that it is inequitable or impractical to make a distribution available to any holders of ADSs. For example, the depositary may determine that it is not practicable to distribute certain property through the mail, or that the value of certain distributions may be less than the cost of mailing them. In these cases, the depositary may decide not to distribute such property to you.

You may be subject to limitations on transfer of your ADSs.

Your ADSs are transferable on the books of the depositary. However, the depositary may close its transfer books at any time or from time to time when it deems expedient in connection with the performance of its duties. In addition, the depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer or register transfers of ADSs generally when our books or the books of the depositary are closed, or at any time if we or the depositary deems it advisable to do so because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body, or under any provision of the deposit agreement, or for any other reason.

You may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through the U.S. federal courts may be limited because we are incorporated under Cayman Islands law, we conduct substantially all of our operations in China and substantially all of our directors and officers reside outside the United States.

We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands and conduct substantially all of our operations in China through our PRC subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities. Substantially all of our directors and officers reside outside the United States and a substantial portion of their assets are located outside of the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to bring an action in the United States against us or against these individuals in the event that you believe that your rights have been infringed under the securities laws or otherwise. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Cayman Islands and of China may render you unable to enforce a judgment against our assets or the assets of our directors and officers. There is no statutory recognition in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the United States, although a judgment obtained in the United States will be recognized and enforced in the courts of the Cayman Islands at common law, without any re-examination 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.

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Our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time, and by the Companies Law (2013 Revision) and common law of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take legal action against us and our directors, actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors 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 English common law, which provides persuasive, but not binding, authority. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedents in the United States. In particular, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States and provides significantly less protection to investors. In addition, shareholders in Cayman Islands companies may not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in U.S. federal courts.

As a result, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests through actions against us, our management, our directors or our major shareholders than would shareholders of a corporation incorporated in a jurisdiction in the United States.

Our memorandum and articles of association contain anti-takeover provisions that could adversely affect the rights of holders of our ordinary shares and ADSs.

Our memorandum and articles of association contain certain provisions that could limit the ability of others to acquire control of our company, including a provision that grants authority to our board of directors to establish from time to time one or more series of preferred shares without action by our shareholders and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series. The provisions could have the effect of depriving our shareholders of the opportunity to sell their shares, including shares represented by ADSs, at a premium over the prevailing market price by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of our company in a tender offer or similar transactions.

Our corporate actions are substantially controlled by our directors, executive officers and other principal shareholders, who can exert significant influence over important corporate matters, which may reduce the price of our ADSs and deprive you of an opportunity to receive a premium for your shares.

As of March 31, 2014, our directors, executive officers and principal shareholders beneficially own approximately 37 % of our outstanding ordinary shares, representing 62 % of our total voting power. These shareholders, if acting together, could exert substantial influence over matters such as electing directors and approving material mergers, acquisitions or other business combination transactions. This concentration of ownership may also discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could have the dual effect of depriving our shareholders of an opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of a sale of our company and reducing the price of our ADSs. These actions may be taken even if they are opposed by our other shareholders, including those who purchase ADSs. In addition, these persons could divert business opportunities away from us to themselves or others.

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We may be classified as a passive foreign investment company for United States federal income tax purposes, which could result in adverse United States federal income tax consequences to United States investors in the ADSs or ordinary shares.

Depending upon the value of our ordinary shares and ADSs and the nature of our assets and income over time, we could be classified as a “passive foreign investment company,” or PFIC, for U.S. federal income tax purposes. A non-United States corporation will be treated as a PFIC for any taxable year if either (i) 75% or more of its gross income for such year consists of certain types of “passive” income, or (ii) 50% or more of the value of its assets (determined on the basis of a quarterly average) during such year is attributable to assets that produce passive income or are held for the production of passive income. Although the application of these rules is unclear and therefore determinations are not free from doubt, based on the market price of our ADSs and ordinary shares and the composition of our income and assets for the taxable year ended December 31, 2013, we do not believe that we were a PFIC for that year. However, the United States Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, does not issue rulings with respect to PFIC status, and there can be no assurance that the IRS, or a court, will agree with our determination.

Although the law in this regard is unclear, we treat our consolidated affiliated entities as being owned by us for United Stated federal income tax purposes, not only because we exercise effective control over the operation of such entities but also because we are entitled to substantially all of their economic benefits, and, as a result, we consolidate their results of operations in our consolidated financial statements. If it were determined, however, that we are not the owner of our consolidated affiliated entities for United States federal income tax purposes, we would likely be treated as a PFIC. While we do not expect to be a PFIC for the current taxable year, fluctuations in the market price of our ADSs or ordinary shares or changes in the composition of our income and assets may cause us to be a PFIC for 2014 or subsequent taxable years. Because there are uncertainties in the application of the relevant rules and PFIC status is a factual determination made annually after the close of each taxable year on the basis of the composition of our income and the value of our active versus passive assets, there can be no assurance that we will not be a PFIC for the taxable year 2014 or any future taxable year.

If we were to be or become treated as a PFIC, a U.S. Holder (as defined in “Item 10. Additional Information—Taxation—Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—General”) may incur significantly increased United States income tax on gain recognized on the sale or other disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares and on the receipt of distributions on the ADSs or ordinary shares to the extent such distribution is treated as an “excess distribution” under the United States federal income tax rules. Such U.S. Holder also generally would not be able to benefit from any preferential tax rate with respect to any dividend distribution that such U.S. Holder receives from us in that year, the next year, and potentially following years. Further, if we are treated as a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. Holder holds our ADSs or ordinary shares, our ADSs or ordinary shares generally will continue to be treated as shares in a PFIC as to such U.S. Holder for all succeeding years during which such U.S. Holder holds our ADSs or ordinary shares, unless we cease to be a PFIC and the U.S. Holder makes a “deemed sale” election with respect to the ADSs or ordinary shares. You are urged to consult your tax advisor concerning the United States federal income tax consequences of acquiring, holding, and disposing of ADSs or ordinary shares if we are or become treated as a PFIC. For more information see “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—Certain United States Federal Income Tax Considerations—Passive Foreign Investment Company Considerations” and “—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.”

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In October 2011, we changed our company’s name from Youku.com Inc. to Youku Inc.

On March 11, 2012, we, Tudou, and Two Merger Sub Inc., or Merger Sub, a direct wholly owned subsidiary of ours, entered into an Agreement and Plan of Merger, or the Merger Agreement, for Tudou to combine with us in a 100% stock-for-stock transaction. Tudou was a leading Internet video company in China providing premium licensed content, user generated content and original in-house produced content. On August 23, 2012, we announced the completion of the merger between Tudou and Merger Sub pursuant to the Merger Agreement and the plan of merger. Each of Tudou’s Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares (not including Tudou Class B ordinary shares represented by Tudou ADSs) issued and outstanding immediately prior to the effective time of the merger has been cancelled in exchange for the right to receive 7.177 Class A ordinary shares of Youku, and each of Tudou’s ADSs representing four Tudou Class B ordinary shares has been surrendered in exchange for the right to receive 1.595 of our ADSs, each of which represents 18 of our Class A ordinary shares. Trading of Tudou ADSs on the NASDAQ has been suspended beginning on August 24, 2012. On September 25, 2012, Tudou filed a Form 15 with the SEC and its reporting obligations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, has been terminated.

As a result of the merger, Tudou has become our wholly owned subsidiary and our corporate name has been changed from “Youku Inc.” to “Youku Tudou Inc.”

As of the date of this report, we mainly operated our business through the following principal subsidiaries:

·              Jet Brilliant Limited, or Jet Brilliant, a company incorporated in Hong Kong;

·              1Verge Internet Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., or 1Verge Internet, a company incorporated in the PRC;

·              Beijing Jet Brilliant Advertising Co., Ltd., or Jet Brilliant Beijing, a company incorporated in the PRC;

·              Youku Video (Xi’an) Media Technology Co., Ltd., or Youku Xi'an, a company incorporated in the PRC;

·              StarCloud Media Co. Limited, or StarCloud, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands;

·              Trade Lead Investments Ltd., or Trade Lead, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands;

·              Tudou Holdings Limited, or Tudou, a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands;

·              Reshuffle Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., or Reshuffle Technology, a company incorporated in the PRC; and

·              Chuanxian Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., or Chuanxian, a company incorporated in the PRC.

PRC laws and regulations currently limit foreign ownership of companies that provide value-added telecommunications services or that conduct online advertising business. To comply with these restrictions, we conduct our value-added telecommunications services and online video operations in China primarily through the following principal consolidated affiliated entities:

·              1Verge Information Technology (Beijing) Co., Ltd., or 1Verge Information, which holds ICP license, internet audio/video program transmission license and value-added telecommunications business license that permit us to conduct online video services, online advertising businesses and value-added telecommunication services in China on Youku platform;

·              Quan Toodou Network Science and Technology Co., Ltd., or Quan Toodou, which holds value-added telecommunications business license that permits us to conduct value-added telecommunication services in China on Tudou platform;

·              Quan Toodou Cultural Communication Co., Ltd., or Toodou Cultural, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quan Toodou, which holds ICP license and internet audio/video program transmission license that permit us to conduct online video services and online advertising businesses in China on Tudou platform; and

·              Zhejiang DongyangTianshi Media Ltd., or Tianshi, which holds radio, film and television production business licenses and primarily engages in the business of advertising, television production and cultural information consultation.

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See Item 4.C, “Organizational Structure” for tables setting forth our principal subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities as of the date of this annual report.

Our principal executive offices are located at 11/F, SinoSteel Plaza, 8 Haidian Street, Beijing, 100080, the People’s Republic of China. Our telephone number at this address is +86 (10) 5885-1881. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104 Cayman Islands. Our telephone number at this address is +1 (345) 949-8066. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Law Debenture Corporate Services Inc. located at 400 Madison Avenue, 4th Floor, New York, New York 10017.

B                                        Business Overview

Overview

We are China’s leading Internet television company. Our Youku and Tudou platforms enable users to search, view and share high-quality video content quickly and easily across multiple devices. We believe our continuous focus on offering a superior user experience has enabled us to become the largest Internet television company in China and elevated the awareness of our Youku 优 酷 brand, which stands for “what’s best and what’s cool” in Chinese, and Tudou 土豆 brand. According to iResearch, our monthly unique visitors from home and office PC users numbered approximately 245 million and 174 million for Youku platform and Tudou platform, respectively, in December 2013. The daily mobile views of both Youku and Tudou platforms combined reached 345 million in 2013.

Our mission is to become the primary source of video content for the Chinese population across any Internet-enabled device. Through our Youku and Tudou platforms, we have built an extensive and comprehensive online video content library. The majority of the videos accessible on our two platforms are professionally produced content, such as television serial dramas, movies, variety shows, current events reports and music videos. The remaining content is comprised of user-generated content and in-house productions. We license professionally produced video content typically at fixed rates for a specified term. The terms of our licenses vary depending on the type of content and producer, though the terms for television serial dramas and movies typically range from six months to ten years. We generally renew our licenses when they expire. As of December 31, 2013, our video content library contained more than 5,900 movie titles, 2,200 television serial drama titles and over 800 variety shows.

Leveraging our proprietary CDN comprised of over 20,000 servers as of December 31, 2013, we provide fast streaming and upload speed. As a result, our Internet television platforms attract a nationwide audience, the majority of which resides in China’s more affluent urban areas.

We currently derive substantially all of our revenues from online advertising services. Our advertising solutions present brand advertisers with attractive opportunities to combine the visual impact and engagement of traditional television-like multimedia advertisements with the interactivity and precise targeting capabilities of the Internet. We strive to promote a healthy advertising environment on our websites to attract mainstream brand advertisers. We believe our differentiated sales proposition has contributed to the rapid increase in the number of international and domestic brand advertisers, which increased from 505 in 2011 to 741 in 2012 and to 931 in 2013 .

The desirable demographic characteristics of our large user base as well as our differentiated advertising solutions and environment are key factors driving the fast growth in our online advertising revenues. Mobile and web-based subscription services, which we formally launched in December 2010, also increasingly contribute to our net revenues over time. As is customary in the advertising industry in China, we offer commissions to third-party advertising agencies that purchase our advertising services and recognize revenues net of these commissions. Our net revenues increased from RMB897.6 million in 2011 to RMB1.8 billion in 2012 and to RMB3.0 billion (US$500.3 million) in 2013.

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Due to PRC legal restrictions on foreign ownership and investment in value-added telecommunications services and advertising businesses in China, we operate our business primarily through our consolidated affiliated entities in China. We do not hold equity interests in our consolidated affiliated entities. However, through a series of contractual arrangements with these consolidated affiliated entities and their respective shareholders, we effectively control, and are able to derive substantially all of the economic benefits from, these consolidated affiliated entities.

Our Users

Our extensive and comprehensive video content library and user-friendly online interface have enabled us to attract more monthly unique visitors than any other online video company in China. According to iResearch, our monthly unique visitors from home and office PC users numbered approximately 245 million and 174 million for Youku platform and Tudou platform, respectively, in December 2013. A majority of these visitors reside in China’s more affluent urban areas. We do not purchase user traffic from third parties. A majority of user visits to our websites originate from direct navigation, with the remainder from organic search results or third-party website links connecting to us.

Products and Services for Users

Our Internet television platform is designed to enable our users to search, view and share online video content quickly and easily. We offer the following products and services through our Youku platform and Tudou platform to users.

Online Video Content

Through our Youku and Tudou platforms, we have built an extensive and comprehensive online video content library, consisting primarily of professionally produced content including television programs and movies, and, to a lesser extent, user-generated content and in-house productions. We are currently focused on further expanding our collection of professionally produced content, particularly popular and in-season television serial dramas, movies and variety shows.

Professionally produced content . A majority of our user traffic on both Youku and Tudou platforms is attributable to professionally produced content, primarily across the following five categories: television serial dramas, movies, current event reports, variety shows and music videos. As of December 31, 2013, we licensed more than 5,900 movie titles, 2,200 television serial drama titles and over 800 variety shows. The providers of professionally produced content in China are highly fragmented and primarily include media production companies, professional studios, copyright distributors, television stations and music companies. We have established long-term relationships with about 1,800 professional media content providers, either directly or through third-party copyright distributors. We seek to offer users a diverse collection of television serial dramas and other programs and movies. For example, we offered approximately 1,447, 347 and 220 episodes of television serial dramas produced in (i) mainland China, (ii) Hong Kong and Taiwan, and (iii) Korea, respectively, as of December 31, 2013. We set our content syndication milestones each year to expand our content library primarily based on our content budget and the development of bandwidth infrastructure in China, for example:

·              In 2010, we started to license professionally produced content relating to sports, animations and international movies and television programs. For example, we licensed from China Network Television all of the soccer games of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and provide them on our website youku.com on demand;

·              In 2011, we continued to license professionally produced premium content in each category; and

·              In 2012, we further developed our international content, including TV serial dramas, variety shows and movies, and we substantially expanded our content library after our business combination with Tudou.

·              In 2013, we entered into exclusive content agreements with commercial television stations like Hong Kong’s TVB to bring more classic and original content to our library.

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We license professionally produced video content typically at fixed rates for a specified term. Under our license agreements with our content providers, we usually pay for the license in advance or in installments for one of three types of licenses: (i) non-exclusive webcasting rights, (ii) non-exclusive webcasting rights with a guarantee that certain competitors will not receive the same license or (iii) exclusive webcasting rights. Content licensed on a non-exclusive basis may not be sub-licensed to third parties. For exclusive content, we sub-license the licensed content within its authorized scope to other video websites and receive sub-licensing fees from such websites. The terms of our licenses for professionally produced content vary depending on the type of content and products, but the terms for movies and television serial dramas typically range from six months to ten years. We generally renew our licenses when they expire. Payments of licensing fees are generally made in installments before the commencement of license terms. In certain cases, we have the right of first refusal to purchase new content produced by the licensor.

Guided user-generated content . Our Youku and Tudou platforms allow Internet users to easily upload, watch and share user-generated video clips. As the slogan of our Tudou platform goes, “everyone is a director of life.” Video production processes have become easier and less expensive through using simple and affordable hardware such as digital camcorders and mobile devices with video cameras, and such content can come from a wide range of participants, from amateurs to professionals. We offer creative talents, particularly the younger Chinese generation, outlets for artistic expression outside traditional mainstream content formats such as television. We believe our guided user-generated content effectively promotes our brands and improves the quality of our content library.

Our Youku platform has supported the grassroots culture of user-generated content by launching two prominent and easy-to-use programs: Youku Paike ( 优 酷拍客 ) and Youku Niuren ( 优 酷牛人 ). Youku Paike was founded on the basis of “looking around and sharing what you see with the world.” Participants in Youku Paike use easily-accessible video recording devices, such as video cameras and mobile phones, to record exciting or current events and share them on our website youku.com. Youku Niuren, on the other hand, serves as a platform for our users to share videos recording ordinary people with unusual talents. We guide users to generate specific types of content by, among other things, sponsoring competitions based on certain themes, such as current events or timely topics. We grant daily awards to winners of the competitions. Some of these videos attract large audiences and are subsequently broadcast by major television stations. Since 2009, we have also hosted Youku Niuren galas in Beijing and Shanghai and granted awards to the most talented competitors.

One of the key content focuses of our Tudou platform has been user-generated content, and our annual Tudou Video Festival is one of the most significant initiatives promoted on our Tudou platform. In cooperation with China Film Group Corporation, one of the largest comprehensive film producers in China, the Tudou Video Festival was launched in 2008, and it soon became highly regarded by film industry participants including filmmakers, directors, actresses and actors. Most of the attendants were animators and amateur videographers from all around China, mostly in their mid-tolate-20s, who showcased their work. In cooperation with China Film Group Corporation, or CFGC, the largest movie studio in China, we hosted annual Tudou Video Festivals in both 2012 and 2013. Approximately 1,700 participants were invited to attend the final award ceremony in Chengde in the 2013 Tudou Video Festival. We believe that the annual Tudou Video Festival has now become a signature event in the online video industry in China.

To emphasize the social media aspects of online video and highlight the video blogging experience of our platform, we encourage people to participate in sharing user-generated videos by offering easy-to-use video upload tools, featuring high uploading speed and capacity. Both of our platforms allow users to upload videos larger than one gigabit on our websites with just a few clicks. As smartphones and other mobile Internet-enabled devices become more popular and the use of mobile Internet becomes more prevalent, we release mobile apps such as Youku Paike that support both iOS and Android systems. These mobile apps are designed to complement the feature set of our existing mobile clients with dedicated video shooting and uploading functions, and are integrated with the popular micro-blogging platforms in China.

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In-house productions . As one of the few Internet television companies in China with a permit for radio and television program production and operation, we produce a wide spectrum of content, including sponsored web serial dramas, reality shows, interviews and variety shows. We focus on producing web serial dramas and variety shows for our young, educated and urban user base. Many of these programs are partially funded by proceeds from embedded product placements. We strive to make such product placements more effective by cooperating with reputable producers, directors and media organizations and creating storylines consistent with the brands’ or products’ marketing initiatives. Below is a summary of the key initiatives and achievements that have been made on our two platforms:

·              In-house Productions on Youku Platform. On the Youku platform, we promote our in-house productions under the prominent brand Youku Originals ( 优 酷出品 ). As of December 2013, Youku Originals had released more than 95 productions, many of which won popularity and earned high rankings in our monthly “Top 20 Most-Viewed” list. 24 of these productions were on Youku’s monthly “Top 10 Most-Viewed” rankings during the period in which they were released. For example, in 2013, we launched “On the Road” （ 侣行） , an outdoor variety show, which attracted massive attention across the internet in China and was extensively reported by newspapers and prominent TV stations such as CCTV. Another newly produced web drama series, “Surprise!”( 万万没想到 ), has attracted over 500 million online views. Due to the series’ popularity, Hunan Satellite TV co-produced several episodes with us to be aired during spring festival of 2014.

·              In-house Productions on Tudou Platform. Tudou platform began developing original programming in 2009 and will continue to produce, distribute and monetize online video content developed in-house. In 2013, “Tudou Groovin,” an inhouse produced program that presents updates on global pop music, gained popularity. In addition, “Tudou Young Choice Awards” hosted by Tudou and Shenzhen Satellite Television was held in November at the Beijing Olympic Sports Center and was attended by artists and stars from mainland China, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Korea. This award ceremony selects nominees in music, film and television categories based on online search trends of young internet users, consistent with the brand positioning of our Tudou platform.

Online Video Search and Discovery

Utilizing our search technology and data processing infrastructure, users can find relevant video content and associated information on our websites quickly and easily. After entering a video search query in the fast-loading search box, users receive a list of search results comprised of thumbnail snapshots along with relevant information, such as a video’s title, release date, number of user comments, resolution and video play statistics. Depending on user preferences, search results can be ordered based on criteria such as “most recent,” “most played,” “most commented” and “most bookmarked by members,” and sorted by content category. We officially launched our video search engine Soku.com in May 2011, which grew its daily unique users to over 4 million in December 2013, according to iResearch. In addition to providing general access to our large video content library, our video search technology also enables other features such as advanced search. Advanced search allows users to tailor search queries and narrow results by specifying keyword phrases to be included or excluded, video categories in which to search, the location of keywords, or video play statistics.

We also provide products and services, such as video channels and popularity ranking indices, on both of our platforms, to facilitate navigation and content discovery on our websites. Our back-office content editors routinely organize our video content into channels, including Movies, Television Serial Dramas, Variety Shows, Automobiles, Music, Fashion and Style, Travel, Sports and Technology. Each of these channels is easily accessible from our homepage. On the respective homepages of Youku.com and Tudou.com, we also promote popularity ranking indices, which rank videos based on their popularity or other specified statistics.

Youku Tudou Community

We provide online community services to facilitate user communication and interaction. Our online community features help enhance user loyalty and promote beneficial network effects. Specifically, we enable the following functionalities:

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·              Video Space . Users can create a personalized video-sharing space, and other users may choose to follow that personalized video-sharing space, effectively creating a personalized channel based on the Video Space curator’s preferences, and track their videos viewing history. Users of our Video Space functionality can manage video uploads, their online friends list, visitor comments and online chats within their Video Space.

·              Real Time Commenting . Users can comment on or rate videos by either clicking on “vote for” or “vote against” buttons or by posting comments below the video for other users to see. Comments made about a video, such as how many people voted for or against it, help other users make an informed decision on whether to watch the video.

·              Tudou”Doupao.” Tudou viewers can make real-time feeds of video comments through pop-up bubbles on top of videos display rather than leaving comments at the bottom of the video page or being diverted to microblogging services for discussion. “Doupao” integrates the conversation into the video viewing experience in a natural and transparent fashion.

·              Strategic Cooperation with Social Network Platforms . In order to expand our user base, we cooperate with well-known Chinese online community websites. Users of these websites may recommend to each other the video clips on our websites, which we believe helps enhance our user traffic. In April 2011, Tudou entered into a two-year exclusive cooperation with Renren.com, a major real name social network platform in China, to provide an audio-visual program uploading feature to all Renren.com users. Tudou’s backend platform will enable Renren.com users to upload videos onto Renren.com, and save and further edit these audio-visual programs on our backend platform and servers as an integrated feature. In February 2012, Tudou announced an enhanced video sharing platform for users of SinaWeibo of SINA Corporation, a NASDAQ listed company, to upload and share videos to and from the Tudou platform. The enhanced video sharing platform provides a highly integrated user experience for both SinaWeibo and our users.

Our Other Products and Services

We continuously develop and introduce new products and services to make our platforms more attractive to current and prospective users. Notable platform extensions include:

·              Youku Premium . In early 2010, we trial-launched subscription-based online video services on our Youku platform featuring advertisement-free premium content, such as high-definition movies. In June 2011, we officially launched our Youku Premium paid content platform after signing a digital distribution agreement with CAV Warner Home Entertainment Co., Ltd. Under the term of this three-year distribution agreement, we will add a total of 400 to 450 Warner Brothers new releases and catalog titles to our Youku Premium content library. In December 2011, we entered into new agreements with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment under which we will license 250 titles of new releases and library films to be released on Youku Premium. Subsequently, we have entered into content licensing arrangements with major copyright owners and distributors such as m1905.com, a leading online movie site wholly owned by China Central Television, Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited, NBCUniversal International Television Distribution and Sony Pictures Television to significantly expand the volume of high-quality content available on Youku Premium.

·              Mobile Video Services. We provide free software clients on our websites, and on the websites of Apple’s App Store and Google’s Android Market, for our users to download and install on their mobile phones. We have also entered into agreements with China’s major mobile Internet providers on a non-exclusive basis to enable users to watch pay-per-view premium content on their mobile devices. We estimate that as of December 31, 2013, Youku software clients or widgets had been pre-installed on approximately 281 million Internet-enabled mobile phones. We released mobile apps such as Youku and Tudou mobile app that support both iOS and Android systems. These mobile apps enable the users to search, browse and view content with dedicated video shooting and uploading functions, and are integrated with the popular microblogging platforms in China. Youku client for iOS operating system had been installed by an estimated 74 million users as of December 31, 2013, making it the most popular online video app in the Chinese iTunes app store. Since September 2012, Apple’s OS X desktop operating system and iOS mobile operating system have been integrated with services from Youku and Tudou to enable users to quickly and easily share videos to the web. P2P Downloadable Software Client “iKu.” Users can download these self-developed, proprietary softwares and install a Youku interface on their computer desktops, download or upload videos from or to our websites faster, and transcode videos into different formats, such as mp4 and 3gp, so that users can transfer the videos to portable devices and watch them anytime. The average number of daily online viewers from home and office who used our iKu software reached 9 million in December 2013, according to iResearch.

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Our Advertisers and Customers

We serve a broad base of advertisers consisting of leading international and domestic companies. The number of our brand advertisers increased significantly from 505 in 2011 to 741 in 2012 and to 931 in 2013 . They operate in a variety of industries, including fast moving consumer goods, automobile manufacturing, financial services, telecommunications, information technology services, electronics and Internet services. A great majority of our advertisers purchase our online advertising services through third-party advertising agencies. We strive to create and maintain a healthy advertising environment on our website to attract mainstream brand advertisers, in part by selectively screening advertisers. We have in the past turned down advertising business from advertisers perceived to lack positive brand recognition in order to avoid negative branding association for our mainstream brand advertisers.

Products and Services for Advertisers and Customers

We generate revenues primarily from online advertising services and, to a limited extent, subscription- or pay-per-view-based online video services. We focus on providing advertisers with cost-effective and targeted advertising solutions.

Online Advertising Services

Our online advertising services include in-video, display, sponsorship and other forms of advertisements. In-video advertisements appear at certain times during the playback of a video. These video advertisements can be pre-roll, post-roll, mid-roll or pause advertisements. Display advertisements can be delivered alongside a video and may take the form of graphical banners or text hyperlinks. Other forms of advertisements include product placements in our inhouse-produced web video series, sponsored live events or inhouse-produced viral videos.

Advertisers are increasingly seeking measurable results to maximize their return on investment. Our advertising solutions present brand advertisers with attractive opportunities to combine the visual impact and engagement of traditional television-like multimedia formats with the interactivity and precise targeting capabilities of the Internet.

·              Innovative Targeting . Some targeting solutions are unique to the online video platform and cannot be transplanted to other media platforms. We are able to track and monitor an advertiser’s campaign on a real-time basis and can make adjustments to enhance its efficacy within parameters specified by the advertiser. We utilize targeting strategies to more efficiently reach users of a desired demographic. Our targeting strategies enable advertisers to reach targeted users based on any or a combination of standards, including the demographic information about the user, the nature of the video’s content, the geographic location of the user, the time of day at which a video is being watched or the keywords associated with the video. In this way, we supplement and enhance the advertiser’s campaign. Our video channels also help segregate videos based on users’ interested content, which allows us to deliver advertisements tailored to the viewers of different channels;

·              Viral Video Advertisements. Advertisements that use existing social networks to promote brand awareness through self-replicating viral processes can take various forms, such as videos, online polls or interactive flash games. Due to their creative plots and potentially amusing effects, viral video advertisements sometimes attract more user traffic than non-commercial videos and therefore are desirable advertising solutions; and

·              Product Placements . As an online video provider with a permit for radio and television program production and operation, we are able to produce web-based content, such as web serial dramas, interviews and variety shows, with embedded product placements. If a program’s storyline is consistent with a brand’s or product’s marketing initiatives, a product placement can have strong branding effects on viewers.

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Subscription-based Services on the Youku Platform and Other Services

In early 2010, we trial-launched subscription-based online video services on Youku platform, which enables users to watch advertisement-free premium content, such as high-definition movies. In June 2011, we officially launched our Youku Premium paid content platform after signing a digital distribution agreement with CAV Warner Home Entertainment Co., Ltd. Under the term of this three-year distribution agreement, we will add a total of 400 to 450 Warner Brothers new releases and catalog titles to our Youku Premium content library. In December 2011, we entered into new agreements with Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment under which we will license 250 titles of new releases and library films to be released on Youku Premium. Subsequently, we have entered into content licensing arrangements with major copyright owners and distributors such as m1905.com, a leading online movie site wholly owned by China Central Television, Hong Kong Television Broadcasts Limited, NBCUniversal International Television Distribution and Sony Pictures Television to significantly expand the volume of high-quality content available on Youku Premium. By paying to watch live events or high-definition movies, some of our users have become our customers. Though traditional television-like video advertisements are specifically omitted from content that is part of our subscription-based services, advertisers may use other forms of advertising, such as product placements in a web drama produced by us, to reach potential customers. In addition, we are working with e-commerce companies to provide video demonstrations of merchandise for their premium retail members. These members can upload and manage videos from a client interface built into our e-commerce partners’ websites without logging into our websites. We share revenues with these partners for the service fees they charge their members. New advertising formats such as these will supplement our existing online advertising solutions.

In addition, we derive a decreasing portion of our net revenues from sub-licensing certain content in which we license from content providers the exclusive rights for both self-use and sub-licensing. After our legal department confirms that the sub-licensing arrangement is authorized under the original licensing agreement, we sub-license the licensed content within its authorized scope to other video websites and receive sub-licensing fees from such websites.

Advertising Sales

We sell our advertising services primarily through third-party advertising agencies, including members of American Association of Advertising Agencies, or 4As, and leading Chinese advertising agencies. As a relatively young media company, we intend to strategically leverage advertising agencies’ existing long-term relationships and network resources to increase our sales and expand our customer base. Therefore, in order to establish long-term strategic cooperation with third-party advertising agencies, we typically enter into individual advertising agreements with such third-party advertising agencies for each advertiser. Depending on the type of advertiser and content, the duration of an advertising agreement typically ranges from one to three months. While all executed sales need to be confirmed by the end-advertiser, a great majority of our advertising sales agreements are executed with third-party advertising agencies that represent the end-advertisers. By adopting this dual-track sales model, we are able to maintain good relationships with both the end-advertisers and their advertising agencies that help identify and refer new advertisers to us. No customer accounted for more than 10% of our net revenues in 2013, and our top five customers accounted for approximately 30% of our net revenues in 2013.

Whereas many Internet companies in China have historically priced their advertising solutions using a time-based rate card, we employ a CPM-based model for our in-video advertisements. This approach is similar to that of traditional television in that the advertisements are priced based in part on the user reach and viewing frequency. It allows advertisers to better compare the online and offline advertising solutions at their disposal. It also enables us to better monetize our growing user base and provide measurable results to our advertisers.

Leveraging our large user base and attractive user demographics, we have been able to demonstrate pricing power relative to other online video companies. The list prices of our advertising services depend on various factors, including the form of advertising, specific targeting requirements, duration of the time slot purchased and popularity of the content in which the advertisements will be placed. Prices for the aggregate time slots purchased by each advertiser or advertising agency are fixed under sales contracts, typically at a discount to our list prices. We review and adjust the list prices annually.

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We have built an experienced sales team consisting of salespeople with prior experience at Chinese Internet companies, television stations, members of 4As and domestic advertising agencies. As of December 31, 2013, we had approximately 527 sales representatives and supporting personnel in our Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou offices. Our sales force is organized by both region and industry and renders a spectrum of services. Our sales representatives are responsible for direct and channel sales, and our back-office sales support personnel focus on sales planning, creative productions, account administration and execution. Our sales force assists advertisers in structuring advertising campaigns by analyzing the advertisers’ target audiences and marketing objectives. We conduct market research, consumer surveys, demographic analysis and other advertising industry research to help our customers design effective advertising strategies. On our own initiative or at our customers’ request, we also purchase or commission studies or surveys containing relevant market data from third-party market research firms.

The compensation for our salespeople is based in part on the sales revenues they achieve. We provide regular in-house education and training to our sales team to help them provide current and prospective advertisers with comprehensive information about our services and the advantages of using our advertising solutions. Our performance-linked compensation structure and career-oriented training help motivate our salespeople.

Marketing and Brand Promotion

We have built our brands with only modest marketing expenditures to date. Our user base has grown primarily through word-of-mouth. We focus on continuously improving the quality of our products and services as we believe satisfied users and customers are more likely to recommend our products and services to others. Our market position benefits significantly from our large user base and our strong brand recognition throughout China.

We have initiated various marketing activities to further promote our brand awareness among existing and potential users and customers. For example, we market our services through direct marketing, trade shows and other media events, which include:

·              Hosting or attending various public relations events, such as advertisement industry-related seminars and conferences, to promote our brand image and the value of online video advertising. For example, we host annual Youku Niuren gala featuring grassroots talents who showcase their extraordinary talents on the Youku platform; In September 2012, we initiated the 100-day “True Dou” differentiation campaign for Tudou platform with the unveiling of a revamped site design and the introduction of new social features and original programming; and

·              Hosting regular workshops and annual sales roadshows for major advertising agencies and existing and potential customers, highlighting the advantages, flexibility and quality of our online video platform and services. For example, we host annual Youku Tudou Resources events in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai to introduce the product and service offerings on our dual platforms to existing and prospective advertisers and related representatives.

In addition, we benefit from cross-promotional arrangements with third-party websites and television stations, under which we cooperate to help improve each other’s brand recognition. We also market our products and services by displaying our name and logo in Youku or Tudou media player screens when users embed our content in third-party websites.

Content Monitoring and Copyright Protection

We are committed to the protection of third-party copyrights. The online video industry in China suffers from copyright infringement issues, and online content providers are frequently involved in litigation based on allegations of infringement or other violations of copyrights. We have invested significantly in copyright protection technologies. For instance, we currently hire approximately 103 full-time and 521 contract employees to work on content files screening, copyright checking, source file acquisition and editing. Content files uploaded by users on our websites are continuously reviewed by the contract employees who work on content screening and monitoring to ensure that no content that may be deemed to be prohibited by government rules and regulations is posted. These contract employees are required to promptly remove any allegedly infringing content once we receive proper notification from the legitimate copyright owner. We provide training to these contract employees and supervise and monitor their work. After a user registers and before each upload, we require the user to click a check box to confirm that the content to be uploaded is in compliance with the terms and conditions set forth in the user agreement, to guarantee that he or she is the copyright owner or has obtained all necessary consents and authorizations for such content and he or she is responsible for such content. Pursuant to the user agreement, each user agrees to indemnify us for all damages arising from third- party claims against us caused by violating or infringing content uploaded or linked by the user. If we find a user has violated the user agreement, applicable laws or regulations or other parties’ legal rights, we may terminate the user account and block the user’s future uploads without prior notice.

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We implemented monitoring procedures to remove infringing content, and such procedures include: (i) technology screening, where a video fingerprint system we jointly developed with a U.S. software company compares newly uploaded videos with fingerprint trails of copyrighted videos in our system and screens out those that have piracy issues; a text filtering system screens content based on pre-set key words, and another filtering system automatically screens out pornographic and obscene content based on colors and images; (ii) manual review, where the content that passes the technology screening is reviewed by the content screening employees on a 24/7 basis, and the flagged content identified by our technology is reviewed and confirmed that it can be released; and (iii) back-office professional supervision, where certain professional content providers who we granted access to our back-office database can directly flag the infringing content for removal. Other content on our websites are also monitored. For example, user-posted comments are typically screened by the text filtering system and are monitored by our screening team. Substantially all of the videos uploaded on our websites are manually screened by our contract employees. All of the other content, primarily consisting of comments posted by users, are first screened by our filtering systems and the content containing prohibitive words or images is manually screened by our contract employees.

Our engineers have made modifications to the video fingerprint system to make it more compatible with China’s online video environment. We own all the intellectual property rights associated with the video fingerprint system. We also use this system and hash algorithms to reduce the number of duplicate videos and maximize the use of our video storage space.

We have implemented several initiatives to further commit to copyright protection. We entered into an agreement with six major U.S. entertainment content providers regarding content protection and officially announced that we have agreed to support and adhere to the principles for user-generated content services (www.ugcprinciples.com). These principles call for cross-industry collaboration among rights holders and internet companies to achieve the mutually beneficial goals of encouraging innovation and empowering content creators, while at the same time respecting intellectual property rights. We are supporting and adhering to these principles by implementing additional copyright protection measures on our websites; in particular, we have upgraded our existing video fingerprint filtering system in March 2011 by introducing the VideoDNA Database developed by Vobile, a well-known international provider of fingerprinting technology, which allows real-time filtering and updating of our content library.

Competition

The online video industry in China is rapidly evolving and highly competitive. Our primary competitors include companies that operate online video websites in China and traditional advertising media. We compete with these entities for both users and advertisers primarily on the basis of user base and demographics, quality and quantity of video content, brand name and user experience. We compete with other online video providers in China, such as iQiyi.com, and large Chinese Internet portals that provide online video product, such as SINA, Tencent and Sohu. We also compete with traditional advertising media, such as television, radio, newspapers and magazines, and major out-of-home media, such as billboards, for advertisers’ advertising budgets. Large enterprises currently spend a relatively small percentage of their advertising budgets on online advertising as compared to the percentage they spend on traditional advertising media, but we expect the percentage spent on online advertising to increase in the future. Although, in August 2012, we completed the business combination with Tudou, who used to be our competitor, we expect the competition with the other competitors to continue.

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Regulation

This section summarizes the principal current PRC laws and regulations relevant to our business and operations.

Regulations on Value-Added Telecommunications Services

On September 25, 2000, the State Council promulgated the Telecommunications Regulations, or the Telecom Regulations. The Telecom Regulations draw a distinction between “basic telecommunication services” and “value-added telecommunication services.” Internet content provision services, or ICP services, is a subcategory of value-added telecommunications businesses. Under the Telecom Regulations, commercial operators of value-added telecommunications services must first obtain an operating license from the MIIT or its provincial level counterparts.

On September 25, 2000, the State Council issued the Administrative Measures on Internet Information Services, or the Internet Measures. According to the Internet Measures, commercial ICP service operators must obtain an ICP license from the relevant government authorities before engaging in any commercial ICP operations within the PRC. In November 2000, the MIIT promulgated the Administrative Measures on Internet Electronic Messaging Services, or the BBS Measures. BBS services include electronic bulletin boards, electronic forums, message boards and chat rooms.

On December 26, 2001, the MIIT promulgated the Administrative Measures on Telecommunications Business Operating License, or the Telecom License Measures. On March 1, 2009, the MIIT issued revised Telecom License Measures, which took effect on April 10, 2009. The Telecom License Measures set forth the types of licenses required to operate value-added telecommunications services and the qualifications and procedures for obtaining such licenses. For example, an ICP operator providing value-added services in multiple provinces is required to obtain an inter-regional license, whereas an ICP operator providing the same services in one province is required to obtain a local license.

To comply with these PRC laws and regulations, 1Verge Information, as the ICP operator of our website youku.com, holds a value-added telecommunications business operating license and an ICP license; Quan Toodou holds a value-added telecommunications business operating license and Toodou Cultural, as the ICP operator of our website tudou.com, holds an ICP license.

Regulations on Internet Content Services

National security considerations are an important factor in the regulation of Internet content in China. The National People’s Congress, the PRC’s national legislature, has enacted laws with respect to maintaining the security of Internet operation and Internet content. According to these laws, as well as the Internet Measures, violators may be subject to penalties, including criminal sanctions, for Internet content that:

·              opposes the fundamental principles stated in the PRC constitution;

·              compromises national security, divulges state secrets, subverts state power or damages national unity;

·              harms the dignity or interests of the state;

·              incites ethnic hatred or racial discrimination or damages inter-ethnic unity;

·              undermines the PRC’s religious policy or propagates heretical teachings or feudal superstitions;

·              disseminates rumors, disturbs social order or disrupts social stability;

·              disseminates obscenity or pornography, encourages gambling, violence, murder or fear or incites the commission of a crime;

·              insults or slanders a third party or infringes upon the lawful rights and interests of a third party; or

·              is otherwise prohibited by law or administrative regulations.

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ICP operators are required to monitor their websites. They may not post or disseminate any content that falls within these prohibited categories and must remove any such content from their websites. The PRC government may shut down the websites of ICP license holders that violate any of the above-mentioned content restrictions, order them to suspend their operations, or revoke their ICP licenses.

To comply with these PRC laws and regulations, we have adopted internal procedures to monitor content displayed on our websites, including hiring a team of contract employees dedicated to screening and monitoring the content uploaded on our websites and removing inappropriate or infringing content. However, due to the large amount of user uploaded content in addition to professionally produced content, we may not be able to identify all the videos or other content that may violate relevant laws and regulations. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Videos and other content displayed on our websites may be found objectionable by PRC regulatory authorities and may subject us to penalties and other administrative actions.”

Restrictions on Foreign Ownership in Value-Added Telecommunications Services

According to the Provisions on Administration of Foreign Invested Telecommunications Enterprises, or the FITE Provisions, promulgated by the State Council on December 11, 2001 and amended on September 10, 2008, the ultimate foreign equity ownership in a value-added telecommunications services provider must not exceed 50%. Moreover, for a foreign investor to acquire any equity interest in a value-added telecommunication business in China, it must demonstrate a good track record and experience in operating value-added telecommunications services. Foreign investors that meet these requirements must obtain approvals from the MIIT and the MOFCOM, or its authorized local branches, and the relevant approval application process usually takes six to nine months. We are a Cayman Islands company which does not have required track record or experience in operating value-added telecommunications services, and therefore we have to reorganize our current organization and ownership structure if we intend to acquire any equity interest in 1Verge Information or Quan Toodou; and 1Verge Information’s, Quan Toodou’s and ToodouCultural’s current effective permits and licenses including Internet audio/video program transmission license and Internet culture operation permit will also need to be revisited since they are not open to a foreign-invested telecommunications enterprise. We believe that it would be impracticable for us to acquire any equity interest in 1Verge Information or Quan Toodou without diverting management attention and resources. In addition, we believe that our contractual arrangements with 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou and their respective individual shareholders provide us with sufficient and effective control over 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou. Accordingly, we currently do not plan to acquire any equity interest in 1Verge Information and Quan Toodou.

On July 13, 2006, the MIIT issued the Notice of the MIIT on Intensifying the Administration of Foreign Investment in Value-added Telecommunications Services. This notice prohibits domestic telecommunication services providers from leasing, transferring or selling telecommunications business operating licenses to any foreign investor in any form, or providing any resources, sites or facilities to any foreign investor for their illegal operation of a telecommunications business in China. According to this notice, either the holder of a value-added telecommunication business operating license or its shareholders must legally own the domain names and trademarks used by such license holders in their provision of value-added telecommunication services. The notice further requires each license holder to have the necessary facilities, including servers, for its approved business operations and to maintain such facilities in the regions covered by its license. In addition, all value-added telecommunication service providers are required to maintain network and Internet security in accordance with the standards set forth in relevant PRC regulations. If a license holder fails to comply with the requirements in the notice and cure such non-compliance, the MIIT or its local counterparts have the discretion to take measures against such license holders, including revoking their valued-added telecommunication business operating licenses.

To comply with these PRC regulations, we operate our website youku.com through 1Verge Information, our PRC consolidated affiliated entity. 1Verge Information is currently 20% owned by Qiong Qin and 80% owned by Dele Liu, both of whom are PRC citizens. 1Verge Information holds a value-added telecommunications business operating license and an ICP license. We operate our website tudou.com through Quan Toodou and Toodou Cultural, our PRC consolidated affiliated entities. Quan Toodou is currently 84.7% owned by Qiong Qin and 15.3% owned by Dele Liu, all of whom are PRC citizens. Quan Toodou holds a value-added telecommunications business operating license and Toodou Cultural holds an ICP license. Due to the current uncertainties with respect to the procedural requirements of the notice, unless the relevant governmental authority expresses its intent to strictly enforce the notice with respect to trademarks, we currently do not plan to transfer any trademarks held by 1Verge Internet to 1Verge Information. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties and changes in PRC regulation of Internet business and companies.”

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Regulations on Broadcasting Audio/Video Programs through the Internet

On July 6, 2004, the SARFT promulgated the Rules for the Administration of Broadcasting of Audio/Video Programs through the Internet and Other Information Networks, or the Audio/Video Broadcasting Rules. The Audio/Video Broadcasting Rules apply to the launch, broadcasting, aggregation, transmission or download of audio/video programs via the Internet and other information networks. Anyone who wishes to engage in Internet broadcasting activities must first obtain an audio/video program transmission license, with a term of two years, issued by the SARFT and operate pursuant to the scope as provided in such license. Foreign invested enterprises are not allowed to engage in the above referenced business.

On April 13, 2005, the State Council announced Several Decisions on Investment by Non-state-owned Companies in Culture-related Business in China. These decisions encourage and support non-state-owned companies to enter certain culture-related business in China, subject to restrictions and prohibitions for investment in audio/video broadcasting, website news and certain other businesses by non-state-owned companies. These decisions authorize the SARFT, the Ministry of Culture and the GAPP to adopt detailed implementing rules according to these decisions.

On December 20, 2007, the SARFT and the MIIT jointly issued the Rules for the Administration of Internet Audio and Video Program Services, commonly known as Circular 56, which came into effect as of January 31, 2008. Circular 56 reiterates the requirement set forth in the Audio/Video Broadcasting Rules that online audio/video service providers must obtain a license from the SARFT. Furthermore, Circular 56 requires all online audio/video service providers to be either wholly state-owned or state-controlled. According to relevant official answers to press questions published on the SARFT’s website dated February 3, 2008, officials from the SARFT and the MIIT clarified that online audio/video service providers that already had been operating lawfully prior to the issuance of Circular 56 may re-register and continue to operate without becoming state-owned or controlled, provided that such providers have not engaged in any unlawful activities. This exemption will not be granted to online audio/video service providers established after Circular 56 was issued. Such policies have been reflected in the Application Procedure for Audio/Video Program Transmission License.

On April 1, 2010, the SARFT issued the Internet Audio/Video Program Services Categories (Provisional), or the Provisional Categories, which classified Internet audio/video programs into four categories. Category I is only open to state-owned broadcast media companies operating in the television section, and the other three categories are open to privately held entities.

In 2009, the SARFT released a Notice on Strengthening the Administration of Online Audio/Video Content. This notice reiterated, among other things, that all movies and television shows released or published online must comply with relevant regulations on the administration of radio, film and television. In other words, these movies and television shows, whether produced in the PRC or overseas, must be pre-approved by SARFT, and the distributors of these movies and television shows must obtain an applicable permit before releasing any such movie or television show. In 2012, SARFT and the State Internet Information Office of the PRC issued a Notice on Improving the Administration of Online Audio/Video Content Including Internet Drama and Micro Films. In 2013, the GAPPRFT released a Supplemental Notice on Improving the Administration of Online Audio/Video Content Including Internet Drama and Micro Films. This notice stresses that entities producing online audio/video content, such as Internet dramas and micro films, must obtain a permit for radio and television program production and operation, and that online audio/video content service providers should not release any Internet dramas or micro films that were produced by any entity lacking such permit. For Internet dramas or micro films produced and uploaded by individual users, the online audio/video service providers transmitting such content will be deemed responsible as the producer. Further, under this notice, online audio/video service providers can only transmit content uploaded by individuals whose identity has been verified and such content shall comply with the relevant content management rules. This notice also requires that online audio/video content, include Internet drama and micro films, be filed with the relevant authorities before release.

To comply with these laws and regulations, 1Verge Information obtained an Internet audio/video program transmission license for our website youku.com on July 8, 2008, which was subsequently upgraded on September 30, 2009 and on December 15, 2010 and February 13, 2012. The upgraded license is valid until February 13, 2015. Toodou Cultural holds an Internet audio/video program transmission license for our website tudou.com. This license is valid until December 15, 2014.

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Under the Provisional Categories, the audio/video program transmission license for our website youku.com covers content that can be transmitted via the Internet and received by a computer in part of category II (compiling and broadcasting services for audiovisual programs of films, television serial dramas and animations and compiling and broadcasting services for audio/video programs of culture and art, entertainment and other specialized programs), and category III (re-broadcasting of Internet user uploaded audio/video programs services and aggregation of online audio/video content) and part of category IV (re-broadcasting of radio and television channel programs). The audio/video program transmission license for our website tudou.com covers content that can be transmitted via the Internet and received by a computer in part of category II (production of audio/video programs of culture and art, entertainment and other specialized programs, excluding interviews, compiling and broadcasting services for audio/video programs of films, television serial dramas and animations and compiling and broadcasting services for audio/video programs of culture and art, entertainment and other specialized programs), category III (re-broadcasting of Internet user uploaded audio/video programs services and aggregation of online audio/video content) and part of category IV (re-broadcasting of radio and television channel programs).

Regulations on Internet News Publication

Publishing and disseminating news through the Internet are highly regulated in the PRC. On November 7, 2000, the SCIO and the MIIT jointly promulgated the Provisional Measures for Administrating Internet Websites Carrying on the News Publication Business, or Internet News Measures. These measures require an ICP operator (other than a government authorized news unit) to obtain the approval from SCIO to publish news on its website or disseminate news through the Internet. Furthermore, any disseminated news is required to be obtained from government-approved sources based on contracts between the ICP operator and these sources. The copies of such contracts must be filed with relevant government authorities.

On September 25, 2005, the SCIO and the MIIT jointly issued the Provisions on the Administration of Internet News Information Services, requiring Internet news information service organizations to provide services as approved by the SCIO, subject to annual inspection under the new provisions. These Provisions also provide that no Internet news information service organizations may take the form of a foreign invested enterprise, whether jointly or wholly owned by the foreign investment, and no cooperation between Internet news information service organizations and foreign invested enterprise is allowed before the SCIO completes the security evaluation.

Currently we operate a current events channel on our website youku.com, which includes audio/video contents relating to current topics and social events. We have made oral inquiries with the SCIO and were orally informed that such operations do not violate the regulations on Internet news publication. 1Verge Information is in the process of applying for the Internet news publication permits. While the regulations on Internet news publication provide a 60-day period for application review, in practice the timing and issuance of final approval are at the sole discretion of the relevant government authority, which we are not in a position to comment or predict. The cost associated with this application is procedural fee and not material.

Regulations for Internet Publication

The GAPP is responsible for nationwide supervision and administration of publishing activities in China. On June 27, 2002, the GAPP and the MIIT jointly promulgated the Internet Publication Tentative Administrative Measures, or the Internet Publication Measures, which took effect on August 1, 2002. Pursuant to the Internet Publication Measures, any entity engaged in Internet publishing activities must obtain the Internet Publication License from the GAPP before conducting any Internet publication activities. The term “Internet publication” is defined as Internet transmission activity by which Internet information service providers publish on the Internet or transmit to end-users via the Internet works that they or others have created, after selection and editing, for browsing, reading, use or downloading by the general public. The works in question primarily include (i) content that has already been published formally, such as books, newspapers, periodicals, audio/video products and electronic publications, or that has been made public via other media; and (ii) edited works of literature and art or works concerning natural science, social science, engineering or other topics. 1Verge Information obtained the Internet Publication License in March 2012, which is subject to renewal at the end of 2014.

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Regulations on Internet Medical and Health Information Services

On January 3, 2001, the Ministry of Health promulgated the Measures on the Administration of Internet Medical Care Information Services, or the Internet Medical Information Measures. The Internet Medical Information Measures require an ICP operator to obtain the approval from the Ministry of Health or its provincial counterpart for the provision of Internet medical care information services.

On May 1, 2009, the Ministry of Health promulgated the revised Internet Medical Information Measures, which became effective on July 1, 2009. The revised Internet Medical Information Measures require an ICP operator engaging in providing medical and health information to Internet users (which, among others, includes the provision of such information through the health channel on the operator’s website) to obtain a permit from the relevant provincial counterpart of the Ministry of Health. 1Verge Information obtained an approval from Beijing Municipal Health Bureau on February 25, 2009 for the provision of Internet medical care information services which was renewed in 2013 and remains valid under the revised measures. Toodou Culture obtained an approval from the Shanghai Municipal Health Bureau on April 1, 2012 for the provision of Internet medical care information services, which is valid until November 8, 2015.

Regulations on Advertisements

The PRC government regulates advertising, including online advertising, principally through the SAIC, although there is no PRC law or regulation at the national level that specifically regulates online advertising business. Prior to November 30, 2004, in order to conduct any advertisement business, an enterprise was required to hold an operating license for advertisement in addition to a relevant business license. On November 30, 2004, the SAIC issued the Administrative Rules for Advertising Operation Licenses, effective as of January 1, 2005, granting a general exemption to this requirement for most enterprises (other than radio stations, television stations, newspapers and magazines, non-corporate entities and entities specified in other regulations). Each of 1Verge Information, Quan Toodou and Toodou Culture has business scope that covers advertising related services, and qualifies for the exemption noted above.

Under the Rules for Administration of Foreign Invested Advertising Enterprises, which were jointly promulgated by the SAIC and the MOFCOM on March 2, 2004 and amended on August 22, 2008, certain foreign investors are permitted to hold direct equity interests in PRC advertising companies. A foreign investor in a Chinese advertising company is required to have previously had direct advertising operations as its main business outside of China for two years if the Chinese advertising company is a joint venture, or three years if the Chinese advertising company is a wholly owned foreign enterprise. In practice, the foreign investor is deemed compliant of the “main business” requirement if it derives more than 50% of its revenues from advertising business within the past two or three years, as applicable. Since we have not been involved in the advertising industry outside of China for the required number of years, we are not permitted to hold direct equity interests in PRC companies engaging in the advertising business. Therefore, we conduct our advertising business through our consolidated affiliated entities in China, 1Verge Information and Toodou Cultural. In April 2010, we acquired Jet Brilliant, a Hong Kong company which derived more than 50% of its revenues during the past three years of operation from its advertising business, and therefore satisfied the three years’ direct advertising operation requirement, and received the approval from the SAIC to establish Jet Brilliant Beijing on May 19, 2009 as its wholly owned advertisement enterprise. We conduct part of our advertising agency business through Jet Brilliant Beijing.

Advertisers, advertising operators and advertising distributors are required by PRC advertising laws and regulations to ensure that the contents of the advertisements they produce or distribute are true and in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations. In addition, where a special government review is required for certain categories of advertisements before publishing, the advertisers, advertising operators and advertising distributors are obligated to confirm that such review has been duly performed and that the relevant approval has been obtained. Violation of these regulations may result in penalties, including fines, confiscation of advertising income, orders to cease dissemination of the advertisements and orders to publish an advertisement correcting the misleading information. In circumstances involving serious violations, the SAIC or its local branches may order the violator to terminate its advertising operation or even revoke its business license. Furthermore, advertisers, advertising operators or advertising distributors may be subject to civil liabilities if they infringe on the legal rights and interests of third parties. To comply with these laws and regulations, we include clauses in all of our advertising contracts requiring that all advertising content provided by advertisers must comply with relevant laws and regulations. Under PRC law, the advertising agencies are liable for all damages to us caused by their breach of such representations. Prior to website posting, our account execution personnel are required to review all advertising materials, including video commercials, flashes and pictures to ensure there is no racial, violent, pornographic or any other improper content, and will request the advertiser to provide government approval if the advertisement is subject to special government review.

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On July 8, 2004, the State Food and Drug Administration promulgated the Administration Measures on Internet Drug Information Services, which require that Internet operators providing drug information services shall be approved by the competent food and drug administration, and drug advertisements shall be examined and approved by the competent food and drug administration as well. 1Verge Information obtained a permit from the Beijing Drug Administration on October 25, 2010, with validity term of five years from October 25, 2010 to October 24, 2015. Toodou Cultural holds an Internet drug information service permit, which was recently renewed in October 14, 2013 with a five-year validity until October 13, 2018.

Regulations on Internet Culture Activities

On February 17, 2011, the Ministry of Culture promulgated the Internet Culture Administration Tentative Measures, or the Internet Culture Measures. The Internet Culture Measures require ICP operators engaging in “Internet culture activities” to obtain a permit from the Ministry of Culture. The term “Internet culture activities” includes, among other things, online dissemination of Internet cultural products (such as audio-video products, gaming products, performances of plays or programs, works of art and cartoons) and the production, reproduction, importation, publication and broadcasting of Internet cultural products. We have hosted certain audio/video programs on the website www.youku.com operated by 1Verge Information. 1Verge Information holds an Internet culture business permit, which is valid until December 2014. Toodou Cultural holds an Internet culture business permit, which is valid until March 2015.

On November 20, 2006, the Ministry of Culture issued Several Suggestions of the Ministry of Culture on the Development and Administration of the Internet Music, or the Suggestions, which became effective on November 20, 2006. The Suggestions, among other things, reiterate the requirement for the Internet service provider to obtain an Internet culture business permit to carry on any business relating to Internet music products. In addition, foreign investors are prohibited from operating Internet culture businesses. However, the laws and regulations on Internet music products are still evolving, and there have not been any provisions stipulating whether or how music video will be regulated by the Suggestions.

On August 18, 2009, the Ministry of Culture promulgated the Notice on Strengthening and Improving the Content Review of Online Music. According to this notice, only “Internet culture operating entities” approved by the Ministry of Culture may engage in the production, release, dissemination (including providing direct links to music products) and importation of online music products. The content of online music shall be reviewed by or filed with the Ministry of Culture. Internet culture operating entities should establish a strict self-monitoring system of online music content and set up a special department in charge of such monitoring.

To comply with these laws and regulations, our content examination team reviews the music videos on our websites as well as certain other content.

Regulations on Producing Audio/Video Programs

On July 19, 2004, the SARFT promulgated the Administrative Measures on the Production and Operation of Radio and Television Programs, effective as of August 20, 2004. These Measures provide that anyone who wishes to produce or operate radio or television programs must first obtain an operating permit. Applicants for this permit must meet several criteria, including having a minimum registered capital of RMB3 million. 1Verge Information holds a permit for radio and television program production and operation, with a permitted scope encompassing the production of animated programs, television entertainment and special features, which is valid until February 2015. Toodou Cultural holds a permit for radio and television program production and operation, with a permitted scope encompassing the production and distribution of radio and television programs, which is valid until April 2015. Tianshi holds a permit for radio and television program production and operation, with a permitted scope encompassing the production of animated programs, TV dramas, radio plays, television entertainment and special features, which is valid till September 2015.

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Regulations on Software Products

On October 27, 2000, the MIIT issued the Administrative Measures on Software Products, or the Software Measures, to strengthen the regulation of software products and to encourage the development of the PRC software industry. On March 1, 2009, the MIIT issued amended Software Measures, which became effective on April 10, 2009. The Software Measures provide a registration and filing system with respect to software products made in or imported into China. These software products may be registered with the competent local authorities in charge of software industry administration. Registered software products may enjoy preferential treatment status granted by relevant software industry regulations. Software products can be registered for five years, and the registration is renewable upon expiration.

In order to further implement the Computer Software Protection Regulations promulgated by the State Council on December 20, 2001, the National Copyright Administration of the PRC issued the Computer Software Copyright Registration Procedures on February 20, 2002, which apply to software copyright registration, license contract registration and transfer contract registration. 1Verge Information and 1Verge Internet have obtained and maintain 32 software copyright registrations, while Reshuffle Technology and Quan Toodou have obtained and maintain 23 software copyright registrations.

Regulations on Intellectual Property Rights

China has adopted legislation governing intellectual property rights, including trademarks, patents and copyrights. China is a signatory to the main international conventions on intellectual property rights and became a member of the Agreement on Trade Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights upon its accession to the World Trade Organization in December 2001.

Patent. The National People’s Congress adopted the Patent Law in 1984, and amended it in 1992, 2000 and 2008. The purpose of the Patent Law is to protect lawful interests of patent holders, encourage invention, foster applications of invention, enhance innovative capabilities and promote the development of science and technology. To be patentable, invention or utility models must meet three conditions: novelty, inventiveness and practical applicability. Patents cannot be granted for scientific discoveries, rules and methods for intellectual activities, methods used to diagnose or treat diseases, animal and plant breeds, substances obtained by means of nuclear transformation or a design which has major marking effect on the patterns or colors of graphic print products or a combination of both patterns and colors. The Patent Office under the State Intellectual Property Office is responsible for receiving, examining and approving patent applications. A patent is valid for a term of twenty years in the case of an invention and a term of ten years in the case of utility models and designs. A third-party user must obtain consent or a proper license from the patent owner to use the patent. Otherwise, the use constitutes an infringement of patent rights.

Copyright. The National People’s Congress adopted the Copyright Law in 1990 and amended it in 2001 and 2010, respectively. The amended Copyright Law extends copyright protection to Internet activities, products disseminated over the Internet and software products. In addition, there is a voluntary registration system administered by the China Copyright Protection Center. The amended Copyright Law also requires registration of a copyright pledge.

To address the problem of copyright infringement related to the content posted or transmitted over the Internet, the National Copyright Administration and the MIIT jointly promulgated the Measures for Administrative Protection of Copyright Related to Internet on April 29, 2005. This measure became effective on May 30, 2005.

This measure applies to situations where an ICP operator (i) allows another person to post or store any works, recordings, audio or video programs on the websites operated by such ICP operator, or (ii) provides links to, or search results for, the works, recordings, audio or video programs posted or transmitted by such person, without editing, revising or selecting the content of such material. Upon receipt of an infringement notice from a legitimate copyright holder, an ICP operator must take remedial actions immediately by removing or disabling access to the infringing content. If an ICP operator knowingly transmits infringing content or fails to take remedial actions after receipt of a notice of infringement harming public interest, the ICP operator could be subject to administrative penalties, including: cessation of infringement activities; confiscation by the authorities of all income derived from the infringement activities; and payment of a fine of up to three times the unlawful income or, in cases where the amount of unlawful income cannot be determined, a fine of up to RMB100,000. An ICP operator is also required to retain all infringement notices for a minimum of six months and to record the content, display time and IP addresses or the domain names related to the infringement for a minimum of 60 days. Failure to comply with this requirement could result in an administrative warning and a fine of up to RMB30,000.

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On May 18, 2006, the State Council promulgated the Protection of the Right of Communication through Information Networks, which became effective on July 1, 2006. Under this regulation, with respect to any information storage space, search or link services provided by an Internet service provider, if the legitimate right owner believes that the works, performance or sound or video recordings pertaining to that service infringe his or her rights of communication, the right owner may give the Internet service provider a written notice containing the relevant information along with preliminary materials proving that an infringement has occurred, and requesting that the Internet service provider delete, or disconnect the links to, such works or recordings. The right owner will be responsible for the truthfulness of the content of the notice.

Upon receipt of the notice, the Internet service provider must delete or disconnect the links to the infringing content immediately and forward the notice to the user that provided the infringing works or recordings. If the written notice cannot be sent to the user due to the unknown IP address, the contents of the notice shall be publicized via information networks. If the user believes that the subject works or recordings have not infringed others’ rights, the user may submit to the Internet service provider a written explanation with preliminary materials proving non-infringement, and a request for the restoration of the deleted works or recordings. The Internet service provider should then immediately restore the deleted or disconnected content and forward the user’s written statement to the right owner.

An Internet service provider that provides information storage space to users through which users may provide works, performance or sound or video recordings to the public will be exempted from liability for compensation to right owners where the following conditions apply (i) the Internet service provider has clearly indicated that the information storage space is provided to users, and published the name, contact person and IP address of the network service provider; (ii) it has not altered the works or recordings provided by users; (iii) it did not know, or could not reasonably have been expected to know, that the content provided by users infringed other’s rights; (iv) it has not received any direct financial gain from the users’ provision of the content; and (v) it deletes the allegedly infringing content upon receiving written notice from the rights owners. An Internet service provider that provides users with search or link services will be exempted from liability for compensation to right owner if the Internet service provider promptly disconnects the link to the infringing content after receiving the right owner’s notice. This exemption is not valid however if the Internet service provider knew or should know that the linked content infringed another’s rights; in that scenario, it will be jointly liable with the user who provided the content.

Since 2005, the National Copyright Administration, or the NCA, together with certain other PRC governmental authorities, have jointly launched annual campaigns specifically aimed to crack down on Internet copyright infringement and piracy in China, which normally last for three to four months every year. According to the Notice of 2010 Campaign to Crack Down on Internet Infringement and Piracy promulgated by the NCA, the Ministry of Public Security and MIIT on July 19, 2010, one of the main targets, among others, of the 2010 campaign is Internet audio and video programs. Since the 2010 campaign commenced in late July, the local branches of NCA have been focusing on popular movies and television series, newly published books, online games and animation, music and software and illegal uploading or transmission of a third party’s works without proper license or permission, sales of pirated audio/video and software through e-commerce platforms, providing search links, information storage, web hosting or Internet access services for third parties engaging in copyright infringement or piracy and the infringement by use of mobile media. In serious cases, the operating permits of the websites engaging in illegal activities may be revoked, and such websites may be ordered to shut down.

We have adopted measures to mitigate copyright infringement risks. For example, our policy is to remove links to web pages if we know these web pages contain materials that infringe third-party rights or if we are notified by the legitimate copyright holder of the infringement with proper evidence.

On December 26, 2009, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress adopted the Torts Liability Law, which became effective on July 1, 2010. Under this new law, both Internet users and Internet service providers may be liable for the wrongful acts of users who infringe the lawful rights of other parties. If an Internet user utilizes Internet services to commit a tortious act, the party whose rights are infringed may request the Internet service provider to take measures, such as removing or blocking the content, or disabling the links thereto, to prevent or stop the infringement. If the Internet service provider does not take necessary measures after receiving such notice, it shall be jointly liable for any further damages suffered by the rights holder. Furthermore, if an Internet service provider fails to take necessary measures when it knows that an Internet user utilizes its Internet services to infringe the lawful rights and interests of other parties, it shall be jointly liable with the Internet user for damages resulting from the infringement.

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To address issues related to the hearing of civil disputes concerning the infringement of the right of communication through information networks, the PRC Supreme People’s Court promulgated the Provisions on Several Issues Concerning Applicable Laws on Trial of Civil Disputes over Infringement of Information Network Transmission Right, or the Supreme Court Provisions, which took effect as of January 1, 2013. The Supreme Court Provisions provide more detailed guidance as to the circumstances in which the provision by network users or network service providers of others’ works, performances, and audio or video products without permission from the rights holders will constitute an infringement of information network transmission rights. The Supreme Court Provisions provide that internet service providers will be jointly liable if they assist in infringing activities, or fail to remove infringing content from their websites once they know of the infringement or receive notice from the rights holders. The Supreme Court Provisions also hold that where a network service provider obtains economic advantage directly from the works, performances, and audio or video recordings provided by the network service provider, it must “pay close attention” to any network user infringement on the network information transmission rights.

Trademark. The PRC Trademark Law, adopted in 1982 and revised respectively in 1993, 2001 and 2013, protects registered trademarks. The Trademark Office under the SAIC handles trademark registrations and grants a term of ten years to registered trademarks. Trademark license agreements must be filed with the Trademark Office for record. As of March 31, 2014, we had 233 registered trademarks in China, including “ 优酷 ,”“iKu,” “youku.com 优酷 ,”“tudou,” “YOUKU 优币 ,” “ 优土 ” and “ 优豆 .” Furthermore, we have also applied to register additional trademarks, Youku Tudou group trademarks and logos, including but not limited to “iKu , ” “Soku,” “ 搜酷 ,” “Youku Tudou” and “ 优 酷土豆 ” with the Trademark Office.

Domain Name. In September 2002, China’s Internet Network Information Center, or CNNIC, issued the Implementing Rules for Domain Name Registration setting forth detailed rules for registration of domain names. On November 5, 2004, the MIIT promulgated the Measures for Administration of Domain Names for the Chinese Internet, or Domain Name Measures. The Domain Name Measures regulate the registration of domain names, such as the first tier domain name “.cn.” In February 2006, CNNIC issued the Measures on Domain Name Disputes Resolution and its implementing rules, pursuant to which CNNIC can authorize a domain name dispute resolution institution to decide disputes. We have registered youku.com, tudou.com and certain other domain names.

Regulations on Information Security

The National People’s Congress has enacted legislation that prohibits use of the Internet that breaches the public security, disseminates socially destabilizing content or leaks state secrets. Breach of public security includes breach of national security and infringement on legal rights and interests of the state, society or citizens. Socially destabilizing content includes any content that incites defiance or violations of PRC laws or regulations or subversion of the PRC government or its political system, spreads socially disruptive rumors or involves cult activities, superstition, obscenities, pornography, gambling or violence. State secrets are defined broadly to include information concerning PRC national defense, state affairs and other matters as determined by the PRC authorities.

According to other relevant regulations, ICP operators must complete mandatory security filing procedures and regularly update information security and censorship systems for their websites with local public security authorities, and must also report any public dissemination of prohibited content.

In addition, the State Secrecy Bureau has issued provisions authorizing the blocking of access to any website it deems to be leaking state secrets or failing to comply with the relevant legislation regarding the protection of state secrets during online information distribution.

On December 13, 2005, the Ministry of Public Security promulgated Provisions on Technological Measures for Internet Security Protection, or Internet Protection Measures. The Internet Protection Measures require all ICP operators to keep records of certain information about its users (including user registration information, log-in and log-out time, IP address, content and time of posts by users) for at least 60 days and submit the above information as required by laws and regulations.

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As each of 1Verge Information and Toodou Cultural is an ICP operator, it is subject to the laws and regulations relating to information security. To comply with these laws and regulations, each of them has completed the mandatory security filing procedures with the local public security authorities, regularly updates its information security and content-filtering systems with newly issued content restrictions, and maintains records of users’ information as required by the relevant laws and regulations. Each of them has also taken measures to delete or remove links to content that, to its knowledge, contains information violating PRC laws and regulations. Substantially all of the videos uploaded on our websites are manually screened by contract employees dedicated to screening and monitoring the content uploaded on our websites and removing prohibited contents. All of the other contents, primarily consisting of comments posted by users, are first screened by our filtering systems and content containing prohibitive words or images is manually screened by our contract employees. We believe these measures make our websites duly monitored and, therefore, no prohibited content under PRC information security laws and regulations should have been publicly disseminated through our websites in the past. However, due to the significant amount of content uploaded on our websites by our users on a daily basis, if any prohibited content is publicly disseminated in the future, we will report to the relevant governmental authority. We believe these measures are generally in compliance with the relevant laws and regulations.

Regulations on Internet Privacy

The PRC Constitution states that PRC law protects the freedom and privacy of communications of citizens and prohibits infringement of such rights. In recent years, PRC government authorities have enacted legislation on Internet use to protect personal information from any unauthorized disclosure. The Internet Measures prohibit an ICP operator from insulting or slandering a third party or infringing the lawful rights and interests of a third party. Pursuant to the BBS Measures, ICP operators that provide electronic messaging services must keep users’ personal information confidential and must not disclose such personal information to any third party without the users’ consent or unless required by law. The regulations further authorize the relevant telecommunications authorities to order ICP operators to rectify unauthorized disclosure. ICP operators are subject to legal liability if the unauthorized disclosure results in damages or losses to users. The PRC government, however, has the power and authority to order ICP operators to turn over personal information if an Internet user posts any prohibited content or engages in illegal activities on the Internet.

On December 28, 2012, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of the PRC issued the Decision on Strengthening the Protection of Online Information, or the Decision. Most requirements under the Decision that are relevant to ICP operators are consistent with the existing requirements under the MIIT Provisions as discussed above, although they are stricter and broader. Under the Decision, if an ICP operator wishes to collect or use personal electronic information, it must do so in a legal and appropriate manner, and may do so only if it is necessary for the services it provides. It must disclose the purpose, method and scope of any such collection or use, and must seek consent from the relevant individuals. ICP operators are also required to publish their policies relating to information collection and use, must keep such information strictly confidential, and must take technological and other measures to ensure the safety of such information. ICP operators are further prohibited from divulging, distorting or destroying any such personal electronic information, or selling or providing such information to other parties. The Decision also requires that ICP operators providing information publishing services must collect from users their personal identification information for registration. In very broad terms, the Decision provides that violators may face warnings, fines, confiscation of illegal gains, license revocations, filling cancellations and website closures.

To comply with these laws and regulations, we have established information security systems to protect users’ privacy and have filed them with the MIIT or its local branch as required. However, due to the significant amount of content uploaded by users on a daily basis, we cannot ensure that no content uploaded by our users will infringe the privacy rights of any third party without receiving notice from such third party. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—We have been, and may continue to be, subject to liabilities for infringement of third-party intellectual property rights or other allegations based on the content available on our websites or services we provide.”

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Regulations on Registration of Branch Companies

On October 27, 2005, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress promulgated the amended PRC Company Law. It provides that a company may establish branch companies, which are entities without the status of a legal person. A branch company must register its establishment at the applicable government agency and obtain a business license. On April 24, 2006, the SAIC, the MOFCOM, the General Administration of Customs and the SAFE jointly issued the Notice on the Issuance of the Implementing Opinions Concerning Several Issues on the Application of Laws Governing the Administration of the Approval and Registration of Foreign Invested Companies, which provides that while representative offices of a foreign invested company that conduct operational business activities shall be registered as the company’s branch companies, those without such activities are no longer required to be registered. There has not been any specific stipulation in PRC laws or regulations regarding the definition of “operational business activities.”

We have established seven branches, and have completed registering the branches at the competent local branches of the SAIC.

Regulations on Tax

PRC Enterprise Income Tax

The PRC enterprise income tax, or EIT, is calculated based on the taxable income determined under the applicable EIT Law and its implementation rules. On March 16, 2007, the National People’s Congress of China enacted the New EIT Law, which became effective on January 1, 2008. On December 6, 2007, the State Council promulgated the implementation rules to the New EIT Law, which also became effective on January 1, 2008. On December 26, 2007, the State Council issued the Notice on Implementation of Enterprise Income Tax Transition Preferential Policy under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, or the Transition Preferential Policy Circular, which became effective simultaneously with the New EIT Law. The New EIT Law imposes a uniform enterprise income tax rate of 25% on all resident enterprises in China, including foreign-invested enterprises and domestic enterprises, unless they qualify for certain exceptions, and terminates most of the tax exemptions, reductions and preferential treatments available under the Old EIT Law and regulations. Under the New EIT Law and the Transition Preferential Policy Circular, qualified enterprises established before March 16, 2007 that already enjoyed preferential tax treatments will continue to enjoy them (i) in the case of preferential tax rates, for a maximum of five years starting from January 1, 2008, and during the five-year period, the tax rate will gradually increase from their current preferential tax rate to 25%, or (ii) in the case of preferential tax exemption or reduction for a specified term, until the expiration of such term. For enterprises that are not profitable enough to enjoy the preferential tax exemption or reduction referred to in (ii) above, the preferential duration shall commence from 2008.

Prior to the New EIT Law on January 1, 2008, domestic companies were generally subject to an enterprise income tax at a statutory rate of 33%.

The New EIT Law and its implementation rules permit certain “high and new technology enterprises strongly supported by the state” that hold independent ownership of core intellectual property and simultaneously meet a list of other criteria, financial or non-financial, as stipulated in the implementation rules and other regulations, to enjoy a reduced 15% enterprise income tax rate subject to certain new qualification criteria. The State Administration of Taxation, the Ministry of Science and Technology and the Ministry of Finance jointly issued the Administrative Rules for the Certification of High and New Technology Enterprises delineating the specific criteria and procedures for the “high and new technology enterprises” certification on April 14, 2008.

1Verge Internet, our wholly owned subsidiary, and 1Verge Information, our consolidated affiliated entity, were recognized by the Beijing Municipal Science and Technology Commission as “high and new technology enterprises” on December 24, 2010 and April 27, 2006, respectively, and therefore were eligible for the reduced 15% enterprise income tax rate upon filing the relevant tax authority.  The qualification as a “high and new technology enterprise” is subject to annual evaluation and a three-year review by the relevant authorities in China. 1Verge Information was reaffirmed as such on December 14, 2009 and was entitled to the preferential tax rate of 15% for 2009, 2010 and 2011. However, 1Verge Information was not recognized as a “high and new technology enterprise” in the three-year review in 2012, and its applicable enterprise income tax rate increased to 25% starting in 2012. 1Verge Internet was recognized as a “high and new technology enterprise” in the three-year review on November 11, 2013, and therefore, 1Verge Internet is still entitled to the preferential enterprise income tax rate of 15% from 2013 to 2015. We cannot assure you that 1Verge Internet can continue to be recognized as “high and new technology enterprise” or renew this qualification when the current term expires and thus continue to be entitled to the preferential enterprise income tax rate of 15% or any other preferential enterprise income tax treatment.

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Uncertainties exist with respect to how the New EIT Law applies to our tax residency status. Under the New EIT Law, an enterprise established outside of China with a “de facto management body” within China is considered a “resident enterprise,” which means that it can be treated in a manner similar to a Chinese enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes, although the dividends paid to one resident enterprise from another may qualify as “tax-exempt income.” Though the implementation rules of the New EIT Law define “de facto management body” as “establishments that carry out substantial and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel, accounting, properties, etc. of an enterprise,” the only constructive guidance for this definition currently available is set forth in the SAT Circular 82 issued by the PRC State Administration of Taxation, which provides guidance on the determination of the tax residency status of Chinese-controlled offshore incorporated enterprises, defined as an enterprise that is incorporated under the laws of a foreign country or territory and that has a PRC enterprise or enterprise group as its primary controlling shareholder. Although we do not have a PRC enterprise or enterprise group as our primary controlling shareholder and are therefore not a Chinese-controlled offshore incorporated enterprise within the meaning of the SAT Circular 82, in the absence of guidance specifically applicable to us, we have applied the guidance set forth in the SAT Circular 82 to evaluate the tax residency status of our legal entities organized outside the PRC.

According to the SAT Circular 82, a Chinese-controlled offshore incorporated enterprise will be regarded as a PRC tax resident by virtue of having a “de facto management body” in China and will be subject to PRC enterprise income tax on its worldwide income only if all of the following conditions set forth in the SAT Circular 82 are met:

·              the primary location of the day-to-day operational management is in the PRC;

·              decisions relating to the enterprise’s financial and human resource matters are made or are subject to approval by organizations or personnel in the PRC;

·              the enterprise’s primary assets, accounting books and records, company seals, and board and shareholder resolutions are located or maintained in the PRC; and

·              50% or more of voting board members or senior executives habitually reside in the PRC.

We do not believe that either Youku Tudou Inc. or its Hong Kong, Cayman or BVI subsidiaries, including Jet Brilliant, Tudou and StarCloud, meet all of the conditions above. Each of Youku Tudou Inc. and these offshore subsidiaries is a company incorporated outside the PRC. These entities’ key assets and records, including the resolutions of their respective board of directors and the resolutions of their respective shareholders, are located and maintained outside the PRC. In addition, we are not aware of any offshore holding companies with similar corporate structures ever having been deemed to be a PRC “resident enterprise” by the PRC tax authorities. Therefore, we believe that neither Youku Tudou Inc. nor any of these offshore subsidiaries should be treated as a “resident enterprise” for PRC tax purposes if the criteria for a “de facto management body” as set forth in the SAT Circular 82 were deemed applicable to us. However, as the tax residency 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” as applicable to our offshore entities, we will continue to monitor our tax status. See “Item 3. Key Information—Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Our global income and the dividends that we may receive from our PRC subsidiaries may be subject to PRC taxes under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, which would have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations.”

Although we believe we are not a PRC resident enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes, substantial uncertainty exists. In the event that our company or our Hong Kong subsidiary is considered to be a PRC resident enterprise: (1) our company or our Hong Kong subsidiary, as the case may be, would be subject to the PRC enterprise income tax at the rate of 25% on worldwide income; (2) dividend income that our company or our Hong Kong subsidiary, as the case may be, receives from our PRC subsidiaries would be exempt from the PRC withholding tax since such income is exempted under the New EIT Law for PRC resident enterprise recipients and (3) dividends we pay to our overseas shareholders or ADS holders as well as gains realized by such shareholders or ADS holders from the transfer of our shares or ADSs may be regarded as China-sourced income and as a result become subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10%. See “Item 3. Key Information—Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Our global income and the dividends that we may receive from our PRC subsidiaries may be subject to PRC taxes under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, which would have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations.”

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Under SAT Circular 698, if a non-resident enterprise transfers the equity interests of a PRC resident enterprise indirectly by disposition of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, or Indirect Transfer, and such overseas holding company is located in a tax jurisdiction that: (i) has an effective tax rate less than 12.5%, or (ii) does not tax foreign income of its residents, the non-resident enterprise, being the transferor, shall report to the PRC competent tax authority of the PRC resident enterprise this Indirect Transfer, except that such Indirect Transfer concerns the transfer of listed shares of a PRC resident enterprise and takes place on a public stock exchange, whether in or outside PRC. Using a “substance over form” principle, the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding or deferring PRC tax. As a result, gains derived from such Indirect Transfer may be subject to PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10%. SAT Circular 698 also provides that, where a non-PRC resident enterprise transfers its equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise to its related parties at a price lower than the fair market value, the relevant tax authority has the power to make a reasonable adjustment to the taxable income of the transaction. SAT Circular 698 is retroactively effective on January 1, 2008. On March 28, 2011, the SAT released SAT Public Notice 24 to clarify several issues related to Circular 698. SAT Public Notice 24 became effective on April 1, 2011. According to SAT Public Notice 24, the term “effective tax” refers to the effective tax on the gain derived from disposition of the equity interests of an overseas holding company; and the term “does not impose income tax” refers to the cases where the gain derived from disposition of the equity interests of an overseas holding company is not subject to income tax in the country/region where the overseas holding company is a resident. There is uncertainty as to the application of SAT Circular 698. If SAT Circular 698 was determined by the tax authorities to be applicable to us and our non-resident investors, we and our non-resident investors may be required to expend valuable resources to comply with this circular or to establish that we or our non-resident investors should not be taxed under SAT Circular 698, which may adversely affect us or our non-resident investors. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We face uncertainty with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.”

PRC Value-added Tax and Business Tax

Pursuant to applicable PRC tax regulations, any entity or individual conducting business in the service industry is generally required to pay a business tax at the rate of 5% on the revenues generated from providing such services. However, if the services provided are related to technology development and transfer, such business tax may be exempted subject to the approval of relevant tax authorities.

In November 2011, the PRC Ministry of Finance and the State Administration of Taxation jointly issued two circulars setting out the details of the pilot VAT reform program, which change the charge of sales tax from business tax to VAT for certain pilot industries. The pilot VAT reform program initially applied only to the pilot industries in Shanghai but has been expanded to eight additional regions, including, among others, Beijing, in 2012. Entities located in Shanghai and Beijing fall within the scope of the pilot program and have been recognized as the VAT general taxpayers since January 1, 2012 and September 1, 2012, respectively, the effective time of the pilot program in each of the regions. On May 24, 2013, the Ministry of Finance, or MOF, and the State Administration of Taxation, or SAT, jointly issued Caishui [2013] No. 37, or Circular 37. From 1 August, 2013, the VAT pilot has been expanded to the transportation industry (expect for the Railway transport) and some modern service industries nationwide.

On December 12, 2013, MOF and SAT jointly issued Caishui [2013] No. 106, or Circular 106, which sets out that railway transportation and postal services would be within the scope of the VAT pilot from January 1, 2014. Circular 106 also included some updates and changes to VAT pilot rules. Circular 106 replaced Circular 37 from January 1, 2014.

Cultural Business Construction Fee

According to applicable PRC tax regulations or rules, advertising service providers are generally required to pay a cultural business construction fee at the rate of 3% on the revenues (i) which are generated from providing advertising services and (ii) which are also subject to the business tax.

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Local Surcharges

City construction tax and education surcharge are local surcharges imposed at a certain percentage of PRC turnover taxes (i.e., business tax, value-added tax and consumption tax). City construction tax is charged at rates of 1%, 5% or 7% (depending on the location of the PRC enterprise) of the turnover tax, while the education surcharge rate is currently at 2% of the turnover tax. Though in the past foreign-invested enterprises, foreign enterprises and foreign individuals were exempted from such surcharges, these entities were required to make such payments from December 1, 2010 according to a notice issued by PRC State Council in October 2010.

In addition to city construction tax and education surcharge, the China Ministry of Finance issued Circular Caizong (2010) No. 98, or Circular 98, that requires all units and individuals (including foreign invested enterprises, foreign enterprises and foreign individuals) to pay a local education surcharge, or LES, at 2% on turnover tax. Local governments are required to report their implementation measures on LES to the Ministry of Finance. According to Circular Jingzhengfa 2011 No.72, Beijing has begun to levy LES at 2% on turnover tax starting from January 2012.

Dividends Withholding Tax

Under the Old EIT Law effective prior to January 1, 2008, dividends paid to foreign investors by foreign-invested enterprises, such as dividends paid to us by 1Verge Internet, Reshuffle Technology and Jet Brilliant Beijing, would be exempt from PRC withholding tax. We are a Cayman Islands holding company and substantially all of our income may come from dividends we receive from our subsidiaries located in the PRC and Hong Kong. Pursuant to the New EIT Law and its implementation rules, dividends generated after January 1, 2008 and distributed to us by 1Verge Internet, which is our PRC subsidiary directly held by our company, are subject to a withholding tax rate of 10%. Dividends generated after January 1, 2008 and distributed to our Hong Kong subsidiary Jet Brilliant by Jet Brilliant Beijing, which is our PRC subsidiary directly held by our Hong Kong subsidiary, are subject to withholding tax at a rate of 5%, provided that: (a) our Hong Kong subsidiary is determined by the relevant PRC tax authorities to be a “non-resident enterprise” under the New EIT Law, “non-resident enterprise” being referred to as a company that has no establishment in China, or has establishment in China, but the dividend is not connected to the establishment; (b) our Hong Kong subsidiary is the beneficial owner of the PRC sourced income; and (c) our Hong Kong subsidiary holds at least 25% of the equity interest of Jet Brilliant Beijing. Jet Brilliant has not obtained the approval for a withholding tax rate of 5% from the local tax authority and does not plan to obtain such approval in the near future, because Jet Brilliant Beijing paid no dividends from April 27, 2010 to December 31, 2013 and does not plan to pay dividends in the future as it may continue to incur losses. However, the SAT promulgated the Notice on How to Understand and Determine the Beneficial Owners in Tax Agreement on October 27, 2009, or SAT Circular 601, which provides guidance for determining whether a resident of a contracting state is the “beneficial owner” of an item of income under China’s tax treaties and tax arrangements. According to SAT Circular 601, a beneficial owner generally must be engaged in substantive business activities. An agent or conduit company will not be regarded as a beneficial owner and, therefore, will not qualify for treaty benefits. The conduit company normally refers to a company that is set up for the purpose of avoiding or reducing taxes or transferring or accumulating profits. In addition, as described above, our company or our Hong Kong subsidiary may be considered a PRC resident enterprise for PRC enterprise income tax purposes, in which case dividends received by it, as the case may be, from the relevant PRC subsidiary would be exempt from the PRC withholding tax because such income is exempt under the New EIT Law for a PRC resident enterprise recipient.

According to the interpretation and implementation of the New EIT Law and its implementation rules, if we are deemed a PRC resident enterprise, any dividends to be distributed by us to our non-PRC shareholders and ADS holders would be subject to PRC withholding tax. See “Item 3. Key Information—Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Our global income and the dividends that we may receive from our PRC subsidiaries may be subject to PRC taxes under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, which would have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations.”

Regulations on Foreign Exchange

Foreign exchange activities in China are primarily governed by the following regulations:

·              Foreign Currency Administration Rules (2008), or the Exchange Rules; and

·              Administration Rules of the Settlement, Sale and Payment of Foreign Exchange (1996), or the Administration Rules.

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Under the Exchange Rules, if documents certifying the purposes of the conversion of RMB into foreign currency are submitted to the relevant foreign exchange conversion bank, the RMB will be convertible for current account items, including the distribution of dividends, interest and royalties payments, and trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions. Conversion of RMB for capital account items, such as direct investment, loan, securities investment and repatriation of investment, however, is subject to the approval of the SAFE or its local counterpart.

Under the Administration Rules, foreign-invested enterprises may only buy, sell and/or remit foreign currencies at banks authorized to conduct foreign exchange business after providing valid commercial documents and, in the case of capital account item transactions, obtaining approval from the SAFE or its local counterpart. Capital investments by PRC entities outside of China, after obtaining the required approvals of the relevant approval authorities, such as the MOFCOM and the National Development and Reform Commission or their local counterparts, are also required to register with the SAFE or its local counterpart.

As an offshore holding company with PRC subsidiaries, we may (i) make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, (ii) establish new PRC subsidiaries and make capital contributions to these new PRC subsidiaries, (iii) make loans to our PRC subsidiaries or consolidated affiliated entities, or (iv) acquire offshore entities with business operations in China in offshore transactions. However, most of these uses are subject to PRC regulations and approvals. For example:

·              capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, whether existing or newly established ones, must be approved by the PRC Ministry of Commerce or its local counterparts;

·              loans by us to our PRC subsidiaries, each of which is a foreign-invested enterprise, to finance their activities cannot exceed statutory limits and must be registered with SAFE or its local branches; and

·              loans by us to our consolidated affiliated entities, which are domestic PRC entities, must be approved by the National Development and Reform Commission and must also be registered with SAFE or its local branches.

On August 29, 2008, the SAFE issued the Circular on the Relevant Operating Issues Concerning the Improvement of the Administration of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of Foreign Invested Enterprises, or Circular 142. On November 16, 2011, SAFE promulgated the Circular on Issues Relating to Further Clarification and Regulation of Certain Capital Account Items under Foreign Exchange Control, or Circular 45, in order to clarify the application of Circular 142. Pursuant to Circular 142 and Circular 45, the Renminbi capital from the settlement of foreign currency capital of a foreign-invested enterprise must be used within the business scope as approved by the applicable government authority and cannot be used for domestic equity investment, unless it is otherwise provided for. Documents certifying the purposes of the settlement of foreign currency capital into Renminbi, including a business contract, must also be submitted for the settlement of the foreign currency. In addition, the SAFE strengthened its oversight of the flow and use of the Renminbi capital converted from foreign currency registered capital of a foreign-invested company. The use of such Renminbi capital may not be altered without the SAFE’s approval, and such Renminbi capital may not be used to repay Renminbi loans if such loans have not been used. Violations of the Circular 142 or Circular 45 could result in severe monetary fines or penalties. We expect that if we convert the net proceeds we received from our follow-on public offering in May 2011 or our initial public offering in December 2010 into Renminbi pursuant to SAFE Circular 142 and Circular 45, our use of Renminbi funds will be within the approved business scope of our PRC subsidiaries. Such business scope includes “technical services” which we believe permits our PRC subsidiaries to purchase or lease servers and other equipment and provide operational support to our consolidated affiliated entities. However, we may not be able to use such Renminbi funds to make equity investments in the PRC through our PRC subsidiaries.

There are no costs associated with applying for registration or approval of loans or capital contributions with or from relevant PRC governmental authorities, other than nominal processing charges. Under PRC laws and regulations, the PRC governmental authorities are required to process such approvals or registrations or deny our application within a prescribed time period which is usually less than 90 days. The actual time taken, however, may be longer due to administrative delays. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain these government registrations or approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to our future plans to use the U.S. dollar proceeds we receive from public offerings for our expansion and operations in China. If we fail to receive such registrations or approvals, our ability to use the proceeds from public offerings and to capitalize our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could materially and adversely affect our liquidity and ability to fund and expand our business.

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Regulations on Dividend Distribution

The principal regulations governing dividend distributions of wholly foreign-owned companies include:

·              the Companies Law (2005);

·              the Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise Law (2000); and

·              the Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise Law Implementing Rules (2001).

Under these regulations, wholly foreign-owned companies in the PRC may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, these wholly foreign-owned companies are required to set aside at least 10% of their respective accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds, until the aggregate amount of such fund reaches 50% of its registered capital. At the discretion of these wholly foreign-owned companies, they may allocate a portion of their after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to staff welfare and bonus funds. These reserve funds and staff welfare and bonus funds are not distributable as cash dividends.

As of December 31, 2013, the registered capital of our wholly foreign-owned subsidiaries 1Verge Internet, Reshuffle Technology and Jet Brilliant Beijing were US$171.9 million, US$63.0 million and RMB1.0 million (US$0.2 million), respectively. 1Verge Internet, Reshuffle Technology and Jet Brilliant Beijing have not made any profits to date, and thus are not subject to the statutory reserve fund requirement. 1Verge Internet, Reshuffle Technology and Jet Brilliant Beijing have not and will not be able to pay dividends to our offshore entities until they generate accumulated profits and meet the requirements for statutory reserve funds. As of December 31, 2013, our PRC subsidiaries had accumulated deficits of RMB1,342.5 million (US$221.8 million) in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations.

Regulations on Offshore Investment by PRC Residents

Pursuant to the SAFE’s Notice on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Administration for PRC Residents to Engage in Financing and Inbound Investment via Overseas Special Purpose Vehicles, generally known in China as SAFE Circular No. 75, issued on October 21, 2005: (i) a PRC citizen residing in the PRC or non-PRC citizen primarily residing in the PRC due to his or her economic tie to the PRC, who is referred to as a PRC resident in SAFE Circular No. 75, shall register with the local branch of the SAFE before it establishes or controls an overseas special purpose company, for the purpose of overseas equity financing; (ii) when a PRC resident contributes the assets of, or its equity interests in, a domestic enterprise into an overseas special purpose company, or engages in overseas financing after contributing assets or equity interests into an special purpose company, such PRC resident shall register his or her interest in the special purpose company and the change thereof with the local branch of the SAFE; and (iii) when the special purpose company undergoes a material event outside of China not involving inbound investments, such as change in share capital, creation of any security interests on its assets or merger and division, the PRC resident shall, within 30 days from the occurrence of such event, register such change with the local branch of the SAFE. PRC residents who are shareholders of special purpose companies established before November 1, 2005 were required to register with the local branch of the SAFE before March 31, 2006. To further clarify and simplify the implementation of the SAFE Circular No. 75, the SAFE issued the Implementing Rules Relating to the Administration of Foreign Exchange in Fund-Raising and Round-trip Investment Activities of the Domestic Residents Conducted via Offshore Special Purpose Companies, or SAFE Circular No. 19, on May 20, 2011, which came into effect on July 1, 2011.

Under these foreign exchange regulations, failure to comply with the registration procedures above may result in the penalties, including imposition of restrictions on a PRC subsidiary’s foreign exchange activities and its ability to distribute dividends to the overseas special purpose company. See “Risk Factors— Risks Related to Doing Business in China—PRC regulations relating to the establishment of offshore SPVs by PRC residents may subject our PRC resident beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to liability or penalties, limit our ability to inject capital into our PRC subsidiaries, limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their registered capital or distribute profits to us, or may otherwise adversely affect us.”

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Regulations on Employee Stock Options Plan

In December 2006, the People’s Bank of China promulgated the Administrative Measures of Foreign Exchange Matters for Individuals, setting forth the respective requirements for foreign exchange transactions by individuals (both PRC or non-PRC citizens) under either the current account or the capital account. In January 2007, the SAFE issued implementing rules for the Administrative Measures of Foreign Exchange Matters for Individuals, which, among other things, specified approval requirements for certain capital account transactions, such as a PRC citizen’s participation in employee stock ownership plans or share option plans of an overseas publicly-listed company. On March 28, 2007, the State Administration of Foreign Exchange promulgated the Application Procedures of Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Employee Stock Ownership Plan or Stock Option Plan of Overseas Listed Company, or the Stock Option Rules. In February 2012, SAFE promulgated the Stock Option Notice and replaced the Stock Option Rules. The Stock Option Notice simplifies the requirements and procedures for the registration of stock incentive plan participants, especially in respect of the required application documents and the elimination of strict requirements on offshore and onshore custodian banks, as were stipulated in the Stock Option Rules. The purpose of the Stock Option Notice is to regulate the foreign exchange administration of PRC domestic individuals who participate in employee stock holding plans and share option plans of overseas listed companies.

According to the Stock Option Notice, for PRC resident individuals who participate in any employee stock ownership plan or share option plan of an overseas listed company, a PRC domestic qualified agent or the PRC subsidiary of such overseas listed company must, among other things, file, on behalf of such individuals, an application with the SAFE or its local counterpart to obtain approval for an annual allowance with respect to the purchase of foreign exchange in connection with stock holding or share option exercises as PRC domestic individuals may not directly use overseas funds to purchase shares or exercise share options. With the approval from SAFE or its local counterpart, the PRC domestic qualified agent or the PRC subsidiary shall open a special foreign exchange account at a PRC domestic bank to hold the funds required in connection with the stock purchase or option exercise, any returned principal or profits upon sales of shares, any dividends issued on the stock and any other income or expenditures approved by the SAFE or its local counterpart. In addition, within three months after there is substantial change to such stock incentive plans, including for example any changes due to merger or acquisition or changes to the domestic or overseas custodian agent, the domestic agent must update the registration with SAFE.

Under the Foreign Currency Administration Rules, as amended in 2008, the foreign exchange proceeds of domestic entities and individuals can be remitted into China or deposited abroad, subject to the terms and conditions to be issued by the SAFE. However, the implementing rules in respect of depositing the foreign exchange proceeds abroad have not been issued by the SAFE. The foreign exchange proceeds from the sales of shares can be converted into RMB or transferred to such individuals’ foreign exchange savings account after the proceeds have been remitted back to the special foreign exchange account opened at the PRC domestic bank. If share options are exercised in a cashless exercise, the PRC domestic individuals are required to remit the proceeds to special foreign exchange accounts.

Many issues with respect to the Stock Option Notice require further interpretation. We and our PRC employees who have participated in an employee stock ownership plan or share option plan are subject to the Stock Option Notice as we are an overseas-listed company. We and our employees have made such applications and intend to continue making such application on an on-going basis and complete all the requisite procedures in accordance with the Stock Option Notice. If we or our PRC employees fail to comply with the Stock Option Notice, we and our PRC employees may face sanctions imposed by the PRC foreign exchange authority or any other PRC government authorities, including restriction on foreign currency conversions and additional capital contribution to our PRC subsidiaries.

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In addition, the State Administration of Taxation has issued a few circulars concerning employee share options. Under these circulars, our employees working in China who exercise share options will be subject to PRC individual income tax. Our PRC subsidiaries have obligations to file documents related to employee share options with relevant tax authorities and withhold the individual income taxes of employees who exercise their share options. If our employees fail to pay and we fail to withhold their income taxes, we may face sanctions imposed by tax authorities or any other PRC government authorities.

Labor Laws and Social Insurance

Pursuant to the PRC Labor Law and the PRC Labor Contract Law, employers must execute written labor contracts with full-time employees. All employers must compensate their employees with wages equal to at least the local minimum wage standards. All employers are required to establish a system for labor safety and sanitation, strictly abide by state rules and standards and provide employees with workplace safety training. Violations of the PRC Labor Contract Law and the PRC Labor Law may result in the imposition of fines and other administrative liabilities. Criminal liability may arise for serious violations.

In addition, employers in China are obliged to provide employees with welfare schemes covering pension insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance, work-related injury insurance, medical insurance and housing funds.

On December 28, 2012, the PRC Labor Contract Law was amended to impose more stringent requirements on labor dispatch , which became effective on July 1, 2013. Pursuant to amended PRC Labor Contract Law, (i) the dispatched contract workers are entitled to equal pay for equal work as compared to a full time employee of an employer, (ii) dispatched contract workers may only be engaged to perform temporary, ancillary or substitute work and (iii) an employer is required to strictly control the number of dispatched contract workers, so that dispatched contract workers do not exceed certain percentage of a total number of employees. “Temporary work” means a position with a term of less than six months; “auxiliary work” means a non-core business position that provides services for the core business of the employer; and “substitute worker” means a position that can be temporarily replaced with a dispatched contract worker for the period that a regular employee is away from work for vacation, study or for other reasons. According to the Interim Provisions on Labor Dispatch, or the Labor Dispatch Provisions, promulgated by the Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security on January 24, 2014,which became effective on March 1, 2014, (i) the number of dispatched contract workers hired by an employer may not exceed 10% of its total employees (including both directly hired employees and dispatched contract workers); (ii) in the case that the number of dispatched contract workers exceeds 10% of its total employees at the time when the Labor Dispatch Provisions became effective (i.e., March 1, 2014), the employer must formulate a plan to reduce the number of its dispatched contract workers to a number below the statutory cap prior to March 1, 2016; and (iii) the employer’s plan is required to be filed with the local bureau of human resources and social security. Nevertheless, the Labor Dispatch Provisions do not invalidate the labor contracts and dispatch agreements entered into prior to December 28, 2012. In addition, the employer may not hire any new dispatched contract worker before the number of its dispatched contract workers is reduced to below 10% of its total employees.

As of April 11, 2014, we have one PRC entity, Youku Video (Xi’an) Media Technology Co., Ltd. , which hires dispatched contract workers exceeding 10% of its total employees. We have already formulated plans to convert the dispatched contract workers to directly hired full-time employees, which we expect to complete within the time frame required under the Labor Dispatch Provisions.

To comply with these laws and regulations, we have caused all of our full-time employees to enter into labor contracts and provide our employees with the proper welfare and employment benefits.

Regulations on Concentration in Merger and Acquisition Transactions

In 2006, six PRC regulatory agencies jointly adopted the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rule. The M&A Rule, among other things, established procedures and requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time-consuming and complex. These rules require, among other things, that the MOFCOM be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor will take control of a PRC domestic enterprise or a foreign company with substantial PRC operations, if certain thresholds under the Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings issued by the State Council on August 3, 2008 are triggered. According to the Implementing Rules Concerning Security Review on the Mergers and Acquisitions by Foreign Investors of Domestic Enterprises issued by the Ministry of Commerce in August 2011, mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors involved in an industry related to national security are subject to strict review by the Ministry of Commerce. These rules also prohibit any transactions attempting to bypass such security review, including by controlling entities through contractual arrangements. We believe that our business is not in an industry related to national security. However, we cannot preclude the possibility that the Ministry of Commerce or other government agencies may publish interpretations contrary to our understanding or broaden the scope of such security review in the future.

Complying with these requirements could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share. See “Item 3. Key Information—Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Recently enacted regulations in the PRC may make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions.”

C                                        Organizational Structure

Corporate Structure

The following table sets out the details of our principal operating subsidiaries, consolidated affiliated entities and our ownership structure, as of the date of this annual report:

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