Use these links to rapidly review the document
TABLE OF CONTENTS

Table of Contents

As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 1, 2019

Registration No. 333-            


UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549



FORM F-3
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
Under
The Securities Act of 1933



Sea Limited
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)



Not Applicable
(Translation of registrant's name into English)

Cayman Islands
(State or other jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
  Not Applicable
(I.R.S. Employer Identification Number)

1 Fusionopolis Place, #17-10, Galaxis
Singapore 138522
+65 6270-8100

(Address and telephone number of registrant's principal executive offices)



Puglisi & Associates
850 Library Avenue, Suite 204
Newark, Delaware 19711
+1 302 738-6680

(Name, address, and telephone number of agent for service)



Copies to:

Yanjun Wang, Esq.
Sea Limited
1 Fusionopolis Place, #17-10, Galaxis
Singapore 138522
+65 6270-8100

 

Dwight S. Yoo, Esq.
Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP
4 Times Square
New York, NY 10036, United States of America
+1 212 735 3000



Approximate date of commencement of proposed sale to the public:
From time to time after the effective date of this registration statement.



           If only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans, please check the following box.  o

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

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

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

           If this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction I.C. or a post-effective amendment thereto that shall become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  ý

           If this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction I.C. filed to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act, check the following box.  o

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

Emerging growth company  o

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

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



CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

               
 
Title of each class of securities
to be registered (1)

  Amount to be
registered (2)

  Proposed maximum
offering price per
unit (2)

  Proposed maximum
aggregate offering
price (2)

  Amount of
registration fee (2)

 

Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.0005 per share (3)

               

 

(1)
Includes securities initially offered and sold outside the United States that may be resold from time to time in the United States either as part of their distribution or within 40 days after the later of the effective date of this registration statement and the date the securities are first bona fide offered to the public. These securities are not being registered for the purposes of sales outside of the United States.

(2)
An indeterminate aggregate amount or number of securities of each identified class is being registered and may from time to time be sold at indeterminate prices. In accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) under the Securities Act, the registrant is deferring payment of all of the registration fees.

(3)
These Class A ordinary shares are represented by American Depositary Shares, each of which represents one Class A ordinary share. The ADSs issuable on deposit of the Class A ordinary shares registered hereby have been registered under a separate registration statement on Form F-6 (333-220861).

   


Table of Contents

PROSPECTUS

LOGO

Sea Limited

CLASS A ORDINARY SHARES



        We may from time to time offer and sell our Class A ordinary shares, including Class A ordinary shares represented by American Depositary Shares, or ADSs.

        In addition, from time to time, any selling shareholders named in a prospectus supplement may offer and sell our Class A ordinary shares, including Class A ordinary shares represented by ADSs, held by them. The selling shareholders may sell our Class A ordinary shares through public or private transactions at prevailing market prices or at privately negotiated prices. We will not receive any proceeds from the sale of shares of our Class A ordinary shares by the selling shareholders.

        We will provide the specific terms of any offering in a supplement to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplement may also add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement as well as the documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus before you purchase any of the securities offered hereby.

        These securities may be offered and sold in the same offering or in separate offerings; to or through underwriters, dealers and agents; or directly to purchasers. The names of any underwriters, dealers or agents involved in the sale of our securities, their compensation and any over-allotment options held by them will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. See "Plan of Distribution."

        The ADSs are listed on the New York Stock Exchange, or the NYSE, under the ticker symbol "SE." On February 28, 2019, the last reported sale price of the ADSs on the NYSE was US$21.50 per ADS.

         Investing in the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully consider the risks described under "Risk Factors" in this prospectus, any prospectus supplement and any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

         Neither the United States Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission or any other regulatory body has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

The date of this prospectus is March 1, 2019


Table of Contents


TABLE OF CONTENTS

i


Table of Contents


ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

        This prospectus is part of an automatic shelf registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, as a "well-known seasoned issuer" as defined in Rule 405 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. By using a shelf registration statement, we or any selling shareholder may, at any time and from time to time, offer and sell the securities described in this prospectus in one or more offerings.

        This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that we or any selling shareholder may offer. Each time we sell or any selling shareholder sells securities, we will provide a prospectus supplement that will contain specific information about the terms of that offering and the offered securities. The prospectus supplement may also add, update, change or supersede the information contained in this prospectus. If information varies between this prospectus and the accompanying prospectus supplement, you should rely on the information in the accompanying prospectus supplement.

        You should carefully read both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement, together with additional information described below under the heading "Where You Can Find More Information" and "Incorporation of Documents by Reference."

        In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated or unless the context otherwise requires:

    "our region" comprises the seven distinct markets of Indonesia, Taiwan, Vietnam, Thailand, the Philippines, Malaysia and Singapore;

    "orders" refers to each confirmed order from a transaction between a buyer and a seller for products and services on our e-commerce platform, even if such order includes multiple items, during the specified period, regardless of whether the transaction is settled or if the item is returned;

    "shares" or "ordinary shares" refers to our Class A and Class B ordinary shares, par value US$0.0005 per share;

    "Class A ordinary shares" refer to our Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.0005 per share;

    "Class B ordinary shares" refer to our Class B ordinary shares, par value US$0.0005 per share;

    "ADSs" refers to the American Depositary Shares, each of which represents one Class A ordinary share;

    "we," "us," the "company," "our group," "our" or "Sea" refers to Sea Limited, a Cayman Islands company, its consolidated subsidiaries and its consolidated affiliated entities, including its variable interest entities, or VIEs, and their subsidiaries and consolidated affiliated entities; and

    "our Form 20-F" refers to our Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, filed with the SEC on March 1, 2019.

ii


Table of Contents


SPECIAL NOTES REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

        This prospectus and the documents incorporated by reference herein may contain forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. All statements other than statements of historical facts are forward-looking statements. These statements are made under the "safe harbor" provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those listed under "Risk Factors" in this prospectus and in our Form 20-F, that may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements.

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

    our goals and strategies;

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

    the expected growth in, and market size of, the digital entertainment, e-commerce and digital financial services industries in our region, including segments within those industries;

    expected changes in our revenue, costs or expenditures;

    our ability to continue to source, develop and offer new and attractive online games and to offer other engaging digital entertainment content;

    the expected growth of our digital entertainment, e-commerce and digital financial services businesses;

    our expectations regarding growth in our user base, level of engagement and monetization;

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

    our expectation regarding the use of proceeds from our financing activities;

    growth and trends of our markets and competition in our industries;

    government policies and regulations relating to our industries; and

    general economic and business conditions in our region.

        You should read this prospectus and the information incorporated by reference herein with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from and worse than what we expect. Other sections of this prospectus 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. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements. These forward-looking statements are made only as of the date of this prospectus and we do not undertake any obligation, other than as may be required by law, to update or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect future events or developments.

iii


Table of Contents


OUR COMPANY

Overview

        We believe we are the leading internet company in our region based on our number one market share by revenue in our region's online game market, our number one market share by gross merchandise value and total orders in our region's e-commerce market, and our position as a leading player in our region's digital payments market, each in 2018.

        We operate three key businesses—Garena, Shopee and AirPay:

    Garena provides access to popular and engaging mobile and PC online games that we develop, curate and localize for each market. Garena is the exclusive operator of most of our licensed games in our region.

    Shopee is a highly scalable marketplace platform that connects buyers and sellers. Shopee provides users with a convenient, safe and trusted shopping environment that is supported by integrated payment, logistics, fulfillment, and other value-added services.

    AirPay provides digital financial services. Through our AirPay e-wallet, consumers use either our AirPay App or one of our registered partner-operated service counters to make payments to a wide variety of product and service providers. We continue to focus on growing our digital financial services infrastructure to support our existing platforms and to improve user experience.

        For more information about us, see "Item 4. Information on the Company" in our Form 20-F.

1


Table of Contents


CORPORATION INFORMATION

        Our principal executive offices are located at 1 Fusionopolis Place, #17-10, Galaxis, Singapore 138522. Our telephone number at this address is +65 6270-8100. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is at the offices of Maples Corporate Services Limited at P.O. Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. Our agent for service of process in the United States is Puglisi & Associates, located at 850 Library Avenue, Suite 204, Newark, Delaware 19711. Our corporate website is www.seagroup.com. The information contained on our website is not part of this prospectus.

2


Table of Contents


RISK FACTORS

        Please see the factors set forth under the heading "Risk Factors" in our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, which is incorporated in this prospectus by reference, and in or incorporated by reference into any accompanying prospectus supplement before investing in any securities that may be offered pursuant to this prospectus.

3


Table of Contents


USE OF PROCEEDS

        We intend to use the net proceeds from the sale of the securities we offer as set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement.

4


Table of Contents


DESCRIPTION OF SHARE CAPITAL

        We are a Cayman Islands company and our affairs are governed by our eighth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, or our memorandum and articles of association, and the Companies Law (as amended) of the Cayman Islands, or Companies Law, and the common law of the Cayman Islands.

        Our authorized share capital is US$7,500,000 divided into (i) 14,800,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0005 each and (ii) 200,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with a par value of US$0.0005 each. As of January 31, 2019, 192,423,065 Class A ordinary shares and 152,175,703 Class B ordinary shares are issued and outstanding. All of our issued and outstanding ordinary shares are fully paid.

        The following are summaries of material provisions of our memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Law as they relate to the material terms of our ordinary shares.


Exempted Company

        We are an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the Companies Law. The Companies Law distinguishes between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted company are essentially the same as for an ordinary resident company except for the exemptions and privileges listed below:

    an exempted company does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies;

    an exempted company is not required to open its register of members for inspection;

    an exempted company does not have to hold an annual general meeting;

    an exempted company may issue no par value, negotiable or bearer shares;

    an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first instance);

    an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands;

    an exempted company may register as a limited duration company; and

    an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company.


Ordinary Shares

General

        All of our outstanding ordinary shares are fully paid and non-assessable. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their ordinary shares. Our eighth amended and restated memorandum and articles prohibit us from issuing bearer or negotiable shares. We will issue only non-negotiable shares in registered form, which will be issued when registered in our register of members.

Dividends

        The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to receive such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors subject to our memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Law.

5


Table of Contents

In addition, our shareholders may by ordinary resolution declare a dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our directors. Under Cayman Islands law, dividends may be paid only out of profits, which include net earnings and retained earnings undistributed in prior years, and out of share premium, a concept analogous to paid-in surplus in the United States. No dividend may be declared and paid unless our directors determine that, immediately after the payment, we will be able to pay our debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business and we have funds lawfully available for such purpose.

Register of Members

        Under Cayman Islands law, we must keep a register of members and there must be entered therein:

    the names and addresses of the members, a statement of the shares held by each member, and of the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid, on the shares of each member;

    the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and

    the date on which any person ceased to be a member.

        Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members of our company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (i.e., the register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted) and a member registered in the register of members will be deemed as a matter of Cayman Islands law to have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register of members. Our register of members has been, and will be, updated to record and give effect to the issue of Class A ordinary shares by us to The Bank of New York Mellon, as the depositary (or its custodian or nominee). Once our register of members has been updated, the shareholders recorded in the register of members shall be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their name.

        If the name of any person is, without sufficient cause, entered in or omitted from the register of members, or if default is made or unnecessary delay takes place in entering on the register the fact of any person having ceased to be a member, the person or member aggrieved or any member or the company itself may apply to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands for an order that the register be rectified, and the Court may either refuse such application or it may, if satisfied of the justice of the case, make an order for the rectification of the register.

Classes of Ordinary Shares; Conversion

        Our ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Except for conversion rights and voting rights and certain approval rights, the Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares carry equal rights and rank pari passu with one another, including the rights to dividends and other capital distributions.

        Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time by the holder thereof, subject to certain restrictions agreed upon in an irrevocable proxy between our founder, Forrest Xiaodong Li, and Tencent Holdings Limited and its affiliates, or Tencent. Under the irrevocable proxy, Tencent has agreed to grant an irrevocable proxy with respect to its Class B ordinary shares to our founder for any matters concerning the size and/or composition of our board that require a shareholder vote, including, any resolution to approve, authorize or confirm any increase or decrease in the number of or any minimum or maximum number of directors of the board, any appointment or election of any new director or directors of the Company, and any removal or replacement of any existing director or directors of the Company. Our founder has agreed to vote all of such Class B ordinary shares at the direction of Tencent for the election, removal and replacement of one member of the board, provided the nominee is qualified and permitted to serve on the board under applicable law and stock exchange rules. For all other matters that require shareholder vote, Tencent granted our

6


Table of Contents

founder an irrevocable proxy with respect to a certain number of the Class B ordinary shares held by Tencent such that Tencent's total voting power in our company does not exceed 29% of the total voting power of all outstanding shares.

        In addition, upon any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of ownership in any Class B ordinary shares by a holder to any person or entity which is not a permitted transferee, such Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into an equal number of Class A ordinary shares. Permitted transferees of our founder include certain of his relatives so long as our founder keeps voting rights over the Class B ordinary shares held by such transferees, and for Tencent include certain of its affiliates. Upon termination of the Tencent irrevocable proxy, all issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares will automatically convert into an equal number of Class A ordinary shares (subject to the exception described below). The Tencent irrevocable proxy will terminate upon the earliest of (i) the tenth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering, which can be extended if the parties agree; (ii) our founder voluntarily ceasing to be our group chief executive officer; (iii) the death or permanent incapacity of our founder; (iv) our founder failing to spend at least half of all work days, excluding certain leaves, in any given calendar year on our business; (v) our founder voting the proxy shares on the Tencent director matter contrary to the written direction of Tencent; or (vi) the mutual agreement of the parties. However, if upon the tenth anniversary of the completion of our initial public offering the number of issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares held by Tencent is less than 50% of the total number of issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares held by it immediately after the completion of our initial public offering, all of the Class B ordinary shares then held by Tencent will automatically convert into an equal number of Class A ordinary shares, and all of the Class B ordinary shares held by our founder and his permitted transferees will not convert into Class A ordinary shares until the earliest of an additional ten years or any of the events described in (ii), (iii) and (iv) above. Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances and no Class B ordinary shares are to be issued after our initial public offering.

Voting Rights

        Holders of our ordinary shares have the right to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at general meetings of our company. Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares shall at all times vote together as one class on all resolutions submitted to a vote for shareholders' approval or authorization, except for certain class consents required under our memorandum and articles of association. Each Class A ordinary share shall be entitled to one vote, and each Class B ordinary share shall be entitled to three votes, on all matters subject to the vote at general meetings of our company. At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a poll. An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes cast in a general meeting. A special resolution requires the affirmative vote of 75% of the votes cast in a general meeting initially and, upon the earliest of (i) the termination of the irrevocable proxy between our founder and Tencent relating to the size and/or composition of our board, (ii) the proxy between the same relating to other matters or (iii) the transfer of all the Class B ordinary shares held by Tencent to any person or entity which is not a permitted transferee of Tencent, then two-thirds of the votes cast in a general meeting. Both ordinary resolutions and special resolutions may also be passed by a unanimous written resolution signed by all the shareholders of our company, as permitted by the Companies Law and our memorandum and articles of association. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as making changes to our memorandum and articles of association.

General Meetings and Shareholder Proposals

        As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Companies Law to call shareholders' annual general meetings. Our memorandum and articles of association provide that we may (but are not obliged to) in each year hold a general meeting as our annual general meeting in

7


Table of Contents

which case we will specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it, and the annual general meeting will be held at such time and place as may be determined by our directors.

        Cayman Islands law provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company's articles of association. Our memorandum and articles of association allow our shareholders holding shares representing in aggregate not less than one-third of all votes attaching to the issued and outstanding shares of our company entitled to vote at general meetings to requisition a special meeting of the shareholders, in which case the directors are obliged to call such meeting and to put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting; however, our memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any right to put any proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by such shareholders.

        A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of one or more shareholders holding, in aggregate, not less than 40% of the votes attaching to all issued and outstanding shares of our company present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its duly authorized representative. Advance notice of at least seven calendar days is required for the convening of our annual general meeting and other shareholders meetings.

Transfer of Ordinary Shares

        Subject to the restrictions in our memorandum and articles of association as set out below, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of such shareholder's ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or any other form approved by our board.

        Our board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share which is not fully paid up or on which we have a lien. Our directors may also decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share unless:

    the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the ordinary shares to which it relates and such other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;

    the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of shares;

    the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required;

    in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the ordinary share is to be transferred does not exceed four; or

    the ordinary shares transferred are free of any lien in favor of us.

        If our directors refuse to register a transfer they are obligated to, within three months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal. The registration of transfers of shares or of any class of shares may, after compliance with any notice requirement of the designated stock exchange, be suspended at such times and for such periods (not exceeding in the whole thirty (30) days in any year) as our board of directors may determine.

Issuance of Additional Shares

        Our memorandum and articles of association authorizes our board of directors to issue additional ordinary shares from time to time as our board of directors shall determine, to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares. Our memorandum and articles of association also authorize our board

8


Table of Contents

of directors to establish from time to time one or more series of preference shares and to determine, with respect to any series of preference shares, the terms and rights of that series, including:

    the designation of the series;

    the number of shares of the series;

    the dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights; and

    the rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences.

        Our board of directors may issue preference shares without further action by our shareholders to the extent authorized but unissued (other than issue additional supervoting shares, which will require the consent of holders of Class B ordinary shares). Issuance of these shares may dilute the voting power of holders of ordinary shares.

Liquidation

        On the winding up of our company, if the assets available for distribution amongst our shareholders shall be more than sufficient to repay the whole of the share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst our shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up, subject to a deduction from those shares in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to our company for unpaid calls or otherwise. If our assets available for distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by our shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them. We are a "limited liability" company registered under the Companies Law, and under the Companies Law, the liability of our members is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held by them. Our memorandum and articles of association contains a declaration that the liability of our members is so limited.

Calls on Ordinary Sh a res and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares

        Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least fourteen calendar days prior to the specified time and place of payment. The ordinary shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid on the specified time are subject to forfeiture.

Redemption, Repurchase and Surrender of Ordinary Shares

        We may issue shares on terms that such shares are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders thereof, on such terms and in such manner as may be determined, before the issue of such shares, by our board of directors. Our company may also repurchase any of our shares provided that the manner and terms of such purchase have been approved by our board of directors or are otherwise authorized by our memorandum and articles of association. Under the Companies Law, the redemption or repurchase of any share may be paid out of our company's profits or out of the proceeds of a fresh issue of shares made for the purpose of such redemption or repurchase, or out of capital (including share premium account and capital redemption reserve) if the company can, immediately following such payment, pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Companies Law no such share may be redeemed or repurchased (a) unless it is fully paid up, (b) if such redemption or repurchase would result in there being no shares outstanding, or (c) if the company has commenced liquidation. In addition, our company may accept the surrender of any fully paid share for no consideration.

9


Table of Contents

Variations of Rights of Shares

        The rights attached to our Class B ordinary shares may be varied only when at least 80% of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares provide written consent or at a separate meeting pass a resolution to sanction such variation. The rights attached to any other class of shares may, unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of or the rights attaching to that class, be materially adversely varied only with the written consent of the holders of a majority of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of an ordinary resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.

Inspection of Books and Records

        Holders of our ordinary shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records. However, we will file our annual audited financial statements with the SEC. See "Incorporation of Documents by Reference."

Changes in Capital

        Our shareholders may from time to time by ordinary resolutions:

    increase the share capital by such sum, to be divided into shares of such classes and amount, as the resolution prescribes;

    consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of a larger amount than our existing shares;

    convert all or any of its paid up shares into stock and reconvert the stock into paid up shares of any denomination;

    sub-divide our existing shares, or any of them into shares of a smaller amount than that fixed by our eighth amended and restated memorandum of association; provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced share will be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced share is derived; and

    cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person and diminish the amount of our share capital by the amount of the shares so canceled.

        Our shareholders may by special resolution, subject to confirmation by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands on an application by our company for an order confirming such reduction, reduce our share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner authorized by law.

Special Approvals

        Our memorandum and articles of association provide that any amendment of any terms of Class B ordinary shares, any change of control of our company upon merger or consolidation, scheme of arrangement or other similar transactions, the sale or exclusive license of all or substantially all of our intellectual property, or any issuance of shares carrying more than one vote per share, shall require the separate approval of at least 80% of the outstanding Class B ordinary shares.


Differences in Corporate Law

        The Companies Law is derived, to a large extent, from the older Companies Acts of England, but does not follow recent English law statutory enactments, and accordingly there are significant differences between the Companies Law and the current Companies Act of England. In addition, the Companies Law differs from laws applicable to Delaware corporations and their shareholders. Set forth

10


Table of Contents

below is a summary of certain significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Law applicable to us and the laws applicable to Delaware corporations and their shareholders.

Mergers and Similar Arrangements

        The Companies Law permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies. For these purposes, (a) "merger" means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertakings, property and liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company and (b) a "consolidation" means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a consolidated company and the vesting of the undertakings, property and liabilities of such companies to the consolidated company. In order to effect such a merger or consolidation, the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must then be authorized by (a) a special resolution of the shareholders of each constituent company, and (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such constituent company's articles of association. The written plan of merger or consolidation must be filed with the Registrar of Companies together with a declaration as to the solvency of the consolidated or surviving company, a declaration as to the assets and liabilities of each constituent company and an undertaking that a copy of the certificate of merger or consolidation will be given to the members and creditors of each constituent company and that notification of the merger or consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands Gazette. Dissenting shareholders have the right to be paid the fair value of their shares (which, if not agreed between the parties, will be determined by the Cayman Islands court) if they follow the required procedures, subject to certain exceptions. Court approval is not required for a merger or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.

        Separate from the statutory provisions relating to mergers and consolidations, the Companies Law also contains statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies by way of schemes of arrangement, provided that the arrangement is approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement is to be made, and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder has the right to express to court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to approve the arrangement if it determines that:

    the statutory provisions as to the due majority vote have been met;

    the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question and the statutory majority are acting bona fide without coercion of the minority to promote interests adverse to those of the class;

    the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of his interest; and

    the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Law.

        The Companies Law also contains a statutory power of compulsory acquisition which may facilitate the "squeeze out" of dissentient minority shareholders upon a tender offer. When a tender offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares affected (within four months), the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such four month period, require the holders of the remaining shares to transfer such shares to the offeror on the terms of the offer. An

11


Table of Contents

objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands, but this is unlikely to succeed in the case of an offer which has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or collusion.

        If the arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, or a tender offer is made and accepted, a dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of United States corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.

Shareholders' Suits

        In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff in any action or proceedings to be brought in respect of a wrong committed against us, and as a general rule a derivative action may not be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands court can be expected to apply and follow the common law principles (namely the rule in Foss v. Harbottle and the exceptions thereto) which permit a minority shareholder to commence a class action against, or a derivative action in the name of, a company to challenge the following acts in the following circumstances:

    a company acts or proposes to act illegally or ultra vires;

    the act complained of, although not ultra vires, could only be effected duly if authorized by more than a simple majority vote that has not been obtained; and

    those who control the company are perpetrating a "fraud on the minority."

Directors' Fiduciary Duties

        Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components, the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires that a director must act in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation.

        A director must not use his or her corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interests of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.

12


Table of Contents

        As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director of a Cayman Islands company is in the position of a fiduciary with respect to the company, and therefore he or she owes the following duties to the company—a duty to act bona fide in the best interests of the company, a duty not to make a personal profit out of his or her position as director (unless the company permits him or her to do so), a duty not to put himself or herself in a position where the interests of the company conflict with his or her personal interests or his or her duty to a third-party and a duty to exercise powers for the purpose for which such powers were intended. A director of a Cayman Islands company owes to the company a duty to act with skill and care. It was previously considered that a director need not exhibit in the performance of his or her duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her knowledge and experience. However, there are indications that the English and commonwealth courts are moving towards an objective standard with regard to the required skill and care and these authorities are likely to be followed in the Cayman Islands.

        Under our memorandum and articles of association, directors who are in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or proposed contract with our company must declare the nature of their interest at a meeting of the board of directors. Subject to the New York Stock Exchange listing rules and disqualification by the chairman of the relevant board meeting, a director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract notwithstanding his interest.

Shareholder Action by Written Resolution

        Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. The Companies Law and our memorandum and articles of association provide that shareholders may approve corporate matters by way of a unanimous written resolution signed by or on behalf of each shareholder who would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting without a meeting being held.

Shareholder Proposals

        Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings.

        Cayman Islands law does not provide shareholders any right to put proposal before a meeting and provides limited rights for shareholders to requisition a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company's articles of association. Our memorandum and articles of association allow our shareholders holding shares representing in aggregate not less than one-third of all votes attaching to the issued and outstanding shares of our company entitled to vote at general meetings to requisition a shareholders' meeting. Other than this right to requisition a shareholders' meeting, our memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any right to put any proposals before a meeting. As an exempted Cayman Islands company, we are not obliged by law to call shareholders' annual general meetings.

Cumulative Voting

        Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation's certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled for a single director, which increases the shareholder's voting power with respect to electing such director. There

13


Table of Contents

are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the Cayman Islands but our memorandum and articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting.

Removal of Directors

        Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation may be removed with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our memorandum and articles of association, directors can be removed by an ordinary resolution. A director's office shall be vacated if the director (i) becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors; (ii) is found to be or becomes of unsound mind; (iii) resigns his office by notice in writing to the company; (iv) without special leave of absence from our board of directors, is absent from three consecutive meetings of the board and the board resolves that his office be vacated; or (v) is removed pursuant to our memorandum and articles of association.

Transactions with Interested Shareholders

        The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an "interested shareholder" for three years following the date on which such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is one which owns or owned 15% or more of the target's outstanding voting shares within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquiror to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction that resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquiror of a Delaware public corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target's board of directors.

        Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions entered into must be bona fide in the best interests of the company, for a proper corporate purpose and not with the effect of perpetrating a fraud on the minority shareholders.

Dissolution and Winding Up

        Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation's outstanding shares. The Delaware General Corporation Law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board of directors. Under the Companies Law, our company may be dissolved, liquidated or wound up by a special resolution, or by an ordinary resolution on the basis that our company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due.

14


Table of Contents

Variation of Rights of Shares

        If at any time, our share capital is divided into different classes of shares, under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our memorandum and articles of association and as permitted by the Companies Law, the rights attached to our Class B ordinary shares may be varied only when at least 80% of the issued and outstanding Class B ordinary shares provide written consent or at a separate meeting pass a resolution to sanction such variation. The rights attached to any other class of shares may, unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of or the rights attaching to that class, be materially adversely varied only with the written consent of the holders of a majority of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of an ordinary resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of that class.

Amendment of Governing Documents

        Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation's governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. As required by the Companies Law, our restated memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution of our shareholders.

Inspection of Books and Records

        Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, any shareholder of a corporation may for any proper purpose inspect or make copies of the corporation's stock ledger, list of shareholders and other books and records.

        Holders of our shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of shareholders or our corporate records. However, we intend to continue to provide our shareholders with our annual audited financial statements.

Anti-takeover Provisions

        Some provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including a provision that authorizes our board of directors to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preferred shares without any further vote or action by our shareholders.

        However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our memorandum and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.

Rights of Non-resident or Foreign Shareholders

        There are no limitations imposed by foreign law or by our memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our ordinary shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our eighth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.

15


Table of Contents

Registration Rights

        We have granted certain registration rights to holders of our registrable securities, which include: (i) any ordinary shares or ordinary shares issued or issuable upon conversion of preference shares or pursuant to pre-emptive right of participation, (ii) any ordinary shares issued as a dividend or other distribution with respect to, or in exchange for or in replacement of, any preference shares or ordinary shares described in (i), (iii) any other ordinary shares owned or thereafter acquired by holders, including ordinary shares issued in respect of the ordinary shares described above, upon any share split, share dividend, recapitalization or a similar event; and (iv) any depositary receipts issued by an institutional depositary upon deposit of any of the foregoing. Set forth below is a description of the registration rights.

Demand Registration Rights

        Holders of at least 25% of the registrable securities outstanding have the right to demand that we file a registration statement covering the registration of the registrable securities. We, however, are not obliged to effect a demand registration if we have within the six month period preceding the date of such request, already effected a demand registration or F-3 registration, or in which the holders had an opportunity to participate in the piggyback registration. We shall have no obligation to effect more than two demand registrations and such registrations have been declared or ordered effective. We also have the right to postpone the filing of a registration statement for a period of not more than 120 days if our board of directors determines in the good faith that it would be materially detrimental to us and our shareholders for such registration to be effected at such time. We may not utilize this right more than once during any 12-month period and we may not register any other of our securities during such 12-month period.

Piggyback Registration Rights

        If we propose to register any of our shares under the Securities Act for purposes of effecting a public offering of our securities (including, but not limited to, registration statements relating to secondary offerings of our securities, but excluding registration statements relating to any registration pursuant to demand registration rights or Form F-3 registration rights or to any employee benefit plan or a corporate reorganization), we must afford holders of registrable securities an opportunity to include in the registration all or any part of their registrable securities then held by them.

Form F-3 Registration Rights

        Holders of at least 10% of the registrable securities then outstanding have the right to request that we file a registration statement under Form F-3 and any related qualification or compliance with respect to all or a part of the registrable securities then owned by such holders. There will be no limit on the number of times the holders may request registration of registrable securities. However, we are not obligated to effect such registration, qualification or compliance if: (i) Form F-3 is not available for such offering by such holders; (ii) if the anticipated gross proceeds from such offering are less than US$50 million; or (iii) if we have, within the six-month period preceding the date of such request, already effected a Form F-3 registration.

        We also have the right to postpone the filing of the Form F-3 registration statement for a period of not more than 120 days if our board of directors determines in the good faith that it would be materially detrimental to us and our shareholders for such Form F-3 registration to be effected at such time. We may not utilize this right more than once during any 12-month period and we may not register any other of our securities during such 120-day period.

16


Table of Contents

Expenses of Registration

        We will pay all expenses (other than underwriting discounts and commissions relating to the registrable securities sold by the holders), subject to a cap of expenses to be agreed with us prior to the completion of the sale of the registrable securities, in connection with the demand registration, piggyback registration and Form F-3 registration. In the demand registration, we are not required to pay for any expenses of any registration proceeding begun in response to holders' exercise of their demand registration rights if the registration request is subsequently withdrawn at the request of the holders of at least a majority of the registrable securities to be registered, subject to a few exceptions. In connection with the piggyback registration and the F-3 registration, we will pay all expenses incurred notwithstanding the cancelation or delay of the registration proceeding for any reason.

Termination of Our Obligations on the Registration Rights

        Notwithstanding the foregoing, we will have no obligations on the demand registration, piggyback registration and Form F-3 registration of any registrable securities (i) three years after the completion of our initial public offering, or (ii) if all such registrable securities proposed to be sold by a holder (and any of its affiliate with whom such holder must aggregate its sales under Rule 144) may then be sold without restrictions pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act.

No Registration Rights to Third Parties

        We covenant and agree that, without the prior written consent of the holders of at least a majority of the registrable securities then outstanding, we will not grant, or cause or permit to be created, for the benefit of any person or entity any registration rights of any kind, whether similar to the demand, piggyback or Form F-3 registration rights, relating to any of our shares or other securities, other than the rights that are subordinate to the rights of the holders.

17


Table of Contents


DESCRIPTION OF AMERICAN DEPOSITARY SHARES

American Depositary Shares

        The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, registers and delivers the ADSs. Each ADS represent one Class A ordinary share (or a right to receive one Class A ordinary share) deposited with The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, as custodian for the depositary. Each ADS will also represent any other securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The depositary's office at which the ADSs will be administered and its principal executive office are located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286.

        A holder may hold ADSs either (A) directly (i) by having an American Depositary Receipt, also referred to as an ADR, which is a certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in such holder's name, or (ii) by having uncertificated ADSs registered in such holder's name, or (B) indirectly by holding a security entitlement in ADSs through such holder's broker or other financial institution that is a direct or indirect participant in The Depository Trust Company, also called DTC. If a holder holds ADSs directly, such holder is a registered ADS holder, also referred to as an ADS holder. This description assumes a holder holds ADSs directly. If a holder holds the ADSs indirectly, such holder must rely on the procedures of such holder's broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in this section and should consult with such holder's broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.

        We will not treat an ADS holder as one of our shareholders and an ADS holder will not have shareholder rights. Cayman Islands law governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the Class A ordinary shares underlying the ADSs. A registered holder of ADSs will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary, ADS holders and all other persons indirectly or beneficially holding ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. New York law governs the deposit agreement and the ADSs.

        The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read the entire deposit agreement and the form of ADR. See "Incorporation of Documents by Reference" for directions on how to obtain copies of those documents.

Dividends and Other Distributions

How will ADS holders receive dividends and other distributions on the shares?

        The depositary has agreed to pay or distribute to ADS holders the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on shares or other deposited securities, upon payment or deduction of its fees and expenses. ADS holders receive these distributions in proportion to the number of shares their ADSs represent.

        Cash.     The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the shares into U.S. Dollars, if it can do so on a reasonable basis and can transfer the U.S. Dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or if any government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any interest.

        Before making a distribution, any withholding taxes, or other governmental charges that must be paid will be deducted. See "Taxation" for additional information. The depositary will distribute only whole U.S. Dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If the exchange

18


Table of Contents

rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, ADS holders may lose some or all of the value of the distribution.

        Shares.     The depositary may, and shall if we so request in writing, distribute additional ADSs representing any shares we distribute as a dividend or free distribution. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will try to sell shares which would require it to deliver a fraction of an ADS (or ADSs representing those shares) and distribute the net proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will also represent the new shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed shares (or ADSs representing those shares) sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.

        Rights to Purchase Additional Shares.     If we offer holders of our securities any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any other rights, the depositary may (i) exercise those rights on behalf of ADS holders, (ii) distribute those rights to ADS holders or (iii) sell those rights and distribute the net proceeds to ADS holders, in each case after deduction or upon payment of its fees and expenses. To the extent the depositary does not do any of those things, it will allow the rights to lapse. In that case, ADS holders will receive no value for them. The depositary will exercise or distribute rights only if we ask it to and provide satisfactory assurances to the depositary that it is legal to do so. If the depositary will exercise rights, it will purchase the securities to which the rights relate and distribute those securities or, in the case of shares, new ADSs representing the new shares, to subscribing ADS holders, but only if ADS holders have paid the exercise price to the depositary. U.S. securities laws may restrict the ability of the depositary to distribute rights or ADSs or other securities issued on exercise of rights to all or certain ADS holders, and the securities distributed may be subject to restrictions on transfer. In this case, the depositary may deliver restricted depositary shares that have the same terms as the ADSs described in this section except for changes needed to put the necessary restrictions in place.

        Other Distributions.     The depositary will send to ADS holders anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice. It may decide to sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds, in the same way as it does with cash. Or, it may decide to hold what we distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to ADS holders unless it receives reasonably satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution. U.S. securities laws may restrict the ability of the depositary to distribute securities to all or certain ADS holders, and the securities distributed may be subject to restrictions on transfer.

        The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders. We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that ADS holders may not receive the distributions we make on our shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to the ADS holders.

Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancelation

How are ADSs issued?

        The depositary will deliver ADSs if a holder or a holder's broker deposits shares or evidence of rights to receive shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names such holder requests and will deliver the ADSs to or upon the order of the person or persons that made the deposit.

19


Table of Contents

How can ADS holders withdraw the deposited securities?

        ADS holders may surrender their ADSs, for the purpose of withdrawal, at the depositary's office. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the shares and any other deposited securities underlying the ADSs to the ADS holder or a person the ADS holder designates at the office of the custodian. Or, at the holder's request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its office, if feasible. The depositary may charge the holder a fee and its expenses for instructing the custodian regarding delivery of deposited securities.

How do ADS holders interchange between certificated ADSs and uncertificated ADSs?

        ADS holders may surrender their ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging their ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary will cancel that ADR and will send to the ADS holder a statement confirming that the ADS holder is the registered holder of uncertificated ADSs. Alternatively, upon receipt by the depositary of a proper instruction from a registered holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to the ADS holder an ADR evidencing those ADSs.

Voting Rights

How do ADS holders vote?

        ADS holders may instruct the depositary how to vote the number of deposited shares their ADSs represent. See "Description of Share Capital" for more information on the voting rights of our Class A ordinary shares underlying the ADSs. If we request the depositary to solicit the holders' voting instructions (and we are not required to do so), the depositary will notify the holders of a shareholders' meeting and send or make voting materials available to them. Those materials will describe the matters to be voted on and explain how ADS holders may instruct the depositary how to vote. For instructions to be valid, they must reach the depositary by a date set by the depositary. The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of the Cayman Islands and the provisions of our memorandum and articles of association or similar documents, to vote or to have its agents vote the shares or other deposited securities as instructed by ADS holders. If we do not request the depositary to solicit a holder's voting instructions, such holder can still send voting instructions, and, in that case, the depositary may try to vote as such holder instructs, but it is not required to do so.

         Except by instructing the depositary as described above, ADS holders won't be able to exercise voting rights unless they surrender their ADSs and withdraw the shares. However, the holders may not know about the meeting enough in advance to withdraw the shares.

        If we timely asked the depositary to solicit ADS holders' instructions at least 30 days before the meeting date but the depositary does not receive voting instructions from them by the specified date, it will consider them to have authorized and directed it to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us to vote the number of deposited securities represented by their ADSs. The depositary will give a discretionary proxy in those circumstances to vote on all questions at to be voted upon unless we notify the depositary that:

    we do not wish to receive a discretionary proxy;

    there is substantial shareholder opposition to the particular question; or

    the particular question would have an adverse impact on our shareholders.

        We are required to notify the depositary if one of the conditions specified above exists.

20


Table of Contents

        We cannot assure ADS holders that they will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that they can instruct the depositary to vote their shares. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that the holders may not be able to exercise voting rights and there may be nothing they can do if their shares are not voted as they requested.

        In order to give ADS holders a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to deposited securities, if we request the depositary to act, we agree to give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details concerning the matters to be voted upon as far in advance of the meeting date as practicable. Under our memorandum and articles of association, the minimum notice period required to convene a general meeting is seven days.

Fees and Expenses

Persons depositing or withdrawing shares or
ADS holders must pay:
  For:
US$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)   Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of shares or rights or other property

 

 

Cancelation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the deposit agreement terminates

US$0.05 (or less) per ADS

 

Any cash distribution to ADS holders

A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed to ADS holders had been shares and the shares had been deposited for issuance of ADSs

 

Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities (including rights) that are distributed by the depositary to ADS holders

US$0.05 (or less) per ADS per calendar year

 

Depositary services

Registration or transfer fees

 

Transfer and registration of shares on our share register to or from the name of the depositary or its agent when ADS holders deposit or withdraw shares

Expenses of the depositary

 

Cable and facsimile transmissions (when expressly provided in the deposit agreement)

 

 

Converting foreign currency to U.S. Dollars

Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the custodian has to pay on any ADSs or shares underlying ADSs, such as stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes

 

As necessary

Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing the deposited securities

 

As necessary

        The depositary collects its fees for delivery and surrender of ADSs directly from investors depositing shares or surrendering ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The depositary collects fees for making distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the fees. The depositary may collect its annual fee for depositary services by deduction from cash distributions or by directly billing investors or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The

21


Table of Contents

depositary may collect any of its fees by deduction from any cash distribution payable (or by selling a portion of securities or other property distributable) to ADS holders that are obligated to pay those fees. The depositary may generally refuse to provide fee-attracting services until its fees for those services are paid.

        From time to time, the depositary may make payments to us to reimburse us for costs and expenses generally arising out of establishment and maintenance of the ADS program, waive fees and expenses for services provided to us by the depositary or share revenue from the fees collected from ADS holders. In performing its duties under the deposit agreement, the depositary may use brokers, dealers or other service providers that are owned by or affiliated with the depositary and that may earn or share fees, spreads or commissions.

        The depositary may convert currency itself or through any of its affiliates and, in those cases, acts as principal for its own account and not as agent, advisor, broker or fiduciary on behalf of any other person and earns revenue, including, without limitation, transaction spreads, that it will retain for its own account. The revenue is based on, among other things, the difference between the exchange rate assigned to the currency conversion made under the deposit agreement and the rate that the depositary or its affiliate receives when buying or selling foreign currency for its own account. The depositary makes no representation that the exchange rate used or obtained in any currency conversion under the deposit agreement will be the most favorable rate that could be obtained at the time or that the method by which that rate will be determined will be the most favorable to ADS holders, subject to the depositary's obligations under the deposit agreement. The methodology used to determine exchange rates used in currency conversions is available upon request.

Payment of Taxes

        ADS holders will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on such holders' ADSs or on the deposited securities represented by any of such holders' ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of holders' ADSs or allow such holders to withdraw the deposited securities represented by their ADSs until those taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to such holders or sell deposited securities represented by such holders' ADSs to pay any taxes owed and they will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to ADS holders any proceeds, or send to ADS holders any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes.

Tender and Exchange Offers; Redemption, Replacement or Cancelation of Deposited Securities

        The depositary will not tender deposited securities in any voluntary tender or exchange offer unless instructed to do by an ADS holder surrendering ADSs and subject to any conditions or procedures the depositary may establish.

        If deposited securities are redeemed for cash in a transaction that is mandatory for the depositary as a holder of deposited securities, the depositary will call for surrender of a corresponding number of ADSs and distribute the net redemption money to the holders of called ADSs upon surrender of those ADSs.

        If there is any change in the deposited securities such as a sub-division, combination or other reclassification, or any merger, consolidation, recapitalization or reorganization affecting the issuer of deposited securities in which the depositary receives new securities in exchange for or in lieu of the old deposited securities, the depositary will hold those replacement securities as deposited securities under the deposit agreement. However, if the depositary decides it would not be lawful and to hold the replacement securities because those securities could not be distributed to ADS holders or for any other reason, the depositary may instead sell the replacement securities and distribute the net proceeds upon surrender of the ADSs.

22


Table of Contents

        If there is a replacement of the deposited securities and the depositary will continue to hold the replacement securities, the depositary may distribute new ADSs representing the new deposited securities or ask ADS holders to surrender their outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities.

        If there are no deposited securities underlying ADSs, including if the deposited securities are canceled, or if the deposited securities underlying ADSs have become apparently worthless, the depositary may call for surrender or of those ADSs or cancel those ADSs upon notice to the ADS holders.

Reclassifications, Recapitalizations and Mergers

If we:   Then:

Change the nominal or par value of our shares

Reclassify, split up or consolidate any of the deposited securities

Distribute securities on the shares that are not distributed to ADS holders

Recapitalize, reorganize, merge, liquidate, sell all or substantially all of our assets, or take any similar action

 

The cash, shares or other securities received by the depositary will become deposited securities. Each ADS will automatically represent its equal share of the new deposited securities.

The depositary may distribute new ADSs representing the new deposited securities or ask ADS holders to surrender their outstanding ADRs in exchange for new ADRs identifying the new deposited securities.

Amendment and Termination

How may the deposit agreement be amended?

        We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADRs without the holders' consent for any reason. If an amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices a substantial right of ADS holders, it will not become effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment becomes effective, a holder is considered, by continuing to hold the ADSs, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the deposit agreement as amended.

How may the deposit agreement be terminated?

        The depositary will initiate termination of the deposit agreement if we instruct it to do so. The depositary may initiate termination of the deposit agreement if:

    60 days have passed since the depositary told us it wants to resign but a successor depositary has not been appointed and accepted its appointment;

    we delist the ADSs from an exchange on which they were listed and do not list the shares on another exchange;

    we appear to be insolvent or enter insolvency proceedings;

    all or substantially all the value of the deposited securities has been distributed either in cash or in the form of securities;

    there are no deposited securities underlying the ADSs or the underlying deposited securities have become apparently worthless; or

    there has been a replacement of deposited securities.

23


Table of Contents

        If the deposit agreement will terminate, the depositary will notify ADS holders at least 90 days before the termination date. At any time after the termination date, the depositary may sell the deposited securities. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, unsegregated and without liability for interest, for the pro rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs. Normally, the depositary will sell as soon as practicable after the termination date.

        After the termination date and before the depositary sells, ADS holders can still surrender their ADSs and receive delivery of deposited securities, except that the depositary may refuse to accept a surrender for the purpose of withdrawing deposited securities if it would interfere with the selling process. The depositary may refuse to accept a surrender for the purpose of withdrawing sale proceeds until all the deposited securities have been sold. The depositary will continue to collect distributions on deposited securities, but, after the termination date, the depositary is not required to register any transfer of ADSs or distribute any dividends or other distributions on deposited securities to the ADSs holder (until they surrender their ADSs) or give any notices or perform any other duties under the deposit agreement except as described in this paragraph.

        It will not invest the money and has no liability for interest. The depositary's only obligations will be to account for the money and other cash. After termination, our only obligations will be to indemnify the depositary and to pay fees and expenses of the depositary that we agreed to pay.

Limitations on Obligations and Liability

Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs

        The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the liability of the depositary. We and the depositary:

    are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without negligence or bad faith;

    are not liable if we are or it is prevented or delayed by law or circumstances beyond our or its control from performing our or its obligations under the deposit agreement;

    are not liable if we or it exercises discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;

    are not liable for the inability of any holder of ADSs to benefit from any distribution on deposited securities that is not made available to holders of ADSs under the terms of the deposit agreement, or for any special, consequential or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of the deposit agreement;

    have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on an ADS holder's behalf or on behalf of any other person;

    are not liable for the acts or omissions of any securities depository, clearing agency or settlement system; and

    may rely upon any documents we believe or it believes in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person.

        In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.

24


Table of Contents

Requirements for Depositary Actions

        Before the depositary will deliver or register a transfer of ADSs, make a distribution on ADSs, or permit withdrawal of shares, the depositary may require:

    payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties for the transfer of any shares or other deposited securities;

    satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and

    compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of transfer documents.

        The depositary may refuse to deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs when the transfer books of the depositary or our transfer books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it advisable to do so.

ADS Holders' Right to Receive the Shares Underlying Such Holders' ADSs

        ADS holders have the right to cancel their ADSs and withdraw the underlying shares at any time except:

    when temporary delays arise because: (i) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books; (ii) the transfer of shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders' meeting; or (iii) we are paying a dividend on our shares;

    when such holders owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; or

    when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs or to the withdrawal of shares or other deposited securities.

        This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.

Direct Registration System

        In the deposit agreement, all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the Direct Registration System, also referred to as DRS, and Profile Modification System, also referred to as Profile, will apply to uncertificated ADSs upon acceptance thereof to DRS by DTC. DRS is a system administered by DTC under which the depositary may register the ownership of uncertificated ADSs, which ownership will be confirmed by periodic statements sent by the depositary to the registered holders of uncertificated ADSs. Profile is required feature of DRS that allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of a registered holder of ADSs, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register that transfer.

        In connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit agreement understand that the depositary will not determine whether the DTC participant that is claiming to be acting on behalf of an ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery as described in the paragraph above has the actual authority to act on behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit agreement, the parties agree that the depositary's reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the depositary through the DRS/Profile system and in accordance with the deposit agreement will not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the depositary.

25


Table of Contents

Shareholder Communications; Inspection of Register of Holders of ADSs

        The depositary will make available for ADS holders inspection at its office all communications that it receives from us as a holder of deposited securities that we make generally available to holders of deposited securities. The depositary will send such holders copies of those communications or otherwise make those communications available to such holders if we ask it to. ADS Holders have a right to inspect the register of holders of ADSs, but not for the purpose of contacting those holders about a matter unrelated to our business or the ADSs.

26


Table of Contents


ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

        We are incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands as an exempted company with limited liability. We are incorporated in the Cayman Islands because of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands company, such as political and economic stability, an effective judicial system, a favorable tax system, the absence of foreign exchange control or currency restrictions and the availability of professional and support services. However, the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States and provides less protection for investors. In addition, Cayman Islands companies do not have standing to sue before the federal courts of the United States.

        Our constitutional documents do not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities laws of the United States, between us, our executive officers, directors and shareholders, be subject to arbitration.

        Substantially all of our assets are located outside the United States. In addition, almost all of our directors and executive officers are nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States and substantially all of their assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult or impossible for you to effect service of process within the United States upon us or these persons, or to enforce judgments obtained in U.S. courts against us or them, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States. It may also be difficult for you to enforce judgments obtained in U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our executive officers and directors.

        We have appointed Puglisi & Associates as our agent to receive service of process with respect to any action brought against us in connection with any offering made pursuant to this prospectus.


Cayman Islands

        Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP, our counsel as to Cayman Islands law, has advised us that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands would (i) recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts obtained against us or our directors or executive officers that are predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States, or (ii) entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands against us or our directors or executive officers that are predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.

        Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP has informed us that although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the federal or state courts of the United States (and the Cayman Islands are not a party to any treaties for the reciprocal enforcement or recognition of such judgments), a judgment obtained in such jurisdiction 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 competent foreign court with jurisdiction to give the judgment, (b) imposes on the judgment debtor a liability to pay a liquidated sum for which the judgment has been given, (c) is final and conclusive, (d) is not in respect of taxes, a fine or a penalty; and (e) was not obtained in a manner and is not of a kind the enforcement of which is contrary to natural justice or the public policy of the Cayman Islands. However, the Cayman Islands courts are unlikely to enforce a judgment obtained from the U.S. courts under civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities law if such judgment is determined by the courts of the Cayman Islands to give rise to obligations to make payments that are penal or punitive in nature. Because such a determination has not yet been made by a court of the Cayman Islands, it is uncertain whether such civil liability judgments from U.S. courts would be enforceable in the Cayman Islands.

27


Table of Contents


TAXATION

        Income tax considerations relating to the ownership and disposition of any of the securities offered by this prospectus will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the offering of those securities.

28


Table of Contents


PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

        We and any the selling shareholders may sell the securities offered through this prospectus (1) to or through underwriters or dealers, (2) directly to purchasers, including our affiliates, (3) through agents, or (4) through a combination of any these methods. The securities may be distributed at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, market prices prevailing at the time of sale, prices related to the prevailing market prices, or negotiated prices. The prospectus supplement will include the following information, if applicable:

    the terms of the offering;

    the names of any underwriters, dealers or agents;

    the name or names of any managing underwriter or underwriters;

    the purchase price of the securities;

    the net proceeds from the sale of the securities;

    any delayed delivery arrangements;

    any underwriting discounts, commissions and other items constituting underwriters' compensation;

    any offering price to the public;

    any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and

    any commissions paid to agents.


Sale through underwriters or dealers

        If underwriters are used in the sale, the underwriters will acquire the securities for their own account, including through underwriting, purchase, security lending or repurchase agreements. The underwriters may resell the securities from time to time in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions. Underwriters may sell the securities in order to facilitate transactions in any of our other securities (described in this prospectus or otherwise), including other public or private transactions and short sales. Underwriters may offer securities to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, the obligations of the underwriters to purchase the securities will be subject to certain conditions, and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all the offered securities if they purchase any of them. The underwriters may change from time to time any public offering price and any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers. The prospectus supplement will include the names of the principal underwriters the respective amount of securities underwritten, the nature of the obligation of the underwriters to take the securities and the nature of any material relationship between an underwriter and us.

        If dealers are used in the sale of securities offered through this prospectus, we will sell the securities to them as principals. They may then resell those securities to the public at varying prices determined by the dealers at the time of resale. The prospectus supplement will include the names of the dealers and the terms of the transaction.


Direct sales and sales through agents

        We and any selling shareholders may sell the securities offered through this prospectus directly. In this case, no underwriters or agents would be involved. Such securities may also be sold through agents designated from time to time. The prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or

29


Table of Contents

sale of the offered securities and will describe any commissions payable to the agent by us and the selling shareholders. Unless otherwise indicated in the prospectus supplement, any agent will agree to use its reasonable best efforts to solicit purchases for the period of its appointment.

        We and any selling shareholders may sell the securities directly to institutional investors or others who may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any sale of those securities. The terms of any such sales will be described in the prospectus supplement.


Delayed delivery contracts

        If the prospectus supplement indicates, we or the selling shareholders may authorize agents, underwriters or dealers to solicit offers from certain types of institutions to purchase securities at the public offering price under delayed delivery contracts. These contracts would provide for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts would be subject only to those conditions described in the prospectus supplement. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the commission payable for solicitation of those contracts.


Derivative transactions and hedging

        We, any selling shareholders, the underwriters or other agents may engage in derivative transactions involving the securities. These derivatives may consist of short sale transactions and other hedging activities. The underwriters or agents may acquire a long or short position in the securities, hold or resell securities acquired and purchase options or futures on the securities and other derivative instruments with returns linked to or related to changes in the price of the securities. In order to facilitate these derivative transactions, we may enter into security lending or repurchase agreements with the underwriters or agents. The underwriters or agents may effect the derivative transactions through sales of the securities to the public, including short sales, or by lending the securities in order to facilitate short sale transactions by others. The underwriters or agents may also use the securities purchased or borrowed from us, the selling shareholders or others (or, in the case of derivatives, securities received from us or the selling shareholders in settlement of those derivatives) to directly or indirectly settle sales of the securities or close out any related open borrowings of the securities.


Electronic auctions

        We and any selling shareholders may also make sales through the Internet or through other electronic means. Since we and the selling shareholders may from time to time elect to offer securities directly to the public, with or without the involvement of agents, underwriters or dealers, utilizing the Internet or other forms of electronic bidding or ordering systems for the pricing and allocation of such securities, you should pay particular attention to the description of that system we will provide in a prospectus supplement.

        Such electronic system may allow bidders to directly participate, through electronic access to an auction site, by submitting conditional offers to buy that are subject to acceptance by us, and which may directly affect the price or other terms and conditions at which such securities are sold. These bidding or ordering systems may present to each bidder, on a so-called "real-time" basis, relevant information to assist in making a bid, such as the clearing spread at which the offering would be sold, based on the bids submitted, and whether a bidder's individual bids would be accepted, prorated or rejected. Of course, many pricing methods can and may also be used.

        Upon completion of such an electronic auction process, securities will be allocated based on prices bid, terms of bid or other factors. The final offering price at which securities would be sold and the allocation of securities among bidders would be based in whole or in part on the results of the Internet or other electronic bidding process or auction.


General information

        Agents, underwriters, and dealers may be entitled, under agreements entered into with us, to indemnification by us against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act.

30


Table of Contents


LEGAL MATTERS

        We are being represented by Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP with respect to legal matters of United States federal securities and New York State law. Certain legal matters in connection with any offering made pursuant to this prospectus will be passed upon for the underwriters by a law firm named in the applicable prospectus supplement. The validity of the securities offered in any offering made pursuant to this prospectus and legal matters as to Cayman Islands law will be passed upon for us by Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP.


EXPERTS

        Our consolidated financial statements appearing in our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, and the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2018, have been audited by Ernst & Young LLP, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in their reports thereon, included therein and incorporated herein by reference. Such consolidated financial statements are incorporated in reliance upon such reports given on the authority of such firm as experts in accounting and auditing.

        The offices of Ernst & Young LLP are located at One Raffles Quay, North Tower, Level 18, Singapore 048583.


WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

        We are subject to the reporting requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act, that are applicable to a foreign private issuer. We file reports, including annual reports on Form 20-F, and other information with the SEC pursuant to the rules and regulations of the SEC that apply to foreign private issuers. Our SEC filings are also available over the Internet at the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. Our website is www.seagroup.com. The information contained on, or linked from, our website is not a part of this prospectus.

        This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the SEC and does not contain all the information in the registration statement. You will find additional information about us in the registration statement. Any statement made in this prospectus concerning a contract or other document of ours is not necessarily complete, and you should read the documents that are filed as exhibits to the registration statement or otherwise filed with the SEC for a more complete understanding of the document or matter. Each such statement is qualified in all respects by reference to the document to which it refers.

31


Table of Contents


INCORPORATION OF DOCUMENTS BY REFERENCE

        The SEC allows us to "incorporate by reference" the information we file with them. This means that we can disclose important information to you by referring you to those documents. Each document incorporated by reference is current only as of the date of such document, and the incorporation by reference of such documents shall not create any implication that there has been no change in our affairs since the date thereof or that the information contained therein is current as of any time subsequent to its date. The information incorporated by reference is considered to be a part of this prospectus and should be read with the same care. When we update the information contained in documents that have been incorporated by reference by making future filings with the SEC, the information incorporated by reference in this prospectus is considered to be automatically updated and superseded. In other words, in the case of a conflict or inconsistency between information contained in this prospectus and information incorporated by reference into this prospectus, you should rely on the information contained in the document that was filed later.

        We incorporate by reference the documents listed below:

    Our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 filed with the SEC on March 1, 2019; and

    With respect to each offering of securities under this prospectus, all reports on Form 20-F and any report on Form 6-K that so indicates it is being incorporated by reference, in each case, that we file with the SEC or furnish to the SEC, respectively, on or after the date on which the registration statement is first filed with the SEC and until the termination or completion of that offering under this prospectus.

        Our annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018 filed on March 1, 2019, contains a description of our business and audited consolidated financial statements. These financial statements are prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP.

        Copies of all documents incorporated by reference in this prospectus, other than exhibits to those documents unless such exhibits are specially incorporated by reference in this prospectus, will be provided at no cost to each person, including any beneficial owner, who receives a copy of this prospectus on the written or oral request of that person made to:

Sea Limited
1 Fusionopolis Place, #17-10, Galaxis
Singapore 138522
Tel: +65 6270-8100
Attention: Corporate Development & Strategy Department

        You should rely only on the information that we incorporate by reference or provide in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with different information. We are not making any offer of these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of those documents.

32


Table of Contents


PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

ITEM 8.    

INDEMNIFICATION OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS

        Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company's articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Under our eighth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association, to the fullest extent permissible under Cayman Islands law, every director and officer of our company shall be indemnified against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by him or her, other than by reason of such person's own dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in connection with the execution or discharge of his duties, powers, authorities or discretions as a director or officer of our company, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by him in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil proceedings concerning our company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.

        Pursuant to the indemnification agreements we entered into with certain of our directors and officers, we agreed to indemnify such directors and officers against certain liabilities and expenses that they incur in connection with claims made by reason of their being a director or officer of our company.

        Any underwriting agreement that Sea Limited may enter into in connection with an offering of securities pursuant to this registration statement may also provide for indemnification of us, our officers and directors and any controlling persons against certain liabilities under the Securities Act.

        Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling us pursuant to the foregoing provisions, we have been informed that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

ITEM 9.    

EXHIBITS

        See Exhibit Index beginning on page II-4 of this registration statement.

ITEM 10.    

UNDERTAKINGS.

        (a)   The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

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

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

               (ii)  To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated

II-1


Table of Contents

      maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the SEC pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than a 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the "Calculation of Registration Fee" table in the effective registration statement; and

              (iii)  To include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

    provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

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

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

            (4)   To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act need not be furnished, provided that the Registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (a)(4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to registration statements on Form F-3, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act or Rule 3-19 of Regulation S-K if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the SEC by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference in this Form F-3.

            (5)   That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

                (i)  Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

               (ii)  Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5) or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii) or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no

II-2


Table of Contents

      statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date.

            (6)   That, for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities:

    The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

                (i)  Any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424;

               (ii)  Any free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrant;

              (iii)  The portion of any other free writing prospectus relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

              (iv)  Any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

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

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

II-3


Table of Contents


INDEX TO EXHIBITS

Exhibit
Number
  Description of Document
  1.1 * Form of Underwriting Agreement

 

4.1

 

Registrant's Specimen American Depositary Receipt (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-220571), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 22, 2017)

 

4.2

 

Registrant's Specimen Certificate for its Class A Ordinary Shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1, as amended (File No. 333-220571), initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 22, 2017)

 

4.3

 

Deposit Agreement dated as of October 19, 2017 among Sea Limited, The Bank of New York Mellon and owners and holders of the ADSs (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 4.3 from our registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-222071) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on December 15, 2017)

 

5.1

 

Opinion of Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP regarding the validity of the Class A ordinary shares being registered

 

23.1

 

Consent of Ernst & Young LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

23.2

 

Consent of Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP (included in Exhibit 5.1)

 

24.1

 

Power of Attorney (included in the signature page hereto)

*
To be filed by amendment or as an exhibit to a document to be incorporated by reference into this registration statement.

II-4


Table of Contents


SIGNATURES

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in Singapore, on March 1, 2019.

    SEA LIMITED

 

 

By:

 

/s/ FORREST XIAODONG LI

        Name:   Forrest Xiaodong Li
        Title:   Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer

POWER OF ATTORNEY

        KNOW ALL PERSONS BY THESE PRESENTS, that each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Forrest Xiaodong Li as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any or all amendments (including post-effective amendments) and supplements to this registration statement on Form F-3 and any and all related registration statements pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the SEC, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or its substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

        Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

Signature
 
Title
 
Date

 

 

 

 

 
/s/ FORREST XIAODONG LI

Name: Forrest Xiaodong Li
  Chairman and Group Chief Executive Officer (principal executive officer)   March 1, 2019

/s/ TONY TIANYU HOU

Name: Tony Tianyu Hou

 

Director and Group Chief Financial Officer (principal financial and accounting officer)

 

March 1, 2019

/s/ GANG YE

Name: Gang Ye

 

Director and Group Chief Operating Officer

 

March 1, 2019

/s/ YUXIN REN

Name: Yuxin Ren

 

Director

 

March 1, 2019

II-5


Table of Contents

Signature
 
Title
 
Date

 

 

 

 

 
/s/ DAVID HENG CHEN SENG

Name: David Heng Chen Seng
  Independent Director   March 1, 2019

/s/ KHOON HUA KUOK

Name: Khoon Hua Kuok

 

Independent Director

 

March 1, 2019

/s/ TAO ZHANG

Name: Tao Zhang

 

Independent Director

 

March 1, 2019

II-6


Table of Contents


SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT

        Under the Securities Act, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United States of Sea Limited, has signed this registration statement in New York, New York, on March 1, 2019.

    Authorized U.S. Representative
Puglisi & Associates

 

 

By:

 

/s/ DONALD J. PUGLISI

        Name:   Donald J. Puglisi
        Title:   Managing Director

II-7



Sea (NYSE:SE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Mar 2024 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Sea Charts.
Sea (NYSE:SE)
Historical Stock Chart
From Apr 2023 to Apr 2024 Click Here for more Sea Charts.