Table of Contents
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission
on January 12, 2024
Registration No. 333-262629
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND
EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
Amendment No. 5 to
FORM S-1/A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER
THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
Athena Bitcoin
Global
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its
charter)
Nevada |
6099 |
87-0493596 |
(State or other jurisdiction of |
(Primary Standard Industrial |
(I.R.S. Employer |
incorporation or organization) |
Classification Code Number) |
Identification Number) |
800 NW 7th Avenue,
Miami, Florida 33136
(312) 690-4466
(Address, including zip code, and telephone number,
including area code, of registrant’s principal executive offices)
Matias Goldenhorn
Chief Executive Officer
800 NW 7th Avenue,
Miami, Florida 33136
(312) 690-4466
(Name, address, including zip code, and telephone
number, including area code, of agent for service)
Copies
of all communications to:
Iwona Alami, Esq. |
|
Robert
S. Matlin |
Law Office of Iwona J. Alami |
|
K&L Gates, LLP |
620 Newport Center Dr. |
|
599
Lexington Avenue |
Suite 1100 |
|
New
York, NY 10022 |
Newport Beach, CA 92660 |
|
(212)
536-3901 |
(949) 200-4626 |
|
|
Approximate
date of commencement of the proposed sale to the public: As soon as practicable after this registration statement becomes effective.
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, check the following box: ☒
If
this Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, please check the
following box and list the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same
offering. ☐
If
this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the
Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
If
this Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, check the following box and list the
Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering. ☐
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting
company or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,”
“smaller reporting company” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☐ |
Accelerated filer ☐ |
Non-accelerated filer ☒ |
Smaller reporting company ☒ |
|
Emerging growth company ☒ |
If
an emerging growth company, indicate by checkmark if the registrant has not elected to use the extended transition period for complying
with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of the Securities Act. ☐
The Registrant hereby amends this Registration
Statement on such date or dates as may be necessary to delay its effective date until the Registrant shall file a further amendment which
specifically states that this Registration Statement shall thereafter become effective in accordance with Section 8(a) of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, or until the Registration Statement shall become effective on such date as the Securities and Exchange Commission,
acting pursuant to said Section 8(a), may determine.
The
information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. These securities may not be sold until the registration statement
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is declared effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell nor does it seek an
offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject
to completion, dated January 12, 2024
444,583,937 Shares of Common
Stock
This prospectus relates to the resale or other
disposition of up to 444,583,937 shares of Athena Bitcoin Global common stock, par value $0.001 per share (the “common stock”
or “shares”), which may be offered for sale from time to time by the selling shareholders named in this prospectus (each
a “Selling Shareholder” and, collectively, the “Selling Shareholders”). The shares of our common stock covered
by this prospectus include: (i) 409,933,937 shares of common stock that were issued by us to the Selling Shareholders in the share exchange
transaction or were purchased by the Selling Shareholders in private transactions, and (ii) up to 34,650,000 shares of common
stock issued upon conversion of our outstanding 6% Convertible Debentures Due 2023 (the “Convertible Debentures”)
which were issued in connection with a private placement financing in 2021. We are registering the resale of the shares of common stock
underlying the Convertible Debentures as required by the Securities Purchase Agreement that we entered into with the Selling Shareholders
as of June 22, 2021, which provided said Selling Shareholders with certain registration rights with respect to the common stock issuable
upon conversion of the Convertible Debentures. We are not selling any shares of common stock under this prospectus and will not receive
any proceeds from the sale of any shares of common stock by the Selling Shareholders. The Selling Shareholders will bear all commissions
and discounts, if any, attributable to the sale or other disposition of the shares of common stock. We will bear all costs, expenses
and fees in connection with the registration of the shares of common stock.
Our common stock is quoted on the OTC Pink Market
(“OTC Pink”) operated by the OTC Markets Group, Inc. under the symbol “ABIT”. On January 2, 2024, the last
reported sale of our common stock was $0.28. There is a limited public trading market for our common stock. You are urged to obtain
current market quotations for the common stock.
Until such time as our common stock is quoted
on the over-the-counter bulletin board (“OTCBB”), or the OTCQX, or the OTCQB or listed on any national securities exchange
or automated interdealer quotation system, the shares covered by this prospectus will be sold by the Selling Shareholders from time to
time at a fixed price of $[●] per share, representing the average of the high and low prices as reported on the OTC Pink on [●],
2024. If and when our common stock is regularly quoted on the over-the-counter bulletin board (“OTCBB”), or the OTCQX,
or the OTCQB or listed on any national securities exchange or automated interdealer quotation system, the Selling Shareholders may sell
their respective shares of common stock, from time to time, at prevailing market prices or in privately negotiated transactions.
Our registration of the shares of common stock
covered by this prospectus does not mean that the Selling Shareholders will offer or sell any of the shares. See “Plan
of Distribution” which begins on page 109 of this prospectus for more information.
This offering will terminate on the earlier of
(i) the date when all of the shares have been sold pursuant to this prospectus or Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended
(the “Securities Act”), (ii) or the date that all of the securities may be sold pursuant to Rule 144 without volume or manner-of-sale
restrictions, (iii) or we decide at any time to terminate the registration of the shares at our sole discretion.
We have made no written communications as defined
under Rule 405 of the Securities Act to prospective investors or investors.
You should rely only on the information contained
in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information different from that contained in this prospectus. The
information contained in this prospectus is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus.
Investing in our shares involves a high degree
of risk. You should carefully consider the Risk Factors beginning on page 15 of this prospectus before you make an investment
in our securities.
The Company has an accumulated deficit of
$11,576,000 as of December 31, 2022 and our auditor has expressed substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern.
See Note 1 to our audited Consolidated Financial Statements.
We are an “emerging growth company”
as that term is used in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act (the “Jobs Act”) and defined under the federal securities
laws and, as such, may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements in future reports after the completion
of this offering. See “Prospectus Summary—Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company.”
We may amend or supplement this prospectus from
time to time by filing amendments or supplements as required. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described under
the heading “Risk Factors” beginning on page 15 of this prospectus before you make an investment
decision.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission
nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of this prospectus.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
This Prospectus is dated
January 12, 2024.
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
You should rely only on information contained
in this prospectus. We have not authorized anyone to provide you with information other than that contained in this prospectus or in
any free writing prospectus we may authorize to be delivered or made available to you. We take no responsibility for and cannot provide
any assurance as to the reliability of any other information others may give you. The Selling Shareholders are not offering to sell or
seeking offers to buy shares of common stock in jurisdictions where offers and sales are not permitted. The information in this prospectus
or any free writing prospectus is accurate only as of its date, regardless of its time of delivery or of any sale of shares of our common
stock. Our business, financial condition, results of operations, and prospects may have changed since that date. We are responsible
for updating this prospectus to ensure that all material information is included and will update this prospectus to the extent required
by law.
For investors outside of the United States: Neither
we nor any of the Selling Shareholders have done anything that would permit this offering or possession or distribution of this prospectus
in any jurisdiction where action for that purpose is required, other than in the United States. Persons outside the United States who
come into possession of this prospectus must inform themselves about, and observe any restrictions relating to, the offering of common
stock by the Selling Shareholders and the distribution of this prospectus outside of the United States.
ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS
This prospectus is a part
of a registration statement on Form S-1 that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) using a “shelf”
registration or continuous offering process. Under this shelf process, the Selling Shareholders may, from time to time, sell the shares
of common stock covered by this prospectus in the manner described in the section titled “Plan of Distribution.” Additionally,
we may provide a prospectus supplement to add information to, or update or change information contained in, this prospectus (except for
the section titled “Plan of Distribution,” which additions, updates, or changes that are material shall only be made pursuant
to a post-effective amendment). You may obtain this information without charge by following the instructions under the section titled
“Additional Information” appearing elsewhere in this prospectus. You should read this prospectus and any prospectus supplement
before deciding to invest in our shares.
INDUSTRY AND MARKET DATA
Market data and certain industry
data and forecasts used throughout this prospectus were obtained from internal Company surveys, market research, consultant surveys,
publicly available information, reports of governmental agencies and industry publications and surveys. Industry surveys, publications,
consultant surveys and forecasts generally state that the information contained therein has been obtained from sources believed to be
reliable, but the accuracy and completeness of such information is not guaranteed. We have not independently verified any of the data
from third party sources, nor have we ascertained the underlying economic assumptions relied upon therein. Similarly, internal surveys,
industry forecasts and market research, which we believe to be reliable based on our management’s knowledge of the industry, have
not been independently verified. Forecasts are particularly likely to be inaccurate, especially over long periods of time. Statements
as to our market position are based on the most currently available data. While we are not aware of any misstatements regarding the industry
data presented in this prospectus, our estimates involve risks and uncertainties and are subject to change based on various factors,
including those discussed under the heading “Risk Factors” in this prospectus.
Glossary of Bitcoin
and Crypto Terms
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Address: An alphanumeric reference to where crypto assets can
be sent or stored. |
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Bitcoin: The first system of global, decentralized, scarce,
digital money as initially introduced in a white paper titled Bitcoin: A Peer-to-Peer Electronic Cash System by Satoshi Nakamoto.
Bitcoin, while having several of the primary attributes of money, is not considered a currency or money in the jurisdictions that
the Company operates, with the exception of El Salvador where it is legal tender. |
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Bitcoin ATM: A kiosk that can be used by a Customer to buy or
sell Bitcoin or other crypto assets in exchange for Cash. |
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Bitcoin Cash (BCH):
A fork of Bitcoin that seeks to add more transaction capacity to the network in order to be useful for everyday transactions. BCH
is based on the original Bitcoin blockchain with some distinct differences. A major one is an increased maximum block size of 32MB,
compared to just 1MB on Bitcoin. Increased block size allows BCH to process transactions faster than Bitcoin, with lower fees and
an increased per-second transaction capacity. |
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Bitcoin SV: A fork
of Bitcoin Cash (BCH), also known as Bitcoin Satoshi’s Vision, that attempts to restore the original Bitcoin protocol to align
with Bitcoin inventor Satoshi Nakamoto’s original vision for the blockchain network. |
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Block: A grouping of Transactions validated by Miners and disseminated
by the Network to servers that maintain the records in a blockchain. Blocks are added to an existing blockchain as transactions occur
on the network. Miners are rewarded for “mining” a new block. |
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Blockchain: A cryptographically secure digital ledger that maintains
a record of all transactions that occur on the network and follows a consensus protocol for confirming new blocks to be added to
the blockchain. |
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Cash: The physical specie or banknotes of a sovereign country including the US Dollar and
other countries that issue fiat currency in paper formats. |
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Chivo: CHIVO, Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable,
a private company incorporated under the laws of the Republic of El Salvador, which is politically controlled by the Government of
El Salvador (GOES), is the official Bitcoin service provider of the government of El Salvador. Chivo’s platform is used
to support the use of Bitcoin as legal tender in the country. The platform facilitates the exchange of Bitcoin and US dollar between
users and their counterparties. The Chivo brand, which is the exclusive property of CHIVO, Sociedad Anonima de Capital Variable,
is used across multiple products and services including a mobile wallet (Chivo wallet), integrated ATMs (Chivo ATMs) and point-of-sale
(“POS”) terminals. |
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Cold storage: The storage of private keys in any fashion that is disconnected from the internet.
Common cold storage examples include offline computers, USB drives, or paper records. |
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Confirmation: A Bitcoin or similar transaction is considered confirmed when it is included
in a new Block in the Blockchain. Each time another block is appended to the chain, the Transaction is confirmed again. |
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Crypto: A broad term for any cryptography-based market, system, application, or decentralized
network. |
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Cryptocurrency: Bitcoin and alternative coins, or ‘altcoins’. This category of
crypto asset is designed to work as a medium of exchange, store of value, or to power applications and excludes security tokens. |
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Customer: A retail user of our Bitcoin ATMs or client of one
of our other services. |
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Customer Buying: When a Customer acquires Bitcoin or crypto
asset in exchange for Cash or a Wire Transfer. In these transactions, the Company is selling Bitcoin or crypto asset and acquiring
Fiat Currency. |
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Customer Selling: When a Customer acquires Fiat Currency, either
Cash or Wire Transfer, in exchange for Bitcoin or crypto asset. In these transactions, the Company is acquiring Bitcoin or crypto
asset in exchange for Fiat Currency. |
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Crypto Asset or Digital Asset:
Bitcoin and alternative digital forms of money, or ‘altcoins’, launched after the success of Bitcoin. This category
of crypto asset is designed to work as a medium of exchange or store of value. This term is inclusive of Ethereum, Litecoin,
Tether, and Bitcoin Cash, but not securities. In the Company’s marketing documents and website, this would be referred
to as “cryptocurrency,” however in this document we refer to this category of digital token as a “crypto asset.”
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Ethereum: A decentralized global computing platform that supports smart contract transactions
and peer-to-peer applications, or “Ether,” the native crypto assets on the Ethereum network. |
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Fiat Currency: The currency issued by a sovereign government
or bloc including the US Dollar, Argentine Peso, or Euro. |
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Fork: A fundamental change to the software underlying a blockchain
which results in two different blockchains, the original, and the new version. In some instances, the fork results in the creation
of a new token. |
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Hot Wallet: A wallet that
is connected to the internet, enabling it to broadcast transactions. |
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Miner: Individuals or entities who operate a computer or group
of computers that add new transactions to blocks, and verify blocks created by other miners. Miners collect transaction fees and
are rewarded with new tokens for their services. |
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Mining: The process by which new blocks are created, and thus
new transactions are added to the blockchain. |
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Monero:
A cryptocurrency focused on privacy, which allows users to send and receive transactions without making this data available to anyone
examining its blockchain. |
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Network: The collection of all Miners and Nodes that use computing
power to maintain the ledger and add new blocks to the blockchain. Most networks are decentralized, reducing the risk of a single
point of failure. |
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Node: A server that maintains a record of the blockchain and
can communicate with other Nodes on the Network to propagate new Transactions. Nodes can also maintain wallets and safeguard Private
Keys. |
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Protocol: A type of algorithm or software that governs how a
blockchain operates. |
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Public key or private
key: Each public address has a corresponding public key and private key that are cryptographically
generated. A private key allows the recipient to access any funds belonging to the address, similar
to a bank account password. A public key helps validate transactions that are broadcasted to and
from the address. Addresses are shortened versions of public keys, which are derived from private
keys. |
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Stable Coin: A Token issued for the purpose
of maintaining a constant value relative to a fiat currency, most commonly the U.S. Dollar. Examples include Tether, USDC, Dai, BinanceUSD
or GUSD. Many of these operate as un-regulated money market fund equivalents. Stable coins are a popular method to transfer funds
between exchanges without taking price risk. |
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Tether: A blockchain-based cryptocurrency whose tokens in circulation are backed by an equivalent
amount of U.S. dollars, making it a stablecoin with a price pegged to USD $1.00. |
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Token: A unit of a crypto asset or other instrument secured
by and recorded on a blockchain. Tokens could include the primary units of a blockchain as in Ethereum or Bitcoin, or be a separate
construct whose ownership is recorded using such a blockchain as in an ERC-20 Token, whose ownership might convey any number of properties. |
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Transaction: The transfer of Bitcoin or a crypto asset from
one Address to one or more Addresses. The Transaction is validated by Nodes and Miners according to the Protocol and specifically
must be signed using the private key of the sending Address to be included in a block, whereby it becomes Confirmed. |
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Wallet: A place to store public and private keys for crypto
assets. Wallets are typically software, hardware, or paper-based. |
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Wire Transfer: A permanent inter-bank transfer on a national
or international settlement system including the Fedwire system in the United States or the SWIFT international system but excluding
non-permanent systems like ACH. |
Prospectus Summary
This summary highlights selected information
contained elsewhere in this prospectus. This summary does not contain all the information that you should consider before investing in
our common stock. You should carefully read the entire Prospectus, including “Risk Factors”, “Management’s Discussion
and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the Financial Statements, before making an investment decision.
Unless the context suggests otherwise, all references to “Athena”, “we”, “us”, “our”,
or “the Company” refer to Athena Bitcoin Global, a Nevada corporation and all of its subsidiaries, and all references to
“Athena Bitcoin” refer solely to Athena Bitcoin, Inc., a Delaware corporation and a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
As used below, Bitcoin with an uppercase “B” is used to describe the system as a whole that is involved in maintaining the
ledger of bitcoin ownership and facilitating the transfer of bitcoin among parties. When referring to the crypto asset within the Bitcoin
network, bitcoin is written with a lower case “b” (except, of course, at the beginning of sentences or paragraph sections,
as below). The name “Athena Bitcoin” and the Athena Bitcoin logo service mark appearing in this prospectus are the property
of Athena Bitcoin, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. Solely for convenience, the trademarks, servicemarks and trade names
in this prospectus are referred to without the ® and ™ symbols, but such references should not be construed
as any indicator that the owner of such trademarks, servicemarks and trade names will not assert, to the fullest extent under applicable
law, their rights thereto. We do not intend the use or display of other companies’ trademarks and trade names to imply a relationship
with, or endorsement or sponsorship of us by, any other companies.
Introduction
We are an early entrant in the crypto asset market
and one of the first U.S. publicly traded companies using crypto assets and blockchain technologies in our business operations which
include a global network of Athena Bitcoin ATMs.
Our management has determined that it is in our
best interests to become a reporting company under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 as amended (“Exchange Act”), and
endeavor to establish a public trading market for our common stock on the OTCQB or other trading systems. Currently our trading volume
is limited and we are subject to the Alternative Reporting Standard of OTC Pink Market. Our management believes that establishing a public
market on OTCQB or another exchange: (i) will increase our profile as a leading company in the international operation of Bitcoin ATMs,
giving us greater identity and recognition, and (ii) will make it easier for us to attract additional equity capital, which we need to
expand our business. There is no assurance that we will accomplish any of the foregoing goals and prospective investors are cautioned
to carefully read the risk factors set forth herein prior to making an investment decision.
Athena
Bitcoin connects the world’s
cash to the world of cryptocurrency.
Overview
Athena Bitcoin Global owns and operates a global
network of Athena Bitcoin ATMs, which we refer to as our ATMs, that allow our customers to buy or sell Bitcoin in exchange for their
local fiat currency, such as the U.S. dollar. We are focused on making Bitcoin more easily accessible, functional and usable for people,
business and other organizations. Athena believes the great promise of Bitcoin is the democratization of money. The traditional system
of money and banking, with its many layers, costs and inefficiencies, results in the disenfranchisement of enormous numbers of individuals
and businesses in the world. According to the World Bank, 1.4 billion people in the world are unbanked. This is typically due to geographic
and socio-economic factors. Bitcoin, altcoins, blockchains and smart contracts are poised to transform the international financial order
by providing the unbanked and billions of others in the world with a connection to the new global digital financial system.
Bitcoin is a system for decentralized digital
value exchange that is designed to enable units of bitcoin to be transferred across borders without the need for currency conversion.
Bitcoin is not legal tender, except in the country of El Salvador. The supply of bitcoin is not determined by a central government, but
rather by an open-source software program that limits both the total amount of bitcoin that will be produced and the rate at which it
is released into the network. The responsibility for maintaining the official ledger of who owns what bitcoin and for validating new
bitcoin transactions is not entrusted to any single central entity. Instead, it is distributed among the network’s participants.
As such, crypto assets are transferred entirely online, with no physical coins or bills. Instead of being held at a bank, crypto assets
are held in one’s digital wallet, which is an online vault for holding public and private keys for crypto assets. Instead
of being transferred through banks, brokers, clearing houses, custodians and payment processors, crypto assets are transferred directly
to the recipient online and transactions are recorded on a blockchain or public ledger. This allows for an efficient and fully transparent
transfer of funds. The value of each crypto asset is determined by trading among buyers and sellers all over the world. At the end of
2022, the overall market capitalization of crypto assets reached $795 billion, representing a compounded average growth rate (CAGR) of
approximately 62% since the end of 2013. The supply of Bitcoin is greater than the M1 money supplies of the Swiss Franc and the Russian
Ruble. One challenge for Bitcoin and other crypto assets is that they typically cannot be used to pay for common expenditures like groceries,
utility bills, or a house. When someone wants to spend their bitcoin, they will generally need to convert it to their local currency.
Crypto asset owners can use crypto exchanges like Coinbase and acquire U.S. dollars by selling their crypto asset(s). On Coinbase or
other crypto asset exchanges, users can oftentimes sell their bitcoin or other crypto assets for up to 50,000 U.S. dollars a day which
can be wired or otherwise sent directly to a bank account and typically usable after one or two business days. Crypto exchanges are well
suited for larger, planned transactions but can be inconvenient or entirely unsuitable for smaller or more immediate transactional needs
or for those who do not have access to institutionalized banking in their country. They also do not offer the level of convenience that
bank customers are accustomed to. Most people in the United States use bank ATMs rather than bank tellers to get spending cash due to
their convenience.
ATM Market
According to a University of Florida study, there
were over 470,135 traditional ATMs operating in the United States in 2018. Our two-way ATMs play a similar role by providing cash conveniently
and quickly. Individuals that own Bitcoin can visit our two-way ATMs and get up to $2,000 in cash in a single transaction. While our
two-way ATMs dispense cash for Bitcoin owners like a typical ATM cash machine does for a bank customer, our ATMs capabilities are more
akin to currency exchange booths at international airports. Our ATMs perform real-time exchange between Bitcoin and fiat currency. The
majority of our customers use our services to purchase Bitcoin with U.S. dollars. However, in Central and South America, there is a more
even distribution between purchases and sales of crypto assets. While our two-way ATMs differ substantially in function from bank ATMs,
they provide a similar level of convenience. Our two-way ATMs benefit from the public’s vast experience using bank ATMs, which
contributes to making our two-way ATMs a user-friendly and familiar method for anyone who wishes to buy or sell Bitcoin.
The Birth of Bitcoin ATMs
In the earliest days of Bitcoin, most transactions
were done in person - often facilitated by websites. These sites matched prospective buyers with sellers and facilitated communications
and wallet coordination, allowing them to meet in public places like coffee shops and street corners, and exchange bitcoin for envelopes
of cash. The first Bitcoin ATMs began appearing in 2014. These ATMs were an instant success with retail customers because they offered
instantaneous access to bitcoin in a familiar and safe method.
According to Reuters in a March, 2021 article
titled “Bitcoin ATMs are coming to a gas station near you”, the industry has grown from a handful of machines operated by
hobbyists to more than 15,000 kiosks worldwide primarily operated by increasingly larger organizations. There are many operators of Bitcoin
ATM networks, from crypto businesses to major corporate and conventional kiosk companies including Coinstar.
Some Bitcoin ATMs offer one-way exchange, allowing customers to only
buy crypto assets. Others offer two-way exchange, so customers can buy crypto assets for cash, or sell some of their crypto assets and
receive cash. Athena Bitcoin ATMs currently serve clients with only one crypto asset, Bitcoin, in either one-way or two-way exchanges,
depending on the functionality of the ATM machine.
Bitcoin Adoption
Parties that want to use their bank accounts
to buy Bitcoin can do so without an ATM. These transactions are the domain of exchanges and specialty apps including services from Coinbase,
Gemini, Binance, Kraken, and Square. These services generally accept U.S. dollar transfers from bank accounts and do not accept physical
currency. These services may or may not, depending on several factors including method of deposit, allow the purchaser of a crypto asset
on their platforms to immediately transfer the crypto asset into their own wallet. These services cater to larger purchasers and investors
of crypto assets. Users of exchanges and specialty apps may use ATMs as a convenient method to get spending cash, similar to how bank
account and credit card holders use bank ATMs.
In second quarter of 2023, PayPal reported
that its crypto revenue increased by 56% to $1.1 billion, and that Venmo's crypto volume grew by 29% to $67 billion. PayPal and
Venmo have also expanded their crypto offerings, such as allowing users to transfer crypto to third-party wallets and exchanges, and
introducing crypto transfers via Venmo. These features have increased the utility and accessibility of crypto for their customers,
and have helped drive more adoption in the U.S. and beyond. Per Chainalysis.com, the aggregate global index score, which is based
on countries’ usage of different types of cryptocurrency services, has demonstrated that global adoption has increased since
Q3 2020. This index score is based on five sub-indexes, which is a quantitative measure of countries’ usage of different types
of cryptocurrency services. These sub-indexes are based on crypto currency transactions on centralized crypto exchanges (weighted by
purchasing power parity), on-chain retail value received at centralized exchanges (weighted by purchasing power parity per capita),
peer-to-peer exchange trade volume (weighted by purchasing power parity per capita and number of internet users), on-chain
cryptocurrency received from Defi protocols (weighted by purchasing power parity per capita) and on-chain retail value received from
Defi protocols (weighted by purchasing power parity per capital). The scores for all 155 countries utilized by chainalysis.com are
summed for each quarter from Q3 2020 to Q2 2023 and re-indexed to show adoption growth over time across the world.
We believe this trend is due in part to
an increase in companies and online service providers that are helping to make Bitcoin and other crypto assets more widely and
easily usable. This trend is also correlated with the increase in the price of Bitcoin and significant events that have occurred in
the crypto economy. Given the infancy of the new digital global financial system, there has been significant variability of price
since the inception of Bitcoin. There has also been negative press events, such as the FTX bankruptcy and Terra (LUNA), that have
caused fluctuations in the price of Bitcoin and in Bitcoin’s global adoption. These negative events played a significant role
in the reduction of the Global Index Score from Q4 2021 to Q4 2022. However, despite the variability of the price and these negative
events, the global index score has increased significantly since Q3 2020 and prior. We believe that this demonstrates the durability of
the new digital global financial system and that as worldwide adoption continues, the Company is optimistic that the variability of
the price and the frequency of these negative events will decrease.
While the COVID-19 pandemic detrimentally impacted
the world economy overall and aspects of our business operations, we also believe that the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated the benefits
of crypto assets to the world. According to Christine Zhenwei Qiang, Global Director for Digital Development Global Practice for the
World Bank, “the COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the fundamental role that digital infrastructure can play in rapidly delivering
services and social assistance to people. Integration of digital ID, digital payments, and trusted data sharing platforms is critical
for serving the poor at scale and connecting communities to opportunities.”
We believe that the use of Bitcoin ATMs will
continue to rise as the Bitcoin and crypto industry and its many interconnected service providers expand.
Corporate
History and Other Information
The Company was incorporated in the state of
Nevada in 1991 under the name “GamePlan, Inc.” for the sole purpose of merging with Sunbeam Solar, Inc., a Utah corporation,
which merger occurred as of December 31, 1991 with GamePlan, Inc. as a sole surviving entity. The Company was involved in various businesses,
including, gaming and other consulting services, prior to becoming a company seeking acquisitions (a “shell company” as defined
in Rule 405 of the Securities Act). The Company was a reporting issuer under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange
Act”) from 1999 until 2015 when it filed Form 15 pursuant to Rule 12g-4(a)(1) with the Commission and ceased to be a reporting
company.
On January 14, 2020 the Company entered into
a Share Exchange Agreement (the “Agreement”), by and among the Company, Athena Bitcoin, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Athena
Bitcoin”) incorporated in 2015, and certain shareholders of Athena Bitcoin. The Agreement provides for the reorganization of Athena
Bitcoin, with and into the Company, resulting in Athena Bitcoin becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company. The agreement is for
the exchange of 100% shares of the outstanding common stock of Athena, for 3,593,644,680 shares of GamePlan, Inc. common stock (an exchange
rate of 1,244.69 shares of common stock of GamePlan, Inc. for each share of Athena Bitcoin common stock). The closing of the transaction
occurred as of January 30, 2020. Subsequently, in May, 2020, the Company filed its amended and restated articles of incorporation authorizing
a total of 4,409,605,000 shares of common stock.
The Company approved the name change from “GamePlan,
Inc.” to “Athena Bitcoin Global” on March 10, 2021 by the unanimous consent of its Board of Directors and a majority
consent of its shareholders. The Company filed an amendment to its Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the state
of Nevada on April 6, 2021, with the effective date of April 15, 2021. The Company’s name change and trading symbol change to “ABIT”
was declared effective by FINRA on OTC Pink Market as of June 9, 2021.
In January 2023, the Company filed its second
amended and restated articles of incorporation authorizing a total of 10,000,000,000 shares of common stock and 5,000,000,000 shares
of preferred stock, par value $0.001 per share.
Our domestic business operations are conducted
by our subsidiary, Athena Bitcoin, Inc., a Delaware corporation. We have operating subsidiaries in the specific countries where we operate,
as more fully described in the following:
(1) | Athena Bitcoin, Inc. owns 99% of Athena
Holdings El Salvador SA de CV and Eric Gravengaard holds 1% on behalf of the Company. |
| |
(2) | Athena Bitcoin, Inc. beneficially owns and controls Athena
Holdings SAS which is nominally owned by Eric Gravengaard 95% and Matias Goldenhörn
5%. |
| |
(3) | Athena Bitcoin, Inc. beneficially owns and controls Athena
Holding Company SRL which is nominally owned by Eric Gravengaard 45%, Gilbert Valentine 45%,
and Matias Goldenhörn 10%. |
| |
(4) | Athena Bitcoin, Inc. owns 2,999 Shares of Athena Bitcoin
SRL de CV and Eric Gravengaard owns 1 Share on behalf of the Company. |
| |
(5) | Athena Bitcoin, Inc. is the only member of Athena Holdings
of PR, LLC. |
| |
(6) | Athena Bitcoin, Inc. owns 100% Athena Business Holdings
Panama S.A. |
Our corporate office is located at 800 NW 7th
Avenue, Miami, Florida 33136, and our telephone number is 312-690-4466. Our website is www.athenabitcoin.com. The information
on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this prospectus and is not incorporated by reference herein.
Industry Summary
The Company is an active participant in the operation
of Bitcoin ATMs in the United States and Latin America. More broadly we operate in the market of retail sales of crypto assets, where
we facilitate small purchases of Bitcoin. There are multiple avenues that retail consumers, individuals purchasing small amounts from
one dollar to a few thousand dollars’ worth, can purchase or dispose of crypto assets.
Company Summary
Athena Bitcoin ATMs
The Company is focused on developing, owning
and operating a global network of Athena Bitcoin ATMs, which are free standing kiosks that permit customers to either buy or sell Bitcoin
(two-way ATMs) in exchange for fiat currencies or to just have the ability to buy Bitcoin (one-way ATMs) in exchange for fiat currencies.
The Company at this time only transacts in Bitcoin. The Company places its ATMs in convenience stores, shopping centers, and other easily
accessible locations. Our network presently includes ATMs in 26 U.S. states, the territory of Puerto Rico and 4 countries in Central
and South America. We seek to expand our network in the U.S. and globally, and to further develop Athena Bitcoin as a trusted and preferred
brand for parties seeking to exchange currency for Bitcoin.
Customers can purchase as little as $1 of Bitcoin
but normally choose between $100 and $1,000 using Athena Bitcoin ATMs. The typical ATM that the Company operates is about 5-feet tall
and features a large touchscreen for customer interaction. The customer typically needs to have a wallet application on their smart phone
to buy or sell Bitcoin on our ATM. To initiate the transaction, the customer will follow the steps prompted on the screen. When a customer
is buying Bitcoin, the machine will require the customer to insert paper fiat currency since our ATMs do not accept debit or credit
cards. When the transaction is complete, a receipt will print showing exactly how many crypto assets have been bought and the receiving
address.
The Company’s ATMs do not contain the crypto
asset’s private key. The Company sells Bitcoin from cloud-based wallets in each country, enabling real-time supply of crypto assets
to its customers. For the nine months ending September 30, 2023, and September 30, 2022, and twelve months ended December 31,
2022, and 2021, the Company’s breakdown of volume of ATM transactions per crypto asset is as follows:
Crypto Asset |
For the
Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2023 |
For the
Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2022 |
For the
Twelve Months Ended
December 31, 2022 |
For the
Twelve Months Ended
December 31, 2021 |
Bitcoin
|
59,134 |
37,752 |
42,731
|
87,818
|
Ethereum
(1) |
300 |
878 |
1,220
|
1,936
|
Litecoin
(1) |
861 |
3065 |
3,868
|
5,513
|
Bitcoin
Cash (1) |
69 |
270 |
396 |
865
|
Total
|
60,364 |
41,965 |
48,215
|
96,132 |
| (1) | The Company stopped transacting in
Ethereum, Litecoin and Bitcoin Cash on July 19, 2023 |
The Company buys most of its crypto assets through
automated purchases on crypto exchanges and with digital assets trading firms based on algorithms the Company has developed for balancing
its holdings with anticipated demand. The Company is also active in the over-the-counter dealer market and has bilateral relationships
with several large crypto asset trading desks. We replenish our supply of Bitcoin, multiple times daily as needed, and hold Bitcoin
in our wallet to sell to users of our ATMs. On average, we sell our holdings of Bitcoin within 2 days of purchase and we had sold
our holdings of Ethereum, Litecoin and BCH holdings within 7 to 10 days of purchase. At this time, we only transact in Bitcoin at our
machines. We strive to keep holding periods short to reduce the effect of changes in crypto assets/U.S. dollar exchange rates on our
business and to maximize our working capital. We do not invest or have long term holdings of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin or BCH.
We charge a fee per crypto asset available through
our Athena Bitcoin ATM, equal to the prevailing price at U.S.- based exchanges plus a markup that typically ranges between 13% and
26%. The prices shown to customers on our Bitcoin ATM are inclusive of this price spread and are calculated by multiplying the prevailing
price level of crypto asset by one plus the markup. The markup varies by location. It is determined by a proprietary method that
is maintained as a trade secret. Our revenues associated with our ATM transactions are recognized at the time when the crypto asset is
delivered to the customer’s wallet.
The average
markup by crypto asset for each period are shown below:
Crypto Asset |
For the Nine Months Ended
September 30, 2023 |
For the Twelve Months Ended
December 31, 2022 |
For the Twelve Months Ended
December 31, 2021 |
Bitcoin
|
26% |
14% |
15% |
Ethereum
|
22% |
13% |
15% |
Litecoin
|
21% |
14% |
15% |
Bitcoin
Cash |
22% |
14% |
15% |
Total
(Average) |
23% |
14% |
15% |
Athena
Plus
We generate revenue by selling crypto assets
directly to institutional traders, individuals and organizations. These transactions are typically done through the phone for
amounts that exceed $10,000 USD. The Company utilizes crypto assets on hand and additional purchases, if necessary, to provide the crypto
assets for the transaction. We charge a fee per crypto asset available, equal to the prevailing price at U.S.- based exchanges plus a
markup.
White-label Service
The Company began working with the government
of El Salvador in June 2021 to support the implementation of its Bitcoin Law. The Bitcoin Law gave Bitcoin the status of legal tender
within the country of El Salvador after September 7, 2021. To assist the government of El Salvador with adoption of Bitcoin as legal
tender, the Company provided the white-label service as well as certain ancillary services to Chivo, a private company incorporated under
the laws of the Republic of El Salvador, which is politically controlled by the Government of El Salvador (discussed in next section).
This white-label service is comprised of installing
and operating a fixed number of ATMs to Chivo. Our services provide Company owned ATMs to Chivo, which we operate on their behalf. Our
responsibilities operating the ATMs include ensuring that the ATM have sufficient cash, performing repairs and maintenance, loading and
unloading cash, setting up the network connections, and software upgrades, as necessary. We charge a separate fixed fee for installation
of the ATM and a separate monthly fixed fee to operate the machine. Company does not sell crypto assets to the users of the machine,
as the crypto assets are the property of the government of El Salvador. The Company since the initial installation of the agreed upon
ATMs only provides on-going support services for these ATMs. The Company has not installed any new ATMs since 2021.
Ancillary
The Company engages in ancillary services
to customers as part of its mission to bring the new digital financial system to the world. This includes the sale of point-of-sale terminals
(“POS Terminals”) and developing crypto ecosystems. In 2021, the Company agreed to develop and support the Chivo Ecosystem
for the El Salvadoran government. The Chivo Ecosystem acts as the interface to El Salvador’s Bitcoin Digital Wallet and Website
for El Salvador and its users. The Company’s contract to develop the Chivo Ecosystem ended December 31, 2021. The Company continued
to provide support services to the El Salvadoran government during fiscal year 2022 to assist with the Chivo Ecosystem, as necessary.
The Company provided no services related to Chivo in 2023.
Competitive Strengths
We are focused on strategically placing our ATMs
in optimal locations that maximize both current income and future potential. Our ATMs are in urban, suburban, and rural locations. Our
site selection criteria and metrics are a closely guarded proprietary aspect of our business. In placing our ATMs, we employ a data driven
strategy based on a multitude of factors. In addition to data metrics, our placement strategy includes analysis of immediate trends,
as we are in a dynamic business where usage is widening dramatically and often in unpredicted ways. Each location is chosen to complement
the rest of the fleet and offer customers of diverse backgrounds access to convenient crypto assets transactions.
We are constantly improving our operational efficiency.
Our ATMs serve as remote tellers that connect individuals to our cloud-based transaction operations. We utilize proprietary systems and
methods of managing our currency transaction operations. Our founders and executives are well-versed in high-frequency trading and
were some of the first to electronically trade Bitcoin on multiple exchanges simultaneously. The objective of our purchasing algorithms
is to frequently re-balance our crypto holdings to meet the dynamic demand of our many customers while minimizing risk of crypto asset
rate fluctuations. Over-buying of Bitcoin can result in inefficiencies and exposure to fluctuations price while under-buying may temporarily
prevent us from selling Bitcoin at our ATMs. We strive to improve the efficiency of our currency transaction operations to maximize
our profits, manage risk and facilitate growth.
Our ATMs permit users to obtain Bitcoin
directly in their personal bitcoin wallet, which allows users to have full control of their crypto assets. Other payment providers often
utilize a centralized system where the users, while able to make payments in crypto for everyday expenditures, do not have control of
their crypto wallet due to not controlling the private keys to their crypto assets. This is contrary to many user’s preferences,
which is be part of a transparent de-centralized digital financial system.
Business Strategies
We seek to grow and distinguish Athena Bitcoin
services based on our method of location selection, our global expansion, operational efficiencies, and our authenticity as a crypto
industry forerunner with respect to Bitcoin ATMs.
Our strategy is to become a global financial
services company that can connect the world’s cash to the world of crypto assets, predominantly Bitcoin, and Ethereum, Litecoin,
and BCH (Athena Plus). We have spent years learning how to expand our business across borders. We have assembled the people, processes,
and technologies to enable us to continue to grow our global footprint that we believe is unmatched by our competition.
According to the US Census Bureau the median
age in the United States is 38.9 years (Vintage 2022 Population Estimates released June 22, 2023 by the U.S. Census Bureau). In Latin
America and the Caribbean it is 31 years (database.earth) and Africa has a median age of only 18.8 years (Statista, April 28, 2023)
As the youth digital generation accumulate their
wealth, they are far more likely to embrace crypto assets than the predecessor generations. According to the joint Finra-CFA Institute
report dated May 2023, 55 percent of US-based Gen Z investors currently invest in crypto, which is significantly higher than prior
generations.
Bitcoin is poised to quickly become a part of
the lives of a huge percentage of the developing world’s population. This “global south” offers a large green field
expansion opportunity for us because it combines high usage of physical currency with low median age and reduced access to quality banking
and the legacy global financial system.
On June 8, 2021, El Salvador became the first
country to officially adopt the cryptocurrency as legal tender when its congress passed the Bitcoin Law proposed by President Nayib Bukele.
On September 7, 2021, the Bitcoin Law was implemented and Bitcoin became legal tender in El Salvador, alongside the U.S. dollar, the
country’s other official currency. Under the new law, Salvadorans can pay taxes in Bitcoin and businesses are obliged to accept
Bitcoin as payment for goods and services, in addition to the U.S. dollar. Given that more than 70% of the adult population of El Salvador
does not have access to the traditional banking system, the government of El Salvador believes that Bitcoin will greatly help the unbanked
get access to electronic payments.
See table below for our ATM breakdown by country,
as of September 30, 2023.
Country |
Number of Athena Bitcoin ATMs
(as of September 30, 2023) |
Type
of Fiat Currency |
Total |
Two-Way |
United
States |
1,378 |
27 |
U.S.
Dollar |
El
Salvador |
14 |
14 |
U.S.
Dollar |
Argentina |
12 |
12 |
Argentine
peso |
Colombia |
17 |
17 |
Colombian
peso |
Mexico |
1 |
1 |
Mexican
peso |
TOTAL |
1,422 |
71 |
|
The
Company began working with the government of El Salvador in late June 2021 to support the implementation of its Bitcoin Law by installing
and operating ATMs on behalf of the El Salvador government. In the third quarter of 2022, the Company completed contract negotiations
with Chivo, Sociedad Anónima de Capital Variable, a wholly owned private company of the Government of El Salvador (“CHIVO”
). These ATMs are located in El Salvador and in their consulates and other locations in the United States. In the U.S. the Company
operates a total of 249 ATMS for Chivo and 1,378 Athena Bitcoin
branded machines as of September 30, 2023.
The Company developed the Chivo Ecosystem &
Chivo Website, which acts as El Salvador’s Bitcoin ecosystem (i.e., bitcoin digital wallet and platform). The development of the
Chivo Ecosystem & Website was completed in 2021.
The Company is actively working to expand its
geographic presence throughout the world, in particular in Latin America, by expanding our global Bitcoin ATMs and discussing with potential
partners the service offerings that we are able to provide as the world continues to adopt the new digital financial system. By increasing
our geographic service area, including our expansion of operations in El Salvador, we aim to make Athena into a global financial services
company that can connect the world’s cash to the world of crypto assets.
Going Concern
Our auditor expressed substantial doubt about
our ability to continue as a going concern in its audit report dated December 31, 2022. As discussed in Note 1 to our Consolidated Financial
Statements, the Company has an accumulated deficit of $11,576,000 as of December 31, 2022. These conditions and events create an uncertainty
about the ability of the Company to continue as a going concern for the next twelve months. The Company has not been able to generate
sufficient cash from operating activities to fund its ongoing operations and current liabilities. There is no guarantee that the Company
will be able to generate enough revenue and/or raise capital to support its operations. The financial statements do not include any adjustments
that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern. The ultimate impact of these matters to the Company
and its consolidated financial condition is presently unknown. See also “Risk Factors” on page 15.
Risk Factors Associated with Our Business
Investing in our shares of common stock involves
significant risks. You should carefully consider the risks described in “Risk Factors” before deciding
to invest in our shares. If we are unable to successfully address these risks and challenges, our business, financial condition, results
of operations, or prospects could be materially adversely affected. In any of such cases, the trading price of our common stock would
likely decline, and you may lose all or part of your investment. Below is a summary of some of the risks we face.
|
· |
Our shares are subject to liquidity risks. |
|
|
|
|
· |
A majority of our net revenue is derived from transactions in Bitcoin. If demand for crypto assets
declines, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely affected. |
|
|
|
|
· |
The future development and growth of crypto is subject to a variety of factors that are difficult
to predict and evaluate. If crypto does not grow as we expect, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be
adversely affected. |
|
|
|
|
· |
Cyberattacks and security breaches of our platform, or those impacting our customers or third parties,
could adversely impact our brand and reputation and our business, operating results, and financial condition. |
|
|
|
|
· |
We operate in a highly competitive industry and we
complete against unregulated companies and companies with greater financial and other resources and our business, operating results
and financial condition may be adversely affected if we are unable to respond to our competitors effectively |
|
|
|
|
· |
We are subject to an extensive and highly-evolving regulatory landscape and any adverse changes to,
or our failure to comply with, any laws and regulations could adversely affect our brand, reputation, business, operating results,
and financial condition. |
|
|
|
|
· |
As we continue to expand and localize our international activities, our obligations to comply with
the laws, rules, regulations, and policies of a variety of jurisdictions will increase and we may be subject to investigations and
enforcement actions by regulators and governmental authorities. |
|
|
|
|
· |
We currently rely on third-party service providers and exchanges for certain aspects of our
operations, and any interruptions in services provided by these third parties may impair our ability to support our customers. |
|
|
|
|
· |
Loss of a critical banking relationship could adversely impact our business, operating results, and
financial condition. |
|
|
|
|
· |
Any significant disruption in our products and services, in our information technology systems, or
in any of the blockchain networks we support, could result in a loss of customers or funds and adversely impact our brand and reputation
and business, operating results, and financial condition. |
|
|
|
|
· |
The loss or destruction of private keys required to access any crypto assets held for our business
transactions with our customers may be irreversible. If we are unable to access our private keys or if we experience a hack or other
data loss relating to our ability to access any crypto assets, it could cause adversely impact our business operations, operating
results, regulatory scrutiny, reputational harm, and other losses. |
|
|
|
|
· |
None of our stockholders are party to any contractual lock-up agreement or other contractual restrictions
on transfer. Following the registration of our shares, the sales or distribution of substantial amounts of our common stock, or the
perception that such sales or distributions might occur, could cause the market price of our common stock to decline. |
Offering Summary
We are registering the resale of 444,583,937
shares of our common stock that include: (i) 409,933,937 shares of common stock that were issued by us to the Selling Shareholders
in the share exchange transaction or were purchased by the Selling Shareholders in private transactions, and (ii) up to 34,650,000
shares of common stock issued upon conversion of our outstanding 6% Convertible Debentures Due 2023 (the ”Convertible
Debentures”) which were issued in connection with a private placement financing in 2021.
Implications of Being an Emerging Growth Company
and Smaller Reporting Company
We are an emerging growth company, as defined
in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (“JOBS Act”). For as long as we continue to be an emerging growth company,
we may take advantage of exemptions from various reporting requirements that are applicable to other public companies that are not emerging
growth companies, including not being required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, or the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in this prospectus and our periodic
reports and proxy statements and exemptions from the requirements of holding nonbinding advisory votes on executive compensation and
stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We could remain an emerging growth company for up to five
years after the effective date of this Registration Statement, although circumstances could cause us to lose that status earlier, including
if the market value of our common stock held by non-affiliates exceeds $700 million as of any December 31 before that time or if we have
total annual gross revenue of $1.07 billion or more during any fiscal year before that time, in which cases we would no longer be an
emerging growth company as of the following December 31 or, if we issue more than $1.07 billion in non-convertible debt during any three-year
period before that time, we would cease to be an emerging growth company immediately. Even after we no longer qualify as an emerging
growth company, we may still qualify as a “smaller reporting company” which would allow us to take advantage of many of the
same exemptions from disclosure requirements, including reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in our periodic
reports and proxy statements. Additionally, even if we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company, as long as we are neither a “large
accelerated filer” nor an “accelerated filer,” we would not be required to comply with the auditor attestation requirements
of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. We cannot predict if investors will find our securities less attractive because we may rely
on these exemptions, which could result in a less active trading market for our securities and increased volatility in the price of our
securities.
Finally, we are a “smaller reporting company”
(and may continue to qualify as such even after we no longer qualify as an emerging growth company) and accordingly may provide less
public disclosure than larger public companies, including the inclusion of only two years of audited financial statements and only two
years of management’s discussion and analysis of financial condition and results of operations disclosure. As a result, the information
that we provide to our stockholders may be different than you might receive from other public reporting companies in which you hold equity
interests.
Summary Consolidated Financial and Other
Data
The following tables set forth a summary of our
historical consolidated financial data as of and for the periods indicated. The summary consolidated statements of operations data for
the periods ended December 31, 2022, and December 31, 2021, have been derived from our audited consolidated financial statements and
related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. The summary consolidated statements of operations data for the periods ended
September 30, 2023, and September 30, 2022, have been derived from our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements
and related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our historical results are not necessarily indicative of the results
to be expected in the future. When you read this summary consolidated financial data, it is important that you read it together with
the historical consolidated financial statements and the related notes thereto included elsewhere in this prospectus, which qualify this
summary consolidated financial data in their entirety, as well as the sections of this prospectus titled “Selected Consolidated
Financial Data” and “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations.”
The summary financial data in this section are not intended to replace our audited consolidated financial statements and the related
notes, and are qualified in their entirety by such financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this prospectus.
(in thousands) Balance
Sheet Summary | |
September
30 2023 Unaudited | | |
December 31 2022 Audited | | |
December 31 2021 Audited | |
Current assets | |
$ | 15,226 | | |
$ | 4,505 | | |
$ | 7,948 | |
Other assets | |
| 21,557 | | |
| 9,005 | | |
| 7,053 | |
Total assets | |
$ | 36,783 | | |
$ | 13,510 | | |
$ | 15,001 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Current liabilities | |
$ | 15,103 | | |
$ | 8,138 | | |
$ | 11,999 | |
Long-term liabilities | |
| 13,752 | | |
| 5,575 | | |
| 10,576 | |
Total stockholders’ equity (deficit) | |
| 7,928 | | |
| (203 | ) | |
| (7,574 | ) |
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity (deficit) | |
$ | 36,783 | | |
$ | 13,510 | | |
$ | 15,001 | |
(in thousands) Statement
of Operations Summary | |
For the nine months ended September
30 | |
| |
2023 Unaudited | | |
2022 Unaudited | |
Revenues | |
$ | 120,210 | | |
$ | 53,750 | |
Cost of revenues | |
| 103,833 | | |
| 46,794 | |
Gross profit | |
| 16,377 | | |
| 6,956 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Operating expenses | |
| 4,038 | | |
| 5,819 | |
Income from operations | |
| 12,339 | | |
| 1,137 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Interest expense | |
| 330 | | |
| 526 | |
Fees on virtual vault services | |
| 543 | | |
| 67 | |
Other expense | |
| 134 | | |
| 178 | |
Income before taxes | |
| 11,332 | | |
| 366 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Income tax expense | |
| 3,141 | | |
| 1,977 | |
Net income (loss) | |
$ | 8,191 | | |
$ | (1,611 | ) |
(in thousands) Statement
of Operations Summary | |
For the twelve months ended
December 31 | |
| |
2022 Audited | | |
2021 Audited | |
Revenues | |
$ | 73,686 | | |
$ | 81,747 | |
Cost of revenues | |
| 59,643 | | |
| 76,178 | |
Gross profit | |
| 14,043 | | |
| 5,569 | |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Operating expenses | |
| 7,184 | | |
| 6,774 | |
Income (loss) from operations | |
| 6,859 | | |
| (1,205 | ) |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Fair value adjustment on crypto asset borrowing derivatives | |
| – | | |
| 515 | |
Interest expense | |
| 668 | | |
| 661 | |
Fees on borrowings | |
| 113 | | |
| 341 | |
Other expense | |
| 169 | | |
| 39 | |
Income (loss) before taxes | |
| 5,909 | | |
| (2,761 | ) |
| |
| | | |
| | |
Income tax expense | |
| 1,770 | | |
| 883 | |
Net income (loss) | |
$ | 4,139 | | |
$ | (3,644 | ) |
Key Business Metrics and Non-GAAP Financial Measure
In addition to our financial
results, we use the following business metrics to evaluate our business, measure our performance, identify trends affecting our business,
and make strategic decisions. To evaluate our operating performance, and for internal planning and forecasting purposes, we also use
EBITDA, a non-GAAP financial measure. For additional information regarding these measures, see the section titled “Selected Consolidated
Financial and Other Data—Key Business Metrics and Non-GAAP Financial Measure.”
(in thousands) | |
Nine
Months Ended
September 30 2023 Unaudited | | |
Twelve Months Ended December 31
2022 Audited | | |
Twelve Months Ended December 31
2021 Audited | |
Number of Athena bitcoin ATMs end of period | |
| 1,422 | | |
| 430 | | |
| 385 | |
Number of bitcoin ATM transactions | |
| 59,134 | | |
| 42,731 | | |
| 87,818 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Net income (loss) | |
$ | 8,191 | | |
$ | 4,139 | | |
($ | 3,644 | ) |
EBITDA | |
$ | 13,761 | | |
$ | 8,349 | | |
($ | 1,177 | ) |
The Offering
Common Stock offered by Selling Shareholders |
|
444,583,937
shares of common stock which include: (i) 409,933,937 shares of common stock that were issued by us to the Selling Shareholders in
the share exchange transaction or were purchased by the Selling Shareholders in private transactions, and (ii) up to 34,650,000
shares of common stock issued upon conversion of our outstanding 6% Convertible Debentures Due 2023 (the “Convertible
Debentures”) which were issued in connection with a private placement financing in 2021. We are registering the resale of the
shares of common stock underlying the principal amount of the Convertible Debentures, as required by the Securities Purchase Agreement
that we entered into with the Selling Shareholders as of June 22, 2021, which provided said Selling Shareholders with certain registration
rights with respect to the common stock issuable upon conversion of the principal amount of the Convertible Debentures (the “Purchase
Agreement”). |
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Common Stock outstanding before the offering |
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4,094,459,545 shares of common stock |
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Exchange Symbol |
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ABIT |
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CUSIP |
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046839106 |
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Terms of the Offering |
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Until our shares are quoted on the over-the-counter bulletin board
("OTCBB"), or the OTCQX, or the OTCQB or listed on any national securities exchange or automated interdealer quotation
system, the prices at which the selling shareholders may sell their shares is $[●], which was determined by the average of
the high and low prices as reported on the OTC Pink Tier of the OTC Markets on [●], 2024. The Selling Shareholders have
not engaged any underwriter regarding the sale of their shares of common stock. If our common stock becomes quoted on the over-the-counter
bulletin board ("OTCBB"), or the OTCQX, or the OTCQB or listed on any national securities exchange or automated interdealer
quotation system, then the sale price to the public will vary according to prevailing market prices or privately negotiated prices
by the Selling Shareholders. |
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Termination of the Offering |
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The offering will conclude upon the earliest of (i) such time as all
the common stock has been sold pursuant to the registration statement or (ii) such time as all the common stock becomes eligible
for resale without volume limitations pursuant to Rule 144 under the Securities Act (iii) or we decide at any time to terminate the
registration of the shares at our sole discretion. |
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Trading Market |
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Our common stock is currently quoted on the OTC Pink Market operated
by OTC Markets Group, Inc. There is an uneven and limited trading market for our securities. We intend to apply for quotation on
the OTCQB once we become a fully reporting company with the SEC. |
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Use of proceeds |
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We are not selling any shares of the common stock covered by this prospectus.
As such, we will not receive any of the offering proceeds from the registration of the shares of common stock covered by this prospectus. |
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Expenses |
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We will pay all expenses associated with this registration statement. |
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Risk Factors |
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The shares offered hereby involve a high degree of risk
and should not be purchased by investors who cannot afford the loss of their entire investment. See “Risk
Factors” beginning on page 15. |
The number of shares of common stock to be
outstanding immediately after this offering is based on 4,094,459,545 shares of common stock outstanding as of September 30,
2023, and excludes 250,000,000 shares of common stock issuable upon conversion of 8% Convertible
Debenture Due 2025 issued to KGPLA Holdings, LLC.
Risk Factors
Investing in the Shares involves a high degree
of risk. You should carefully consider the risks and uncertainties described below, together with all of the other information in this
prospectus, before deciding to invest in the Shares. If any of the risks occur, our business, results of operations, financial condition,
and prospects could be harmed. In that event, the trading price of the Shares could decline, and you could lose part or all your investment.
Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial also may impair our business operations.
The Most Material Risks Related to Our Business
and Financial Position
Our total revenue is substantially dependent
on the volume of transactions conducted by our customers. If such volume declines, our business, operating results, and financial position
would be adversely affected.
We generate substantially all our revenue from
the sale of crypto assets to our customers, either using our Bitcoin ATMs or over the phone. Revenue is based on the prices that we charge
our customers based on prevailing market prices. This revenue may fluctuate based on the price of crypto assets. As such, any declines
in the volume of transactions, the price of crypto assets, or market liquidity for crypto assets generally may result in lower total
revenue to us.
The price of crypto assets and associated demand
for buying, selling, and trading crypto assets have historically been subject to significant volatility. The price and trading volume
of any crypto asset is subject to significant uncertainty and volatility, depending on several factors, including:
| · | market
conditions across all elements of the crypto-economy; |
| | |
| · | Our
business is in a relatively new consumer product segment, which is difficult to forecast.
|
| | |
| · | Our operating
results may fluctuate due to the highly volatile nature of crypto. |
| | |
| · | changes
in liquidity, market-making volume, and trading activities; |
| | |
| · | trading
activities on other crypto platforms worldwide, many of which may be unregulated, and may
include manipulative activities; |
| | |
| · | investment
and trading activities of highly active retail and institutional users, speculators, miners,
and investors; |
| | |
| · | the
speed and rate at which crypto assets and specifically Bitcoin can gain adoption as a medium
of exchange, utility, store of value, consumptive asset, security instrument, or other financial
assets worldwide, if at all; |
| | |
| · | decreased
user and investor confidence in crypto assets and associated exchanges and service providers; |
| | |
| · | negative
publicity and events relating to Bitcoin, blockchain technology, or the digital currency
economy as a whole; |
| | |
| · | unpredictable
social media coverage or “trending” of Bitcoin or other crypto assets; |
| | |
| · | the
ability for crypto assets to meet user and investor demands; |
| | |
| · | consumer
preferences and perceived utility and value of crypto assets and associated markets; |
| | |
| · | increased
competition from other payment services or other crypto assets that exhibit better speed,
security, scalability, or other characteristics; |
| | |
| · | regulatory
or legislative changes and updates affecting the use, storage, ownership, exchange, or any
other aspect of the crypto-economy; |
| | |
| · | the
characterization of crypto assets under the laws of various jurisdictions around the world; |
| · | the
maintenance, troubleshooting, and development of the blockchain networks underlying crypto
assets, including by miners, validators, and developers worldwide; |
| | |
| · | the
ability for protocol networks to attract and retain miners or validators to secure and confirm
transactions accurately and efficiently; |
| | |
| · | ongoing
technological viability and security of protocols and their associated crypto assets, smart
contracts, applications, and networks, including vulnerabilities against hacks and scalability; |
| | |
| · | fees
and speed associated with processing blockchain transactions, including on the underlying
protocol networks and on exchanges and other platforms for trading; |
| | |
| · | financial
strength of wholesale market participants; |
| | |
| · | the
availability and cost of funding and capital; |
| | |
| · | the
liquidity of over-the-counter trading desks, market-makers, exchanges, and other wholesale
dealers of crypto assets; |
| | |
| · | interruptions
in service from or failures of major crypto asset exchanges and platforms; |
| | |
| · | availability
of banking and payment services to support crypto-related projects; |
| | |
| · | level
of interest rates and inflation in both G-10 economies and emerging markets; |
| | |
| · | monetary
policies of governments, trade restrictions, and fiat currency valuation changes; and |
| | |
| · | national
and international economic and political conditions. |
There is no assurance that any supported crypto
asset will maintain its value or that there will be meaningful levels of interest from customers. If the demand for purchasing or selling
crypto assets declines, our business, operating results, and financial condition would be adversely affected.
The prices of Bitcoin and other crypto assets
are volatile.
We generate substantially all our revenue from
the sale of crypto assets to our customers, either using our Bitcoin ATMs or over the phone. Revenue is based on the prices that we charge
our customers based on prevailing market prices. The price at which we are able to purchase crypto assets prior to selling those same
crypto assets may not be lower than the sale price if the market conditions change between those two points in time. Purchasing Bitcoin
or other crypto assets for prices higher than they can be later sold could result in an impairment of the asset value and our operating
results could be adversely affected. The value of the entirety of our crypto assets held could be lost if the prices of those crypto
assets were to significantly decrease, which would adversely affect our operating results. There are no assurances that the crypto assets
we hold will have value from one day to the next and we could suffer a loss if any of the prices of those crypto assets declines or is
permanently depressed.
As discussed in our financial statements included
in this prospectus, we account for our crypto assets as indefinite-lived intangible assets, which are subject to impairment losses if
the fair value of our crypto assets decreased below their carrying value. As of December 31, 2022, management’s estimate of the
effect on fair values due to a +/- 20% uniform change in the market prices of all crypto assets, with all other variables held constant,
was +/- $73.0 thousand (December 31, 2021: +/- 168.4 thousand). As of September 30, 2023, management’s estimate of the effect
on fair values due to a +/- 20% uniform change in the market prices of all crypto assets, with all other variables held constant was
+/- $60.6 thousand.
Our transaction volume may be partially
dependent on the prices of Bitcoin we sell, which can be volatile. If such prices decline, the volume of user transactions could decrease
and our business, operating results, and financial condition would be adversely affected.
We generate substantially all of our revenue
from the cash paid by customers to purchase Bitcoin from our ATMs. The number of user transactions and our transaction volumes may be
partially dependent on the prices of Bitcoin, as well as the associated demand for buying, selling and trading Bitcoin, which can be
and historically have been volatile. If such prices decline, the number of user transactions or our transaction volumes could decrease.
As such, any such declines, or any declines in the price of Bitcoin or market liquidity for cryptocurrency generally, may result in lower
total revenue to us. The price and trading volume of any cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, is subject to significant uncertainty and
volatility, depending on a number of factors, including:
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· |
market conditions of, and overall sentiment towards, cryptocurrency;
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· |
changes in liquidity, market-making volume, and trading activities;
|
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· |
trading activities in cryptocurrency, including on other cryptocurrency
platforms worldwide, many of which may be unregulated, and may include manipulative activities; |
|
· |
investment and trading activities of highly active retail and institutional
users, speculators, miners, and investors; |
|
· |
the speed and rate at which cryptocurrency is able to gain adoption
as a medium of exchange, utility, store of value, consumptive asset, security instrument, or other financial assets worldwide, if
at all; |
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· |
changes in user and investor confidence in cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency
platforms; |
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· |
negative publicity and events relating to the digital financial
system; |
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· |
unpredictable social media coverage or “trending” of,
or other rumors and market speculation regarding cryptocurrency; |
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· |
the ability for cryptocurrency to meet user and investor demands;
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· |
the functionality and utility of cryptocurrency and its associated
ecosystems and networks, including cryptocurrency designed for use in various applications; |
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· |
retail user preferences and perceived value of cryptocurrency and
cryptocurrency markets; |
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· |
increased competition from other payment services or cryptocurrency
for which we do not sell that exhibit better speed, security, scalability, or other characteristics; |
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· |
regulatory or legislative changes and updates affecting the digital
financial system; |
|
· |
the characterization of cryptocurrency under the laws of various
jurisdictions around the world; |
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· |
the adoption of unfavorable taxation policies on cryptocurrency
investments by governmental entities; |
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· |
the maintenance, troubleshooting, and development of the blockchain
networks underlying cryptocurrency, including by miners, validators, and the development community; |
|
· |
the ability for cryptocurrency networks to attract and retain miners
or validators to secure and confirm transactions accurately and efficiently; |
|
· |
legal and regulatory changes affecting the operations of miners
and validators of blockchain networks, including limitations and prohibitions on mining activities, or new legislative or regulatory
requirements as a result of growing environmental concerns around the use of energy in mining cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin,
and other proof-of-work mining activities; |
|
· |
ongoing technological viability and security of cryptocurrency and
its associated smart contracts, applications and networks, including vulnerabilities against hacks and scalability; |
|
· |
fees and speed associated with processing cryptocurrency transactions,
including on the underlying blockchain networks and on cryptocurrency platforms; |
|
· |
financial strength of market participants; |
|
· |
the availability and cost of funding and capital; |
|
· |
interruptions in service from or failures of major cryptocurrency
platforms; |
|
· |
availability of an active derivatives market for various cryptocurrencies;
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|
· |
availability of banking and payment services to support cryptocurrency-related
projects; |
|
· |
level of interest rates and inflation; |
|
· |
monetary policies of governments, trade restrictions, and fiat currency
devaluations; and |
|
· |
national, North American and international economic and political
conditions. |
There is no assurance that any given cryptocurrency
will maintain or increase in value or that there will be meaningful transaction volumes from our users. In the event that the price or
trading of, or demand for, cryptocurrency declines, our business, operating results, and financial condition would be adversely affected.
Bankruptcies of major crypto asset market
participants have impacted the broader crypto economy
The failure of several prominent crypto trading
venues and lending platforms, such as FTX, Celsius Networks and Voyager has impacted and may continue to impact the broader cryptoeconomy.
The full extent of these impacts may not yet be known. Impacts include, but are not limited to, the consequent and ongoing financial
distress and bankruptcy of certain crypto market participants, loss of confidence in the broader cryptoeconomy, reputational harm to
crypto asset platforms generally, increased negative publicity of the broader cryptoeconomy, heightened scrutiny by regulators and lawmakers
and calls for increased regulation of crypto assets and crypto asset platforms. We have had no material direct impact to our business,
financial condition, customers or counterparties from these bankruptcies; however, these bankruptcies did cause a change to crypto market
prices, crypto market volatility and customer sentiment, and each of these drivers do indirectly impact our business and our revenue
potential. We do not have any known material financial exposure to other cryptoeconomy participants that faced insolvency and liquidity
issues, experienced excessive redemptions or suspended redemptions or withdrawals of crypto assets, allegedly mishandled customer funds,
or experienced significant corporate compliance failures in connection with these bankruptcies.
Our business is in a new consumer product
segment, which is difficult to forecast.
Our industry segment is new and is constantly
evolving. As a result, there is a lack of available information with which to forecast industry trends or patterns. There is no assurance
that sustainable industry trends or preferences will develop that will lead to predictable growth or earnings forecasts for individual
companies or the industry segment. We are also unable to determine what impact future governmental regulation may have on trends and
preferences or patterns within our industry segment. See “Risk Factors Related to Current and
Future Regulations and other Law Enforcement Actions” for a discussion of the risks associated with governmental regulation.
The Company's auditors have issued a going
concern opinion that the Company may not be able to continue without generating sufficient cash to fund its operations.
Our auditors and management have concluded that
there is substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. The accompanying audited consolidated financial statements
do not include any adjustments relating to the recovery of the recorded assets or the classification of the liabilities that might be
necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern. Although the Company had generated net income of $4,139,000 for
the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company has an accumulated deficit of $11,576,000 and negative working capital of $3,633,000 as
of December 31, 2022. The Company needs to generate sufficient cash from operating activities to fund its ongoing operations and current
liabilities. There can be no assurances that we will be able to continue a level of revenues adequate to generate sufficient cash flow
from operations or obtain additional financing through private placements, public offerings and/or bank financing necessary to support
our working capital requirements. Additional equity financing is anticipated to take the form of one or more private placements to accredited
investors under exemptions from the registration requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 or a subsequent public offering. However,
there are no current agreements or understandings with regard to the form, time or amount of such financing and there is no assurance
that any of this financing can be obtained or that the Company can continue as a going concern. To the extent that funds generated from
any private placements, public offerings and/or bank financing are insufficient, we will have to raise additional working capital and
no assurance can be given that additional financing will be available, or if available, will be on acceptable terms. These conditions
raise substantial doubt about our ability to continue as a going concern. If adequate working capital is not available, we may be forced
to discontinue operations, which would cause investors to lose their entire investment.
We have a substantial level of indebtedness
that may have an adverse impact on us.
As
of September 30, 2023, our total indebtedness, excluding lease liabilities, was $8,020,000 including $4,000,000 senior secured revolving
credit note, $3,000,000 secured convertible debenture, $666,000 bank loan and $353,000 in outstanding 6% convertible debentures.
Our substantial level of indebtedness could have important consequences for us, including the following:
| · | requiring a substantial
portion of cash flow from operations to be dedicated to the payment of principal and interest
on our indebtedness, therefore reducing our ability to use our cash flow to fund our operations
and future business opportunities; |
| · | restricting us from
making strategic acquisitions or causing us to make non-strategic divestitures; |
| · | limiting our ability
to obtain additional equity or debt financing for general corporate purposes, acquisitions,
investments, capital expenditures or other strategic purposes; |
| · | limiting our ability
to adjust to changing business conditions and placing us at a competitive disadvantage to
our less highly leveraged competitors; and |
| · | making us more vulnerable
to general economic downturns and adverse developments in our business. |
The above factors could limit
our financial and operational flexibility and, as a result, could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition
and results of operations. Furthermore, if our debt obligations are not repaid or converted into equity (with respect to convertible
debentures) prior to their respective maturity dates, they will go into default which could cause you to lose a portion or all of your
investment.
Our senior secured revolving credit note and
senior secured loan agreement with our senior secured lender contain restrictions that may limit our flexibility in operating our business.
Our debt
obligations which include $4,000,000 senior secured credit note and $3,000,000 amended and restated secured convertible debenture are
secured by substantially all assets of the Company and contain various covenants that limit our ability to engage in specified types
of transactions. These covenants may limit our ability to, among other things:
| · | incur additional indebtedness; |
| · | pay dividends on,
repurchase or make distributions in respect of equity interests or make other restricted
payments; |
| · | make certain investments; |
| · | sell certain assets; |
| · | create liens on certain
assets to secure debt; |
| · | consolidate, merge,
sell or otherwise dispose of all or substantially all of our assets; |
| · | designate our subsidiaries
as unrestricted subsidiaries. |
The future development and growth of crypto
assets and protocols is subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to predict and evaluate. If the future does not develop and
grow as we expect, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely affected.
Blockchain technology was only introduced in
2008 and remains in the early stages of development. In addition, different protocols are designed for different purposes. Bitcoin, for
instance, was designed to serve as a peer-to-peer electronic cash system, while Ethereum was designed to be a smart contract and decentralized
application platform. Many other protocol networks—ranging from cloud computing to tokenized securities networks—have only
recently been established. The further growth and development of any crypto assets and their underlying networks and other cryptographic
and algorithmic protocols governing the creation, transfer, and usage of crypto assets represent a new and evolving paradigm that is
subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to evaluate, including:
| · | Many
protocol networks have limited operating histories, have not been validated in production,
and are still in the process of developing and making significant decisions that will affect
the design, supply, issuance, functionality, and governance of their respective tokens and
underlying blockchain networks, any of which could adversely affect their respective usefulness. |
| | |
| · | Many
networks are in the process of implementing software upgrades and other changes to their
protocols, which could introduce bugs, security risks, or adversely affect the respective
crypto networks. |
| | |
| · | Several
large networks, including Bitcoin and Ethereum, are developing new features to address fundamental
speed, scalability, and energy usage issues. If these issues are not successfully addressed,
or are unable to receive widespread adoption, it could adversely affect the underlying crypto
asset. |
| | |
| · | Security
issues, bugs, and software errors have been identified with many protocols and their underlying
blockchain networks, some of which have been exploited by malicious actors. There are also
inherent security weaknesses in some crypto assets and their networks and protocols, such
as when creators of certain crypto networks use procedures that could allow hackers to counterfeit
tokens. Any weaknesses identified with a protocol, token or blockchain could adversely affect
its price, security, liquidity, and adoption. If a malicious actor or botnet (a volunteer
or hacked collection of computers controlled by networked software coordinating the actions
of the computers) obtains a majority of the compute or staking power on a crypto network,
as has happened in the past, it may be able to manipulate transactions, which could cause
financial losses to holders, damage the network’s reputation and security, and adversely
affect its value. |
| · | The
development of new technology for mining, such as improved application-specific integrated
circuits (commonly referred to as ASICs), or changes in industry patterns, such as the consolidation
of mining power in a small number of large mining farms, could reduce the security of blockchain
networks, lead to increased liquid supply of the crypto asset token, and reduce its price
and attractiveness. |
| | |
| · | If
rewards and transaction fees for miners or validators on any protocol network are not sufficiently
high to attract and retain miners, a network’s security and speed may be adversely
affected, increasing the likelihood of a malicious attack. |
| | |
| · | The
governance of many decentralized blockchain networks is by voluntary consensus and open competition,
and many developers are not directly compensated for their contributions. As a result, there
may be a lack of consensus or clarity on the governance of any crypto network, a lack of
incentives for developers to maintain or develop the network, and other unforeseen issues,
any of which could result in unexpected or undesirable errors, bugs, or changes, or stymie
such network’s utility and ability to respond to challenges and grow. |
| | |
| · | Many
crypto networks are in the early stages of developing partnerships and collaborations, all
of which may not succeed and adversely affect the usability and adoption of the respective
crypto asset token. |
| | |
| · | Various
other technical issues have also been uncovered from time to time that resulted in disabled
functionalities, exposure of certain users’ personal information, theft of users’
assets, and other negative consequences, and which required resolution with the attention
and efforts of their global miner, user, and development communities. If any such risks or
other risks materialize, and if they are not resolved, the development and growth of crypto
assets, blockchain technology, or Bitcoin may be significantly affected and, as a result,
our business, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely affected. |
Loss of a banking relationship could adversely
impact our business, operating results, and financial condition.
Athena depends on having regular and normalized
access to a bank checking account for normal business purposes and also for taking deposits of the cash received from the ATM fleet.
As a money services business registered with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”) under the Bank Secrecy Act,
as amended by the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001, and its implementing regulations enforced by FinCEN, our banking partners view us as a higher
risk customer for purposes of their anti-money laundering programs. We may face difficulty establishing or maintaining banking relationships
due to our banking partners’ policies and some prior bank partners have terminated their relationship with Athena. The loss of
these banking partners or the imposition of operational restrictions by these banking partners and the inability for us to utilize other
redundant financial institutions may result in a disruption of business activity as well as regulatory risks. In addition, financial
institutions in the United States and globally may, because of the myriad of regulations or the perceived risks of crypto assets, decide
to not provide accounts, payments other financial services to us. Such events could negatively affect an investment in the Shares.
We may be unable to generate sufficient
cash to service all of our indebtedness and financial commitments.
Our ability to make scheduled payments on
or to refinance our indebtedness and financial commitments depends on our financial condition and operating performance, which are subject
to prevailing economic and competitive conditions including financial, business and other factors beyond our control. We may be unable
to generate sufficient cash flow to permit us to pay the principal, premium, if any, and interest on our indebtedness.
If our cash flows and capital resources are
insufficient to fund debt and other obligations, we may be forced to reduce or delay capital expenditures, sell assets, seek additional
capital or restructure our indebtedness. Our ability to restructure or refinance indebtedness will depend on the condition of the capital
markets and our financial condition at such time. Any refinancing of indebtedness could be at higher interest rates and may require us
to comply with more onerous covenants, which could further restrict our operations. The terms of existing or future debt instruments
may restrict us from adopting some of these alternatives. In addition, any failure to service our debt would likely result in a reduction
of our credit rating, which could harm our ability to incur additional indebtedness. If we face substantial liquidity problems, we might
be required to sell assets to meet debt and other obligations. Our debt restricts our ability to dispose of assets and dictates our use
of the proceeds from such disposition.
We may not be able to consummate dispositions,
and the proceeds of any such disposition may be inadequate to meet obligations. We may be unable to access adequate funding as a result
of a decrease in lender commitments due to an unwillingness or inability on the part of lending counterparties to meet their funding
obligations and the inability of other lenders to provide additional funding to cover a defaulting lender’s portion. As a result,
we may be unable to execute our plan of operations, make acquisitions or otherwise conduct operations, which would have a material adverse
effect on our financial condition and results of operations.
We might require additional capital to support business growth,
and this capital might not be available.
We have funded our operations since inception
primarily through debt and revenue generated by our operations. While we believe that our existing cash and cash equivalents and availability
under our debt financing agreements are sufficient to meet our working capital needs and planned capital expenditures, and to service
our debt, there is no guarantee that this will continue to be true in the future. We cannot be certain when or if our operations will
generate sufficient cash to fully fund our ongoing operations or the growth of our business. We intend to continue to make investments
in our business to respond to business opportunities and challenges, including developing new products and services, enhancing our operating
infrastructure, expanding our non-U.S. operations, and acquiring complementary businesses and technologies, all of which may require
us to secure additional funds. In the future, we may also require additional capital due to refinancing needs, regulatory surety bond
requirements, or unforeseen circumstances and may decide to engage in equity, equity-linked or debt financings, or enter into additional
debt financing agreements for any of the foregoing reasons. We may not be able to secure any such additional financing on terms favorable
to us, in a timely manner or at all.
The trading prices for our common stock may
be highly volatile, which may reduce our ability to access capital on favorable terms or at all. In addition, a slowdown or other sustained
adverse downturn in the general economic or digital asset markets could adversely affect our business and the value of our common stock.
Because our decision to raise capital in the future will depend on numerous considerations, including factors beyond our control, we
cannot predict or estimate the amount, timing, or nature of any future issuances of securities. As a result, our stockholders bear the
risk of future issuances of debt or equity securities reducing the value of the common stock and diluting their interests. Our inability
to obtain adequate financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us, when we require it, could significantly limit our ability to continue
supporting our business growth and responding to business challenges.
The Company may be forced to cease operations.
It is possible that, due to any number of reasons,
including, but not limited to, an unfavorable fluctuation in the value of cryptographic and fiat currencies, the inability by the Company,
whether in the United States or globally, to obtain clients, the failure of commercial relationships, the failure of development of the
necessary technical environment, the failure of government actors to provide needed regulatory clarity, the failure of technology development
by third parties, or intellectual property ownership challenges, the Company may no longer be viable to operate and the Company may dissolve,
either in whole or part, or take actions that result in a dissolution event. During the past six years there have been several rumors
that regulation specifically aimed at terminating the practice of selling crypto assets via kiosks, such as the Company’s fleet
of Bitcoin ATMs, would be forthcoming. While the regulations hypothesized by these rumors have never been enacted, it remains a risk
to the Company’s principal operations and could be detrimental to an investment in the Shares.
Other Risk Factors Related to Our Business
Operations and Financial Position
Currently, there is a small use of Bitcoin
in the retail and commercial marketplace in comparison to relatively large use by speculators, thus contributing to price volatility
that could adversely affect an investment in the Shares.
Bitcoin and the Bitcoin Network have only recently
become accepted as a means of payment for goods and services by certain major retail and commercial outlets, and the use of Bitcoin by
consumers to pay such retail and commercial outlets remains limited. Conversely, a significant portion of Bitcoin demand is generated
by speculators and investors seeking to profit from the short- or long-term holding of Bitcoin. A lack of expansion by Bitcoin or other
crypto assets into retail and commercial markets, or a contraction of such use, may result in decreased demand for the Company’s
services or increased demand for services the Company is not able to provide, either of which could adversely affect an investment in
the Shares.
The Company’s assets could be stolen
and would be difficult to recover due to the nature of cash and crypto assets.
It is possible that, due to any number of reasons,
including, but not limited to, a robbery by either a malicious external actor or an employee of the Company could adversely affect the
Company’s operations and assets. From time to time, the Company has been the victim of vandalism and targeted attacks on our ATMs,
which have resulted in loss of cash and equipment. The Company has also been the target of cyberattacks and has suffered security breaches
of its websites, email, cellphones, and other systems related to the operations of the business. On March 31, 2021, we suffered a security
breach which resulted in a loss of 29 bitcoin (approximately $1.7 million of market value as of March 31, 2021). We have initiated two
independent investigations of the attack with the assistance of law enforcement and outside counsel. See also Management
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations on page 40. Historically, stolen Bitcoin, crypto
assets of multiple types, and cash have been difficult to recover by law enforcement or other means due to their fundamental nature as
fungible instruments of value. At this time, we have no information if the stolen crypto assets can be recovered. The Company’s
losses may negatively affect an investment in the Company’s shares. The Company has not experienced a security breach since March
31, 2021.
Crypto assets and funds that the Company holds
on Bitcoin exchanges could be lost, stolen, or otherwise impaired.
From time to time and for customary reasons of
procuring crypto assets, the Company holds assets including dollar deposits, Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Litecoin, and BCH on crypto asset
exchanges. The Company carefully selects the platforms that it chooses to do business with, however this may not be sufficient to avoid
losses if those exchanges suffer losses or other impairments. In 2018, Quadriga filed for bankruptcy protection following the death of
its Chief Executive Officer and subsequent discovery of its insolvency. In addition, several other well-known and highly regarded exchanges
have suffered similar fates. For example, in February 2014, Mt. Gox, then the largest Bitcoin exchange worldwide, filed for bankruptcy
protection in Japan after an estimated 700,000 bitcoin were stolen from its wallets. In May 2019, Binance, one of the world’s largest
exchanges was hacked, resulting in losses of approximately $40 million. Neither of these incidents had any impact on the Company. Any
such losses by an exchange could have a negative impact on the financial position of the Company and adversely impact an investment in
the Shares.
The theft, loss, or destruction of private
keys required to access any Bitcoin may be irreversible. If we are unable to access our private keys or if we experience a hack or other
data loss relating to our ability to access any Bitcoin, it could cause regulatory scrutiny, reputational harm, and other losses.
Bitcoin is generally accessible only by the
possessor of the unique private key relating to the digital wallet in which the Bitcoin is held. While blockchain protocols typically
require public addresses to be published when used in a transaction, private keys must be safeguarded and kept private to prevent a third
party from accessing the Bitcoin held in the applicable wallet. To the extent that any of the private keys relating to our wallets containing
Bitcoin held for our own account or our users’ private keys relating to their un-hosted wallets is lost, destroyed, or otherwise
compromised or unavailable, and no backup of the private key is accessible, we or our users will be unable to access the Bitcoin held
in the related wallet. Further, we cannot provide assurance that our or our users’ wallets will not be hacked or otherwise compromised.
Cryptocurrency and blockchain technologies have been, and may in the future be, subject to security breaches, hacking, or other malicious
activities. Any loss of private keys relating to, or any hack or other compromise of, digital wallets used to store our users’
Bitcoin could adversely affect our users’ ability to access or sell their Bitcoin, as well as result in loss of user trust in us.
As such, any loss of private keys due to a hack, employee or service provider misconduct or error, or other compromise by third parties
could hurt our brand and reputation, result in significant losses, and adversely impact our business.
Any significant disruption in our ATMs
or software, information technology systems, or any of the blockchain networks related to our business, could result in a loss of users
or funds and adversely impact our brand and reputation and our business, operating results, and financial condition.
Our reputation and ability to attract and
retain users and grow our business depends on our ability to operate our products and services at high levels of reliability, scalability,
and performance, including the ability to process and monitor, on a daily basis, the transactions that occur across multiple systems.
Our ATMs and software, the ability of our users to transact in Bitcoin, and our ability to operate at a high level, are dependent on
our ability to access the blockchain networks underlying the supported Bitcoin, for which access is dependent on our systems’ ability
to access the internet. Further, the successful and continued operations of such blockchain networks will depend on a network of computers,
miners, or validators, and their continued operations, all of which may be impacted by service interruptions.
Our ATMs and certain cryptocurrency and blockchain
networks have experienced from time to time, and may experience in the future, service interruptions or degradation because of hardware
and software defects or malfunctions, distributed denial-of-service and other cyberattacks, insider threats, break-ins, sabotage, human
error, vandalism, earthquakes, hurricanes, floods, fires, and other natural disasters, power losses, disruptions in telecommunications
services, fraud, military or political conflicts, terrorist attacks, computer viruses or other malware, or other events. In addition,
extraordinary transactions or site usage could cause our kiosks to operate at an unacceptably slow speed or even fail.
If any of our ATMs are disrupted for any reason,
our products and services may fail, resulting in unanticipated disruptions, slower response times and delays in our users’ transaction
execution and processing, failed transactions, incomplete or inaccurate accounting, recording or processing of transactions, unauthorized
transactions, loss of user information, increased demand on limited user support resources, user claims, complaints with regulatory organizations,
lawsuits, or enforcement actions. A prolonged interruption in the availability or reduction in the availability, speed, or functionality
of our products and services could harm our business. Significant or persistent interruptions in our services could cause current or
potential users to believe that our ATMs or software are unreliable, leading them to switch to our competitors or to avoid or reduce
the use of our products and services, and could permanently harm our reputation and brands. Moreover, to the extent that any system failure
or similar event results in damages to our users, these users could seek significant compensation from us for their losses, and those
claims, even if unsuccessful, would likely be time-consuming and costly for us to address. Problems with the reliability or security
of our ATMs or software would harm our reputation, and damage to our reputation and the cost of resolving these problems could negatively
affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.
Because we are a regulated money services
business in certain jurisdictions, interruptions have resulted and in the future may result in regulatory scrutiny, and significant or
persistent interruptions could lead to significant fines and penalties, and mandatory and costly changes to our business practices, and
ultimately could cause us to lose existing licenses or banking and other relationships that we need to operate or prevent or delay us
from obtaining additional authorizations, registrations or licenses that may be required for our business.
In addition, we are continually improving
and upgrading our information systems and technologies. We also rely on technologies developed by others, and if we are unable to continue
to obtain licenses for such technologies or licenses to substitute for similar technologies, our business could be adversely impacted.
Implementation of new systems and technologies is complex, expensive, time-consuming, and may not be successful. If we fail to timely
and successfully implement new information systems and technologies, or improvements or upgrades to existing information systems and
technologies, or if such systems and technologies do not operate as intended, it could have an adverse impact on our business, internal
controls (including internal controls over financial reporting), operating results, and financial condition.
Our failure to safeguard and manage the
customer’s crypto assets could adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition.
The Company acts as a custodian for certain
customer’s crypto assets, which could include having access to and managing cryptographic private keys. The Company defines this
process as “safeguarding.” As of September 30, 2023, we were responsible for safeguarding $45 thousand in crypto assets,
all in the form of Bitcoin. Those Bitcoin are not insured or guaranteed by any government or government agency. Our ability to manage
and accurately safeguard these user assets requires a high level of internal controls, including use of authentication protocols, passwords
and multi-step approval processes. As our business continues to grow and we expand our product and service offerings, we must continue
to strengthen our associated internal controls. Our success and the success of our offerings requires significant public confidence in
our ability to properly manage security. The Company is not the legal owner of these crypto assets. However, because we safeguard cryptographic
key information such cryptographic key information may be considered to be the property of a bankruptcy estate, in the event of a bankruptcy,
the users may not be able to access their crypto assets. This may result in customers finding our services riskier and less attractive
and any failure to increase our customer base, discontinuation or reduction in use of our platform and products by existing customers
as a result could adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition. If we do not successfully manage the security
needs associated with safeguarding such crypto assets for users, this loss could cause a substantial business disruption of our operations,
adverse reputational impact, inability to compete with our competitors, regulatory scrutiny, and consequently, it could adversely impact
an investment in our shares of common stock.
Our lack of insurance protection for crypto
assets held by the Company could adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition.
The crypto assets held by us are not insured.
We also do not rely on insurance carriers to insure losses resulting from a breach of our physical security, cyber security, or by employee
or service provider theft since we do not carry crime and specie insurance. We only maintain a general liability insurance which does
not cover crypto assets or breaches described above. Therefore, we may suffer a loss which is not covered by insurance in damages. Such
a loss could cause a substantial business disruption of our operations, adverse reputational impact, inability to compete with our competitors,
regulatory scrutiny, and consequently, it could adversely impact an investment in our shares of common stock.
The Company operates in locations outside
of the United States and, as such, is subject additional risks with respect to enforcement of its contractual rights.
We currently operate and intend to grow our operations
in a number of jurisdictions outside of the United States. Laws and business practices that favor local competitors or prohibit or limit
foreign ownership of certain businesses, or our failure to adapt our practices, systems, processes, and business models effectively to
the traveler and supplier preferences (as well as the regulatory and tax landscapes) of each country into which we expand, could impede
our ability to enter into, negotiate or enforce contracts in those markets. In addition to the other risks described in this prospectus,
our company’s international operations would be subject to numerous other risks, including, but not limited to, weaker enforcement
of our company’s contractual rights, longer payment cycles, and difficulties in collecting accounts receivable.
The countries, we operate in, may or may not
have stable economies, stable banking sectors, or stable governments which may or may not permit us to repatriate profits, maintain ownership
of our business or its assets, or continue operations.
From time to time, certain governments have seized
foreign companies, their assets, and or their operations. It is possible for us to face significant losses if such an event occurs, either
specific to us or broadly across the entire country or industry in which we operate. We may, for example no longer be permitted to purchase
additional crypto assets, or operate our machines, or return capital or profits to our parent company in the United States. This may
result in a total and complete loss of our assets within that country as well as further costs to continue to pay our existing liabilities
within that country.
The countries we operate in may not have
stable governments or may face significant political, social, or civil unrest.
The countries where the Company operates, or
may choose to operate in the future, may face significant periods of political, military, social, or civil unrest. This may result in
the destruction of the Company’s property, the destruction of the Company’s other assets, or other harm to the Company and
its personnel, which may cause losses or for the Company to incur significant liabilities. Nationalization of certain industries has
occurred in some of the countries where Athena currently operates. The loss of access to those nationalized assets may adversely impact
an investment in the Shares.
Fluctuations in currency exchange rates
could harm our operating results and financial condition.
Revenue generated and expenses incurred from
our international operations are often denominated in the currencies of the local countries. Accordingly, changes in the value of foreign
currencies relative to the U.S. dollar can affect our revenue and operating results reflected in our U.S. dollar-denominated consolidated
financial statements. Our financial results are also subject to changes in exchange rates that impact the settlement of transactions
in non-local currencies. As a result, it could be more difficult to detect underlying trends in our business and operating results. To
the extent that fluctuations in currency exchange rates cause our operating results to differ from the expectations of investors, the
market price of the Shares could be adversely impacted. To date, we have not engaged in currency hedging activities to limit the risk
of exchange fluctuations. Even if we use derivative instruments to hedge exposure to fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates,
the use of such hedging activities may not offset any or more than a portion of the adverse financial effects of unfavorable movements
in foreign exchange rates over the limited time the hedges are in place and may introduce additional risks if we are unable to structure
effective hedges with such instruments.
If we fail to retain existing users
or add new users, or if our users decrease their level of engagement with our products and services, our business, operating results,
and financial condition may be significantly harmed.
Our success depends on our ability to retain
existing users and attract new users to increase engagement with our products and services. To do so, we must continue to offer leading
technologies and ensure that our products and services are secure, reliable, and engaging. We must also expand our products and services
and offer competitive transaction and other fees in an increasingly crowded and price-sensitive market. There is no assurance that we
will be able to continue to do so, that we will be able to retain our current users or attract new users, or keep our users engaged.
Any number of factors can negatively affect user retention, growth, and engagement, including if:
|
· |
we fail to increase awareness of our brand and successfully compete
with the offerings and prices other companies, or if our users otherwise increasingly engage with competing products and services,
including those that we are unable to offer due to regulatory reasons; |
|
· |
we fail to introduce new and improved products and services, or
if we introduce new products or services that are not favorably received; |
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· |
we fail to successfully identify and acquire or invest in businesses,
products or technologies that we believe could complement or expand our business; |
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· |
we fail to support new and in-demand cryptocurrencies or if we elect
to support cryptocurrencies with negative reputations; |
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· |
there are changes in sentiment about the quality or usefulness of
our products and services or concerns related to privacy, security, or other factors including, without limitation, changes in macro-level
user preference for using cash to purchase Bitcoin; |
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· |
there are adverse changes in our products and services that are
mandated by legislation, regulatory authorities, or litigation; |
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· |
we fail to maintain existing authorizations as well as obtain newly
required authorizations, registrations and licenses for our products; |
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· |
users perceiving Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies to be a bad
investment, or experiencing significant losses in Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies, may not desire to utilize our products and services;
|
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· |
technical or other problems prevent us from delivering our products
and services with the speed, functionality, security and reliability that our users expect, or if we fail to otherwise gain and maintain
the trust and confidence of our users; |
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· |
there are cybersecurity incidents, employee or service provider
misconduct or other unforeseen activities that cause losses to us or our users; |
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· |
there are modifications to our fee model, including as a result
of changes in or the adoption of any laws or regulations imposing restrictions or limitations on the markup at which we sell Bitcoin
to users or the separate flat transaction fee that we are able to charge our users, or modifications by competitors to their fee
models; |
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we fail to provide adequate customer service for our users and retail
partners; |
|
· |
regulatory and governmental bodies in countries that we target for
expansion express negative views towards cryptocurrency-related services and, more broadly, the digital financial system; or |
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we or other companies in our industry are the subject of adverse
media reports or other negative publicity. |
From time to time, certain of these factors
have negatively affected user retention, growth, and engagement to varying degrees. If we are unable to maintain or increase our user
base and user engagement, our revenue and financial results may be adversely affected. Any decrease in user retention, growth, or engagement
could render our products and services less attractive to users, which may have an adverse impact on our revenue, business, operating
results, and financial condition. If our user growth rate slows or declines, we will become increasingly dependent on our ability to
maintain or increase levels of user engagement and monetization in order to drive growth of revenue.
Adverse economic conditions may affect our
business.
Our performance is subject to general economic
conditions, and their impact on the digital currency markets and our customers. The United States and other international economies have
experienced cyclical downturns from time to time in which economic activity declined resulting in lower consumption rates, restricted
credit, reduced profitability, weaknesses in financial markets, bankruptcies, and overall uncertainty with respect to the economy. The
impact of general economic conditions on the Company is highly uncertain and dependent on a variety of factors, including global adoption
of cryptocurrencies, central bank monetary policies, and other events beyond our control. Geopolitical developments, such as trade wars
and foreign exchange limitations can also increase the severity and levels of unpredictability globally and increase the volatility of
global financial and digital currency markets. To the extent that conditions in the general economic and digital currency markets materially
deteriorate, our ability to attract and retain customers may suffer.
Due to unfamiliarity and some negative
publicity associated with cryptocurrency-related businesses, existing and potential users may lose confidence in cryptocurrency-related
products and services, which could negatively affect our business.
Cryptocurrency and related products and services
are relatively new. Many of our competitors are unlicensed, unregulated, operate without supervision by any governmental authorities,
and do not provide the public with significant information regarding their ownership structure, management team, corporate practices,
cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. As a result, users and the general public may lose confidence in cryptocurrency businesses,
including regulated businesses like ours.
Since the inception of the digital financial
system, numerous cryptocurrency businesses have been sued, investigated, or shut down due to fraud, manipulative practices, business
failure, and security breaches. In many of these instances, customers of these businesses were not compensated or made whole for their
losses. Larger businesses like us are more appealing targets for hackers and malware and may also be more likely to be targets of regulatory
enforcement actions. For example, in May 2019, Binance, one of the world’s largest platforms, was hacked, resulting in losses of
approximately $40 million, and in February 2021, Bitfinex settled a long-running legal dispute with the State of New York related to
Bitfinex’s alleged misuse of over $800 million of customer assets. Further, in the first half of 2022, major cryptocurrency lending
platforms declared bankruptcy, resulting in a loss of confidence in participants of the digital financial system and negative publicity
surrounding cryptocurrency more broadly.
If our estimates or judgment relating to our
critical accounting policies prove to be incorrect, our operating results could be adversely affected.
The preparation of financial statements in conformity
with generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”) requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect
the amounts reported in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes. We base our estimates on historical experience
and on various other assumptions that we believe to be reasonable under the circumstances, as provided in the section titled “Management’s
Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations-Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates.” The results
of these estimates form the basis for making judgments about the carrying values of assets, liabilities, and equity, and the amount of
revenue and expenses that are not readily apparent from other sources. Significant estimates and judgments involve the identification
of performance obligations in revenue recognition, evaluation of tax positions, and crypto assets we hold, among others. Our operating
results may be adversely affected if our assumptions change or if actual circumstances differ from those in our assumptions, which could
cause our operating results to fall below the expectations of analysts and investors, resulting in a decline in the trading price of
our common stock.
Risk Factors
Related to Our Operations in El Salvador
Expansion of business operations in El Salvador
may not produce the positive results as planned.
We have established significant operations in
El Salvador to support the country’s efforts to use Bitcoin as legal tender. However, there are many factors that could disrupt
the implementation of Bitcoin Law in El Salvador, and as a result, our operations in El Salvador. Any of such disruptions can have a
negative impact on the financial position of the Company. They could jeopardize our expansion plan and be detrimental to our business.
Those risks, as summarized below include:
· |
Exposure to Bitcoin volatility.
While Bitcoin can be used as a speculative asset to generate significant gains, it can also generate major losses. Bitcoin pricing
has fluctuated more than $46,000 per Bitcoin on December 31, 2021, to $16,500 on December 31, 2022 to $27,000 on September 30,
2023. Holding or transacting in such an unstable asset is particularly risky for people with low incomes, who can ill afford
to sustain price swings as large as 30% in a single day and may become victims of a significant collapse. If there was a significant
reduction in the fair value of Bitcoin, the reduction of value of Bitcoin held in the El Salvadoran national reserves could be a
destabilizing event for the country and could impact the existing Bitcoin Law. |
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· | Depletion of banking
assets. In today’s El Salvador, banks connect savers and borrowers. If most Salvadorans
start using Bitcoin, their savings will be stored in digital wallets away from potential
borrowers who would otherwise use it to fund projects. Massive adoption of Bitcoin would
likely drain banks of savings and raise the cost of borrowing for companies and individuals,
who will face higher interests. If that occurs, the economy of El Salvador and implementation
of the Bitcoin Law can be negatively affected. |
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· | Lack of transparency/money
laundering. Adopting Bitcoin as legal tender is not without certain challenges or risks
since Bitcoin’s practical implementation has yet to be defined by regulators. Internationally,
the cryptocurrency has been used for money laundering and to facilitate illegal activities.
The intergovernmental Financial Action Task Force (“FATF”) may increase monitoring
of El Salvadoran banks, businesses, and other financial institutions. The FATF is the international
“money laundering and terrorist financing watchdog.” It reviews countries’
anti-money laundering and counter-financing terrorism practices. If the FATF determines that
a country is exposed to financial crime, the flagged country is placed on either the list
of “Jurisdictions under Increased Monitoring,” known as the “grey list,”
or the list of “Jurisdictions subject to a Call for Action,” known as the “black
list.” When a country is placed on the grey list, it must cooperate with increased
FATF monitoring. When a country is placed on the black list, the FATF urges its 39 member
nations and over 200 affiliated nations to apply enhanced due diligence and impose countermeasures,
such as sanctions. From an FATF regulatory perspective, El Salvador has been in full compliance,
however, that may likely change after the Bitcoin Law has been fully implemented. For example,
the FATF mandates that the parties engaging in virtual-asset transactions provide complete
and sufficient know-your-customer information. It also requires that senders and recipients
of virtual assets obtain accurate knowledge and information about “the transaction,
the source of funds, and the relationship with the counterparty.” The chances of Bitcoin
transactions meeting such requirements are unlikely and El Salvador may be subject to sanctions. |
| |
· | Loss of central bank
reserves. El
Salvador currently carries a large debt burden (about 78% of GDP as of December 31, 2022)
and has a challenging amortization schedule. To navigate this difficult fiscal environment
during the pandemic, El Salvador has reached out to the International Monetary Fund (“IMF”)
for a $1.3 billion financing package. However, the IMF opposes the adoption of Bitcoin as
a legal tender. Thus, the funding program could be put in jeopardy at a time when El Salvador
is running out of financial alternatives. Furthermore, the IMF has warned against
adopting cryptocurrencies as legal tender, citing risks to macroeconomic stability, financial
integrity, consumer protection and the environment (creating Bitcoin consumes large amounts
of electricity). The World Bank turned down a request to help advise El Salvador on Bitcoin.
Moody’s rating agency has downgraded the country’s debt further from B3 to Caa3,
with its outlook stable. Those factors may negatively affect the economy of El Salvador and
disrupt the implementation of the Bitcoin Law. |
· |
Continued negative publicity in the media with respect
to Chivo S.A. de C.V, the Chivo Ecosystem, of Bitcoin ATMs in general, or of the Company’s services could have a material adverse
effect on our business. The government of El Salvador, through Chivo operates the Chivo digital wallet. The government purchased
software and related services from the Company and used this software from the launch of the Chivo digital wallet in September of
2021 until December of 2021. According to media reports, the Chivo company’s operation of the Chivo digital wallet is not subject
to public reporting or auditing by a banking regulator. Therefore, there is no way for an outside observer to know that the assets
held by Chivo S.A. de C.V. are sufficient to cover the liabilities (user balances) of the Chivo digital wallet. If there are negative
views presented in the news about the assets held by Chivo S.A. de C.V, or of the quality of its service offerings, or its lack of
transparency, or fraud, or identity theft connected with the usage of the Chivo digital wallet, or any reported problems related
to the Chivo digital wallet (either the version written by the Company or any subsequent version not using the Company’s Intellectual
Property), then the Company’s reputation could be damaged which may negatively affect an investment in the Shares. |
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Failure to maintain sufficient cash in Chivo branded
ATMs to meet demand could have a material adverse effect on our reputation. Chivo S.A. de C.V. also directs the Company as to
how much physical cash should be loaded into the Chivo ATMs in El Salvador for the purpose of ATM users retrieving U.S. dollar currency
in exchange for their Bitcoin or dollars held in the Chivo digital wallet. If for any reason, there is not sufficient physical cash
loaded into a Chivo ATM to meet the total demand for such cash, the ATM will be unable to initiate additional transactions to dispense
cash to a user and the user will see the machine as non-functional. This could create negative impression of the Chivo Ecosystem,
of Bitcoin ATMs in general, of the Company’s services, or the Company’s reputation and negatively affect an investment
in the Shares. |
|
|
· | Capital flight.
Bitcoin Law could facilitate a capital flight, especially during a crisis. Many emerging
markets control the flow of capital in and out of their countries to avoid a macroeconomic
crisis or to prevent one from worsening. However, Bitcoin can facilitate such a flight: Once
dollars are converted to Bitcoin, they can easily be sent to anyone in the world, without
any control or tracking. Such an event would have a negative effect on the economy of El
Salvador. |
| |
· | Environmental concerns
about Bitcoin mining. The system on which Bitcoin is currently based consumes large amounts
of electricity, making it particularly taxing for the environment. President Bukele believes
that the country’s cheap, clean, and renewable geothermal energy from volcanoes can
power Bitcoin mining rigs, thus reducing its carbon footprint. It is not clear at this time
if such a solution would solve the environmental concerns. |
Political and economic developments in El
Salvador may adversely affect Bitcoin Law.
El Salvador's Bitcoin Law has been greeted with
skepticism from both Salvadorans and international financial institutions. The population might not fully embrace Bitcoin. Requiring every
business to accept Bitcoin for goods and services without adequate access to technology may be a difficult obstacle to overcome and Bitcoin
Law can be changed if it remains unpopular under a successor administration. Any of these concerns could disrupt our operations in El
Salvador and have a negative impact on the financial position of the Company. Although several political leaders around the globe have
voiced support for the Bitcoin Law enacted by El Salvador, and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin are widely used and accepted as forms
of payment in many countries, only Paraguay, Venezuela, Anguilla and Ukraine have taken official steps to adopt Bitcoin as legal tender.
There is political discontent in El Salvador
with President Bukele's ouster of Supreme Court judges and the potential for the president to seek a second consecutive term. The presidential
period is five years in El Salvador. Consecutive re-election is not permitted, though previously elected presidents may run for a second,
non-consecutive term. Recently, El Salvador’s top court and its election authority have removed what seemed to be a constitutional
ban on consecutive presidential reelection, which has resulted in President Nayib Bukele seeking a second term in 2024. If there is a
change in El Salvador’s administration after 2024, it may negatively affect Bitcoin Law and our operations in El Salvador.
Our contracts with the El Salvador government
may be negatively impacted
We have entered into agreements with El Salvador's
Department of Treasury, pursuant to which we have installed and are operating 200 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs in El Salvador, 10 Chivo Bitcoin
ATMs at El Salvador consulates in the U.S., 45 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs in other U.S. locations (as of fiscal year end December 31, 2022),
importing and delivering 950 Chivo POS terminals for local businesses in El Salvador to transact with Bitcoin, and developing and maintaining
the software for the Chivo digital wallet. Each obligation comes with its own set of operational risks in addition to risks set forth
herein, including but not limited to the volatile nature of crypto assets, data breach and crypto hacks, fraud conducted by users of
the services offered by the government of El Salvador, changes in U.S. and foreign laws and regulations, talent acquisition and retention,
and general economic conditions. If we fail to fulfil our contractual obligations, our agreements may be terminated which may negatively
impact our financial standing and reputation. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, approximately 3% of our revenues are from
the El Salvador government through our white-label service. Our current agreements may also be modified or terminated by El Salvador’s
Department of Treasury for any reason including but not limited to regime change, additional competition, and loss of political support.
Any such unfavorable change in our business operations in El Salvador, including the termination of any contracts with the government
of El Salvador, would adversely affect our revenues and profitability, and could negatively affect an investment in our shares of common
stock. Only six white-label ATMs have been terminated by the El Salvador government through September 30, 2023
Risk Factors Related to the Bitcoin Network,
Wallets, Bitcoin, and Crypto Assets
Bitcoin, and most other crypto assets based
on public key cryptography, are controllable only by the possessor of both the unique public key and private key relating to the local
or online digital wallet in which the bitcoin are held.
While the Bitcoin Network, and similar blockchain
protocol networks, require a public key relating to a digital wallet to be published when used in a spending transaction, private keys
must be safeguarded and kept private in order to prevent a third party from accessing the bitcoin held in such wallet. To the extent
a private key is lost, destroyed, or otherwise compromised and no backup of the private key is accessible, Athena will be unable to access
the Bitcoin, or other digital currency, held in the related digital wallet. Any loss of private keys relating to digital wallets used
to store Athena’s Bitcoin, or other crypto assets, could adversely affect an investment in the Shares.
The future and development of the Bitcoin
Protocol and other blockchain technologies are subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to evaluate.
The further development and acceptance of the
Bitcoin Network and other cryptographic and algorithmic protocols governing the issuance of transactions in bitcoin and other crypto
asset, which represent a new and rapidly changing industry, are subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to evaluate. Athena
does not participate in the development of the Bitcoin Network and has little to no influence over the software developers who write
the code or the miners who run the Bitcoin Network. The slowing or stopping of the development or acceptance of the Bitcoin Network may
adversely affect an investment in the Shares.
The
further development and acceptance of cryptocurrency networks and other cryptocurrencies, which represent a new and rapidly changing
industry, are subject to a variety of factors that are difficult to predict and evaluate. The slowing or stopping of the development
or acceptance of digital asset systems may adversely affect an investment in us.
Cryptocurrency that may be used to buy and
sell goods and services, among other things, are a new and rapidly evolving industry which is subject to a high degree of uncertainty.
The factors affecting the further development of the digital asset industry, as well as the digital asset networks, include:
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continued worldwide growth in the adoption and
use of cryptocurrencies; |
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· |
governmental and quasi-governmental regulation
of cryptocurrencies and their use, or restrictions on or regulation of access to and operation of the digital asset network or similar
cryptocurrency systems; |
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the maintenance and development of the open-source
software protocol of cryptocurrency networks; |
|
· |
changes in consumer demographics and public tastes
and preferences; |
|
· |
the availability and popularity of other forms
or methods of buying and selling goods and services, including new means of using fiat currencies; |
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· |
general economic conditions and the regulatory
environment relating to cryptocurrency; and |
|
· |
the impact of regulators focusing on cryptocurrencies
and digital securities and the costs associated with such regulatory oversight. A decline in the popularity or acceptance of the
digital asset networks could adversely affect an investment in us. |
We are, or may in the future, be susceptible
to risks arising from disruptions in crypto asset markets. Such risks could potentially result in, among other things:
|
· |
the depreciation of investments held in us, including
the depreciation in the price of our publicly traded stock; |
|
· |
decreased user demand for our products and services; |
|
· |
financing risks to us, including relating to our
ability to obtain equity and debt financing; |
|
· |
increased losses or impairments of the crypto assets
held by us; |
|
· |
legal proceedings and government investigations
involving us or our affiliates or other third-parties with which we do business; or |
|
· |
indirect risks to our business due to any adverse
impact of recent or future crypto market disruptions on our users, suppliers or other counterparties. |
Additionally, although we are not directly
connected to recent crypto market events, we may still suffer reputational harm due to our association with the cryptocurrency industry
in light of the recent disruption in, or as a result of any future disruptions in, the crypto asset markets. Specifically, recent negative
publicity stemming from these market disruptions and speculation of potential future disruptions increases our risk of reputational harm
simply by association with the industry.
Further, any future market disruptions resulting
in overall decreased interest in Bitcoin could harm our business. The prevalence of cryptocurrency is a relatively recent trend, and
the long-term adoption of cryptocurrency by investors, consumers, and businesses remains uncertain.
The number of user transactions and our transaction
volumes is partially dependent on the price of Bitcoin, as well as the associated demand for buying, selling, and trading Bitcoin, which
can be and historically have been volatile. If such prices decline, the number of user transactions or our transaction volumes could
decrease. As such, any such declines, or any declines in the price of Bitcoin or market liquidity for cryptocurrency generally, may result
in lower total revenue to us due to an associated decrease in demand for our products and services. The price and trading volume of any
cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, is subject to significant uncertainty and volatility, depending on a number of factors, as discussed
elsewhere in this section under the subheading “Our transaction volume may be partially dependent on the prices of Bitcoin we sell,
which can be volatile. If such prices decline, the volume of user transactions could decrease and our business, operating results, and
financial condition would be adversely affected.”
Stable Coins may not have any intrinsic value.
Tether, USD Coin, Dai and TrueUSD are
examples of Stablecoins. Stablecoins are crypto assets designed to have a stable value over time as compared to typically volatile
crypto assets and are typically marketed as being pegged to a fiat currency, most commonly the U.S. dollar, at a rate of 1:1. Stable
coins make up an estimated 11% of the total market cap of crypto assets. The largest stable coin is Tether, which is the third
largest crypto asset by market cap at 83.3 billion USD per Coinmarketcap.com as of September 30, 2023. The Company sells
Tether as part of its Athena Plus services. Some have argued that some stable coins, particularly Tether, are improperly issued
without sufficient backing, and have also argued that those associated with certain stable coins may be involved in laundering
money. On February 17, 2021, the New York Attorney General entered an agreement with Tether’s operators, requiring them to
cease any further trading activity with New York persons and pay $18.5 million in penalties for false and misleading statements made
regarding the assets backing Tether. Terra (LUNA), another stable coin, collapsed in May 2022 due to issues with its algorithm,
resulting in the stable coin losing all value. This sent shockwaves through the crypto market, with the total market cap of crypto
assets decreasing by approximately 22% during May 2022. Volatility in stable coins, operational issues with stable coins (for
example, technical issues that prevent settlement), concerns about the sufficiency of any reserves that support stable coins, or
regulatory concerns about stable coin issuers or intermediaries, such as crypto asset spot markets, that support stable coins, could
have a significant impact on the global crypto market. This could reduce the market price of all of the crypto assets that the
Company utilizes in its operations, impact any individual’s willingness to purchase Tether from the Company and may adversely
affect the Company’s operating results and value of the Company’s Shares.
A temporary or permanent blockchain “fork”
to any supported crypto asset could adversely affect our business.
Blockchain protocols, including Bitcoin, Ethereum,
and Litecoin, are open source. Any user can download the software, modify it, and then propose that Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or other
blockchain protocols users and miners adopt the modification. When a modification is introduced and a substantial majority of users and
miners consent to the modification, the change is implemented and the Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or other blockchain protocol networks,
as applicable, remain uninterrupted. However, if less than a substantial majority of users and miners consent to the proposed modification,
and the modification is not compatible with the software prior to its modification, the consequence would be what is known as a “fork”
(i.e., “split”) of the impacted blockchain protocol network and respective blockchain, with one prong running the pre-modified
software and the other running the modified software. The effect of such a fork would be the existence of two parallel versions of the
Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or other blockchain protocol network, as applicable, running simultaneously, but with each split network’s
crypto asset lacking interchangeability.
Both Bitcoin and Ethereum protocols have been
subject to “forks” that resulted in the creation of new networks, including Bitcoin Cash ABC, Bitcoin Cash SV, Bitcoin Diamond,
Bitcoin Gold, Ethereum Classic, and others. Some of these forks have caused fragmentation among platforms as to the correct naming convention
for forked crypto assets. Due to the lack of a central registry or rulemaking body, no single entity can dictate the nomenclature of
forked crypto assets, causing disagreements and a lack of uniformity among platforms on the nomenclature of forked crypto assets, and
which results in further confusion to customers as to the nature of assets they hold on platforms. In addition, several of these forks
were contentious and as a result, participants in certain communities may harbor ill will towards other communities. As a result, certain
community members may take actions that adversely impact the use, adoption, and price of Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin, or any of their
forked alternatives.
Furthermore, hard forks can lead to new security
concerns. For instance, when the Ethereum and Ethereum Classic networks split in July 2016, replay attacks, in which transactions from
one network were rebroadcast on the other network to achieve “double-spending”, plagued platforms that traded Ethereum through
at least October 2016, resulting in significant losses to some crypto asset platforms. Similar replay attacks occurred in connection
with the Bitcoin Cash and Bitcoin Cash SV network split in November 2018. Another result of a hard fork is an inherent decrease in the
level of security due to the splitting of some mining power across networks, making it easier for a malicious actor to exceed 50% of
the mining power of that network, thereby making crypto assets that rely on proof-of-work more susceptible to attack, as has occurred
with Ethereum Classic.
Future forks may occur at any time. A fork can
lead to a disruption of networks and our information technology systems, cybersecurity attacks, replay attacks, or security weaknesses,
any of which can further lead to temporary or even permanent loss of our assets.
From time to time, we may encounter technical
issues in connection with the integration of supported crypto assets and changes and upgrades to their underlying networks, which could
adversely affect our business.
To support any crypto asset, a variety of front
and back-end technical and development work is required ensure proper operations including pricing, transfer, accounting, and other solutions
for our Bitcoin ATM fleet, and to integrate such supported crypto asset with our existing infrastructure. For certain crypto assets,
a significant amount of development work is required and there is no guarantee that we will be able to integrate successfully with any
existing or future crypto asset. In addition, such integration may introduce software errors or weaknesses into our platform, including
our existing infrastructure. Even if such integration is initially successful, any number of technical changes, software upgrades, soft
or hard forks, cybersecurity incidents, or other changes to the underlying blockchain network may occur from time to time, causing incompatibility,
technical issues, disruptions, or security weaknesses to our platform. If we are unable to identify, troubleshoot and resolve any such
issues successfully, we may no longer be able to support such crypto assets, our assets may be frozen or lost, the security of our crypto
asset wallets may be compromised, and technical infrastructure may be affected, all of which could adversely impact our business.
If miners or validators of any crypto asset
network demand high transaction fees, our operating results may be adversely affected.
We pay miner fees when transmitting crypto assets
including Bitcoin to customers upon completion of their purchase. In addition, we also pay miner fees when we move crypto assets for
various operational purposes, such as when we transfer Bitcoin between our regional wallets. However, miner fees can be unpredictable.
For instance, in 2017, Bitcoin miner fees increased from approximately $0.35 per transaction in January 2017 to over $50 per transaction
in December 2017. Even though Bitcoin’s miner fees have since decreased to $2 per transaction as of September 30, 2023,
if the demand for Bitcoin remains at current levels, we could experience high costs in excess of our historical performance. Although
we attempt to adjust our pricing to pass through these expenses to our customers, we have in the past incurred, and expect to incur from
time to time, losses associated with the payment of miner fees in excess of what we charge our customers, resulting in adverse impacts
on our operating results.
We are subject to an extensive and rapidly
evolving regulatory environment, and if a particular crypto asset we transact or transacted in is characterized as a “security”,
we may be subject to regulatory scrutiny, investigations, fines, and other penalties, which may adversely affect our business, operating
results, and financial condition.
The SEC and its staff have taken the position
that certain crypto assets fall within the definition of a “security” under the U.S. federal securities laws. The legal test
for determining whether any given crypto asset is a security is a highly complex, fact-driven analysis that evolves over time, and the
outcome is difficult to predict. The SEC generally does not provide advance guidance or confirmation on the status of any particular
crypto asset as a security. Furthermore, the SEC’s views in this area have evolved over time and it is difficult to predict the
direction or timing of any continuing evolution. It is also possible that a change in the governing administration or the appointment
of new SEC commissioners could substantially impact the views of the SEC and its staff. Public statements by senior officials at the
SEC indicate that the SEC does not intend to take the position that Bitcoin or Ether are securities (in their current form). Bitcoin
and Ethereum are the only crypto assets as to which senior officials at the SEC have publicly expressed such a view. Moreover, such statements
are not official policy statements by the SEC and reflect only the speakers’ views, which are not binding on the SEC or any other
agency or court and cannot be generalized to any other crypto asset. With respect to all other crypto assets, there is currently no certainty
under the applicable legal test that such assets are not securities, notwithstanding the conclusions we may draw based on our risk-based
assessment regarding the likelihood that a particular crypto asset could be deemed a “security” under applicable laws. Similarly,
though the SEC’s Strategic Hub for Innovation and Financial Technology published a framework for analyzing whether any given crypto
asset is a security in April 2019, this framework is also not a rule, regulation or statement of the SEC and is not binding on the SEC.
We
currently offer only Bitcoin for sale at all our ATM machines. We also operate Athena Plus for private clients and trade customers of
the Company. We predominantly buy and sell Bitcoin through our Athena Plus services, but we have also facilitated transactions in other
crypto assets. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we had 199, 1 and 19 Athena Plus transactions for Bitcoin, Ethereum and Tether,
respectively. For the year ended December 31, 2021, we had 258, 16, 7, 5 and 1 Athena Plus transactions for Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin,
Tether and Ankr, respectively. As of the date of this prospectus, and effective as of July 19, 2023, we do not transact, or make
offers to transact to with our customers, in any crypto assets except Bitcoin, and Ethereum, Tether, Litecoin, and BCH (Athena Plus only).
We will update this prospectus if we decide to transact in other crypto assets. Such a change would only happen if there were significant
customer demand for a specific crypto asset and that crypto asset was available to us through multiple trading partners, crypto asset
exchanges and crypto asset brokers.
The classification of a crypto asset as a security
under applicable law has wide-ranging implications for the regulatory obligations that flow from the offer, sale, trading, and clearing
of such assets. For example, a crypto asset that is a security in the United States may generally only be offered or sold in the United
States pursuant to a registration statement filed with the SEC or in an offering that qualifies for an exemption from registration. Persons
that effect transactions in crypto assets that are securities in the United States may be subject to registration with the SEC as a “broker”
or “dealer.” Platforms that bring together purchasers and sellers to trade crypto assets that are securities in the United
States are generally subject to registration as national securities exchanges, or must qualify for an exemption, such as by being operated
by a registered broker-dealer as an alternative trading system, or ATS, in compliance with rules for ATSs. Persons facilitating clearing
and settlement of securities may be subject to registration with the SEC as a clearing agency. If Bitcoin, Ether, Litecoin, and BCH or
any other crypto asset we transacted in the past as listed above, is deemed to be a security under any U.S. federal, state, or foreign
jurisdiction, or in a proceeding in a court of law or otherwise, it may have adverse consequences for such supported crypto asset (if
it is still being used in our transactions) or for our Company if it is determined that certain securities laws were violated and we
may be subject to regulatory scrutiny, investigation and penalties. Moreover, the networks on which such supported crypto assets are
utilized may be required to be regulated as securities intermediaries, and subject to applicable rules, which could effectively render
the network impracticable for its existing purposes. Further, it could draw negative publicity and a decline in the general acceptance
of the crypto asset. Also, it may make it difficult for such supported crypto asset to be traded, cleared, and custodied as compared
to other crypto asset that are not considered to be securities. Additionally, new laws, regulations, or interpretations may result in
litigation, regulatory investigations, and enforcement or other actions, including preventing or delaying us from offering certain products
or services, or could impact how we offer such products and services. Foreign jurisdictions may have similar regulations and licensing,
registration, and qualification requirements.
Any failure to obtain or maintain necessary money transmission
and virtual currency business activity registrations and licenses could adversely affect our operations.
In the United States, we have obtained licenses
to operate as a money transmitter, or the equivalent, in the states where we understand such licenses or equivalent are required to conduct
our business. We also currently operate in states where we do not believe we are required, or have been informed by the relevant jurisdiction
that we are not required, to obtain money transmitter licenses or any other required licenses. This belief is based on our analysis of
the applicable laws and regulations and/or our communications with the regulators in the relevant jurisdiction. We plan to apply for
money transmitter or virtual currency licenses or their equivalents in additional jurisdictions as needed. As we obtain additional licenses,
we may be required to bear substantial costs to comply with the requirements of the additional states or jurisdictions. If our licenses
are not renewed, we are denied licenses in additional states or jurisdictions where we choose to apply for a license, or jurisdictions
that have previously not required a license require a license in the future, we could be forced to seek a license or change our business
practices.
As a money services business and a money transmitter,
we are subject to a range of legal obligations and requirements including bonding, net worth maintenance, user notice and disclosure,
reporting, recordkeeping and cybersecurity requirements, and obligations that apply to the safeguarding of third-party funds and crypto
assets. In addition, the licensed entity within our corporate structure is subject to inspection and examination by the state licensing
agencies and certain actions involving that entity, such as changes in controlling equity holders, board members, and senior management,
may require regulatory approval. Further, if we were found by these regulators to be in violation of any applicable laws, rules, or regulations,
we could be subject to fines, penalties, lawsuits, and enforcement actions, additional compliance requirements, increased regulatory
scrutiny of our business, restriction of our operations, or damage to our reputation or brand. Regulatory requirements are constantly
evolving, and we cannot predict whether we will be able to meet changes to existing regulations or the introduction of new regulations
without such compliance harming our business, financial condition, and operating results.
Certain jurisdictions have enacted rules that
require money transmitters, money services businesses, or virtual currency businesses to establish and maintain transaction monitoring,
filtering, scanning and cybersecurity. programs. Wherever we are subject to these rules, we are required to adopt business practices
that require additional expenditures and impact our operating results.
Additionally, if federal, state, or international
regulators were to take actions that limit or prohibit us or our business partners from continuing to operate our business or their businesses
as currently operated, whether by imposing additional requirements, compliance obligations or sanctions, such actions could harm our
business. Any change to our business practices that makes our service less attractive to users or prohibits use of our services by residents
of a particular jurisdiction could decrease our transaction volume and harm our business.
Risk
Factors Related to Current and Future Regulations and Other Law Enforcement Actions
The regulations that govern our primary
business operations are in flux and could change in unpredictable ways that negatively affect our business operations, demand for our
services, or our financial position.
Current regulations acknowledge and allow for
companies to sell Bitcoin and other crypto assets in the United States and other countries where Athena operates. If regulations change
to disallow the sale of Bitcoin or other crypto assets such a change could have a negative impact on revenues and adversely affect an
investment in the Shares. Current regulations require Know Your Customer (“KYC”) information be collected as part of a Customer
Information Program (“CIP”).
The Company currently has an AML/BSA policy
and Procedures Manual to comply with FinCEN regulatory requirements regarding CIP and KYC. Athena employs a risk-based approach and a
tiered system using a number of systems and AML analysts as well as various compliance triggers associated with its software. For transactions
up to $2,000 per day (Tier 1) customers insert a phone number and Athena utilizes an onboarding tool which provides a name and address
associated with the phone number provided. If a customer wishes to purchase greater than $2,000 a day (Tier 2), Athena requires a driver's
license ID scan which captures name, birthdate, physical address, and ID number. A customer cannot proceed at this level without complying
with this step. If a customer wishes to use a passport, at this level, the customer can contact Athena to validate the passport. If a
customer purchases $3,000, the customer will also be required to submit their social security number. Athena has other compliance triggers
for similar information over the course of a customer’s spending as well as photos taken of the customer at each transaction. Athena
has defined procedures for enhanced due diligence procedures based on a risk-based approach. These procedures utilize investigative software
and customer question forms to obtain additional KYC and source of funds information. Athena also uses a sophisticated tool to ensure
that when the Company transmits bitcoin, it is not sent to a high risk or prohibited wallet. The tool will block any such transmissions.
Finally, Athena utilizes a variety of anti-fraud measures including various warnings and a pledge of ownership that the customer owns
and controls the submitted wallet.
If regulations change and require significantly more information to be collected from customers,
this change may have a negative impact on customer behavior and could adversely affect an investment in the Shares.
We are subject to an extensive and highly
evolving regulatory landscape and any adverse changes to, or our failure to comply with, any laws, rules, and regulations could adversely
affect our brand, reputation, business, operating results, and financial condition.
Our business is subject to extensive laws,
rules, regulations, policies, orders, determinations, directives, and legal and regulatory interpretations and guidance in the markets
in which we operate. The scope of laws, rules, and regulations that can impact our business is expansive and includes certain of the
requirements that apply to financial services, money transmission, privacy protection, cybersecurity, electronic payments, securities
and commodities regulation, data governance, data protection, fraud detection, marketing. civil rights (including the Americans with
Disabilities Act, which generally requires, among other things, that our employees be accessible to individuals with disabilities), competition,
bankruptcy, tax, anti-bribery, economic and trade sanctions, anti-money laundering, and counter-terrorist financing. These laws include
bespoke cryptocurrency and cryptocurrency laws that have been adopted in some jurisdictions that can impact cryptocurrency custody, exchange,
and transfer, cross-border and domestic crypto asset transmissions.
Many of these laws, rules and regulations
were adopted prior to the advent of the internet, mobile technologies, crypto assets and related technologies. As a result, some applicable
laws, rules and regulations do not contemplate or address unique issues associated with crypto assets or the digital financial system,
are subject to significant uncertainty, and vary widely across U.S. federal, state, and local and international jurisdictions. These
legal and regulatory regimes evolve frequently and may be modified, interpreted, and applied in an inconsistent manner from one jurisdiction
to another, and may conflict with one another. Moreover, the complexity and evolving nature of our business and the significant uncertainty
surrounding the regulation of cryptocurrencies and the digital financial system requires us to exercise our judgment as to whether certain
laws, rules, and regulations apply to us, and it is possible that governmental bodies and regulators may disagree with our conclusions.
To the extent we have not complied with such
laws, rules, and regulations, we could be subject to significant fines, revocation of authorizations, registrations or licenses, limitations
on our products and services, whistleblower complaints, reputational harm, and other regulatory consequences, each of which may be significant
and could adversely affect our business, operating results, and financial condition.
In addition to existing laws, rules and regulations,
various governmental and regulatory bodies, including legislative and executive bodies, in the U. S. and in other jurisdictions may adopt
new laws, rules, regulations and regulatory requirements. For example, we could become subject to laws, regulations or other regulatory
action imposing restrictions, disclosure requirements or limitations on the transaction fees that we are able to charge our users for
Bitcoin transactions, including the markup at which we sell Bitcoin to users and the separate flat transaction fee that we charge. As
a result, we may not be able to sell Bitcoin at a profitable margin, which would adversely affect our revenue and financial condition.
Furthermore, new interpretations of existing laws, rules, and regulations may be issued by such bodies or the judiciary, which may adversely
impact the development of the digital financial system as a whole and our legal and regulatory status in particular by changing how we
operate our business, how our products and services are regulated, and what products or services we and our competitors can offer, requiring
changes to our compliance and risk mitigation measures, imposing new registration or licensing requirements, or imposing a total ban
on certain Bitcoin transactions, as has occurred in certain jurisdictions in the past.
We are subject to ongoing supervision, examination, oversight,
and reviews and currently are, and expect in the future, to be subject to investigations and inquiries, by U.S. federal and state regulators,
and foreign financial service regulators. As a result of findings from these reviews and examinations, regulators have, are, and may
in the future require us to take certain actions, including amending, updating, or revising our compliance policies and procedures from
time to time, limiting the kinds of users that we provide services to, changing, terminating, or delaying our registrations or licenses
and the introduction of our existing or new product and services, and undertaking further external audits. From time to time, we may
receive examination reports citing violations of rules and regulations, inadequacies in existing compliance programs, and requiring us
to enhance certain practices with respect to our compliance program, including user due diligence, transaction monitoring, training,
and regulatory reporting and recordkeeping. Implementing appropriate measures to properly remediate these examination findings may require
us to incur significant costs, and if we fail to properly remediate any of these examination findings, we could face civil litigation,
significant fines, damage awards, forced removal of certain employees including members of our executive team, barring of certain employees
from participating in our business in whole or in part, revocation of existing authorizations, registrations or licenses, limitations
on existing and new products and services, reputational harm, negative impact to our existing relationships with regulators, exposure
to criminal liability, or other regulatory consequences. Further, we believe increasingly strict legal and regulatory requirements and
additional regulatory investigations and enforcement, any of which could occur or intensify, may continue to result in changes to our
business practices, as well as increased costs, and supervision and examination for ourselves and our service providers. Moreover, new
laws, rules, regulations, or interpretations may result in additional litigation, regulatory investigations, and enforcement or other
actions, including preventing or delaying us from offering certain products or services offered by our competitors or could impact how
we offer such products and services. Adverse changes to, or our failure to comply with, any laws, rules, and regulations have had, and
may continue to have, an adverse effect on our reputation and brand and our business, operating results, and financial condition.
It may become illegal to acquire, own, hold, sell, or use Bitcoin
or other cryptocurrencies, participate in blockchains or utilize cryptocurrencies in other countries, which would adversely affect us.
Although currently the use of crypto assets
generally is not restricted in most countries, countries such as China and Russia have taken harsh regulatory actions to curb the use
of cryptocurrencies and may continue to take regulatory actions in the future that could severely restrict the right to acquire, own,
hold, sell or use cryptocurrencies or to exchange them for fiat currency. In September 2021, China instituted a blanket ban on all cryptocurrency
transactions and mining, including services provided by overseas cryptocurrency exchanges in mainland China, effectively making all cryptocurrency-related
activities illegal in China. In other nations, including Russia, it is illegal to accept payment in cryptocurrency for consumer transactions,
and banking institutions are barred from accepting deposits of Bitcoin or other cryptocurrencies. In January 2022, the Central Bank of
Russia called for a ban on crypto asset activities ranging from mining to trading. While our operations are currently limited to the
U.S. and Latin America, such restrictions may adversely affect our growth potential or us if the restrictions limit the large-scale use
of cryptocurrency or if the use of cryptocurrency becomes confined to certain regions globally. Such circumstances could have a material
adverse effect on our business, prospects, operating results, and financial condition.
The digital financial system is continually
being developed. As a result, governments and policymakers are still considering what a regulatory regime for cryptocurrencies should
look like. If we are unable to effectively react to future proposed legislation and regulation of cryptocurrencies or cryptocurrency
businesses, our business, operating results, and financial condition could be adversely affected.
The digital financial system is continually
being developed and the new laws are being proposed and enacted. As a result, many policymakers are just beginning to consider what a
regulatory regime for cryptocurrency should look like and the elements that would serve as the foundation for such a regime. As cryptocurrency
has grown in both popularity and market size, various U.S. federal, state, and local and foreign governmental organizations, consumer
protection agencies, and public advocacy groups have been examining the operations of cryptocurrency networks, users and platforms, with
a focus on how cryptocurrencies can be used to launder the proceeds of illicit activities, fund criminal or terrorist enterprises, and
the safety and soundness of platforms and other service providers that hold cryptocurrencies for users. Many of these entities have called
for heightened regulatory oversight, and have proposed legislation and regulations, undertaken enforcement actions and/or issued consumer
advisories describing the risks posed by cryptocurrencies to users and investors. The impacts of such potential and proposed heightened
regulatory oversight are not yet known. For example, on November 20, 2023, the California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation
(“DFPI”) issued an invitation for comments on a potential rulemaking relating to two new California laws that will impose
sweeping obligations on companies engaged in virtual currency activities in California and with California residents. The first law,
Assembly Bill 39, prohibits people from engaging in digital financial asset business activity – or holding themselves out as being
able to engage in digital financial asset business activity – without meeting certain criteria and obtaining a license from the
DFPI, including compliance obligations and stablecoin approvals among other guidelines. The second, Senate Bill 401, imposes requirements
on operators of digital financial asset transaction kiosks. The DFPI refers to the two bills collectively as the Digital Financial Assets
Law (“DFAL”). The DFAL begins taking effect on January 1, 2024, with covered persons required to be licensed, or to have
submitted a license application and be awaiting approval or denial of that application, on or before July 1, 2025. For further discussion
of DFAL and its potential impact on the Company’s business operations, see page___ of this prospectus.
Competitors, including traditional financial
services, have spent years cultivating professional relationships with relevant policymakers on behalf of their industry so that those
policymakers may understand that industry, the current legal landscape affecting that industry, and the specific policy proposals that
could be implemented to responsibly develop that industry. The lobbyists working for these competitors have similarly spent years developing
and working to implement strategies to advance these industries. Members of the digital financial system have started to engage policymakers
directly and with the help of external advisors and lobbyists, but this work is still in a relatively nascent stage. As a result, new
laws, rules, and regulations may be proposed and adopted in the U.S. and internationally, or existing laws, rules, and regulations may
be interpreted in new ways, that harm the digital financial system or digital asset businesses, which could adversely impact our business.
Our obligations to comply with the laws,
rules, regulations, and policies of a variety of jurisdictions may increase and we may be subject to inquiries, investigations, and enforcement
actions by U.S. and non-U.S. regulators and governmental authorities, including those related to sanctions, export control, and anti-money
laundering.
If we expand our activities to other countries
we do not currently operate in, we may become obligated to comply with additional laws, rules, regulations, policies, and legal interpretations
of both the jurisdictions in which we operate and those into which we offer products and services on a cross-border basis. For instance,
financial regulators outside the U.S. have in recent months significantly increased their scrutiny of digital asset exchanges, such as
by requiring digital asset exchanges operating in their local jurisdictions to be regulated and licensed under local laws. Moreover,
laws regulating financial services, the internet, mobile technologies, cryptocurrencies, and related technologies outside of the U.S.
are evolving, extensive and could impose different, more specific, or even conflicting obligations on us, as well as broader liability.
In addition, we are required to comply with laws, rules, and regulations related to economic sanctions and export controls enforced by
U.S. Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, and U.S. anti-money laundering and counterterrorist financing laws,
rules, and regulations enforced by FinCEN and certain state financial services regulators. U.S. sanctions and export control laws and
regulations generally restrict dealings by persons subject to U.S. jurisdiction with certain jurisdictions that are the target of comprehensive
embargoes, currently the Crimea Region, the Donetsk People’s Republic of Ukraine, the Luhansk People’s Republic of Ukraine,
Cuba, Iran, North Korea, and Syria, as well as with persons, entities, and governments identified on certain prohibited party lists.
Moreover, as a result of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the U.S., the E.U., the United Kingdom, and other jurisdictions have imposed
wide-ranging sanctions on Russia and Belarus and persons and entities associated with Russia and Belarus. There can be no certainty regarding
whether such governments or other governments will impose additional sanctions, or other economic or military measures against Russia
or Belarus.
We have an Office of Foreign Assets Control
(“OFAC”) compliance program in place that includes monitoring of IP addresses to identify prohibited jurisdictions and of
blockchain addresses that have either been identified by OFAC as prohibited or that otherwise are believed by us to be associated with
prohibited persons or jurisdictions. Nonetheless, there can be no guarantee that our compliance program will prevent transactions with
particular persons or addresses or prevent every potential violation of OFAC sanctions, and our expansion into additional jurisdictions
may subject us to additional risks related to use of our services by sanctioned persons.
From time to time, we have submitted voluntary
disclosures to OFAC or responded to administrative subpoenas from OFAC. Certain of these voluntary self-disclosures are currently under
review by OFAC. To date, none of those proceedings has resulted in a monetary penalty or finding of violation. Any present or future
government inquiries relating to sanctions could result in negative consequences for us, including costs related to government investigations,
financial penalties, and harm to our reputation. The impact on us related to such matters could be substantial. Although we have implemented
controls and are working to implement additional controls and screening tools designed to prevent sanctions violations, there is no guarantee
that we will not inadvertently provide access to our products and services to sanctioned parties or jurisdictions in the future
Regulators worldwide frequently study each
other’s approaches to the regulation of the digital financial system. Consequently, developments in any jurisdiction may influence
other jurisdictions. New developments in one jurisdiction may be extended to additional services and other jurisdictions. As a result,
the risks created by any new law or regulation in one jurisdiction are magnified by the potential that they may be replicated, affecting
our business in another place or involving another service. Conversely, if regulations diverge worldwide, we may face difficulty adjusting
our products, services, and other aspects of our business with the same effect. The complexity of U.S. federal and state and international
regulatory and enforcement regimes could result in a single event prompting numerous overlapping investigations and legal and regulatory
proceedings by multiple government authorities across different jurisdictions. Any of the foregoing could, individually or in the aggregate,
harm our reputation, damage our brands and business, and adversely affect our operating results and financial condition. Due to the uncertain
application of existing laws, rules, and regulations, it may be that, despite our regulatory and legal analysis concluding that certain
products and services are currently unregulated, such products or services may indeed be subject to financial regulation, licensing,
or authorization obligations that we have not obtained or with which we have not complied. As a result, we are at a heightened risk of
enforcement action, litigation, regulatory, and legal scrutiny which could lead to sanctions, cease and desist orders, or other penalties
and censures which could significantly and adversely affect our continued operations and financial condition.
Complex and evolving U.S. and international
laws, rules and regulation regarding privacy and data protection could result in claims, changes to our business practices, penalties,
increased cost of operations, or otherwise harm our business.
We are subject to requirements relating to
data privacy and the collection, processing, storage, transfer, and use of data under U.S. federal, state and foreign laws. For example,
the FTC routinely investigates the privacy practices of companies and has commenced enforcement actions against many, resulting in multi-million
dollar settlements and multi-year agreements governing the settling companies’ privacy practices. The California Consumer Protection
Act, which became effective on January 1, 2020, imposes heightened data privacy requirements on companies that collect information from
California residents. If we are unable to meet any such requirements, we may be subject to significant fines or penalties. As the number
of jurisdictions enacting privacy and related laws increases and the scope of these laws and enforcement efforts expands, we will increasingly
become subject to new and varying requirements. Failure to comply with existing or future data privacy laws, rules, regulations and requirements,
including by reason of inadvertent disclosure of personal information, could result in significant adverse consequences, including reputational
harm, civil litigation, regulatory enforcement, costs of remediation, increased expenses for security systems and personnel, and harm
to our users. These consequences could materially adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
In addition, we make information
available to certain U.S. federal and state agencies, as well as certain foreign, government agencies in connection with regulatory
requirements to assist in the prevention of money laundering and terrorist financing and pursuant to legal obligations and
authorizations. In recent years, we have experienced increasing data sharing requests by these agencies, particularly in connection
with efforts to prevent terrorist financing or reduce the risk of identity theft. During the same period, there has also been
increased public attention to the corporate use and disclosure of personal information, accompanied by legislation and regulations
intended to strengthen data protection, information security, and consumer privacy. These regulatory goals may conflict, and the law
in these areas may not be consistent or settled. While we believe that we are compliant with our regulatory responsibilities, the
legal, political, and business environments in these areas are rapidly changing, and subsequent legislation, regulation, litigation,
court rulings or other events could expose us to increased program costs, liability and reputational damage that could have a
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
Future developments in tax laws or regulations
regarding the treatment and reporting of cryptocurrencies for U.S. and foreign tax purposes could adversely impact our tax expense and
liabilities, reporting obligations, liquidity, and business.
Due to the new and evolving nature of cryptocurrencies
and the absence of comprehensive legal and tax guidance with respect to digital asset products and transactions, many significant aspects
of the U.S. and foreign tax treatment of transactions involving cryptocurrencies, such as the purchase and sale of cryptocurrencies,
are uncertain, and it is unclear whether, when and what guidance may be issued in the future on the treatment of digital asset transactions
for U.S. and foreign income tax purposes. In 2014, the IRS released Notice 2014-21, discussing certain aspects of “virtual currency”
for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, in particular, stating that such virtual currency (i) is “property,” (ii) is not
“currency” for purposes of the rules relating to foreign currency gain or loss, and (iii) may be held as a capital asset.
In 2019, the IRS released Revenue Ruling 2019-24 and a set of “Frequently Asked Questions” (which have been periodically
updated), that provide additional guidance, including guidance to the effect that, under certain circumstances, hard forks of digital
currencies are taxable events giving rise to ordinary income and guidance with respect to the determination of the tax basis of virtual
currency. However, this guidance does not address other significant aspects of the U.S. federal income tax treatment of cryptocurrencies
and related transactions.
There continues to be uncertainty with respect
to the timing, character and amount of income inclusions for various digital asset transactions. Although we believe our treatment of
digital asset transactions for federal income tax purposes is consistent with existing guidance provided by the IRS and existing U.S.
federal income tax principles, because of the rapidly evolving nature of digital asset innovations and the increasing variety and complexity
of digital asset transactions and products, it is possible the IRS and various U.S. states may disagree with our treatment of certain
digital asset transactions for U.S. tax purposes, which could adversely affect our users and our business. Similar uncertainties exist
in the foreign markets in which we operate, affecting our non-U.S. user base, and these uncertainties and potential adverse interpretations
of tax law could affect our non-U.S. users and the vitality of our platforms outside of the U.S. There can be no assurance that the IRS,
the U.S. state revenue agencies or other foreign tax authorities, will not alter their respective positions with respect to cryptocurrencies
in the future or that a court would uphold the treatment set forth in existing guidance. It also is unclear what additional guidance
may be issued in the future on the treatment of existing digital asset transactions and future digital asset innovations for purposes
of U.S. tax or other foreign tax regulations. Any such alteration of existing IRS, U.S. state and foreign tax authority positions or
additional guidance regarding digital asset products and transactions could result in adverse tax consequences for holders of cryptocurrencies
and could have an adverse effect on the value of cryptocurrencies and the broader cryptocurrency markets. Future technological and operational
developments that may arise with respect to cryptocurrencies may increase the uncertainty with respect to the treatment of cryptocurrency
for U.S. and foreign tax purposes. The uncertainty regarding tax treatment of digital asset transactions impacts our users, and could
adversely impact our business, including if the volume of cryptocurrency transactions decreases due to adverse tax effect.
Sanctions could cause us to cease operations
in foreign countries or dealings with foreign citizens.
Sanctions, such as those promulgated by the U.S.
Department of Treasury, could be brought against countries where the Company operates, or against citizens of certain countries regardless
of where they reside. Ceasing operations in such a country would have a negative impact on revenues and the Company may also incur extraordinary
costs which may adversely impact an investment in the Shares.
Heightened scrutiny by regulators could
be detrimental to the operations of the Company or its brand image.
Our existing operations and any future operations
or investments may become the subject of heightened scrutiny by regulators, stock exchanges and other authorities in the United States
or globally. As a result, we may be subject to significant direct and indirect interaction with public officials. There can be no assurance
that this heightened scrutiny will not in turn lead to the imposition of certain restrictions on our ability to operate or invest in
the United States or any other jurisdiction, in addition to those described herein. Further any negative connotations directed at the
Company by such public officials could be detrimental to the Company’s brand image and adversely impact an investment in the Shares.
We or our assets may become subject to federal
and state asset forfeiture laws which could negatively impact our business operations or financial position.
Violations of any federal laws and regulations
could result in significant fines, penalties, administrative sanctions, convictions, or settlements arising from civil proceedings conducted
by either the federal government or private citizens, or criminal charges, including, but not limited to, seizure of assets, disgorgement
of profits, cessation of business activities or divestiture.
As an entity that conducts business in cash (physical
currency), we are potentially subject to federal and state forfeiture laws (criminal and civil) that permit the government to seize the
proceeds of suspected criminal activity. Civil forfeiture laws could provide an alternative for the federal government or any state (or
local police force) that wants to discourage residents from conducting transactions with crypto asset related businesses. Also, an individual
can be required to forfeit property suspected to be the proceeds of a crime even if the individual is not charged or convicted of a crime.
Many law enforcement agencies consider large amounts of cash to be suspicious of criminal activity and have been known to seize such
property when discovered. Any seizure or forfeiture of the Company’s assets, even if only temporary, could disrupt its normal operations
or financial position and negatively affect an investment in the Shares.
Regulators and payment processors have historically
taken actions relating to access to banking services, which could materially adversely affect our business.
Actions by the U.S. Department of Justice (the
“Justice Department”), the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, (“FDIC”), and certain state regulators beginning
in 2013, referred to as “Operation Choke Point,” appear to have been intended to discourage banks and payment processors
from providing access to banking for certain businesses that are considered high-risk. This heightened regulatory scrutiny by the Justice
Department, the FDIC and other regulators has caused various banks and payment processors to cease doing business with Bitcoin ATM companies
or companies who do business with Bitcoin ATM companies, without consideration of the actual risk to the banks or processors, simply
to avoid heightened federal and state regulatory scrutiny. The operation was officially ended in August 2017; however, future discouragement
by the Justice Department, the FDIC, or the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (“OCC”) could cause the Company, or
its service providers including locations where the Company places its fleet of Bitcoin ATMs, to have restricted access to the U.S. financial
system as provided by banks, payment providers, or other financial intermediaries, and that could have a negative impact on the Company’s
operations, its ability to perform its contractual obligations, or its financial position.
If the Company is unable to satisfy data
protection, security, privacy, and other government- and industry-specific requirements, its growth could be harmed.
There are several data protections, security,
privacy, and other government and industry-specific requirements, including those that require companies to notify individuals of data
security incidents involving certain types of personal data, enacted across various jurisdictions globally. In addition, our agreements
to deliver software may have requirements for the protection of user data. Security compromises or cyberattacks could harm the Company’s
reputation, erode market confidence in the effectiveness of its security measures and reliability of its endorsements, negatively impact
its ability to attract new clients, or cause clients to stop using the Company’s services.
The nature of our business requires the
application of complex financial accounting rules, and there is limited guidance from accounting standard setting bodies. If financial
accounting standards undergo significant changes, our operating results could be adversely affected.
The accounting rules and regulations that we
must comply with are complex and subject to interpretation by the Financial Accounting Standards Board (the “FASB”), the
SEC, and various bodies formed to promulgate and interpret appropriate accounting principles. In addition to the United States, the Company
operates in several Latin American countries that may or may not offer similar accounting treatments to some of the Company’s transactions.
This could have a significant effect on the ability of the Company to offer comparable results segmented by country in the future. A
change in these principles or interpretations could have a significant effect on our reported financial results and may even affect the
reporting of transactions completed before the announcement or effectiveness of a change. Recent actions and public comments from the
FASB and the SEC have focused on the integrity of financial reporting and internal controls. In addition, many companies’ accounting
policies are being subject to heightened scrutiny by regulators and the public. Further, there has been limited precedents for the financial
accounting of crypto assets and related valuation and revenue recognition, and no official guidance has been provided by the FASB or
the SEC. As such, there remains significant uncertainty on how companies can account for crypto asset transactions, crypto asset balances,
derivatives and liabilities denominated in crypto asset tokens, and related revenue and expense. Uncertainties in or changes to regulatory
or financial accounting standards could result in the need to change our accounting methods and restate our financial statements and
impair our ability to provide timely and accurate consolidated financial information, which could adversely affect our financial statements,
result in a loss of investor confidence, and more generally impact our business, operating results, and financial position.
Our products and services may be negatively
characterized by consumer advocacy groups, the media or certain federal, state and local government of officials, and if those negative
characterizations become increasingly accepted by current or potential new users and/or our retail partners, or result in restrictions
or limitations on the fees we charge to users, our reputation could be significantly impacted, which when coupled with required modifications
to our fee model could result in decreased demand for our products and services and a corresponding decrease in our transaction volume,
all of which could materially and adversely impact our business.
Certain media reports have asserted that
laws and regulations regarding cryptocurrencies and related transactions and activities should be broader and more restrictive. In
many cases, these media reports can focus on fees charged to users, which are often alleged to be higher than the fees typically
charged by banks or similar institutions, as well as marketing tactics, which are alleged to target socioeconomically vulnerable
communities. The fees and marketing strategies associated with our kiosks are from time to time characterized by consumer advocacy
groups and media reports as predatory or abusive without discussing the numerous benefits to users. If the negative characterization
of our marketing strategies and/or fee structure becomes increasingly accepted by current or potential new users of our ATMs demand
for our products and services could decrease, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and
financial condition.
If we are unable to effectively respond to
such characterizations, or if there are modifications to our fee model, including as a result of changes in or the adoption of any laws
or regulations imposing restrictions or limitations on the markup at which we sell Bitcoin to users, we may experience declines in user
loyalty and transactions, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Additionally, any actions by our competitors that are challenged by users, advocacy groups, the media or governmental agencies or entities
as being abusive or predatory, could result in our products and services being perceived as unlawful or inappropriate activities or business
practices, merely because we operate in the same general industries as such competitors. Such perception, whether or not accurate, could
have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
Litigation or investigations involving
us, our agents or other contractual counterparties could result in material settlements, fines or penalties and may adversely affect
our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We have been, and in the future may be,
subject to allegations and complaints that individuals or entities have used our products and services for fraud-induced money
transfers, as well as certain money laundering activities, which may result in fines, penalties, judgments, settlements and
litigation expenses. We also are the subject from time to time of litigation related to our business (see “Legal
Proceedings”, page 99). The outcome of such allegations, complaints, claims and litigation cannot be predicted.
Regulatory and judicial proceedings and potential
adverse developments in connection with ongoing litigation may adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
There may also be adverse publicity associated with lawsuits and investigations that could decrease third-party and consumer use and
acceptance of our products and services. Additionally, our business may be the subject of class action lawsuits including securities
litigation, regulatory actions and investigations and other general litigation. The outcome of class action lawsuits, including securities
litigation, regulatory actions and investigations and other litigation is difficult to assess or quantify but may include substantial
fines and expenses, as well as the revocation of required authorizations, registrations or licenses or the loss of approved status, which
could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position, and results of operations or users’ confidence in our
business. Plaintiffs or regulatory agencies in these lawsuits, actions or investigations may seek recovery of very large or indeterminate
amounts, and the magnitude of these actions may remain unknown for substantial periods of time. The cost to defend or settle future lawsuits
or investigations may be significant. In addition, improper activities, lawsuits or investigations involving third-parties may adversely
impact our business operations or reputation even if we are not directly involved.
Proposed new regulation or legislation
may impact our business operations and financial results.
The Proposed Rule on Gross Proceeds and Basis
Reporting by Brokers and Determination of Amount Realized and Basis for Digital Asset Transactions requires brokers, including digital
asset trading platforms, digital asset payment processors, and certain digital asset hosted wallets, to file information returns, and
furnish payee statements, on dispositions of digital assets effected for customers in certain sale or exchange transactions. The IRS
has received a significant amount of commentary on the Proposed Rule on Gross Proceeds and Basis Reporting by Brokers and Determination
of Amount Realized and Basis for Digital Asset Transactions. The comment period for this proposed rulemaking was extended, indicating
a high level of interest and engagement from the public. The Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association (SIFMA) provided comments
to the IRS on the proposed digital asset reporting regulations as has the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants (AICPA.) These
comments are part of the regulatory process, allowing stakeholders to provide feedback and raise concerns about proposed rules.
This feedback can influence the final form of the regulations. The impact of this act on our business will depend on the final form
of the regulations and how they are implemented.
The impact of these regulations on businesses
can be significant. Complying with federal regulations costs U.S. businesses over $46 billion a year. Regulations in the federal government
are estimated to cost the American economy up to $1.9 trillion annually in direct costs, lost productivity, and higher prices. Small
businesses with fewer than 50 employees spend nearly 20% more on taxes than the average firm.
These regulations, if enacted, could increase
compliance costs, create operational challenges, cause our general and administrative costs to increase and potentially impact the profitability
of our businesses. To comply with laws adopted by the United States government or other United States or foreign regulatory bodies, we
may be required to increase our expenditures and hire additional personnel and additional outside legal, accounting and advisory
services, all of which may cause our general and administrative and compliance costs to increase without an ability to pass through any
increased expenses through higher prices considering that other federal and state regulations may also place restrictions on volume,
margin and pricing.
The Company is diligently monitoring developments
related to these regulations, but the ultimate outcome and the specific requirements that may be imposed remain uncertain. The
uncertainty surrounding the interpretation and enforcement of these regulations may create additional challenges in our digital asset
transactions and reporting practices as the regulatory landscape evolves.
Risk Factors Related to Intellectual Property
Our intellectual property rights are valuable,
and any inability to protect them could adversely impact our business, operating results, and financial condition.
Our business depends in large part on our proprietary
technology and our brand. We rely on, and expect to continue to rely on, a combination of trademark, trade dress, domain name, copyright,
and trade secret and laws, as well as confidentiality and license agreements with our employees, contractors, consultants, and third
parties with whom we have relationships, to establish and protect our brand and other intellectual property rights. However, our efforts
to protect our intellectual property rights may not be sufficient or effective. Our proprietary technology and trade secrets could be
lost through misappropriation or breach of our confidentiality and license agreements, and any of our intellectual property rights may
be challenged, which could result in them being narrowed in scope or declared invalid or unenforceable. There can be no assurance that
our intellectual property rights will be sufficient to protect against others offering products, services, or technologies that are substantially
like ours and that compete with our business.
We may in the future be sued by third parties
for alleged infringement of their proprietary rights.
In recent years, there has been considerable
patent, copyright, trademark, domain name, trade secret and other intellectual property development activity in the crypto economy, as
well as litigation, based on allegations of infringement or other violations of intellectual property, including by large financial institutions.
Furthermore, individuals and groups (collectively “patent trolls”) can purchase patents and other intellectual property assets
for the purpose of making claims of infringement to extract settlements from companies like ours. Our use of third-party intellectual
property rights also may be subject to claims of infringement or misappropriation. We cannot guarantee that our internally developed
or acquired technologies and content do not or will not infringe the intellectual property rights of others. From time to time, our competitors
or other third parties may claim that we are infringing upon or misappropriating their intellectual property rights, and we may be found
to be infringing upon such rights. Any claims or litigation could cause us to incur significant expenses and, if successfully asserted
against us, could require that we pay substantial damages or ongoing royalty payments, prevent us from offering our products or services
or using certain technologies, force us to implement expensive workarounds, or impose other unfavorable terms. We expect that the occurrence
of infringement claims is likely to grow as the market grows and matures. Accordingly, our exposure to damages resulting from infringement
claims could increase and this could further exhaust our financial and management resources. Further, during any litigation, we may make
announcements regarding the results of hearings and motions, and other interim developments. If securities analysts and investors regard
these announcements as negative, the market price of our common stock may decline. Even if intellectual property claims do not result
in litigation or are resolved in our favor, these claims, and the time and resources necessary to resolve them, could divert the resources
of our management and require significant expenditures. Any of the foregoing could prevent us from competing effectively and could have
an adverse effect on our business, operating results, and financial condition and negatively affect an investment in the Shares.
Risk Factors Related to Our Employees and
Other Service Providers
Our management team has limited experience
managing a public company.
Our management team has limited experience managing
a publicly traded company, interacting with public company investors, and complying with the increasingly complex laws pertaining to
public companies. Our management team may not successfully or efficiently manage our transition to being a public company subject to
significant regulatory oversight and reporting obligations under the federal securities laws and the continuous scrutiny of securities
analysts, and investors. These new obligations and constituents will require significant attention from our senior management and could
divert their attention away from the day-to-day management of our business, which could adversely affect our business, operating results,
and financial position.
The loss of one or more of our key personnel,
or our failure to attract and retain other highly qualified personnel in the future, could adversely impact our business, operating results,
and financial position.
We operate in a new industry that is not widely
understood and requires highly skilled and technical personnel. We believe that our future success is highly dependent on the talents
and contributions of our senior management team, members of our executive team, and other key employees across operations, customer support,
finance, and compliance. Our future success depends on our ability to attract, develop, motivate, and retain highly qualified and skilled
employees. Due to the nascent nature of the crypto asset industry, in particular the Bitcoin ATM market, the pool of qualified talent
is extremely limited, particularly with respect to executive talent, engineering, cross-border operations, risk management, and financial
regulatory expertise. We face intense competition for qualified individuals from numerous software, finance and other technology companies.
To attract and retain key personnel, we incur significant costs, including salaries, benefits and equity incentives. Even so, these measures
may not be enough to attract and retain the personnel we require to operate our business effectively. The loss of even a few qualified
employees, or an inability to attract, retain and motivate additional highly skilled employees required for the planned expansion of
our business could adversely impact our operating results and impair our ability to grow.
We currently rely and are dependent on one
third-party service provider for certain aspects of our operations, and any interruptions in services provided by that third party may
impair our ability to support our customers.
We rely on and are dependent on Genesis Coin,
Inc., an unrelated third party, in connection with many aspects of our business operations. They manufacture the majority of our Bitcoin
ATMs and are responsible for the development of related software systems that provide advanced security protections, which are critical
to our operations. Although we use other suppliers of Bitcoin ATMs, primarily outside the U.S., our main income is generated by the ATMs
that we purchase from Genesis Coin. Because we rely heavily on one third party to provide these services and to facilitate certain of
our business activities, we face increased operational risks. We do not control the operation of that third party. That third party may
be subject to financial, legal, regulatory, and labor issues, cybersecurity incidents, break-ins, computer viruses, denial-of-service
attacks, sabotage, acts of vandalism, privacy breaches, service terminations, disruptions, interruptions, and other misconduct. They
may also be vulnerable to damage or interruption from human error, power loss, telecommunications failures, fires, floods, earthquakes,
hurricanes, tornadoes, pandemics (including the COVID-19 pandemic) and similar events. In addition, we do not have a written contract
with that third party and our relationship is based on oral agreement and previous working relationship. That third party may breach
such oral agreement with us, refuse to continue to provide their services to us, take actions that degrade the functionality of our services,
impose additional costs or requirements on us, or give preferential treatment to competitors. There can be no assurance that such third
party that provides services to us will continue to do so on acceptable terms, or at all. If such a third party does not adequately or
appropriately provide its services or perform its responsibilities to us, we may be unable to procure alternatives in a timely and efficient
manner and on acceptable terms, or at all, and we may be subject to business disruptions, losses or costs to remediate any of the deficiencies,
customer dissatisfaction, reputational damage, legal or regulatory proceedings, or other adverse consequences which could harm our business.
In the event of employee or service provider
misconduct or error, our business may be adversely impacted.
Employee or service provider misconduct or error
could subject us to legal liability, financial losses, and regulatory sanctions and could seriously harm our reputation and negatively
affect our business. Such misconduct could include engaging in improper or unauthorized transactions or activities, misappropriation of
funds, identity theft, misappropriation of information, failing to supervise other employees or service providers, and improperly using
confidential information. Employee or service provider errors, including mistakes in executing, recording, or processing transactions
for customers, could expose us to the risk of material losses even if the errors are detected. Although we have implemented processes
and procedures and provide training to our employees and service providers to reduce the likelihood of misconduct and error, these efforts
may not be successful. Moreover, the risk of employee or service provider error or misconduct may be even greater for novel products and
services. It is not always possible to deter misconduct, and the precautions we take to prevent and detect such activities may not be
effective in all cases. If we were found to have not met our regulatory oversight, compliance and other obligations, we could be subject
to regulatory sanctions, financial penalties, and restrictions on our activities for failure to properly identify, monitor and respond
to potentially problematic activity and seriously damage our reputation. Our employees, contractors, and agents could also commit errors
that subject us to financial claims for negligence, as well as regulatory actions, or result in financial liability. Further, allegations
by regulatory or criminal authorities of improper trading activities could affect our brand and reputation.
Our officers, directors, employees, and
large shareholders may encounter potential conflicts of interests with respect to their positions or interests in certain crypto assets,
projects, entities, and other initiatives, which could adversely affect our business and reputation.
We frequently engage in a wide variety of transactions
and maintain relationships with a significant number of other firms in the broad economy surrounding Bitcoin, blockchain and other crypto
assets. These transactions and relationships could create potential conflicts of interests in management decisions that we make. For
instance, certain officers, directors, and employees of the Company are active investors in crypto projects themselves, and may make
investment decisions that favor projects that they have personally invested in. Many of our large shareholders also make investments
in these crypto projects.
Similarly, certain directors, officers, employees,
and large shareholders of the Company may hold crypto assets or have other beneficial ownership of sponsors of such crypto assets, tokens,
or stable coins that we are considering supporting with our Bitcoin ATM fleet and may be more supportive of such listing notwithstanding
legal, regulatory, and other issues associated with such crypto assets. If we fail to manage these conflicts of interests, our business
may be harmed and the brand, reputation and credibility of our company may be adversely affected.
Risk Factors Related to Ownership of Our
Common Stock
Our founders, single major shareholder, and
director control, and may continue to control, our Company for the foreseeable future, including the outcome of matters requiring shareholder
approval.
Our founders, single major shareholder, and director
collectively beneficially own approximately 69% of our outstanding shares of common stock. As a result, such individuals will, for the
foreseeable future, have the ability, if acting together, to control the election of our directors and the outcome of corporate actions
requiring shareholder approval, such as: (i) a merger or a sale of our company, (ii) a sale of all or substantially all of our assets,
and (iii) amendments to our articles of incorporation and bylaws. This concentration of voting power and control could have a significant
effect in delaying, deferring, or preventing an action that might otherwise be beneficial to our other shareholders and be disadvantageous
to our shareholders with interests different from those entities and individuals. See “Management and Certain Security Holders” for further discussion of the board of directors’ structure and principal shareholders’ agreements. Therefore,
you should not invest in reliance on your ability to have any control over our Company.
Our securities may be treated as “Penny
Stocks” that may make them less desirable or accessible by investors or potential investors.
Rule 15g-9 under the Securities Exchange Act
of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”) establishes the definition of a “penny stock,” for the purposes relevant
to us, as any equity security that has a market price of less than $5.00 per share or with an exercise price of less than $5.00 per share,
subject to certain exceptions. For any transaction involving a penny stock, unless exempt, the rules require: (a) that a broker or dealer
must approve a person’s account for transactions in penny stocks; and (b) the broker or dealer must receive from the investor a
written agreement to the transaction, setting forth the identity and quantity of the penny stock to be purchased.
In order to approve a person’s account
for transactions in penny stocks, the broker or dealer must: (a) obtain financial information and investment experience objectives of
the person and (b) make a reasonable determination that the transactions in penny stocks are suitable for that person and the person
has sufficient knowledge and experience in financial matters to be capable of evaluating the risks of transactions in penny stocks.
The broker or dealer must also deliver, prior
to any transaction in a penny stock, a disclosure schedule prescribed by the SEC relating to the penny stock market, which, in highlight
form: (a) sets forth the basis on which the broker or dealer made the suitability determination; and (b) confirms that the broker or
dealer received a signed, written agreement from the investor prior to the transaction. Generally, brokers may be less willing to execute
transactions in securities subject to the “penny stock” rules. This may make it more difficult for investors to dispose of
our common stock and cause a decline in the market value of our common stock.
Disclosure also has to be made about the risks
of investing in penny stocks in both public offerings and in secondary trading and about the commissions payable to both the broker or
dealer and the registered representative, current quotations for the securities and the rights and remedies available to an investor
in cases of fraud in penny stock transactions. Finally, monthly statements have to be sent disclosing recent price information for the
penny stock held in the account and information on the limited market in penny stocks. Management believes that the penny stock rules
could discourage investor interest in and limit the marketability of our Shares.
The market price of our common stock may
be volatile and could decline significantly and rapidly.
The market price of our common stock could
be subject to wide fluctuations in response to the risk factors beyond our control, including:
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the number of shares of common stock publicly owned and available for trading; |
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overall performance of the equity markets or publicly-listed financial services, cryptocurrency
and technology companies; |
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our actual or anticipated operating performance and the operating performance of our competitors; |
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changes in the projected operational and financial results we provide to the public or our failure
to meet those projections; |
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failure of securities analysts to initiate or maintain coverage
of us, changes in financial estimates by any securities analysts who follow our company or our failure to meet the estimates or the
expectations of investors; |
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any major change in our board of directors, management or key personnel; |
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the highly volatile nature of the digital financial system and the prices of cryptocurrencies; |
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rumors and market speculation involving the digital financial system or us or other companies
in our industry; |
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announcements by us or our competitors of significant innovations,
new products, services, features, integrations or capabilities, acquisitions, strategic investments, partnerships, joint ventures,
or capital commitments; and |
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other events or factors, including those resulting from political
instability, and acts of war, or terrorism, or responses to these events, including the current conflict in Ukraine. |
In addition, broad market and industry fluctuations,
as well as general macroeconomic, political and market conditions such as recessions, interest rate changes or international currency
fluctuations, may negatively impact the market price of our common stock. In the past, companies that have experienced volatility in
the market price of their stock have been subject to securities class action litigation. Securities litigation against us could result
in substantial costs and divert our management’s attention from other business concerns, which could harm our business.
Changes in accounting principles and guidance,
or their interpretation, could result in unfavorable accounting charges or effects, including changes to our previously filed financial
statements, which could cause our stock price to decline.
We prepare our consolidated financial statements
in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles (“GAAP”). These principles are subject to interpretation
by the SEC and various bodies formed to interpret and create appropriate accounting principles and guidance. A change in these principles
or guidance, or in their interpretations, may have a significant effect on our reported results and retroactively affect previously reported
results.
Our Shares are subject to FINRA sales practice
requirements that may make them less desirable or accessible by investors or potential investors.
The U.S. Financial Industry Regulatory Authority
(“FINRA”) has adopted rules that require a broker-dealer to have reasonable grounds for believing that an investment is suitable
for a customer before recommending an investment to a customer. Prior to recommending speculative, low priced securities to non-institutional
customers, broker-dealers must make reasonable efforts to obtain information about the customer's financial status, tax status, investment
objectives, and other information. Pursuant to the interpretation of these rules, FINRA believes that there is a high probability that
speculative, low priced securities will not be suitable for at least some customers. Thus, the FINRA requirements make it more difficult
for broker-dealers to recommend the Common Shares to customers which may limit an investor's ability to buy and sell the Common Shares,
have an adverse effect on the market for the Common Shares, and thereby negatively impact the price of the Common Shares.
Our Shares may be subject to dilution.
We may make future acquisitions or enter financings
or other transactions involving the issuance of securities of the Company which may be dilutive to the other shareholders and any new
equity securities issued could have rights, preferences, and privileges superior to those of holders of Common Shares.
We have never paid dividends on our common
stock and have no plans to do so in the future.
Holders of shares of our common stock are entitled
to receive such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. To date, we have paid no cash dividends on our shares of common
stock and we do not expect to pay cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. We intend to retain future earnings,
if any, to provide funds for operations of our business. Therefore, any return investors in our common stock may have, will be in the
form of appreciation, if any, in the market value of their shares of common stock. See “Dividend Policy.”
We will indemnify and hold harmless our officers
and directors to the maximum extent permitted by Nevada law.
Our bylaws provide that we will indemnify and
hold harmless our officers and directors against claims arising from our activities, to the maximum extent permitted by Nevada law. In
addition, if we are called upon to perform under our indemnification agreements entered into with each one of our directors, then the
portion of our assets expended for such purpose would reduce the amount otherwise available for our business.
We may engage in acquisitions, mergers,
strategic alliances, joint ventures, and divestures that could result in results that are different than expected.
In the normal course of business, we engage in
discussions relating to acquisitions, equity investments, mergers, strategic alliances, joint ventures, and divestitures. Such transactions
are accompanied by a number of risks, including the use of significant amounts of cash, potentially dilutive issuances of equity securities,
incurrence of debt on potentially unfavorable terms, accruement of impairment expenses related to goodwill and amortization expenses
related to other intangible assets, the possibility that we overpay for an acquisition relative to the economic benefits that we ultimately
derive from such acquisition, and various potential difficulties involved in integrating acquired businesses into our operations.
We might require additional capital to support
business growth, and this capital might not be available.
We have funded our operations since inception
primarily through debt and equity financings and revenue generated by our services. We cannot be certain when or if our operations will
generate sufficient cash to fully fund our ongoing operations or the growth of our business. We intend to continue to make investments
in our business to respond to business challenges, including deploying more Bitcoin ATMs both in the United States and globally, enhancing
our operating infrastructure, expanding our international operations to include additional regions and countries, and acquiring complementary
businesses and technologies, all of which may require us to secure additional funds. Additional financing may not be available on terms
favorable to us, if at all. If we incur additional debt, the debt holders would have rights senior to holders of our common stock to
make claims on our assets, and the terms of any debt could restrict our operations, including our ability to pay dividends on our common
stock.
The trading prices for our common stock may be
highly volatile, which may reduce our ability to access capital on favorable terms or at all. In addition, a slowdown or other sustained
adverse downturn in the general economic or crypto markets could adversely affect our business and the value of our common stock. Because
our decision to raise capital in the future will depend on numerous considerations, including factors beyond our control, we cannot predict
or estimate the amount, timing, or nature of any future issuances of securities. As a result, our shareholders bear the risk of future
issuances of debt or equity securities reducing the value of our common stock and diluting their interests. Our inability to obtain adequate
financing or financing on terms satisfactory to us, when we require it, could significantly limit our ability to continue supporting
our business growth and responding to business challenges.
Our Common Stock is subject to liquidity
risks.
Our Common Stock is quoted on the OTC Pink Market
Tier of the OTC Markets under the symbol “ABIT”. On November 3, 2023, the last reported sale of our Common Stock was $0.07
per share. As of the date of this prospectus, our Common Stock is quoted on the OTC Pink, and it is not otherwise regularly quoted on
any other over-the-counter market or exchange. We intend for our shares to trade on the OTCQB, an inter-dealer, over-the-counter market
that provides significantly less liquidity than other national or regional exchanges. However, there is no guarantee that our shares
will be listed on the OTCQB, or any other “over- the- counter” marketplace. Moreover, securities traded on the OTCQB are
usually thinly traded, highly volatile, have fewer market makers and are not followed by analysts. The SEC's order handling rules, which
apply to NASDAQ-listed securities, do not apply to securities quoted on the OTCQB. Quotes and other important information for stocks
listed on the OTCQB are not listed in newspapers and may be incorrectly listed by prominent financial websites. Therefore, prices for
securities traded solely on the OTCQB may be difficult to obtain and holders of our securities may be unable to resell their securities
at or near their original acquisition price, or at any price.
The Company and its Common Stock may be negatively
affected if any of the Company’s restricted securities are resold without registration or an available exemption from registration
requirements under the Securities Act.
On March 17, 2022, the Company learned that one
million shares of its restricted common stock owned by an existing shareholder was transferred by its transfer agent to another party.
Such shares were subsequently deposited by a new holder into Depository Trust Company (see Note 25 of the Company’s audited consolidated
financial statements), and some portion of said shares (approximately 50%) has been sold on the trading market. Our stock certificates
representing restricted shares of common stock carry a legend that states that such shares “have not been registered under the
Securities Act of 1933, and may not be sold, transferred, or otherwise disposed unless, in the opinion of counsel satisfactory to the
issuer, the transfer qualifies for an exemption from or exemption to the registration provisions thereof.” The transfer took place
without the Company’s knowledge, approval or required authorization. The Company has immediately notified the relevant parties
to cease any sales of such shares into the public market, and has been assured by the new holder that no shares will be sold pending
the Company’s ongoing investigation. The Company believes that even though it was an unusual event (and the Company took immediate
remedial steps to ensure that the resale of such shares was immediately ceased and prevented in the future, including termination of
its transfer agent), any future sale of restricted and unregistered securities without registration or an available exemption can expose
the Company and its Common Stock to the number of adverse consequences, including: (i) regulatory scrutiny, investigations, enforcement
or other actions, potentially preventing or delaying us from offering our shares or trading our stock, which could negatively impact
an investment in the Shares; (ii) decline or volatility of the market price of our Common Stock as a result of sales of a material number
of shares of our Common Stock in the thinly trading public market, or (iii) securities litigation targeting the Company which could result
in substantial costs and which could harm our business.
We cannot predict at what prices the Common
Stock of the Company will trade and there can be no assurance that an active trading market will develop or be sustained. There is a
significant liquidity risk associated with an investment in the Company.
The shares of our common stock we may issue in
the future and the options we may issue in the future may have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock and cause dilution
to investors.
We may issue shares of common stock and warrants
to purchase common stock pursuant to private offerings and we may issue options to purchase common stock to our executive officers and
employees pursuant to their employment agreements. The sale, or even the possibility of sale, of shares pursuant to a separate offering
or to executive officers and employees could have an adverse effect on the market price of our common stock or on our ability to obtain
future financing.
We do not anticipate paying any cash dividends
on our Common Stock in the foreseeable future.
We have never declared or paid cash dividends
on our common stock. We currently intend to retain all of our future earnings, if any, to finance the growth and development of our business,
and we do not anticipate paying any cash dividends on our common stock in the foreseeable future. In addition, the terms of any future
debt agreements may preclude us from paying dividends.
We will incur increased costs as a result
of operating as a public company, and our management will be required to devote substantial time to compliance with our public company
responsibilities and corporate governance practices.
As a public company, we will incur significant
legal, accounting, and other expenses that we did not incur as a private company, which we expect to further increase after we are no
longer an “emerging growth company.” The Sarbanes-Oxley Act, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act,
and other applicable securities rules and regulations impose various requirements on public companies. Our management and other personnel
devote a substantial amount of time to compliance with these requirements. Moreover, these rules and regulations will increase our legal
and financial compliance costs and will make some activities more time-consuming and costly. We cannot predict or estimate the amount
of additional costs we will incur as a public company or the specific timing of such costs.
Being a public company results in additional
expenses, diverts management’s attention and could also adversely affect our ability to attract and retain qualified directors.
As a public reporting company, we are subject
to the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act. These requirements generate significant accounting, legal and financial compliance
costs and make some activities more difficult, time consuming or costly and may place significant strain on our personnel and resources.
The Exchange Act requires, among other things, that we maintain effective disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over
financial reporting. In order to establish the requisite disclosure controls and procedures and internal control over financial reporting,
significant resources and management oversight are required.
As a result, management’s attention may
be diverted from other business concerns, which could have an adverse and even material effect on our business, financial condition and
results of operations. These rules and regulations may also make it more difficult and expensive for us to obtain director and officer
liability insurance. If we are unable to obtain appropriate director and officer insurance, our ability to recruit and retain qualified
officers and directors, especially those directors who may be deemed independent, could be adversely impacted.
Our officers, directors, employees, and
large stockholders may encounter potential conflicts of interests with respect to their positions or interests in cryptocurrencies, entities,
and other initiatives and digital asset-related businesses, which could adversely affect our business and reputation.
Certain of our officers, directors, and employees
are involved with or active investors in certain digital asset-related businesses, such as cryptocurrency miners, as well as active investors
in digital asset projects themselves, and may make investment decisions that favor projects that they have personally invested in. Our
largest stockholders may also make investments in these digital asset projects. Similarly, certain of our directors, officers, employees,
and large stockholders may hold cryptocurrencies that we are considering supporting, and may be more supportive of such listing notwithstanding
legal, regulatory, and other issues associated with such cryptocurrencies. While we have instituted policies and procedures to limit
and mitigate such risks, there is no assurance that such policies and procedures will be effective, or that we will be able to manage
such conflicts of interests adequately. If we fail to manage these conflicts of interests, or we receive unfavorable media coverage with
respect to actual or perceived conflicts of interest, our business may be harmed and the brand, reputation and credibility of our company
may be adversely affected.
We are an emerging growth company and a smaller
reporting company within the meaning of the Securities Act, and if we take advantage of certain exemptions from disclosure requirements
available to “emerging growth companies” or “smaller reporting companies,” this could make our securities less
attractive to investors and may make it more difficult to compare our performance with other public companies.
We are an “emerging growth company,”
as defined in the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012, or JOBS Act, and, for as long as we continue to be an “emerging
growth company,” we intend to take advantage of certain exemptions from various reporting requirements applicable to other public
companies but not to “emerging growth companies,” including, but not limited to, not being required to comply with the auditor
attestation requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, reduced disclosure obligations regarding executive compensation in
our periodic reports and proxy statements, and exemptions from the requirements of holding a nonbinding advisory vote on executive compensation
and stockholder approval of any golden parachute payments not previously approved. We could be an “emerging growth company”
for up to five years following the effectiveness of this registration statement, or until the earliest of (i) the last day of the first
fiscal year in which our annual gross revenues exceed $1.07 billion, (ii) the date that we become a “large accelerated filer”
as defined in Rule 12b-2 under the Exchange Act, which would occur if the market value of our common stock that is held by non-affiliates
exceeds $700 million as of the last business day of our most recently completed second fiscal quarter, or (iii) the date on which we
have issued more than $1.0 billion in non-convertible debt during the preceding three year period.
Because we are not subject to compliance with
rules requiring the adoption of certain corporate governance measures, our stockholders have limited protection against interested director
transactions, conflicts of interest and similar matters.
The Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as well as rule
changes proposed and enacted by the SEC, the New York and American Stock Exchanges and the Nasdaq Stock Market, as a result of Sarbanes-Oxley,
require the implementation of various measures relating to corporate governance. These measures are designed to enhance the integrity
of corporate management and the securities markets and apply to securities that are listed on those exchanges or the Nasdaq Stock Market.
Because we are not presently required to comply with many of the corporate governance provisions and because we chose to avoid incurring
the substantial additional costs associated with such compliance any sooner than legally required, we have not yet adopted these measures.
We do not currently have an independent audit
or a compensation committee. As a result, directors have the ability, among other things, to determine each other’s level of compensation.
Until we comply with such corporate governance measures, regardless of whether such compliance is required, the absence of such standards
of corporate governance may leave our stockholders without protections against interested director transactions, conflicts of interest,
if any, and similar matters and investors may be reluctant to provide us with funds necessary to expand our operations.
We intend to comply with all corporate governance
measures relating to director independence as and when required. However, we may find it very difficult or be unable to attract and retain
qualified officers, directors and members of board committees required to provide for our effective management as a result of Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002. The enactment of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 has resulted in a series of rules and regulations by the SEC that increase
responsibilities and liabilities of directors and executive officers. The perceived increased personal risk associated with these recent
changes may make it costlier or deter qualified individuals from accepting these roles.
In addition to the above risks, businesses are often subject to
risks not foreseen or fully appreciated by management. In reviewing this Prospectus, potential investors should keep in mind other risks
that could be important.
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING
Forward-Looking Statements
This prospectus contains “forward-looking
statements.” Forward-looking statements reflect the current view about future events. When used in this prospectus, the words “anticipate,”
“believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “future,” “intend,” “plan,”
or the negative of these terms and similar expressions, as they relate to us or our management, identify forward-looking statements.
Such statements include, but are not limited to, statements contained in this prospectus relating to our business strategy, our future
operating results and liquidity and capital resources outlook. Forward-looking statements are based on our current expectations and assumptions
regarding our business, the economy and other future conditions. Because forward-looking statements relate to the future, they are subject
to inherent uncertainties, risks and changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict. Our actual results may differ materially
from those contemplated by the forward-looking statements. They are neither statements of historical fact nor guarantees of assurance
of future performance. We caution you therefore against relying on any of these forward-looking statements.
Important factors that could cause actual results
to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, without limitation, market acceptance of our products; our
ability to protect our intellectual property rights; the impact of any infringement actions or other litigation brought against us; competition
from other providers and products; our ability to develop and commercialize new and improved products and services and successfully pursue
innovation; our ability to complete capital raising transactions; and other factors (including the risks contained in the section of
this prospectus entitled “Risk Factors”) relating to our industry, our operations and results of operations. Actual results
may differ significantly from those anticipated, believed, estimated, expected, intended, or planned. Important factors that could cause
such differences include, but are not limited to:
| · | our
future financial performance, including our expectations regarding our net revenue, operating
expenses, and our ability to achieve and maintain future profitability; |
| · | our
business plan and our ability to effectively manage our growth; |
| · | anticipated
trends, growth rates, and challenges in our business, the crypto economy, and in the markets
in which we operate; |
| · | market
acceptance of our products and services; |
| · | beliefs
and objectives for future operations; |
| · | our
ability to further penetrate our existing customer base and maintain and expand our customer
base; |
| · | our
ability to develop new products and services and grow our business in response to changing
technologies, customer demand, and competitive pressures; |
| · | our
expectations concerning relationships with third parties; |
| · | our
ability to maintain, protect, and enhance our intellectual property; |
| · | our
ability to continue to expand internationally; |
| · | the
effects of increased competition in our markets and our ability to compete effectively; |
| · | future
acquisitions of or investments in complementary companies, products, services, or technologies
and our ability to successfully integrate such companies or assets; |
| · | our
ability to stay in compliance with laws and regulations that currently apply or become applicable
to our business both in the United States and internationally; |
| · | economic
and industry trends, projected growth, or trend analysis; |
| · | trends
in revenue, cost of revenue, and gross margin; |
| · | trends
in operating expenses, including technology and development expenses, sales and marketing
expenses, and general and administrative expenses, and expectations regarding these expenses
as a percentage of revenue; |
| · | increased
expenses associated with being a public company; and |
| · | other
statements regarding our future operations, financial condition, and prospects and business
strategies. |
In some cases, you can identify forward-looking
statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “expects,” “intends,”
“plans,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “estimates,” “predicts,” “potential,”
“continue” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. These statements are only predictions. You should
not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, because they involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors,
which are, in some cases, beyond our control and which could materially affect results. Actual events or results may vary significantly
from those implied or projected by the forward-looking statements due to these risk factors. No forward-looking statement is a guarantee
of future performance. You should read this prospectus and the documents that we reference in this prospectus and have filed with the
SEC as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part with the understanding that our actual future results,
performance, and events and circumstances may be materially different from what we expect.
Forward-looking statements are made based on
management’s beliefs, estimates and opinions on the date the statements are made and we undertake no obligation to update forward-looking
statements if these beliefs, estimates and opinions or other circumstances should change, except as may be required by applicable law.
Although we believe that the expectations reflected in the forward-looking statements are reasonable, we cannot guarantee future results,
levels of activity, performance, or achievements.
Capitalization
The following table details the Company’s
capitalization as of September 30, 2023:
| · | On
an actual basis; |
| · | On
a pro forma basis to give effect to the sale of the shares by employees who have outstanding
loans to exercise options and the pro-rata repayment of those loans; and |
| · | On
a pro forma basis as adjusted basis to give effect to the transaction described in the preceding
bullet point as well as the conversion of the Convertible Debenture. |
In January 2020, the Company allowed its employees
with vested stock options to exercise such options with the use of a non-recourse loan agreement. The Company’s employees exercised
their respective stock options into a total of 157,635,309 shares of common stock at a weighted average exercise price of $0.0060 per
share. The loan amount at exercise of such options was $945,812. The terms of the non-recourse loan agreement include a maturity date
of 48 months from the date of exercise and an interest rate of 1.69%. As of September 30, 2023, the outstanding balance due from employees
was $1,006,000. The amount receivable from employees is presented in the balance sheet as a deduction from stockholders' equity.
This is generally consistent with Rule 5-02.30 of Regulation S-X which states that accounts or notes receivable arising from transactions
involving the registrant's capital stock should be presented as deductions from stockholders' equity and not as assets. When the shares
held by employees who have outstanding loans are sold, those loans will be paid in a pro-rata manner as described below.
A total of 1,692,400 shares of common stock
held by employees (approximately 15% of each employees shares) are being registered in this offering. In the event the employees sell
any or all of these shares before repaying the loan, an amount that bears the same proportion to the total loan including accrued interest
thereon, as the registered number of shares bears to the total holding of the employee against which said loan has been given, will become
due and payable to the Company. If all the registered shares are sold and using the outstanding balance due of $1,006,000 as of September
30, 2023, the loan will be reduced by $150,000.
The pro-forma capitalization would then have
both cash and equity going up by the amount being repaid.
The purchasers of the Company's 8% Convertible
Debentures have an option to convert the outstanding principal and accrued interest amount of their respective Convertible Debentures
into shares of common stock of the Company at the lower of $0.012 per share or 20% discount to the next major financing or change in
control. On conversion the purchasers of these convertible debentures will get shares issue of which will be recorded as increase in
share capital of $250,000 and increase in additional paid in capital of $2,750,000. The pro forma basis as adjusted basis column in the
table below gives effect to the conversion of the Convertible Debenture as well as the return of outstanding employee loans as described
above. The Company expects that the Convertible Debentures will convert at $0.012 per share. If the conversion happens at a price lower
than $0.012 per share the pro forma basis as adjusted numbers will change accordingly.
The pro forma and pro forma as adjusted information
below is illustrative only, and our cash and cash equivalents and total capitalization following the completion of this offering will
be adjusted based on several factors. You should read the following table together with the “Management’s Discussion and
Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and the consolidated financial statements and related notes thereto
appearing elsewhere in this prospectus.
| |
As of September 30, 2023 | |
(in thousands) | |
Actual | | |
Pro forma | | |
Pro forma as adjusted (1) | |
Cash and cash equivalents | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Total cash and cash equivalents (2) | |
$ | 13,168 | | |
$ | 13,318 | | |
$ | 13,318 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Long-term liabilities | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Other long-term debt | |
| 10,752 | | |
| 10,752 | | |
| 10,752 | |
Related party convertible debt (1) | |
| 3,000 | | |
| 3,000 | | |
| – | |
Convertible debt (1) | |
| – | | |
| – | | |
| – | |
Related party note payable | |
| – | | |
| – | | |
| – | |
Total long-term liabilities | |
| 13,752 | | |
| 13,752 | | |
| 10,752 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Equity: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Common stock, $0.001 par value (3) | |
| 4,095 | | |
| 4,095 | | |
| 4,345 | |
Loans to employees for options exercised (4) | |
| (1,006 | ) | |
| (856 | ) | |
| (856 | ) |
Additional paid in capital (5) | |
| 8,446 | | |
| 8,446 | | |
| 11,196 | |
Accumulated deficit | |
| (3,386 | ) | |
| (3,386 | ) | |
| (3,386 | ) |
Accumulated other comprehensive loss | |
| (221 | ) | |
| (221 | ) | |
| (221 | ) |
Total equity (deficit) | |
| 7,928 | | |
| 8,078 | | |
| 11,078 | |
Total capitalization | |
$ | 34,848 | | |
$ | 35,148 | | |
$ | 35,148 | |
(1) |
Pro forma as adjusted includes the full conversion of the Convertible
Debentures into 250,000,000 shares of common stock at the assumed conversion price of $0.012 per share for the 8% Convertible Debentures.
See Convertible Debentures in section Description of Capital Stock, page
100. |
(2) |
Pro forma cash and cash equivalents increased by $150,000 from the
repayment of the loan as part of this offering. |
(3) |
Pro forma as adjusted common stock at $0.001 par value increased by
$250,000 assuming the full conversion of the 8% Convertible Debentures at conversion price of $0.012 per share. |
(4) |
Pro forma as adjusted loans to employees for options exercised decreased
by $150,000 as a result of loan repayment from this offering. |
(5) |
Pro forma as adjusted additional paid in capital increased by $2,750,000
to account for the principal value of the 8% Convertible Debenture of $3,000,000 less $250,000 in common stock value, which was recorded
under common stock. |
Management’s
Discussion and Analysis OF FINANCIAL CONDITION AND RESULTS OF OPERATIONS
The following discussion and analysis of financial
condition and results of operations should be read in conjunction with our historical financial statements and the notes to those statements
that appear elsewhere in this prospectus. Certain statements in the discussion contain forward-looking statements based upon current
expectations that involve risks and uncertainties, such as plans, objectives, expectations, and intentions. You should read the sections
titled “Risk Factors” and “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” for a discussion of important factors
that could cause actual results to differ materially from the results described in or implied by the forward-looking statements contained
in the following discussion and analysis.
Overview
Our mission is to connect the world’s cash
to the new global digital financial system. We believe that providing the world with access to crypto assets will help transform the
international financial order by providing the unbanked and billions of others in the world with a connection to a new global digital
financial system that is more accessible, efficient and transparent than the legacy financial system.
Athena ATMs and Athena Plus
In order to achieve our mission, we are focused
on developing, owning, and operating a global network of Athena-branded Bitcoin ATM machines, which are free standing kiosks that permit
customers to buy or sell crypto assets in exchange for cash (banknotes) issued by sovereign governments - often referred to as fiat currencies.
We utilize purchasing algorithms and other proprietary systems to manage crypto assets to ensure that we are able to meet consumer demand
for crypto assets.
We
have become one of the largest Bitcoin ATM operators in the United States and Latin America by installing ATMs in strategic locations
that maximize the ability to provide crypto assets to customers. These locations include convenience stores, shopping centers, and other
easily accessible locations in urban, suburban and rural locations. Our network presently includes Athena Bitcoin ATMs in 26 US states,
the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico and 4 countries in Latin America. See table below for our ATM breakdown by country and type, as of
September 30, 2023.
Country |
Number
of Athena Bitcoin ATMs
(as of September 30, 2023) |
Type
of Fiat Currency |
|
Total |
Two-Way |
|
United
States |
1,378 |
27 |
U.S.
Dollar |
El
Salvador |
14 |
14 |
U.S.
Dollar |
Argentina
|
12 |
12 |
Argentine
peso |
Mexico |
1 |
1 |
Mexican
peso |
Colombia
|
17
|
17
|
Colombian
peso |
Total |
1,422 |
71 |
|
We offer Bitcoin for sale at all of our ATM
machines. Bitcoin comprises approximately 49% of the total crypto market capitalization as of September 30, 2023. We also buy Bitcoin
at some of our ATM machines (also known as two-way ATMs). The cash withdrawal limit from our two-way ATMs is $2,000 per transaction.
We replenish or withdraw fiat currencies at our ATMs twice a week or depending on usage, using bonded security companies.
We operate Athena Plus for private clients and
trade customers of the Company. Customers typically interact with the Company on the phone for transaction sizes in dollar terms
greater than $10,000 and on some occasions, for crypto assets not included in our ATMs. Since 2019, we have been typically buying and
selling Bitcoin through Athena Plus, but we have also executed transactions in Ethereum, Litecoin, and in other less common crypto assets.
As of the date of this prospectus, we do not transact in any crypto assets except Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Litecoin, and BCH with
our Athena Plus service. We will update this prospectus if we decide to transact in other crypto assets. Such a change would only
happen if there were significant customer demand for a specific crypto asset and that crypto asset was available to us through multiple
trading partners, crypto asset exchange and crypto asset brokers.
Due to the volatile nature of the crypto market,
which includes fluctuations in both crypto asset prices and volume of transactions, our operating results have and are expected to continue
to fluctuate partially based on the overall crypto market. We strive to reduce the impact of crypto asset fluctuations on our operating
results due to utilizing purchasing algorithms to ensure that the crypto assets are not held for more than two days prior to being
sold. However, there is a correlation, given the early stage of adoption of crypto assets, between volume of transactions and the price
of the crypto assets. Refer below for a log scale of Bitcoin from January 1, 2020 through September 30, 2023. This shows the fluctuations
of the price of Bitcoin over time on a logarithmic scale.
Bitcoin Price (Log Scale)
We believe that we are in the early stages of
the new digital financial order system and that as crypto asset use cases expand and there is more worldwide adoption, the fluctuations
in volume and price will decrease. Our focus is on prioritizing growth, especially in geographic areas where consumers are restricted
from accessing the global financial system.
The Company has been active in increasing its
geographic presence by expanding its Athena Bitcoin ATM Fleet. Refer below for a chart showing the increase of active Athena Bitcoin
ATMs from December 31, 2017 through September 30, 2023.
White-label Service
The Company, as part of its strategy to expand
globally, began working with the government of El Salvador in late June 2021 to support the implementation of its Bitcoin Law. We operate
ATMs on behalf of the El Salvadoran government. These ATMs are owned by the Company. This white-label service is comprised of installing
the machines for the customer and ensuring that the machines are operating in a way that they can be used by the El Salvadoran government
and their users. To achieve this, the Company is responsible for loading and unloading cash, setting up the network, performing repairs
and maintenance and other responsibilities to ensure that the machines are operating as intended. We charge a fixed monthly fee to operate
these ATMs, as well as an additional fixed price for specific services that are required. The fixed price covers Athena’s cost plus
a reasonable profit margin. The Company does not sell crypto assets directly to the users of the ATM. The government of El Salvador has
title to the private keys to the crypto assets. However, the Company acts as the custodian for the cash in the ATM machine as well as
cash that is in-transit.
In
2021 and 2022, we have installed a total of 200 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs in El Salvador, 10 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs at El Salvador consulates in
the U.S and 45 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs in other U.S. locations. As of September 30, 2023, we were operating 249 white label ATMs for
Chivo, Sociedad Anónima de Capital Variable, a wholly owned private company of the Government of El Salvador ("CHIVO")
in El Salvador and in the U.S.
Ancillary
The Company engages in services as part of its
mission to bring the new digital financial system to the world. This includes the sale of point-of-sale terminals (“POS Terminals”)
and developing and supporting crypto ecosystems. In 2021, the Company agreed to develop the Chivo Ecosystem to El Salvador. The Chivo
Ecosystem acts as the interface to El Salvador’s Bitcoin Digital Wallet for El Salvador and its users. The Company’s contract
to develop the Chivo Ecosystem ended December 31, 2021.
The Company, due to contingencies related to
not having title of the intellectual property in 2021 that serves as the foundation of the Chivo Ecosystem, did not recognize revenue
in 2021. The contingency was lifted in 2022 when the Company obtained the right to use the intellectual property. The Company recognized
revenue related to the development of the Chivo Ecosystem when the contingency was lifted. The Company anticipates no further revenue
related to the Chivo intellectual property and ecosystem.
Key Performance Indicators and
Non-GAAP Financial Measure and Trends
ATMs
Number of ATMs increased from 385 to 430 to
1,422 as of December 31, 2021, December 31, 2022, and September 30, 2023, respectively.
Transactions
Median ATM sale transaction size for all crypto
assets increased from $150 to $200, or 33% while the number of transactions increased from 10,402 to 31,041, or 198% during the three
months ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2023, respectively.
Median ATM sale transaction size for all crypto
assets increased from $140 to $160, or 14% while the number of transactions increased from 41,966 to 60,364, or 44% during the nine months
ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2023, respectively.
Median OTC transaction size for all crypto
assets increased from $20,000 to $100,000 or 400% while number of transactions decreased from 34 to 27, or 21% during the three months
ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2023, respectively.
Median OTC transaction size for all crypto
assets increased from $26,000 to $100,000, or 285% while the number of transactions decreased from 107 to 98, or 8% during the nine months
ended September 30, 2022 and September 30, 2023, respectively.
EBITDA
We use EBITDA as a non-GAAP financial measure.
We define EBITDA as net earnings attributable to Athena Bitcoin Global stockholders, adding back the following items: interest expense,
net and fees on borrowings; provision for income taxes; depreciation; and amortization. The Company believes that EBITDA is a more relevant
supplemental measure of performance than other GAAP performance measures. EBITDA as presented in this prospectus is a supplemental measure
of our performance that is neither required by, nor presented in accordance with, GAAP. Management presents the non-GAAP financial measure
of EBITDA in this prospectus because it considers this to be an important supplemental measure of performance. Management believes that
this non-GAAP financial measure provides additional insight for analysts and investors evaluating the Company's financial and operational
performance by providing a consistent basis of comparison across periods.
| |
Year Ended December
31 | |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | | |
$ Change | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| |
Net income (loss) | |
$ | 4,139 | | |
$ | (3,644 | ) | |
$ | 7,783 | |
Adjusted to exclude the following; | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Interest expense | |
| 668 | | |
| 661 | | |
| 7 | |
Fee on borrowings | |
| 113 | | |
| 341 | | |
| (228 | ) |
Income taxes | |
| 1,770 | | |
| 883 | | |
| 887 | |
Depreciation and amortization | |
| 1,659 | | |
| 582 | | |
| 1,077 | |
EBITDA | |
$ | 8,349 | | |
$ | (1,177 | ) | |
$ | 9,526 | |
| |
Nine Months Ended September 30 | |
| |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
$ Change | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| |
Net income (loss) | |
$ | 8,191 | | |
$ | (1,611 | ) | |
$ | 9,802 | |
Adjusted to exclude the following; | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Interest expense | |
| 330 | | |
| 526 | | |
| (196 | ) |
Fee on borrowings | |
| 543 | | |
| 67 | | |
| 476 | |
Income taxes | |
| 3,141 | | |
| 1,977 | | |
| 1,164 | |
Depreciation and amortization | |
| 1,556 | | |
| 1,133 | | |
| 423 | |
EBITDA | |
$ | 13,761 | | |
$ | 2,092 | | |
$ | 11,669 | |
Functional Cash Flows from Operations
The Company has financed operations primarily
with cash flow from the purchase and sale of crypto assets. Management utilizes a non-GAAP internal metric defined as functional cash
flow from operations in order to evaluate operational cash flow. Functional cash flow from operations is equal to cash flow from operations
(per GAAP statements) plus sale of crypto assets less purchase of crypto assets, both of which are included as investing activities in
the GAAP Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Given the active sales market for crypto assets, management believes that inclusion of
the purchase and sale of crypto assets provides a better metric for measuring cash flow from operations. Refer below for the calculation
of the functional cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
| |
Nine Months Ended | | |
Year Ended | |
| |
September 30, | | |
December 31, | | |
December 31, | |
(in thousands) | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| |
GAAP cash flow from operations | |
$ | (10,070 | ) | |
$ | (5,559 | ) | |
$ | (4,145 | ) |
Plus: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Sale of crypto assets | |
| 116,352 | | |
| 61,868 | | |
| 78,972 | |
Purchase of crypto assets | |
| (96,307 | ) | |
| (53,403 | ) | |
| (74,973 | ) |
Functional cash flow from operations | |
$ | 9,975 | | |
$ | 2,906 | | |
$ | (146 | ) |
Impact of COVID-19
The significant global outbreak of COVID-19 has
resulted in a widespread health crisis that has adversely affected the economies and financial markets worldwide and has affected our
business in several ways. First, we have been unable to ship our ATMs freely between countries. Second, it has restricted the movement
of our employees and their ability to both collaborate in-person, and to do some field-service and installation work. In addition, the
continued spread of COVID-19 and the imposition of related public health measures have resulted in, and is expected to continue to result
in, increased volatility and uncertainty in the crypto-economy. We also rely on third party service providers to perform certain functions.
Any disruptions to a service providers’ business operations resulting from business restrictions, quarantines, or restrictions
on the ability of personnel to perform their jobs could have an adverse impact on our service providers’ ability to provide services
to us.
We are responding to the global outbreak of COVID-19
by taking steps to mitigate the potential risks to us posed by its spread and the impact of the restrictions put in place by governments
to protect the population. Our employees and service providers have transitioned to work-from-home.
Key Factors Affecting Our Performance
The performance of our business operations have
been and will continue to be affected by a number of factors, including;
|
· |
The price and volatility of crypto assets |
|
|
|
|
· |
Adoption of crypto assets as a medium of exchange by merchants and their trading partners |
|
|
|
|
· |
Adoption of crypto assets as a store of value by investors |
|
|
|
|
· |
The total number of Bitcoin ATMs could reach a saturation in the markets where the Company operates.
And the demand, as measured on a per Bitcoin ATM basis, would decrease. |
|
|
|
|
· |
Investments made by the Company, including in new technologies and strategic acquisitions |
|
|
|
|
· |
Ability to determine the transaction fee for ATM transactions |
|
|
|
|
· |
Product and service offerings, including potentially increasing its white-label service offerings. |
|
|
|
|
· |
Regulations in US and international market |
|
|
|
|
· |
Access to supply of new ATM machines from third-party manufacturers |
Components of Results of Operations
Revenue
Athena ATM
We generate the majority of our revenue from
the sale of Bitcoin through our network of ATM machines. The Company generated 62% and 77% of its revenue from ATM sales for the years
ended December 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively and 85% and 66% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, and 2022, respectively.
The Company recognizes revenue at the point in time when the customer receives the crypto asset. The revenue recognized is the gross
transaction amount of crypto assets sold. Revenue is primarily correlated with transaction volume. As the Company continues to expand
its ATM fleet and as the world continues to adapt to the new global digital financial system, the Company expects to experience an increase
in transaction volume.
Athena Plus
We generate revenue from selling crypto assets
to institutional traders and organizations. These are typically done via the phone. The Company generated 22% and 19% of its revenue
from Athena Plus for the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively and 12% and 25% for the nine months ended September
30, 2023, and 2022, respectively. The Company recognizes revenue at the point in time when the customers received the crypto asset.
The revenue recognized is the gross transaction amount of crypto assets sold. Revenue is primarily correlated with transaction volume.
White-label Service
We generate revenue by installing and operating
ATMs on behalf of third parties. Operating responsibilities include providing the ATMs, loading and unloading cash, setting up the network,
repairs and maintenance, and software upgrades, if necessary. The Company generated 7% and 3% of its revenue from white-label service
for the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively and 3% and 9% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, and
2022, respectively. We charge an installation fee and a monthly service fee to operate these machines. We also charge customers
an additional fixed price for certain services (e.g., relocating the ATMs). The Company does not sell crypto assets to these customers.
The Company recognizes the installation fee when installation is performed. The Company recognizes the monthly service fee over the term
of the service contract.
The Company permits the customer to terminate
the white-label service contract for specific ATMs as well as in total at any point during the contractual term for no penalty. As a
result, the contracts for each ATM are considered month to month.
Ancillary
The Company is actively engaged in looking into
other revenue streams that may aid our mission to connect the world with the new global digital financial system. We have engaged in
projects such developing software that may help customers manage their crypto assets as well as selling POS terminals to customers.
In 2021, the Company agreed to develop the Chivo
Ecosystem for El Salvador for $4.0 million. The Company completed the development of the Chivo Ecosystem in September 2021. The Company
received $3.5 million of the $4.0 million as of December 31, 2021. The Company did not have rights to the intellectual property (refer
to XPay Asset Acquisition section) that served as the foundation for the Chivo Ecosystem until December 2022. Due to this contingency,
the Company recorded the $3.5 million as unearned revenue as of December 31, 2021. In December 2022, the Company recognized the amount
received of $4.0 million as revenue when the Company obtained the rights to the intellectual property.
The Company also provided services to help support
the Chivo Ecosystem from September 2021 through December 31, 2021. Revenue recognized for the service contract was $584,000 for the year
ended December 31, 2021.
Through September 30, 2023, this ancillary
revenue, outside of the development and support of the Chivo Ecosystem as discussed above, has been sporadic and immaterial.
The Company generated 9% and 1% of its revenue
from these other revenue streams for the years ended December 31, 2022, and 2021, respectively and 0% for the nine months ended September
30, 2023 and 2022.
Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenues consists primarily of expenses
related to the acquisition of crypto assets. The acquired crypto asset is recorded at cost of acquisition, i.e., it is inclusive of any
surcharge or markdown. The Company commonly acquires crypto assets through third-party dealers and exchanges, as well as purchasing
crypto assets from customers through our two-way ATMs. The Company assigns the costs of crypto assets sold in its revenue transactions
on a first-in, first-out basis.
The crypto assets acquired are classified as indefinite-lived
intangible assets are initially measured at cost and are impaired when the quoted price of the crypto asset is less than the price associated
with the carrying value of that crypto asset. Impairment expense is reflected in cost of revenues in the consolidated statement of operations.
The Company through its proprietary knowledge rarely holds crypto assets for more than 2 days, reducing this risk.
Additionally, cost of revenues includes the cost
of installing the ATMs, the costs of operating the ATMs from which crypto assets are sold (including the associated rent expense, related
incentives, ATM cash losses, software licensing fees for the ATMs, depreciation, general liability insurance, and utilities), fees paid
to service the ATM machines and transport cash to the banks, and outsourced customer support staff for white-label services.
Operating Expenses
The Company's expenses consist of general and
administrative, sales and marketing, technology and development and other operating expenses.
General and Administrative
General and administrative expenses consist primarily
of salaries and wage expense, non-personnel costs, such as legal, accounting, and other professional fees. In addition, general and administrative
expenses include rent and travel costs, and all other supporting corporate expenses not allocated to other departments.
Sales and Marketing
Sales and marketing expenses generally consist
of costs of general marketing and promotional activities, advertising fees used to drive subscriber acquisition, commissions, the production
costs to create our advertisements and salaries, wages and contractor costs of marketing personnel.
Technology and Development
Technology and development costs are expenses
incurred to develop the Company’s other revenue streams, primarily software.
Theft of Bitcoin
On March 31, 2021, the Company experienced a
breach in its security that resulted in a two-hour sales outage and a loss of 29 Bitcoin with a purchase cost of $1,600,000 (approximate
market value $1,709,000 as of March 31, 2021). There has been no theft of crypto assets since March 31, 2021.
Other Operating Expenses
Other operating expenses consists of fees related
to immigration of employees and other employee transition expenses.
Fair Value Adjustment on Crypto Asset Borrowing
Derivatives
The Company in 2018 and 2019 entered into a borrowing
agreement with one of the Company’s principal shareholders to borrow bitcoin. The amount payable was in bitcoin, plus a borrowing
fee of 13.5%. This was paid back in 2022. This obligation is a derivative liability, with fluctuations to the liability recorded to the
statement of operations.
Fees on Crypto Asset Borrowings
Fees on crypto asset borrowings is the fair value
of fees payable, typically in the crypto asset borrowed, on the outstanding borrowings of crypto assets calculated as percentage of principal
outstanding and current price of the crypto asset in which it is payable.
Interest Expense
Interest expense, net consists of interest expense,
and includes amortization of debt discount and issuance costs.
Other (Income) Expense
This includes foreign currency transaction gain/loss
and penalties as applicable.
Provision for (Benefit from) Income Taxes
The Company was taxed as a partnership for U.S.
federal and state income tax purposes for tax years prior to 2020. There is no provision for income taxes for those years. The Company
accrues liabilities for uncertain tax positions that are not more likely than not to be sustained upon examination as of September
30, 2023, December 31, 2022, and 2021. Interest and penalties related to uncertain tax positions are recorded in accrued liabilities
in the accompanying consolidated balance sheets. The Company had no unrecognized tax benefits as of September 30, 2023, December
31, 2022, and 2021, that if recognized, would affect its annual effective tax rate.
Results of Operations
Comparison of the Three and Nine Months
Ended September 30, 2023 and 2022
The following table summarizes our results of operations
for the periods presented (in thousands):
| |
Three
Months Ended September
30 | | |
| | |
Nine
Months Ended September
30 | | |
| |
| |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
$ Change | | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
$ Change | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
Net revenues | |
$ | 65,646 | | |
$ | 14,049 | | |
$ | 51,597 | | |
$ | 120,210 | | |
$ | 53,750 | | |
$ | 66,460 | |
Cost of revenues | |
| 55,813 | | |
| 11,423 | | |
| 44,390 | | |
| 103,833 | | |
| 46,794 | | |
| 57,039 | |
Gross profit | |
| 9,833 | | |
| 2,626 | | |
| 7,207 | | |
| 16,377 | | |
| 6,956 | | |
| 9,421 | |
Gross profit percentage | |
| 15% | | |
| 19% | | |
| | | |
| 14% | | |
| 13% | | |
| | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Operating expenses: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Technology and development | |
| 132 | | |
| 156 | | |
| (24 | ) | |
| 402 | | |
| 579 | | |
| (177 | ) |
General and administrative | |
| 1,297 | | |
| 1,194 | | |
| 103 | | |
| 3,345 | | |
| 4,736 | | |
| (1,391 | ) |
Sales and marketing | |
| 41 | | |
| 128 | | |
| (87 | ) | |
| 240 | | |
| 480 | | |
| (240 | ) |
Other operating expense | |
| 10 | | |
| 10 | | |
| – | | |
| 51 | | |
| 24 | | |
| 27 | |
Total operating expenses | |
| 1,480 | | |
| 1,488 | | |
| (8 | ) | |
| 4,038 | | |
| 5,819 | | |
| (1,781 | ) |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Income (loss) from operations | |
| 8,353 | | |
| 1,138 | | |
| 7,215 | | |
| 12,339 | | |
| 1,137 | | |
| 11,202 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Interest expense | |
| 97 | | |
| 164 | | |
| (67 | ) | |
| 330 | | |
| 526 | | |
| (196 | ) |
Fees on virtual vault services | |
| 312 | | |
| – | | |
| 312 | | |
| 543 | | |
| 67 | | |
| 476 | |
Other expense | |
| 38 | | |
| 29 | | |
| 9 | | |
| 134 | | |
| 178 | | |
| (44 | ) |
Income (loss) before income taxes | |
| 7,906 | | |
| 945 | | |
| 6,961 | | |
| 11,332 | | |
| 366 | | |
| 10,966 | |
Income tax expense | |
| 1,976 | | |
| 807 | | |
| 1,169 | | |
| 3,141 | | |
| 1,977 | | |
| 1,164 | |
Net income (loss) | |
$ | 5,930 | | |
$ | 138 | | |
$ | 5,792 | | |
$ | 8,191 | | |
$ | (1,611 | ) | |
$ | 9,802 | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Comprehensive income (loss) | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Net income (loss) | |
$ | 5,930 | | |
$ | 138 | | |
$ | 5,792 | | |
$ | 8,191 | | |
$ | (1,611 | ) | |
$ | 9,802 | |
Foreign currency translation adjustment | |
| (14 | ) | |
| (15 | ) | |
| 1 | | |
| (46 | ) | |
| 8 | | |
| (54 | ) |
Comprehensive income (loss) | |
$ | 5,916 | | |
$ | 123 | | |
$ | 5,793 | | |
$ | 8,145 | | |
$ | (1,603 | ) | |
$ | 9,748 | |
Components of Results of Operations
Revenues
| |
Three Months Ended September
30 | | |
| | |
Nine
Months Ended September
30 | | |
| |
| |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
% Change | | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
% Change | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
Revenue by Stream | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Athena ATM | |
$ | 61,671 | | |
$ | 9,623 | | |
| 541% | | |
$ | 102,088 | | |
$ | 35,612 | | |
| 187% | |
Athena Plus | |
| 2,679 | | |
| 1,833 | | |
| 46% | | |
| 14,264 | | |
| 13,398 | | |
| 6% | |
White-label | |
| 1,277 | | |
| 2,574 | | |
| (50% | ) | |
| 3,802 | | |
| 4,672 | | |
| (19% | ) |
Ancillary and other | |
| 19 | | |
| 19 | | |
| 0% | | |
| 56 | | |
| 68 | | |
| (18% | ) |
Total revenue | |
$ | 65,646 | | |
$ | 14,049 | | |
| 367% | | |
$ | 120,210 | | |
$ | 53,750 | | |
| 124% | |
Three and Nine Months Ended September
30, 2023 and 2022
Athena ATM Revenue
Athena ATM revenue increased $52,048,000
or 541% and $66,476,000 or 187% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively when compared to three and nine
months ended September 30, 2022. Median transaction size for all crypto assets increased from $150 to $200 or 33% and from $140 to $160
or 14% for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively. The number of transactions increased from 10,402
to 31,041 or 198% and increased from 41,966 to 60,364 or 44% for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively.
The increase in Athena ATM revenue was driven by the following factors:
|
· |
Number of ATMs increased from 227 as of September 30, 2022 to 1,422
as of September 30, 2023, which is an increase of 526%. This is the primary driver of the increase. |
|
|
|
|
· |
Quantity of Bitcoin sold during the nine months ended September
30, 2023, when compared to September 30, 2022, increased from 1,015 to 2,870, or 183%. Quantity of Bitcoin sold during the three
months ended September 30, 2023, when compared to September 30, 2022, increased from 390 to 1,664, or 327%. |
|
|
|
|
· |
The increase in ATMs was offset by a reduction in overall volume for
crypto assets in the global market during these periods. The total volume for Bitcoin for USD users for Coinbase during the nine months
ended September 30, 2022, was 5,128,555 compared to 3,869,588 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. The total volume for Bitcoin
for USD customers for Coinbase during the three months ended September 30, 2022, was 2,123,777 compared to 870,728 for the three months
ended September 30, 2023. |
Athena Plus Revenue
Athena Plus revenue increased $846,000 or
46% and increased $866,000 or 6% for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively when compared to three and
nine months ended September 30, 2022. Median transaction size for all crypto assets increased from $20,000 to $100,000 or 400% and increased
from $26,000 to $100,000 or 285% for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 when compared to the three and nine months ended
September 30, 2022, respectively. The number of transactions decreased from 34 to 27 or 21% and decreased from 107 to 98 or 8% for the
three and nine months ended September 30, 2023 when compared to the three and nine months ended September 30, 2022, respectively.
Athena Plus revenue fluctuates based on demand
from institutional traders and organizations. Athena Plus experienced large orders during Q1 and Q3 2023 from institutional traders but
saw a reduction of orders during Q2 2023. Demand from these customers is sporadic and is dependent on specific trader needs, the macro-economic
climate and the global cryptocurrency market.
The table below shows Bitcoin sales for the Athena
Plus services.
Bitcoin Sales
(Athena Plus) |
|
Three
Months Ended
September 30 |
|
|
|
|
|
Nine
Months Ended
September 30 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
%
Change |
|
|
2023 |
|
|
2022 |
|
|
%
Change |
|
Quantity sold |
|
|
86 |
|
|
|
54 |
|
|
|
59% |
|
|
|
540 |
|
|
|
211 |
|
|
|
156% |
|
Average selling price |
|
$ |
28,862 |
|
|
$ |
21,615 |
|
|
|
34% |
|
|
$ |
26,686 |
|
|
$ |
32,839 |
|
|
|
(19% |
) |
% of Over-the-counter revenue |
|
|
99% |
|
|
|
100% |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
97% |
|
|
|
65% |
|
|
|
|
|
White-Label Service
White-Label Service revenue decreased by 50%
and 19% and for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively, when compared to three and nine months ended September
30, 2022. This decrease is due to significant non-recurring work provided in 2022 in order to configure the white-label ATMs with the
operating requirements of Chivo.
Ancillary
Ancillary revenue is immaterial for the three
and nine months ended September 30, 2023, and 2022. This revenue stream is not for recurring revenue and therefore is sporadic
in nature.
Cost of Revenues and Gross Profit
Three
and Nine Months Ended September 30, 2023 and 2022
Cost of revenues is comprised primarily of
the expenses related to the acquisition of crypto assets sold and the costs of operating the ATMs from which the crypto assets are sold.
For the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the cost related to the acquisition of crypto assets sold were $48,972,000 and $9,371,518,
respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023, and 2022, the expenses related to the acquisition of crypto assets sold were
$91,858,609 and $40,725,666, respectively. The increase in cost related to acquisition of crypto assets sold was primarily a result of
the increased sales of crypto assets. For the three months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the costs of operating the ATMs were $6,822,281
and $1,962,698, respectively. For the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022, the costs of operating the ATMs were $11,785,874
and $5,816,700, respectively. This was primarily driven by the increasing number of Athena Bitcoin ATMs in the periods presented, consisting
of 385 at December 31, 2021, 430 at December 31, 2022 and 1,422 at September 30, 2023.
Gross profit decreased from 19% for the three months ended September
30, 2022 to 15% for the three months ended September 30, 2023. The decrease in gross profit was due to the Company recognizing revenue
for services performed that were related to Chivo ATM functionality that were non-recurring in 2022. Gross profit increased from 13%
for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, to 14% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, as the Company increased revenues
with the expansion of its US ATM network with a lower increase in cost of sales driven by little to no change to fixed costs that are
part of cost of sales.
Operating Expenses
Three and Nine Months Ended September
30, 2023 and 2022
Operating expenses decreased $8,000 for the
three months ended September 30, 2023 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2022. This was primarily attributable to the sales
and marketing. Sales and marketing costs decreased $87,000, technology and development decreased $24,000 and general and administrative
expense increased $103,000. Operating expenses decreased $1,781,000 or 31% for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 compared to nine
months ended September 30, 2022. This was primarily due to the general and administrative category. General and administrative cost decreased
$1,391,000, technology and development decreased $177,000, sales and marketing decreased $240,000 and other operating expense increased
$27,000. Refer below for detail related to the general and administrative category, which is the largest component of operating expenses
for both periods.
General and administrative
| |
Three Months Ended September
30 | | |
| | |
Nine
Months Ended September
30 | | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
% Change | | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
% Change | |
Salaries and benefits | |
$ | 709 | | |
$ | 760 | | |
| (7% | ) | |
$ | 1,811 | | |
$ | 2,799 | | |
| (35% | ) |
General and administrative | |
| 499 | | |
| 387 | | |
| 29% | | |
| 1,300 | | |
| 1,655 | | |
| (21% | ) |
Travel | |
| 44 | | |
| 40 | | |
| 10% | | |
| 135 | | |
| 193 | | |
| (30% | ) |
Rent | |
| 45 | | |
| 7 | | |
| 543% | | |
| 99 | | |
| 89 | | |
| 11% | |
| |
$ | 1,297 | | |
$ | 1,194 | | |
| 9% | | |
$ | 3,345 | | |
$ | 4,736 | | |
| (29% | ) |
The reduction in general and administrative
expense is driven by a reduction of salaries and benefits expense by 7% and 35% for the three months and nine months ended 2023 and 2022,
respectively, due to the Company reducing head count in the United States and utilizing more individuals located abroad to support operations.
Payroll expenses in the countries where headcount increased is lower than the United States.
Sales and marketing
| |
Three Months Ended September
30 | | |
| | |
Nine
Months Ended September
30 | | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
% Change | | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
% Change | |
Salaries and benefits | |
$ | 14 | | |
$ | 97 | | |
| (86% | ) | |
$ | 158 | | |
$ | 303 | | |
| (48% | ) |
Advertising | |
| 25 | | |
| 31 | | |
| (19% | ) | |
| 33 | | |
| 157 | | |
| (79% | ) |
Other selling and marketing | |
| 2 | | |
| – | | |
| 100% | | |
| 49 | | |
| 20 | | |
| 145% | |
| |
$ | 41 | | |
$ | 128 | | |
| (68% | ) | |
$ | 240 | | |
$ | 480 | | |
| (50% | ) |
The reduction in sales and marketing expense
is driven by a reduction of salaries and benefits expense by 86% and 48% for the three months and nine months ended 2023 and 2022, respectively,
due to the Company reducing head count in the United States and utilizing more individuals located abroad to support operations. Payroll
expenses in the countries where headcount increased is lower than the United States.
Interest and fees for virtual vault services
| |
Three
Months Ended
September
30 | | |
| | |
Nine
Months Ended September
30 | | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
% Change | | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
% Change | |
Interest expense | |
$ | 97 | | |
$ | 164 | | |
| (41% | ) | |
$ | 330 | | |
$ | 526 | | |
| (37% | ) |
Fees for virtual vault services | |
| 312 | | |
| – | | |
| 100% | | |
| 543 | | |
| 67 | | |
| 710% | |
Three and Nine Months Ended September
30, 2023 and 2022
Interest expense decreased $67,000 or 41%
for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and decreased $196,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023. Both decreases are
due to a reduction of average interest bearing debt during the period.
Virtual Vault is a term used in the
Armored Car and Cash Transport industry to define a service provided by armored car services for assets considered property of the bank
when the bank does not have a physical vault or location in a given state or location. The Fees for virtual vault services included in
our income statement are for a currency availability service provided to the Company by its bank for making funds held in a virtual vault
immediately available to the Company. Neither the term nor the service is related to virtual currency or crypto assets.
Fees
for virtual vault services increased $312,000 for the three months ended September 30, 2023 and increased $476,000 or 710% for the nine
months ended September 30, 2023 due mostly to higher ATM transaction volume and wider market network compared to the prior period. This
is supported by the increase in the number of ATMs and additional states entered.
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)
Three and Nine Months Ended September
30, 2023 and 2022
Income tax expense increased $1,169,000
and increased $1,164,000 for the three months and nine months ended September 30, 2023, respectively when compared to prior
respective period. Income tax expense, as a percentage of income before taxes, was 25% and 85% for the three months ended September
30, 2023 and 2022, respectively. Income tax expense, as a percentage of income before taxes, was 28% and 540% for the nine months ended
September 30, 2023 and 2022, respectively.
Interest expense as a percentage of income
before income taxes decreased due to the Company generating most of its taxable income in foreign operations with higher income tax rates
in 2022. Comparatively, in 2023 the Company generated most of its taxable income from its domestic operations which have lower income
tax rates.
Comparison of the Years Ended December 31, 2022 and 2021
The table below sets forth, for the periods presented, certain historical
financial information.
| |
Year Ended December 31 | |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | | |
$ Change | | |
% Change | |
| |
(in thousands, except number of shares) | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| | |
| |
Net revenues | |
$ | 73,686 | | |
$ | 81,747 | | |
$ | (8,061 | ) | |
| (10% | ) |
Cost of revenues | |
| 59,643 | | |
| 76,178 | | |
| (16,535 | ) | |
| (22% | ) |
Gross profit | |
| 14,043 | | |
| 5,569 | | |
| 8,474 | | |
| 152% | |
Gross profit percentage | |
| 19% | | |
| 7% | | |
| | | |
| | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Operating expenses: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Technology and development | |
| 776 | | |
| 143 | | |
| 633 | | |
| 443% | |
General and administrative | |
| 5,784 | | |
| 4,153 | | |
| 1,631 | | |
| 39% | |
Sales and marketing | |
| 594 | | |
| 647 | | |
| (53 | ) | |
| (8% | ) |
Theft of bitcoin | |
| 0 | | |
| 1,600 | | |
| (1,600 | ) | |
| (100% | ) |
Other operating expenses | |
| 30 | | |
| 231 | | |
| (201 | ) | |
| (87% | ) |
Total operating expenses | |
| 7,184 | | |
| 6,774 | | |
| 410 | | |
| 6% | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Income (loss) from operations | |
| 6,859 | | |
| (1,205 | ) | |
| 8,064 | | |
| 669% | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Fair value adjustment on crypto asset borrowing derivatives | |
| – | | |
| 515 | | |
| (515 | ) | |
| (100% | ) |
Interest expense | |
| 668 | | |
| 661 | | |
| 7 | | |
| 1% | |
Fees on borrowings | |
| 113 | | |
| 341 | | |
| (228 | ) | |
| (67% | ) |
Other expense | |
| 169 | | |
| 39 | | |
| 130 | | |
| 333% | |
Income (loss) before income taxes | |
| 5,909 | | |
| (2,761 | ) | |
| 8,670 | | |
| 314% | |
Income tax expense | |
| 1,770 | | |
| 883 | | |
| 887 | | |
| 100% | |
Net income (loss) | |
$ | 4,139 | | |
$ | (3,644 | ) | |
$ | 7,783 | | |
| 214% | |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Comprehensive income (loss) | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Net income (loss) | |
$ | 4,139 | | |
$ | (3,644 | ) | |
$ | 7,783 | | |
| 214% | |
Foreign currency translation adjustment | |
| 1 | | |
| (60 | ) | |
| 61 | | |
| 102% | |
Comprehensive income (loss) | |
$ | 4,140 | | |
$ | (3,704 | | |
$ | 7,844 | | |
| 212% | |
Revenue
| |
Year Ended December 31 | |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | | |
$ Change | | |
% Change | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
Revenue by stream | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Athena ATM | |
$ | 45,340 | | |
$ | 63,097 | | |
$ | (17,757 | ) | |
| (28% | ) |
Athena Plus | |
| 16,528 | | |
| 15,874 | | |
| 654 | | |
| 4% | |
White-label | |
| 5,291 | | |
| 2,083 | | |
| 3,208 | | |
| 154% | |
Ancillary | |
| 6,527 | | |
| 693 | | |
| 5,834 | | |
| 842% | |
Total Revenue | |
$ | 73,686 | | |
$ | 81,747 | | |
$ | (8,061 | ) | |
| (10% | ) |
Athena ATM Revenue
Athena ATM revenue decreased $17,757 or 28%.
Median transaction size for all crypto assets increased from $133 to $140, or 5% and number of ATMs decreased from 298 to 265, or 11%.
Revenue decreased due to a reduction in the number of transactions during this period. The number of transactions decreased from 96,132
to 53,005 or 45%. This was driven by the overall crypto market during these periods.
During 2021, the price of Bitcoin increased from
approximately $29,000 as of January 1, 2021 to approximately $48,000 as of December 31, 2021 or 66%. During 2022, the price of Bitcoin
decreased from approximately $48,000 to approximately $17,000. The decrease in Bitcoin price reduced demand for Bitcoin. See table below
from www.coinmarketcap.com.
Given the infancy of this new digital financial
system, fluctuations of the price of Bitcoin are expected. However, the Company believes that as worldwide adoption continues, these fluctuations
will decrease and the correlation between price and transactions will decrease.
Athena Plus
Athena Plus revenue increased 654,000 or 4%.
Median transaction size for all crypto assets decreased from $40,000 to $32,948 or 18% while number of transactions decreased from 209
to 181, or 13%. Athena Plus revenue is dependent on the demands of certain institutional traders, which remained consistent each period.
White-Label Service
White-Label Service revenue increased $3,208,000
or 154%. This increase is due to the Company entering into the White-Label service agreements with Chivo in August 2021, resulting in
fewer than five months of revenue compared to twelve months of revenue in 2022.
Ancillary
Ancillary revenue increased $5,834,000 or 842%.
This increase is due to the Company recognizing revenue related to the Chivo Ecosystem development project in December 2022. The Company
finished this project in 2021; however, given the contingency related to the license that was acquired from XPay, the Company was
unable to recognize the revenue until the contingency was lifted. Refer to the Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates section below
for more information regarding this transaction.
Cost of Revenues and Gross Profit
Cost of revenues is comprised primarily of the
expenses related to the acquisition of crypto assets sold and the costs of operating the ATMs from which the crypto assets are sold.
For the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the costs related to the acquisition of crypto assets sold were $51,820,000 and $69,740,000,
respectively. Impairment of crypto assets held for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021 were $199,000 and $44,000 respectively.
The decrease in cost related to acquisition of crypto assets sold was primarily a result of the decreased transactions of crypto assets.
For the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021, the costs of operating the ATMs were $7,462,000 and $5,385,000, respectively. The increase
in operating the ATMs was primarily driven by the 126% increase in ATMs installed from December 31, 2021 to December 31, 2022.
Gross profit increased $8,474,000 or 152% and
gross profit percentage increased from 7% to 19%, primarily due to the one-time recognition of revenue of $6,165,000 in December 2022
for the development of the Chivo Ecosystem.
Operating Expenses
Total operating expenses increased $410,000 or
6%, primarily due to business expansion and infrastructure investment within technology and development, general and administrative,
sales and marketing offset by a non-repeated theft of bitcoin expense of $1,600,000. Breakdown of general and administrative expenses
are shown below.
| |
Year Ended December 31 | |
(in thousands) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | | |
$ Change | | |
% Change | |
Salaries and benefits | |
$ | 3,412 | | |
$ | 1,398 | | |
$ | 2,014 | | |
| 144% | |
General and administrative expenses | |
| 2,021 | | |
| 2,350 | | |
| (329 | ) | |
| (14% | ) |
Travel | |
| 207 | | |
| 309 | | |
| (102 | ) | |
| (33% | ) |
Rent | |
| 144 | | |
| 96 | | |
| 48 | | |
| 50% | |
| |
$ | 5,784 | | |
$ | 4,153 | | |
$ | 1,631 | | |
| 39% | |
General and administrative expenses increased
$1,631,000 or 39%, due mostly to investment in personnel.
Breakdown of sales and marketing expenses are
shown below.
| |
Year Ended December 31 | |
(in thousands) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | | |
$ Change | | |
% Change | |
Advertising | |
$ | 123 | | |
$ | 365 | | |
$ | (242 | ) | |
| (66% | ) |
Salaries and benefits | |
| 410 | | |
| 258 | | |
| 152 | | |
| 59% | |
Other selling and marketing | |
| 61 | | |
| 24 | | |
| 37 | | |
| 154% | |
| |
$ | 594 | | |
$ | 647 | | |
$ | (53 | ) | |
| (8% | ) |
Sales and marketing expenses decreased of $53,000
or 8%, due to a decrease in branding and building the formal marketing and sale infrastructure offset by an investment in marketing and
sales personnel.
Fair Value Adjustment on Crypto Asset Borrowing
Derivatives
| |
Year Ended December 31 | |
(in thousands) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | | |
$ Change | | |
% Change | |
Fair value adjustment on crypto asset borrowing derivatives | |
$ | – | | |
$ | 515 | | |
$ | (515 | ) | |
| (100% | ) |
| |
| | | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Fair value adjustment on crypto asset borrowing
derivatives decreased $515,000 or 100%, due to the full payment of the outstanding amount of Bitcoin borrowed (host contract) in 2021.
See Note 10 to our Audited Consolidated Financial Statements for the year ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
Interest and Fees
| |
Year Ended December 31 | |
(in thousands) | |
2022 | | |
2021 | | |
$ Change | | |
% Change | |
Interest expense | |
$ | 668 | | |
$ | 661 | | |
$ | 7 | | |
| 1% | |
Fees on crypto asset borrowings | |
| – | | |
| 119 | | |
| (119 | ) | |
| (100% | ) |
Fees for virtual vault services | |
| 113 | | |
| 222 | | |
| (109 | ) | |
| (49% | ) |
Interest expense decreased $7,000 or 1% due to
no significant changes in interest-bearing debt.
Fees on crypto asset borrowings decreased $119,000
or 100%. The net decrease is due to the paydown of crypto asset borrowings in 2021.
Virtual Vault is a term used in the Armored
Car and Cash Transport industry to define a service provided by armored car services for assets considered property of the bank when
the bank does not have a physical vault or location in a given state or location. The Fees for virtual vault services included in our
income statement are for a currency availability service provided to the Company by its bank for making funds held in a virtual vault
immediately available to the Company. Neither the term nor the service is related to virtual currency or crypto assets.
Fees for virtual vault services decreased $109,000
or 49% primarily due to lower ATM transaction volume in 2022 when compared to 2021.
Income Tax Expense (Benefit)
Income tax expense increased $887,000, primarily
due to an increase in federal and state domestic taxes of $300,000 and an increase in foreign taxes of $455,000 in addition to an increase
in deferred tax liability of $132,000. The increase in income tax expense is due to an increase in both US and foreign based net income.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
As of September 30, 2023, we had current assets
of $15,226,000 and current liabilities of $15,103,000, including the current portion of related party note payable of $4,090,000 and
current portion of leased liabilities of $5,391,000, rendering a working capital of $123,000.
As of December 31, 2022, we had current assets
of $4,505,000 and current liabilities of $8,138,000 resulting in a deficit working capital of $3,633,000.
Our ATM business has two significant components
of working capital – holdings of crypto assets and cash holdings in the machines and in transit, i.e., once it has been removed
from the machines and it is the process of being counted and credited to our account with the appropriate banking institution.
We must buy our holdings in cash and do not get a credit from our counterparties. On average, we hold 2 days of anticipated sales
of Bitcoin and at this time do not transact in Ethereum, Litecoin or BCH at our machines. We strive to keep this period short to reduce
the effect of changes in crypto asset/U.S. dollar exchange rates on our business and to minimize our working capital. Our cash logistics
contractors restock or remove cash from our machines periodically, the frequency of this service determined by a host of operational
considerations like historical trend of sales, current levels of cash in the machines, route considerations, public holidays, and incremental
cost of each removal etc. We employ a data driven strategy based on factors we have learned over the years to reduce the amount of cash
deployed and as low as possible. It currently takes anywhere from 3 to 7 days from the time the cash is picked up from the machines to
be credited to our account. An increase in this period or amount impacts our ability to restock our holdings of crypto assets in a timely
manner to avoid a situation where there are insufficient amounts of crypto assets to fulfill customer orders.
The
Company, given how actively we manage our cash logistics, and how we prioritize and leverage cash pick up based on proprietary operating
algorithms and practices, is able to finance and perform its daily operating activities and manage liquidity, while also maintaining
the noted levels of cash in the ATM machines. For the nine months ending September 30, 2023, the average cash balance was $4,354
per machine in the United States. For the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, the average cash balance was $4,236 per machine
in the United States. The Company generally has minimum cash of $2,500 in each dispenser in two-way ATM machines in order to have sufficient
cash to operate them. The remaining cash is withdrawn from the machine in order to fund the Company’s operations.
The employees of the Company regularly, at intervals
of 3-hours or less, monitor the balance of crypto assets owned and controlled by the Company. When employees of the Company, using their
professional discretion, believe that there are insufficient amounts of crypto assets owned and controlled by the Company, they initiate
the purchase of additional crypto assets. There have been periods of time, each less than 24-hours, where there have not been sufficient
amounts of crypto assets owned and controlled by the Company to execute future customer transactions. During those times, no customer
transactions are permitted. The employees of the Company use the working capital of the Company to purchase more crypto assets, during
times when banking transactions are permitted, and once those crypto assets are delivered to the Company and owned and controlled by
the Company, customer transactions are again permitted.
Our Athena Plus (phone sales) has a lower level
of capital required since we only function on days other market participants and banks and our trades are cash settled every day. The
Company does not separately hold crypto assets earmarked for ATM sales as opposed to phone sales and the Company holds approximately
2 days worth of crypto assets needed for transactions at its ATMs. We strive to minimize the amount of working capital
deployed for better financial results.
The Company has financed operations primarily
with cash flow from the purchase and sale of crypto assets. Management utilizes a non-GAAP internal metric defined as functional
cash flow from operations in order to evaluate operational cash flow. Functional cash flow from operations is equal to cash flow from
operations (per GAAP statements) plus sale of crypto assets less purchase of crypto assets, both of which are included as investing activities
in the GAAP Consolidated Statement of Cash Flows. Given the active sales market for crypto assets, management believes that inclusion
of the purchase and sale of crypto assets provides a better metric for measuring cash flow from operations. Refer below for the calculation
of the functional cash flow for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and twelve months ended December 31, 2022 and 2021.
| |
Nine Months Ended | | |
Year Ended | |
| |
September 30, | | |
December 31, | | |
December 31, | |
(in thousands) | |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
2021 | |
| |
| | |
| | |
| |
GAAP cash flow from operations | |
$ | (10,070 | ) | |
$ | (5,559 | ) | |
$ | (4,145 | ) |
Plus: | |
| | | |
| | | |
| | |
Sale of crypto assets | |
| 116,352 | | |
| 61,868 | | |
| 78,972 | |
Purchase of crypto assets | |
| (96,307 | ) | |
| (53,403 | ) | |
| (74,973 | ) |
Functional cash flow from operations | |
$ | 9,975 | | |
$ | 2,906 | | |
$ | (146 | ) |
Our financing needs are influenced by our level
of business operations and generally increase with higher levels of revenue. We strive to minimize the amount of financing requested
to assist with operating the business. During the nine months ended September 30, 2023 we received net proceeds from debt of $1,449,000
compared to prior year nine months ended September 30, 2022 repayment of debt of $523,000. During fiscal year ended December 31, 2022
we paid down debt of $1,202,000 compared to the year ended December 31, 2021 where we received net proceeds of 5,126,000.
Contractual Obligations and Commitments
Related Party
Loan Agreement with the Company’s Director
and Shareholders
In 2017, the Company entered into several subordinated
note agreements with shareholders of the Company’s common stock. The notes had a principal amount of $117,000 with maturity dates
in 2021 and 2022. Interest as defined in the notes is 12% per annum. As of September 30, 2023, the outstanding principal was $90,000.
This is due within the next twelve months.
On August 4, 2022, the Company completed a lending
transaction with Mike Komaransky, the Company’s principal shareholder and former director, whereby the Company borrowed $500,000
from Mr. Komaransky pursuant to the terms of a secured promissory note and security agreement. The promissory note has an interest rate
of 6% and the repayment of the principal amount and any accrued interest is secured by certain assets of the Company with respect to
which Mr. Komaransky holds first priority lien and security interest. The terms of the secured promissory note and the security agreement
were subsequently amended by the parties on January 17, 2023. Pursuant to the terms of the amended secured promissory note, the Company
agreed to make monthly payments of $50,000 until the maturity date of the secured promissory note, which was on August 31, 2023. As
of September 30, 2023, the outstanding principal was $0.
Loan from KGPLA
As of May 15, 2023, the Company entered into
a certain Senior Secured Loan Agreement, as amended (the “Loan Agreement”) and Senior Secured Revolving Credit Promissory
Note (the “Revolving Credit Note”) with KGPLA Holdings LLC (“KGPLA”), an entity in which Mike Komaransky, a former
director and principal shareholder of the Company has a controlling interest. The Revolving Credit Note allows the Company to borrow
up to $4,000,000 for the operations of its New Bitcoin ATM Machines, as defined in the Loan Agreement, with a maturity date of May 15,
2024. Fees for these borrowings are calculated based on a percentage of the gross daily receipts generated from these machines and are
recorded as part of Cost of Revenue in the Condensed Consolidated Income Statement. As of September 30, 2023 the outstanding principal
of the Revolving Credit Note was $4,000,000. In connection with the above loan transaction and issuance of Revolving Credit Note, the
Company granted KGPLA a first priority lien and security interest in and to all of the Company’s assets, except for property previously
pledged to Banco Hipotecario, and with respect to such assets, the Company granted the Lender a second priority lien. The principal of
$4,000,000 is due within the next twelve months.
KGPLA Convertible Debt
On January 31, 2020, the Company entered into
a convertible debenture agreement with KGPLA LLC, an entity in which Mike Komaransky, a former director and principal shareholder of
the Company has controlling interest. The convertible debenture provided for a principal amount of $3,000,000, with a maturity date of
January 31, 2025. Interest as defined by the agreement is 8% per annum. KGPLA, LLC has the option to convert the outstanding principal
and accrued interest balance into common stock of the Company at the lower of $0.012 per share or 20% discount to the next major financing
or change in control. The convertible debenture was amended and restated as of May 15, 2023 and became a secured, and not general unsecured,
obligation of the Company, on par with the notes issued pursuant to the Senior Secured Loan Agreement entered into as of the same date.
As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal debenture amount of $3,000,000 was presented under related
party convertible debt in the Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.
Third-Party
Promissory Note
On August 1, 2018, the Company entered into a
promissory note with LoanMe, Inc. The promissory note provided for a principal amount of $100,000, with a final maturity date of August
1, 2028, with equal monthly installment payments of $2,000. Interest as defined in the promissory note is 24% per annum. As of September
30, 2023 and December 31, 2022 the outstanding principal was $75,000 and $80,000, respectively. The amount due in the next twelve
months is $24,000.
Loan from Banco Hipotecario
In September 2021, the Company’s El Salvador
subsidiary, Athena Holdings El Salvador, S.A. DE C.V. (“Athena El Salvador”) entered into a loan agreement with Banco Hipotecario
for the loan amount of $1,500,000. The loan has an interest rate of 7.5% and is secured by Athena El Salvador’s assets in El Salvador.
The maturity date is 36 months after the disbursement of the funds. The monthly payments on the loan in the equal amounts of $49,108,
begin two (2) months after the disbursement of the funds. As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal was
$666,000 and $1,037,000, respectively. The amount due in the next twelve months is $589,000.
Loan from Capital Premium Financing
On December 10, 2022, the Company entered into
a financing agreement for $49,000 with Capital Premium Financing, Inc. to pay the insurance premium on its commercial liability insurance
with an annual percentage rate of 17.65% per annum repayable in nine monthly installments beginning February 1, 2023. As of September
30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal was $6,000 and $49,000, respectively. This amount is due in the next twelve
months.
Convertible Debt
In December 2021, certain debenture holders exercised
their right and gave an irrevocable notice to convert $220,000 of the convertible debt for 2,200,000 shares. This amount is included
in Shares to be issued in the Consolidated Statement of Stockholders’ Deficit as of December 31, 2021. As of March 31, 2022 additional
debenture holders exercised their right and gave an irrevocable notice to convert $3,245,000 of the convertible debt. The Company issued
a total of 34,650,000 shares to convert the outstanding principal for the period ended March 31, 2022. The outstanding amount of
the convertible debt was $353,000 on September 30, 2023. This amount was repaid by December 31, 2023.
Operating Leases
The Company has entered into multiple operating
leases, primarily related to the renting of space for our ATM fleet. The Company has a total lease liability of $15,940,000, of which
$5,391,000 is due in the next twelve months.
Off Balance Sheet Arrangements
Our
contract with the government of El Salvador for the operation of the Chivo branded ATMs, specifically the Service Addendum 1 Section
11.2, which is included as Exhibit 10.27 to the registration statement which this prospectus is a part, obligates the Company to assume
the risk of loss for funds used in the operation of the Chivo branded ATMs while those funds are in transit. The Company has contracted
with licensed and insured cash logistics companies to securely transport such funds, including Proteccion de Valores, S.A. de C.V. (PROVAL,
Servicio Salvadoreño de Protección, S. A. de C. V.(SERSAPROSA) and Move On Security LLC. The amount of funds in transit
as of September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, were $740,000 and $278,000, respectively.
The Company is obligated to assume the risk of
loss for crypto assets that are in transit. However, crypto assets that are in transit are governed by the blockchain and are in transit
for a short duration (typically less than an hour). As a result, there are no funds in transit as of any reporting date.
Cash Flow
The following summarizes our cash flow for the
nine months ended September 30, 2023 and 2022:
| |
Nine Months Ended September 30 | |
| |
2023 | | |
2022 | | |
$ Change | | |
% Change | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
Net cash used in operating activities | |
$ | (10,070 | ) | |
$ | (5,111 | ) | |
$ | (4,959 | ) | |
| (97% | ) |
Net cash provided by investing activities | |
| 19,085 | | |
| 5,714 | | |
| 13,371 | | |
| 234% | |
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | |
| 1,449 | | |
| (523 | ) | |
| 1,972 | | |
| 377% | |
Net increase in cash and cash equivalents | |
| 10,464 | | |
| 80 | | |
| 10,384 | | |
| 12,980% | |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | |
| 3,208 | | |
| 4,845 | | |
| (1,637 | ) | |
| (34% | ) |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | |
$ | 13,672 | | |
$ | 4,925 | | |
$ | 8,747 | | |
| 178% | |
The following summarizes our cash flow for the year ended December
31, 2022 and 2021:
| |
Year Ended December 31 | |
| |
2022 | | |
2021 | | |
$ Change | | |
% Change | |
| |
(in thousands) | |
Net cash used in operating activities | |
$ | (5,559 | ) | |
$ | (4,145 | ) | |
$ | (1,414 | ) | |
| (34% | ) |
Net cash provided by investing activities | |
| 5,124 | | |
| 1,779 | | |
| 3,345 | | |
| 188% | |
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities | |
| (1,202 | ) | |
| 5,126 | | |
| (6,328 | ) | |
| (123% | ) |
Net increase (decrease) in cash and cash equivalents | |
| (1,637 | ) | |
| 2,760 | | |
| (4,397 | ) | |
| (159% | ) |
Cash and cash equivalents, beginning of period | |
| 4,845 | | |
| 2,085 | | |
| 2,760 | | |
| 132% | |
Cash and cash equivalents, end of period | |
$ | 3,208 | | |
$ | 4,845 | | |
$ | (1,637 | ) | |
| (34% | ) |
Cash flow from operating activities
Operating activities used $10,070,000 in cash
for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, compared to $5,111,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2022, representing an increase
in cash used of $4,959,000. The changes in sources of cash from operating activities for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, comprised
primarily of an increase from net income of $9,802,000, accounts payable of $8,088,000, customer advances of $1,955,000, crypto asset
payments for expenses of $1,420,000, deferred income tax of $1,000,000, and other advances of $750,000. This was offset by uses of cash
due to gain on sale of crypto assets of $16,256,000, prepaid expenses and other assets of $11,290,000, and accounts receivable of $665,000.
All other operating activity provided additional cash of $237,000.
Operating activities used $5,559,000 in cash for
the twelve months ended December 31, 2022, compared to a use of $4,145,000 for the twelve months ended December 31, 2021, representing
an increase in cash used of $1,414,000. The changes in sources of cash from operating activities for the twelve months ended December
31, 2022, are comprised primarily of net income of $7,783,000, depreciation and amortization of $1,077,000, crypto asset payments for
expenses of $1,128,000, accounts receivable of $2,952,000, other advances of $1,575,000 and prepaid expenses and other assets of $893,000.
The additional sources were offset by uses in cash comprised primarily of theft of bitcoin of $1,600,000, gain on sale of crypto assets
$606,000, fair value adjustment on crypto asset borrowing derivatives of $515,000, customer advances of $6,234,000, advances received
for revenue contract $3,500,000 and accounts payable and other liabilities of $4,639,000. All other operating activity provided cash of
$272,000.
Cash flow from investing activities
Our investing activities provided $19,085,000
in cash for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 which included a cash inflow of $116,352,000 from sale of crypto assets offset by
$96,307,000 of cash outflow on purchase of crypto assets and $960,000 for purchase of property and equipment. In the nine months ended
September 30, 2022, investing activities provided $5,714,000 which included a cash inflow of $49,010,000 from sale of crypto assets offset
by $42,693,000 of cash outflow on purchase of crypto assets and $603,000 towards purchase of property and equipment to expand our fleet
of ATMs.
Our investing activities provided $5,124,000
in cash for the year ended December 31, 2022 which included a cash inflow of $61,868,000 from sale of crypto assets offset by $53,403,000
of cash outflow on purchase of crypto assets, and $3,341,000 towards purchase of property and equipment. For the year ended December
31, 2021, investing activities provided $1,779,000 which included a cash inflow of $78,972,000 from sale of crypto assets offset by $74,973,000
of cash outflow on purchase of crypto assets, and $2,220,000 towards purchase of property and equipment to expand our fleet of ATMs.
Cash flow from financing activities
Our financing activities provided $1,449,000
in cash for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, primarily due to additional sourcing of debt compared to a use of cash of $523,000
for the nine months ended September 30, 2022 for the repayment of debt.
For the year ended December 31, 2022, net cash
used by financing activities was $1,202,000, primarily due to debt reduction. For the year ended December 31, 2021, net cash provided
by financing activities was $5,126,000, primarily due to the issuance of convertible debt for $4,985,000.
Critical Accounting Policies and Estimates
Our financial statements and accompanying notes
have been prepared in accordance with GAAP. The preparation of these financial statements requires management to make estimates, judgments,
and assumptions that affect reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues, and expenses. We continually evaluate the accounting policies
and estimates used to prepare the financial statements. The estimates are based on historical experience and assumptions believed to
be reasonable under current facts and circumstances. Actual amounts and results could differ from these estimates made by management.
Certain accounting policies that require significant management estimates and are deemed critical to our results of operations or financial
position. Our critical accounting estimates are more fully discussed in Note 2 to our unaudited and audited financial statements contained
herein.
Revenue Recognition
The Company derives its recurring revenues primarily
from three sources: (i) sale of crypto assets at Athena Bitcoin ATMs, (ii) customized investor trading services for the sale or purchase
of crypto assets through our Athena Plus OTC desk and (iii) white label operations in El Salvador. The Company also generates revenue
from ancillary items, such as sale of intellectual property and maintenance of software. The Company adopted ASC 606, Revenue Recognition
(“ASC 606”), effective January 1, 2019, using the modified retrospective method. Under ASC 606, Revenue Recognition, the
Company recognizes revenue at the point of sale or over time of the service period for these products or services to our customers, in
an amount that reflects the consideration the Company expects to be entitled to in exchange for those products or services. The Company
determines revenue recognition through the following five steps:
|
· |
Identification of the contract, or contracts, with a customer |
|
|
|
|
· |
Identification of the performance obligations in the contract |
|
|
|
|
· |
Determination of the transaction price |
|
|
|
|
· |
Allocation of the transaction price to the performance obligations
in the contract |
|
|
|
|
· |
Recognition of revenue when, or as, we satisfy a performance obligation. |
The Company recognizes revenue when performance
obligations identified under the terms of contracts with its customers are satisfied.
Judgment is required in determining whether we
are the principal or the agent in transactions between customers. We evaluate the presentation of revenue on a gross or net basis based
primarily on inventory risk (are we at risk for potentially fluctuations of the crypto asset price) and whether we control the crypto
asset provided before it is transferred to the customer or whether we act as an agent by arranging for others to provide the crypto asset
to the customer.
The Company enters into contracts that may include
multiple performance obligations. The Company identifies the promises in the contract and assigns them to their appropriate performance
obligation. These performance obligations may be part of a different revenue source and are listed separately below.
Athena Bitcoin ATM
The Company requires all users of the Athena
Bitcoin ATM to agree to ATM Terms & Service. The ATM Terms & Service stipulate the terms and conditions of the transaction. The
user, by inserting fiat currency and confirming that they agree to the transaction, is agreeing to the contract that governs the transaction.
This contract meets all of the criteria to be a revenue contract under ASC 606.
The Company has
a single performance obligation to provide a specific quantity of a crypto asset (exclusively Bitcoin after July 2023) to the
customer’s crypto wallet. We utilize a mark-up for crypto assets sold to the customer. Athena Bitcoin ATMs permit customers
to purchase as little as $1 of Bitcoin but customers typically choose between $100 and $1,000 per transaction. The
Company considers itself the principal in this arrangement, as it controls the crypto asset prior to delivering, incurs inventory risk
due to potential fluctuations in the market price of the crypto asset and has discretion in establishing the price of the crypto asset
sold in the Athena Bitcoin ATM machine. Therefore, it records the gross cash received from the customer as the transaction price for
the performance obligation.
Revenue is recognized at the point in time when
the crypto asset is delivered to the customer’s crypto wallet. Delivery to the customer’s crypto wallet is governed by the
crypto asset’s blockchain and typically takes less than an hour.
Athena Plus
The Company requires all users of Athena Plus
to agree to Athena Plus Terms & Service. The Athena Plus Terms & Service stipulate the terms and conditions of the transaction.
The user, by wiring fiat currencies to the Company’s bank account, is agreeing to the contract that governs the transaction. This
contract meets all of the criteria to be a contract under ASC 606.
The Company has a single performance obligation
to provide a specific quantity of a crypto asset to the customer’s crypto wallet. We utilize a mark-up for crypto assets sold to
the customer. The minimum transaction is $10,000 USD (or equivalent value of local currency). The Company considers itself the principal
in this arrangement, as it controls the crypto asset prior to delivering, incurs inventory risk due to potential fluctuations in the
market price of the crypto asset and has discretion in establishing the price of the crypto asset sold. Therefore, it records the gross
cash received from the customer as the transaction price for the performance obligation. The only exception for this are stable coins,
which are considered financial assets. As such, the Company, in accordance with ASC 860-20, will recognize revenue net (markup) for any
sale of stable coins.
Revenue is recognized at the point in time when
the crypto asset is delivered to the customer’s crypto wallet. Delivery to the customer’s crypto wallet is governed by the
crypto asset’s blockchain.
White-label Service
The Company entered into multiple contracts that
govern the white-label service with the El Salvadoran government for ATMs located in El Salvador and in the United States. These contracts
detail the obligations and rights of both parties, including pricing and meet all of the criteria of a revenue contract under ASC 606.
The contracts permit the customer to terminate the contract at any point or to adjust the number of ATMs that are in use without a substantive
penalty. This results in each ATM and each service month for the ATM being considered a separate revenue contract per ASC 606.
The Company makes multiple promises to the customer.
This includes installation as well as multiple promises for operating the ATMs on behalf of the customer. Installation is a separate
performance obligation. This is due to the customer benefitting from the installation, the customer’s ability to utilize a third-party
to perform the installation if desired, no significant modification or customization is part of the installation, no significant integration
of installation with operating the ATMs and installation does not affect the operating of the ATMs performance obligation (discussed
below). This results in installation services being capable of being distinct and distinct in the context of the contract.
Operating the ATMs include multiple promises,
including providing the Company owned ATMs, repairs and maintenance as necessary, loading and unloading cash and any other activities
that are required to ensure that the ATMs are operating. In 2022, the Company entered a separate contract that require the Company to
ensure that the ATMs provide ATM services at least 99% of the time. The Company evaluated these promises to operate the ATMs and determined
that the individual promises are not distinct in terms of the contract. While the promise that are in the contract may vary each day,
the tasks are activities to fulfill their service to operate the ATMs is a combined output that provides a continuous service to the
customer. Each increment of the promised service, which is each day, is distinct in accordance with ASC 606-10-25-19. This is due to
the customer benefitting from each increment of service on its own (it is capable of being distinct) and each increment of service is
separately identifiable because no day of service significantly modifies or customizes another day of the contract and no day of service
significantly affects either the entity's ability to fulfill another day of service or the benefit to the customer of another day of
service. Therefore, the days are substantially the same and have the same pattern of transfer. Therefore, this meets the criteria to
be considered part of a series and is combined into a single performance obligation for each contract.
Included in the operating the ATM performance
obligation is providing Company owned ATMs to the customer. The Company elected the expedient in ASC 842-10-15-42A, which permits the
combining the lease and non-lease components together if the lease component has the same timing and pattern of transfer as the non-lease
component and the lease component is an operating lease. Both of these conditions are met. Given that that the predominant obligation
is the non-lease component (servicing the ATM), the Company, in accordance with ASC 842-10-15-42B, will account for the performance obligation
under the terms of ASC 606.
The Company generally charges a fixed fee
for installation and a fixed fee each month for operating the ATMs The fixed fees collected are allocated to the performance obligations
based on an adjusted market assessment approach. The Company generally charges the customer for costs incurred to perform the service,
including repairs and cash logistics. The fees for the specific services are considered variable consideration. The Company is considered
the principal, as it controls any third-party good or service before it is transferred to the customer.
The prices for additional services and reimbursement
of costs do not meet the definition of a material right, as the services included have separate pricing are not considered an additional
good or service but part of the existing contract. These services are considered perfunctory, as they are necessary for the Company to
fulfill its performance obligation to operate the machines on behalf of the customer.
For operating the ATM, revenue is recognized
straight line over the requisite service period, which is typically one month, for operating the ATM. For installation, revenue is recognized
at the point in time when installation is complete. Variable fees related to reimbursement of costs are recognized in the month in which it has incurred the costs and earned
the revenue.
Ancillary - Development of Chivo Ecosystem
and Support
In 2021, the Company entered into a series of
contracts to develop the Chivo Ecosystem for El Salvador. The Chivo Ecosystem is comprised of the Bitcoin Chivo Wallet and the Chivo Website.
In order develop the Chivo Ecosystem, the Company provided a license to intellectual property. The license is nonexclusive, non-sublicensable
(except to representatives of the El Salvador government), royalty-free, fully paid-up, irrevocable, perpetual and a worldwide right.
There are no exclusivity terms and no commitments. The license to the intellectual property was subject to completion of the asset acquisition
of XPay (refer to next section). As of December 31, 2021, the Company had not completed the asset acquisition. This meets the definition
of a contingency and results in the Company not meeting the criterion ASC 606-10-25-1(a), as the Company cannot commit to performing their
obligation. The other elements of a revenue contract, including identification of their rights to the services to be transferred, payment
terms, commercial substance and collecting the consideration are all met. Due to the contingency, this results in the contracts not being
a revenue contract under ASC 606 until the contingency is lifted. All consideration received until the contingency is lifted is a liability.
The contingency was lifted in 2022 with the acquisition of the rights to utilize the license.
The development of the Chivo Ecosystem includes
multiple promises, including providing a license to the intellectual property, as well as specifications for the development of the Chivo
Ecosystem beyond just basic digital wallet functionality (e.g., ability to send crypto assets to different wallets). This includes the
requirement to create a website to track activity of the Chivo wallet and to integrate the wallet with the white-label ATMs, custodial
providers, SMS providers and KY/AML providers. The Company also entered into an agreement to provide software support and improvements
to the Chivo Ecosystem if necessary, through December 31, 2021.
The Company evaluated the promises and determined
that the promises to provide the license to the intellectual property and develop the Chivo Ecosystem should be combined into a single
performance obligation. The customer would be unable to benefit from the Chivo Ecosystem without the licensing agreement. The Company
provides a significant service of integrating the license with other services to develop the Chivo ecosystem. The development of the
Chivo Ecosystem represents the combined output for which the customer has contracted the Company for. Accordingly, Management concludes
the entity should combine each promise pertaining to the development of the Chivo Ecosystem with that of the License of IP and treat
it as a single performance obligation.
The Company also provides software maintenance
services from September 2021 through December 2021. The Company promises that it will support and improve the software as needed to maintain
the uninterrupted 24/7 operation of the Chivo Ecosystem after the completion of the development of the ecosystem. The software maintenance
services can be used and are available to be used without the use of any of the other promises, as it is contingent upon the completion
of the Chivo Ecosystem. As such, the Government of El Salvador (customer) can benefit from the software maintenance services on its own
and the software maintenance services are separately identifiable from the other promises. Accordingly, Management concludes that the
software maintenance services are a distinct performance obligation.
The transaction price is specifically outlined
in the contracts which includes two one-time payments of $2M each for the development of the Chivo Ecosystem and fixed monthly payments
for the software maintenance services. The prices in the contract reflect the standalone sales price of both performance obligations.
There is no variable consideration.
The Company recognizes the development of the
Chivo Ecosystem at a point in time. The customer is unable to benefit from the development of the Chivo ecosystem until its completion,
nor does it control the ecosystem until its completion. There is also no alternate use to the Company. As noted previously, development
of the Chivo Ecosystem was unable to be recognized until the contingency related to XPay was closed.
The Company recognizes software maintenance over
time, as the customer receives the benefits from this service as the Company provides it each month.
XPay Asset Acquisition
The Company entered into a non-binding Letter
of Intent in 2021 with Arley Lozano, a principal beneficial owner of XPay for the purchase and sale of certain assets of XPay; primarily
intellectual property assets, including the XPay Wallet (the precursor to the Chivo Wallet) and XPay POS software. This was evaluated
under ASC 805 and determined to meet the definition of an asset acquisition, if finalized. This is due to the fact that there was no
substantive process being acquired. No workforce was acquired and substantially all of the assets acquired were acquiring the intellectual
property specific to the XPay Wallet. We made advances of $780,000 in 2021 and an additional $815,000 in 2022.
The Company terminated the non-binding letter
of intent in December 2022. As part of the termination, the Company agreed to obtain the rights to utilize the software license in exchange
for the advances previously made. The cost of the software license was capitalized as software development on the consolidated balance
sheet in December 2022.
Crypto Asset Borrowings
The Company borrows crypto assets from related
parties. Such crypto assets borrowed by the Company are reported in crypto assets held on the Company’s consolidated balance sheets.
The borrowings are accounted for as hybrid instruments,
with a liability host contract that contains an embedded derivative based on the changes in the fair value of the underlying crypto asset.
The host contract is not accounted for as a debt instrument because it is not a financial liability, is carried at the fair value of
the assets acquired and reported in crypto asset borrowings in the consolidated balance sheets. The embedded derivative is accounted
for at fair value, with changes in fair value recognized in other non-operating expenses in the consolidated statements of operations.
We evaluate all of our loan contracts to determine if those contracts or embedded components of those contracts qualify as derivatives
to be separately accounted for under ASC 815, Derivatives and Hedging. The embedded derivatives are included in crypto asset borrowings
in the consolidated balance sheets.
Fair value of crypto assets is estimated by applying
fair value hierarchy in ASC 820. Given the volatile nature of crypto assets, there was uncertainty regarding the fair value of
the crypto assets at the due date of the borrowings. The Company utilized observable market inputs and market data (Level 2) at December
31, 2021. This was settled in 2022.
Expenses Paid in Crypto Assets
The Company enters into agreements with certain
vendors and service providers that provide us with the option to settle their invoices in crypto assets. The amount due is fixed and
is denominated in USD. There are no payment terms that include conversion options, variable settlement features, or alternative settlement
provisions contingent upon future events or market price fluctuations that could potentially give rise to embedded derivatives.
The Company considers the guidance in ASC 350,
ASC 606, ASC 610, and ASC 845 when it evaluates the derecognition of its crypto assets, typically Bitcoin, paid to vendors in lieu of
cash payments. In these transactions, we have been invoiced by a vendor and given the option to pay in USD or crypto assets, typically
Bitcoin. The amount of Bitcoin is determined by the market wide and easily determined price in accordance with the guidance of ASC 820,
Fair Value Measurement. The Company records as an expense the USD value of the invoice and then considers the above references
to determine the proper way to derecognize the intangible long-lived asset used as payment.
We consider the scoping exceptions for each of
those topics and conclude that that the scope of 610-20 most closely matched the facts of the transactions. ASC 610-20-15-2 states “nonfinancial
assets within the scope of this Subtopic include intangible assets,” which is how the company treats crypto assets.
We evaluated two possibilities to exclude these
transactions from the scope ASC 845. The relevant exceptions to the scope of that Topic are as follows:
|
1. |
The transfer of goods or services in a contract with
a customer within the scope of ASC Topic 606 in exchange for noncash consideration (ASC 845-10-15-4(j)) |
|
2. |
The transfer of a nonfinancial asset within the scope
of ASC Topic 610-20 in exchange for noncash consideration (ASC 845-10-15-4(k)) |
For these transactions, our usage of the crypto
asset is as a payment instrument to a vendor, therefore our interpretation of (1) above is for ASC 606 not to apply. We interpret (2)
above to apply when the Company pays a vendor (who is not a customer) with a crypto asset (nonfinancial asset) in lieu of paying that
same vendor with fiat currency (USD). Therefore, we account for the derecognition of the crypto assets in these transactions under the
guidance of ASC 610-20, Gains and Losses from the Derecognition of Nonfinancial Assets. This is the same guidance as in ASC 350-10-40-1,
Transfer or Sale of Intangible Assets.
ASC 610-20-15-2 explicitly states the scope to
include intangible assets. We treat crypto assets as intangible assets. We then apply the general principle of ASC 610-32-2 for recognizing
the gain or loss for the difference between the amount of goods or services we receive (fair market value, per ASC 820 Level 2) and the
cost of acquiring the crypto assets.
We record invoices from vendors in the appropriate
expense category, in the correct time period in which services were provided, in USD and for vendors who elect to be paid in crypto assets,
we transfer the crypto assets at market value at the time of transfer in line with ASC 820 – Fair Value Measurement. We
then recognize as a gain or loss, the difference between the cost of acquiring the crypto asset and its value at the time of transfer
to Cost of Revenues.
Income Taxes
We utilize the asset and liability method for
computing our income tax provision. Deferred tax assets and liabilities reflect the expected future consequences of temporary differences
between the financial reporting and tax bases of assets and liabilities as well as operating loss, capital loss, and tax credit carryforwards,
using enacted tax rates. Management makes estimates, assumptions, and judgments to determine our provision for income taxes, deferred
tax assets and liabilities, and any valuation allowance recorded against deferred tax assets. We assess the likelihood that our deferred
tax assets will be recovered from future taxable income and, to the extent we believe that recovery is not likely, we establish a valuation
allowance.
We recognize the tax benefit from an uncertain
tax position only if it is more likely than not the tax position will be sustained on examination by the taxing authorities, based on
the technical merits of the position. The tax benefits recognized from such positions are then measured based on the largest benefit
that has a greater than 50% likelihood of being realized upon settlement. Interest and penalties related to unrecognized tax benefits
are recognized within provision for income taxes.
For U.S. federal tax purposes, crypto asset transactions
are treated on the same tax principles as property transactions. We recognize a gain or loss when crypto assets are exchanged for other
property, in the amount of the difference between the fair market value of the property received and the tax basis of the exchanged crypto
assets. Receipts of crypto assets in exchange for goods or services are included in taxable income at the fair market value on the date
of receipt.
The
Business
Overview
Athena is focused on developing the connecting
the world’s cash to the new global digital financial system. We believe that providing the world with access to crypto assets will
help transform the international financial order by providing the unbanked and billions of others in the world, including small businesses,
with a connection to a new global digital financial system that is more accessible, efficient and transparent than the legacy financial
system.
We believe that it is critical that in order
for this ecosystem to be adopted by the world, that there must be operators that are receptive to the needs of the unbanked, the underbanked
and small businesses. While much of the worldwide focus is on investors of crypto assets, we believe in the functionality that crypto
assets can provide. The Company is focused primarily on the cash buyer of crypto assets who not only want bitcoin or other crypto assets
quickly for common expenditures but also those who want crypto assets transferred to their private wallet and not in the hands of a third-party.
We serve these customers with the highest level of customer care through a broad product selection, trained customer service staff, multi-lingual
support, and convenient ATM locations located in the United States, El Salvador, Argentina and Colombia.
We
started with our first ATM in St. Louis, Missouri in 2015 and our first ATM in South America in 2018. Now, we currently have a total
of 1,422 ATMs in five countries and operate 249 ATMs on behalf of the El Salvadoran government in order to achieve our Company’s
objectives to develop the new digital financial ecosystem. Since January 1, 2022 through September 30, 2023, we have generated $196,896,000
in revenue, the majority of which has come from the ATM sales. During this same time, the price of bitcoin has decreased from $47,690
to $26,970 on September 30, 2023. This reduction has not been linear, fluctuating from a high of $64,860 on November 11, 2021
to a low of $16,600 on December 30, 2022. Given the infancy of the new digital financial system, we expect that there will continue to
be variability in our results and the price of crypto assets. However, we are focused on the long-term and believe that our results will
continue to increase and improve as the ecosystem continues to develop.
Our primary product offerings are discussed more
below.
Background and Corporate History
The Company was incorporated in the state of
Nevada in 1991 under the name “GamePlan, Inc.” for the sole purpose of merging with Sunbeam Solar, Inc., a Utah corporation,
which merger occurred as of December 31, 1991 with GamePlan, Inc. as a sole surviving entity. The Company was involved in various businesses,
including, gaming and other consulting services, prior to becoming a company seeking acquisitions (a “shell company” as defined
in Rule 405 of the Securities Act). The Company was a reporting issuer under the Securities and Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange
Act”) from 1999 until 2015 when it filed Form 15 pursuant to Rule 12g-4(a)(1) with the Commission.
On March 28, 2014, the Company entered into an
Agreement and Plan of Merger (the “Plan”) with VPartments; VPartments Acquisition Corp., a Georgia corporation that was formed
as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Merger Subsidiary”); and Mark D. Anderson, Sr., who was the beneficial
owner of approximately 60.1 percent of the issued and outstanding shares of common stock of VPartments. Under the terms of the Plan,
the parties agreed that at the closing, the Merger Subsidiary would merge with and into VPartments, with each 7.52034545757 then-outstanding
shares of VPartments common stock to be converted into the right to receive one share of the Company’s common stock. The Company
issued a total of 150,525,000 “restricted” shares of its common stock to the stockholders of VPartments Inc., causing such
stockholders to become the collective owners of approximately 90.8 percent of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares of common
stock. In connection with the change of control pursuant to the Plan, the Company’s then current officers and directors resigned,
and the new officers and directors were appointed. The Company (GamePlan, Inc.) had no operations and was seeking acquisitions from April,
2014 until January 30, 2020. The Company (GamePlan, Inc.) did not enter into any debt obligations during that period.
In July, 2018, Magellan Capital Partners, Inc.,
a Wyoming corporation, became a majority shareholder of the Company after purchase of 90,421,378 shares of common stock (approximately
55%) in a private transaction with a majority shareholder, Mark D. Anderson. Following the acquisition of control, Dempsey Mork, a beneficial
owner of Magellan Capital Partners, Inc., was appointed a sole officer and director of the Company, and subsequently elected as its sole
director in November, 2018 shareholders’ meeting. On December 6, 2018, Mr. Mork entered into an agreement with Robert Berry, a
former officer and director, to cancel all debts due to Mr. Berry from the Company in consideration for the issuance of the total of
90,421,000 shares of common stock of the Company to Mr. Berry and another shareholder.
On January 14, 2020, the Company entered into
a Share Exchange Agreement (the “Agreement”), by and among the Company, Athena Bitcoin, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Athena
Bitcoin”) incorporated in 2015, and certain shareholders of Athena Bitcoin. The Agreement provides for the reorganization of Athena
Bitcoin, with and into the Company, resulting in Athena Bitcoin becoming a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company (the “Share Exchange”).
GamePlan, Inc, had a total of 486,171,020 shares outstanding prior to the Share Exchange. The Agreement is for the exchange of 100% shares
of the outstanding common stock of Athena Bitcoin, for 3,593,644,680 shares of GamePlan, Inc. common stock (an exchange rate of 1,244.69
shares of common stock of GamePlan, Inc. for each share of Athena Bitcoin common stock). The exchange rate was determined by the Board
of Directors of Athena Bitcoin based on the arbitrary valuation of Athena Bitcoin by its Board of Directors and negotiations with the
principals of GamePlan, Inc. No independent valuation was obtained. The authorized capital stock of Athena Bitcoin immediately preceding
the closing of the Share Exchange consisted of (i) 3,000,000 shares of the Athena Bitcoin’s common stock, par value $0.001 per
share, authorized, of which: 2,887,175 shares were issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Share Exchange, which included the
following conversion events in connection with the Share Exchange: (i) 1,328,381 shares resulting from the conversion of certain Simple
Agreements for Future Tokens (“SAFT”) issued by Athena Bitcoin in 2018 pursuant to the SAFT provisions providing for the
conversion into Athena Bitcoin equity under certain conditions were exchanged for 1,653,425,404 shares of the Company’s common
stock at a conversion price of $4.09 (see also Note 1 to the Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal years ended
December 2021 and 2022); (ii) 93,106 shares resulting from the exercise of certain outstanding warrants at an average exercise price
of $2.00 per share, issued by Athena Bitcoin were exchanged for 115,888,490 shares of the Company’s common stock (see also Note
1 to the Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 2021 and 2022); (iii) 126,646 shares resulting
from the exercise of stock options issued by Athena Bitcoin were exchanged for 157,635,309 shares of the Company’s common stock
(see also Note 1 to the Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022); and (iv)
336,692 shares resulting from the conversion of the Swingbridge Conversion and Release Agreement were exchanged for 419,078,082 shares
of the Company’s common stock (see also Note 1 to the Company’s audited financial statements for the fiscal years ended December
31, 2021 and 2022). The closing of the Share Exchange transaction occurred as of January 30, 2020. Following the closing date of the
transaction, there were 4,079,815,704 shares of the Company’s common stock outstanding. The Company had 5,000,000,000 shares of
common stock authorized as of the closing date of the Share Exchange transaction. Subsequently, in May, 2020, following the Company’s
Convertible Debenture financing (see Recent Financings below), the Company filed its amended and restated articles of incorporation authorizing
a total of 4,409,605,000 shares of common stock. In January 2023, the Company filed second amended and restated articles of incorporation
authorizing 10,000,000,000 shares of common stock and 5,000,000 shares of preferred stock, at $0.001 par value per share.
The Company approved the name change from “GamePlan,
Inc.” to “Athena Bitcoin Global” on March 10, 2021 by the unanimous consent of its Board of Directors and a majority
consent of its shareholders. The Company filed an amendment to its Articles of Incorporation with the Secretary of State of the state
of Nevada on April 6, 2021, with the effective date of April 15, 2021. The Company’s name change, and trading symbol change to
“ABIT” on OTC Pink Market were declared effective by FINRA on June 9, 2021. The Company’s Board of Directors and its
shareholders approved a 10-for-1 reverse stock split as of October 15, 2021.
The Company, Athena Bitcoin Global, is a Nevada
corporation which owns our 100% of our operating subsidiary, Athena Bitcoin, Inc., a Delaware corporation. Our domestic business operations
are conducted by Athena Bitcoin, Inc. We also have operating subsidiaries in the specific countries where we operate, or in the case
of Mexico, where we previously operated until 2019. Our wholly-owned subsidiaries located outside of the United States are: Athena Bitcoin
S. de R.L. de C.V., incorporated in Mexico; Athena Holdings Colombia SAS, incorporated in Colombia; Athena Holding Company S.R.L, incorporated
in Argentina; Athena Holdings of PR LLC, incorporated in Puerto Rico; and Athena Holdings El Salvador, S.A. de C.V., incorporated in
El Salvador.
Our corporate office is located at 800 NW 7th
Avenue, Miami, Florida 33136, and our telephone number is 312-690-4466. Our website is www.athenabitcoin.com. The information
on, or that can be accessed through, our website is not part of this prospectus and is not incorporated by reference herein.
Private Financings
of Athena Bitcoin Global
On June 22, 2021, the Company commenced its private
offering of up to $5,000,000 of 6% Convertible Debentures to accredited investors only. The maturity date on the 6% Convertible Debentures
is two years after the date of issuance. The investor has an option to convert the principal amount of the Debenture into shares of common
stock of the Company at a conversion price equal to the lesser of (i) $0.10 or (ii) 25% less than the twenty trading day (20-trading
day) volume weighted average price (“VWAP”) of the common stock-based on the closing prices per share reported by the OTC
Pink Market operated by the OTC Markets Group, Inc., for said twenty-day trading period, commencing ten-trading days prior to the date
of election to convert the Debenture and ending ten-trading days after such election is made and the notice of conversion has been submitted
to the Company. The investor is required to convert the Debenture if the Company’s common stock is admitted or listed for trading
on a national stock exchange or if certain corporate transactions occur, such as merger, sale or change of control of the Company. The
accrued interest on the 6% Convertible Debentures is paid quarterly and is not subject to conversion to common stock. The holders of
the Debentures are provided with the registration rights to register the shares of common stock the Debentures are convertible into,
in a registration statement to be filed by the Company on Form S-1 with the Commission. The Company sold a total of $4,985,000 of the
6% Convertible Debentures to 77 accredited investors. The proceeds of the private placement are to be used for working capital and operations
of the Company. The Company closed its private placement as of September 30, 2021. As of December 31, 2023, none of the 6% Convertible
Debentures were issued and outstanding. A total of $3,465,000 of the principal amount of 6% Convertible Debentures was converted to common
stock of the Company at a price of $0.10 per share, and $1,520,000 of the principal amount of the 6% Convertible Debenture was repaid
by the Company.
On January 31, 2020 immediately following the
closing of the Share Exchange transaction, the Company closed a private placement of its 8% Convertible Debentures in the total amount
of $3,125,000 (the “Convertible Debentures”). The closing of the private placement was subject to the closing of the Share
Exchange transaction by the Company. There were two purchasers of the Convertible Debentures: KGPLA, LLC, an entity in which a director
of the Company and the Company’s beneficial owner of 37% has ownership interest ($3,000,000 principal amount of Convertible Debenture)
and Swingbridge Crypto III, LLC ($125,000 principal amount of Convertible Debenture), an affiliate and former noteholder of the Company
– see Note 7 to the Financial Statements. The Convertible Debentures have a maturity date of January 31, 2025 and bear interest
at 8% per annum. The purchasers have an option to convert the outstanding principal and accrued interest amount of their respective Convertible
Debentures into shares of common stock of the Company at the lower of $0.012 per share or 20% discount to the next major financing or
change in control. Swingbridge Crypto III, LLC. converted its $125,000 Debenture into 10,416,666 shares of the Company’s common
stock in December, 2021. In connection with the Convertible Debentures private placement, the purchasers acquired certain registration
and voting rights (see also Description of Capital Stock.) The Convertible Debenture held by KGPLA, LLC was amended and restated as of
May 15, 2023 and became a secured, and not general unsecured, obligation of the Company (the “Amended and Restated Secured Convertible
Debenture”), on par with the notes issued pursuant to the Senior Secured Loan Agreement entered into as of the same date. As of
the date of this prospectus, the outstanding principal amount of the Amended and Restated Secured Convertible Debenture is $3,000,000.
The repayment of the Amended and Restated Secured Convertible Debenture is secured by all the assets of the Company, except for property
previously pledged to Banco Hipotecario, and with respect to such assets, the Company granted the Lender a second priority lien pursuant
to that certain Security Agreement dated as of the date thereof by the Company, KGPLA, LLC. and Athena Bitcoin, Inc. and Athena Holdings
El Salvador SA DE CV, the Company’s subsidiaries as guarantors.
Debt Obligations of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. and
the Company
Notes
In 2017, Athena Bitcoin, Inc. entered into
several subordinated note agreements with shareholders of its common stock. The notes had a principal amount of $117,000 with maturity
dates in 2021 and 2022. The notes have 12% interest per annum. As of December 31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, the outstanding principal
was $90,000 and $117,000 respectively. As of September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal was $90,000.
On May 30, 2017, the Company entered into a senior
note agreement with Consolidated Trading Futures, LLC (“CTF”). The note provided for a principal amount of $1,490,000 of
the loan secured against the Company’s cash in machines and held by service providers with a maturity date of May 31, 2022. The
maturity date was subsequently extended to May 31, 2023 pursuant to the Loan Restructuring Agreement by and between the Company and CTF,
dated as of June 9, 2022 (the “Restructuring Agreement”). Under the terms of the Loan Restructuring Agreement, the Company
agreed to make a one-time payment in the amount of $200,000 and weekly payments in the amount of $25,000 towards the reduction of the
principal amount of the loan. Interest as defined in the note is 15% per annum. As of December 31, 2022 and December 31, 2021, the outstanding
principal was $1,490,000. In May, 2023 pursuant to the Loan Transaction Documents (as herein defined on page 71), a term loan
note was issued for the remaining amount of the above promissory note in the principal amount of $65,000 and including any unpaid interest.
The term loan note, including the principal balance and accrued interest due, was fully repaid as of May 19, 2023.
On August 1, 2018, Athena Bitcoin, Inc. entered
into a promissory note with LoanMe, Inc. The promissory note provided for a principal amount of $100,000, with a final maturity date
of August 1, 2028, with equal monthly installment payments of $2,205. The promissory note has 24% interest per annum. As of December
31, 2021, and December 31, 2020, the outstanding principal was $88,000 and $92,000, respectively. As of September 30, 2023, and December
31, 2022, the outstanding principal was $75,000 and $80,000, respectively.
Swingbridge Crypto
LLC Loans
On October 22, 2018, Athena Bitcoin, Inc. entered
into a loan agreement and a promissory note with Swingbridge Crypto I, LLC. The promissory note provided for an aggregate of $500,000
in principal with a maturity date of May 30, 2019. Interest as defined in the promissory note was simple interest equal to 8% per annum.
As of December 31, 2019, the outstanding principal was $500,000. The principal amount and accrued interest on the note were converted
into 153,817 shares of common stock of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. at a price of $4.09 per share. The conversion price was determined by the
negotiation of the parties with an implied valuation of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. of not less than $5 million, pursuant to the terms of the
loan agreement. Such shares of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. were then exchanged in the Share Exchange transaction (see above).
On May 21, 2019, the Company entered into a loan
agreement and a promissory note with Swingbridge Crypto II, LLC. The promissory note provided for an aggregate of $300,000 in principal
with a maturity date of August 21, 2019. Interest as defined in the promissory note was simple interest equal to 30% per annum. As of
December 31, 2019, the outstanding principal was $300,000. The principal amount and accrued interest on the note were converted into
40,389 shares of common stock of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. at a price of $9.24 per share. The conversion price was determined by the negotiation
of the parties with an implied valuation of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. of not less than $5 million, pursuant to the terms of the loan agreement.
Such shares of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. were then exchanged in the Share Exchange transaction (see above).
On July 26, 2019, the Company entered into a
loan agreement and a promissory note with Swingbridge Crypto III, LLC. The promissory note provided for an aggregate of $1,000,000 in
principal with a maturity date of July 26, 2020. Interest as defined in the promissory note was simple interest equal to 40% per annum.
As of December 31, 2019, the outstanding principal was $1,000,000. The principal amount and accrued interest on the note were converted
into 142,486 shares of common stock of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. at a price of $8.32 per share. The conversion price was determined by the
negotiation of the parties with an implied valuation of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. of not less than $5 million, pursuant to the terms of the
loan agreement. Such shares of Athena Bitcoin, Inc. were then exchanged in the Share Exchange transaction (see above).
In connection with the Share Exchange transaction
of the Company on January 30, 2020, and pursuant to the Swingbridge Conversion and Release Agreement, the 336,692 shares of common stock
resulting from the conversion of the above Swingbridge notes were exchanged for 419,078,082 shares of the Company’s common stock.
DV Chain LLC Loan
On November 21, 2019, Athena Bitcoin, Inc. entered
into a promissory note with DV Chain, LLC. The promissory note provided for a principal amount of $1,950,719 with a maturity date of
May 1, 2021. Interest as defined in the promissory note was 15% per annum. On August 16, 2020, the Company entered into an agreement
with DV Chain, LLC, whereby the Company repurchased 30,422,825 common shares held by DV Chain, LLC at a price of $0.00388 and agreed
to make accelerated payments of $25,000 per week on the promissory note until the maturity date of May 1, 2021. As of December 31, 2020,
and December 31, 2019, the outstanding principal was $1,350,000 and $1,950,719, respectively. As of March 31, 2021, the outstanding principal
was $585,000. The Company repaid the remaining principal balance and interest due on this loan on May 31, 2021.
SBA Loan
On April 15, 2020, the Company entered into a
forgivable loan agreement (SBA Loan) with Citizens National Bank of Greater St. Louis under the Coronavirus Aid Relief, and Economic
Security Act (CARES Act) administered by the U.S. Small Business Administration. The Company received total proceeds of $156,919 from
the SBA Loan. In accordance with the requirements of the CARES Act, the Company used the proceeds from the SBA Loan primarily for payroll
costs and retained the employment of full-time employees as required by the terms of the SBA Loan. The SBA Loan was scheduled to mature
on April 15, 2022 and has a 1.00% interest rate. In accordance with the CARES Act and the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act,
the Company applied for Loan Forgiveness for the full outstanding principal balance of the SBA Loan, which was approved in 2020. Accordingly,
during the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company recorded $156,919 in other income for the forgiveness of the SBA Loan.
Loan from Banco Hipotecario
In September 2021, the Company’s El Salvador
subsidiary, Athena Holdings El Salvador, S.A. DE C.V. (“Athena El Salvador”) entered into a loan agreement with Banco Hipotecario
for the loan amount of $1,500,000. The loan has an interest rate of 7.5% and is secured by Athena El Salvador’s assets in El Salvador.
The maturity date is 36 months after the disbursement of the funds. The monthly payments on the loan in the equal amounts of $49,108,
begin two (2) months after the disbursement of the funds. As of September 30, 2023, and December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal
was $666,000 and $1,037,000, respectively. The Company intends to utilize loan proceeds to expand its fleet of Bitcoin ATMs and for other
general corporate purposes. See also Note 11 (“Debt”) to the unaudited financial statements for the nine months ended September
30, 2023.
Borrowing Agreements with the Company’s
Former-Director and Shareholder
The Company (together with its subsidiaries,
Athena Bitcoin, Inc., a Delaware corporation and Athena Holdings El Salvador Sa De CV, an El Salvador company) entered into that certain
secured loan transaction and related transactions pursuant to the terms of that certain Senior Secured Loan Agreement entered into by
and between the Company and KGPLA Holdings LLC, a Delaware limited liability company, beneficially owned and controlled by the Company’s
former director and 37% shareholder (the “Lender”) together with other agreements and documents entered into in connection
with the secured loan transaction (collectively, the “Loan Transaction Documents”), effective as of the Closing Date, as
herein defined below. The material terms of the Loan Transaction Documents include: (i) the Lender making a payment to the Company to
pay in full the Consolidated Futures Trading LLC loan pursuant to the term loan note in the amount of $65,000; (ii) the Lender, at the
request of the Company, making revolving credit loans in an aggregate principal amount not to exceed $4,000,000, or as otherwise adjusted
by Lender pursuant to that certain secured loan agreement, evidenced by a secured promissory note, the proceeds of which must be used
solely for the purchase of bitcoin or other digital currency for the Company’s Bitcoin ATM machines pursuant to the revolving credit
note in the principal sum of $4,000,000 (the “Senior Secured Revolving Credit Promissory Note”); and (iii) the Company granting
the Lender, as collateral security for payment and performance of its obligations under the secured loan agreement, a first priority
lien and security interest in and to all of the Company’s assets, except for property previously pledged to Banco Hipotecario,
and with respect to such assets, the Company granted the Lender a second priority lien pursuant to that certain Security Agreement dated
as of the date thereof (the “Security Agreement”). In connection with the execution of the Security Agreement, the Company
provided the Lender with special power of attorney exercisable upon the occurrence and continuance of the Event of Default, as defined
in the Security Agreement. Additionally, the Company’s subsidiaries executed unconditional guaranties of the performance of the
Company’s obligations under the Loan Transaction Documents. In connection with the secured loan transaction and as a condition
to loaning additional funds to the Company by the Lender under the Loan Transaction Documents, the Company amended and restated the 8%
convertible debenture in the principal amount of $3,000,000 issued to the Lender in January, 2020, such that it become a secured, and
not general unsecured, obligation of the Company, on par with the notes issued pursuant to the Loan Transaction Documents. The closing
of the secured loan transaction pursuant to the Loan Transaction Documents took place as of May 19, 2023 (the “Closing Date”).
On August
4, 2022, the Company completed a lending transaction with Mike Komaransky, the Company’s principal shareholder and former director,
whereby the Company borrowed $500,000 from Mr. Komaransky pursuant to the terms of a secured promissory note and security agreement.
The promissory note had an interest rate of 6% and the repayment of the principal amount and any accrued interest was secured by certain
assets of the Company with respect to which Mr. Komaransky holds first priority lien and security interest. The terms of the secured
promissory note and the security agreement were subsequently amended by the parties on January 17, 2023. Pursuant to the terms of the
amended secured promissory note, the Company agreed to make monthly payments of $50,000 until the maturity date of the secured promissory
note, which was on August 31, 2023. As of September 30, 2023 and December 31, 2022, the outstanding principal was, respectively, $0
and $400,000. The note was fully repaid, including any accrued interest as of August 31, 2023.
Equipment Financing
Agreement
On November 2, 2023, the Company entered into
an Equipment Financing Agreement (the “Financing Agreement”) with Taproot Acquisition Enterprises, LLC, a Delaware limited
company (the “Lender”) in which the Company agreed to purchase certain Bitcoin ATM machines (the “Equipment”)
from the Lender. The Company and the Lender have previously entered into an Equipment Sublease Agreement on April 13, 2023 (the “Sublease
Agreement”), whereby Lender as a lessee of cryptocurrency ATMs, subleased to the Company certain Bitcoin ATM machines listed in
the Sublease Agreement on the terms and conditions specified in the Sublease Agreement. The Financing Agreement amends and modifies the
Sublease Agreement into a purchase and financing agreement. Pursuant to the terms of the Financing Agreement, the Company paid to Lender
a down payment for the purchase of the Equipment. Upon receipt of the payment, Lender transferred to the Company, title to all of the
units identified in the Equipment and listed in the Financing Agreement. The Company is obligated to make additional payments for other
units identified in the Equipment schedules, to complete the transfer of the title to the Company on those additional units. The Financing
Agreement contains certain restrictive covenants and representations with which the Company must comply, such as maintaining required
financial ratios, providing financial statements and reports, and obtaining the Lender's consent for certain transactions. The Financing
Agreement also provides the Lender with certain remedies in the event of default by the Company, such as accelerating the payments, repossessing
the Equipment, or enforcing any of the available remedies against the Lender’s security interest in the units of the Equipment
to which the Company has title. As of the date of this filing, the Company was in compliance with all the covenants and representations
under the Financing Agreement. In conjunction with the Agreement, the Company amended the Senior Secured Loan Agreement with KGPLA Holdings
LLC (“KGPLA”) dated May 15, 2023, and amended as of June 6, 2023, July 27, 2023, on November 1, 2023 by entering into the
Third Amended Secured Loan Agreement with KGPLA (the “Third Amendment”). Third Amendment allows the Company to incur additional
debt and liens in connection with the purchase of the Equipment from the Lender, subject to certain conditions and limitations. Concurrent
with the execution of the Third Amendment, and as required by the terms of the Third Amendment, the Lender, the Company and KGPLA entered
into an intercreditor agreement pursuant to which KGPLA has been granted a security interest in and lien on the Equipment purchased by
the Company from the Lender, which is subordinate in all respects to the Lender’s security and interest in the Equipment to secure
the Company’s obligations under the Financing Agreement. The Financing Agreement will be terminated upon the completion of the
required payments for the Equipment listed in the Financing Agreement, on their respective applicable terms.
SAFT Investments
In 2018, Athena
Bitcoin issued a series of instruments called “Simple Agreements for Future Tokens” (“SAFTs”) in exchange for
investments in cash or crypto assets. The SAFTs entitle holders to receipt of tokens representing equity in the Athena Bitcoin. under
certain pre-defined circumstances. These include a qualified financing event in which the Company raises $15 million or more in a single
transaction, a “corporate transaction” (which definition includes a sale of all or substantially all of the Company’s
assets), or a dissolution. Athena Bitcoin may also elect to issue equity in lieu of tokens in settlement of the SAFTs. In January 2020,
Athena Bitcoin issued 1,653,425,404 shares of common stock for the full outstanding SAFT balance of $5,434,819 since the Share Exchange
transaction between GamePlan and Athena qualified as a corporate transaction, based upon the conversion price of $4.09 per share implied
by the valuation of the Company as of the date of SAFT determined in good faith by the Board of Directors of Athena Bitcoin and the capitalization
of Athena Bitcoin immediately prior to the “corporate transaction” (see also “Background and Corporate History”
above).
Athena Bitcoin ATM
The primary business activity of the Company
is the purchase and sale of Bitcoin through our Bitcoin ATMs —which are free standing kiosks that allow customers to exchange their
physical currency for crypto assets. Customers can buy and sell Bitcoin using Athena Bitcoin ATMs - either spending or receiving physical
currency (cash). We do not charge transaction fees but rather make a spread on the price of the Bitcoin. The typical Bitcoin ATM that
the Company uses is about 5-feet tall and features a large touchscreen for customer interaction. We offer Bitcoin for sale at all our
ATM machines. See below for a summary of transaction for the nine months ended September 30, 2023 and twelve months ended December
31, 2022.
Crypto Asset |
For
the Nine Months Ended
September
30, 2023 |
For
the Twelve Months Ended
December
31, 2022 |
Bitcoin |
59,134 |
42,731 |
Ethereum |
300 |
1,220 |
Litecoin |
861 |
3,868 |
Bitcoin
Cash (BCH) |
69 |
396 |
Total |
60,364 |
48,215 |
We also buy Bitcoin at some of our ATM machines
(also known as two-way ATMs), subject to sufficient cash in the ATM dispenser. The cash withdrawal limit from our two-way ATMs
is $2,000 per transaction. We replenish our ATMs with local fiat currencies about twice a week or depending on usage, using bonded security
companies.
Customers can purchase as little as $1 of Bitcoin,
but typically choose between $100 and $1,000 per transaction. The Company charges a fee per Bitcoin equal to the prevailing
price at U.S. crypto-based exchanges plus a markup. The Company’s revenue associated with ATM transactions are recognized when
the crypto asset is delivered to the customer.
Our Bitcoin ATMs do not contain any crypto assets
or keys to crypto assets. We sell crypto assets from cloud-based wallets in each country, enabling real-time supply of crypto assets
to our customers. We utilize purchasing algorithms and other proprietary systems to manage crypto assets to ensure that we are able to
meet consumer demand for crypto assets. The retail crypto asset space is crowded with large digital players including Coinbase, Square,
Gemini, and PayPal. The Company focuses on the cash buyer, who needs Bitcoin in the here and now. We also focus on the cash buyer
who wants the crypto assets in their private wallet and not in the hands of a third-party. We do not seek to hold excess quantity of
any crypto asset.
A perfect match between supply and demand can
never be achieved as demand is generally predictable but not exact, and there are often demand spikes due to Bitcoin price movements.
If we ever fail to fully anticipate a spike in demand or if our buying turned out to be short for any reason, our users may not be able
to purchase crypto assets from our Bitcoin ATMs. This is something we strive to minimize and manage such that we maintain a slight excess
of crypto holdings.
Our hot wallets are maintained by the staff of
the Company. Access is limited to as few persons as is necessary to maintain their proper functionality. At this time, the Company does
not maintain any balance of crypto asset in cold storage. The crypto assets the Company holds are available for immediate sale. We do
not have any insurance policies that cover the crypto assets held in our wallets.
We are a provider of Bitcoin through our Athena
Bitcoin ATMs in the United States and Latin America, integrating one-stop convenience with expert-level customer service. In the past
we had also provided Ethereum, Litecoin and BCH at our ATMs. We were one of the first companies to introduce Bitcoin ATMs into the United
States, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, and El Salvador. We are committed to serving retail purchasers of crypto assets with the highest
level of customer care through a broad product selection, trained customer service staff, multi-lingual support, and convenient locations.
We seek to address the consumer who prefers to transact in cash for crypto assets such as Bitcoin, in addition to or in place of the
traditional means of access to the financial system. We have experienced a CAGR of 72% from December 31, 2017 through September
30, 2023.
See below for increase in active ATMs over time.
ATM by location are shown below as
of September 30, 2023.
As of September 30, 2023
Country |
Number of Athena Bitcoin ATMs
(as of September 30 2023) |
Type of Fiat Currency |
Total |
Two-Way |
United States |
1,378 |
27 |
U.S. Dollar |
El Salvador |
14 |
14 |
U.S. Dollar |
Argentina |
12 |
12 |
Argentine peso |
Mexico |
1 |
1 |
Mexican peso |
Colombia |
17 |
17 |
Colombian peso |
TOTAL |
1,422 |
71 |
|
Suppliers of our ATMs
As
of September 30, 2023, 265 of our Athena Bitcoin ATMs and their software systems, which include advanced security protections,
were sold to us by Genesis Coin, Inc. (“Genesis Coin”), a major supplier of Bitcoin ATMs. We supplement these protections
with our own added risk management methods. The Genesis Coin machines have a demonstrated track record for stability. We have worked
with the company for many years and were among its first customers, and we continue to be impressed with the Genesis Coin hardware and
software. To this date, our ATMs have accepted a negligible number of counterfeit bills.
As of September 30, 2023, for our white label service in El
Salvador, we are operating and managing a mix of ATMs supplied by Genesis Coin, and Bitaccess Inc.
Agreement with Genesis Coin, Inc.
We currently do not have a written contract for
purchase and sale of ATMs with Genesis Coin. We have been operating based on our working relationship and the terms of the original purchase
and sale contract with Genesis Coin, which we entered into on October 1, 2015. Although said contract was terminated when the equipment
described therein was delivered and paid for, we continue to honor bilaterally, the terms of said contract in our ongoing business relationship.
While the purchase price and delivery of each order of ATM machines is subject to negotiation and prevailing market conditions, we follow
the terms agreed to in the 2015 contract, which include the agreement that: the software license we receive is limited and non-exclusive
and/or sublicense; we pay to Genesis Coin or nominee a software license fee of one percent (1%) of the value of all transactions processed
by us (such fees are assessed in Bitcoin, deducted automatically and transferred automatically to Genesis Coin or nominee); the term
of license granted by Genesis Coin commences at delivery of equipment and continues as long as we retain legal right and title to operate
the ATMs purchased from Genesis Coin; and Genesis Coin provides us with the one year limited parts warranty for the ATM kiosks we purchase.
Rental Agreements for our ATMs
We pay rent to the establishments where we place
our ATMs. Our rental agreements are for one year, three years, five years, or less than one year with auto renewal and we are typically
free to move our ATMs from sites that are not meeting expectations, at minor cost. In addition to rent, we also pay for internet connection
costs and cash logistics (handling) costs.
On April 13, 2023, the Company signed an agreement
to acquire additional Bitcoin ATM machines in multiple locations in the US both in states in which it has an existing network of machines
and in new states including Colorado, Indiana, Massachusetts, New Jersey, Oklahoma, Arizona, Kentucky, Kansas and Tennessee with the
potential to acquire additional machines and locations as agreed by the parties. The agreement had a term of three years unless terminated
by either party subject to specified conditions and notification. Lease payments under the agreement were based on revenue generated
by the locations subject to a cap and allows the Company to buy out or purchase the Bitcoin ATM machines based on a formula that considers
original cost, depreciation and market value of each unit. The agreement was subsequently modified and amended with the equipment financing
agreement signed in November 2, 2023 (see page 85 of this prospectus).
Technical Support for our ATMs
Our ATMs can experience down-time due to internet
connection failures as well as technical problems. For technical problems like a frozen screen, our tech support team can typically reboot
the machine remotely or we contact our national network of technical support service providers to resolve the issue.
Global Cash Logistics
A significant operational aspect of our business
involves collecting physical fiat currencies from our Bitcoin ATM fleet and getting them safely deposited into our bank account. The
collection and deposit of the physical currencies received in our ATMs is a multi-step process. We do not directly handle the currency
operations. This function is contracted to bonded security companies that have armored vehicles and cash storage vaults in many locations
and includes multiple national and regional carriers such as Brinks International, Garda World, Thillens, Loomis, New
Century Armored Logistics (NCAL) and Move On Security LLC as well as Proteccion de Valores, S.A. de C.V. (PROVAL) and Servicio
Salvadoreño de Protección, S. A. de C. V.(SERSAPROSA) in El Salvador.
For logistic efficiency, it is impractical to
retrieve cash from one machine and go directly to a bank branch. Rather the cash from all our machines in a city is collected by contracted
armored vehicle companies on a periodic basis, and brought to their regional centers where it is counted, inventoried, and grouped with
cash coming from our ATMs in other cities.
We actively oversee this process in conjunction
with our cash logistics contractors to adjust for factors like three-day weekends and unanticipated surges. While we can manage the crypto
side of our business with real-time tracking, the current time period from retrieving cash from our ATMs to having the funds available
in our bank account is about eight (8) days. In our early years, the time period was close to twenty-one (21) days. This time period
directly impacts our working capital and our ability to buy more crypto assets; thus, we strive to keep it as short as possible.
Just as shortages of crypto assets can temporarily
prevent us from selling crypto assets to our customers, our ATMs running out of cash or becoming fully loaded with cash (and unable to
take more bills) can impede our users from completing certain transactions until our cash logistics contractors fix the issue at their
next visit to our ATMs. Our business has variable demand, and it is unavoidable that some machines will at times run out of cash or become
fully loaded with cash (and unable to take more bills) for a time period.
Athena Plus
Our Athena Plus service allows us to assist crypto
asset buyers and sellers who wish to use their bank accounts. This service caters to investors who are making larger purchases of Bitcoin
in exchange for wire transfers from their bank accounts. These customers are often looking for the same crypto assets that we sell at
our Athena Bitcoin ATMs but sometimes request a less traded crypto asset. In such cases where we do not have such a crypto asset in our
possession, we first acquire the crypto asset and then subsequently make the sale to the customer. We earn their business through education,
service, and quality execution of their transaction. Customers typically interact with the Company on the phone for transaction sizes
in dollar terms greater than $10,000 and on some occasions, for crypto assets not included in our ATMs.
This
business currently constitutes about 12% percent of our overall sales by revenue, with a median transaction size
of $100,000 in the nine months ended September 30, 2023. As the transaction
sizes are larger for this business area, our mark ups are smaller than transactions using our ATMs. As of the date of this prospectus,
we do not transact in any crypto assets except Bitcoin, Ethereum, Tether, Litecoin, and BCH. We will update this prospectus if we decide
to transact in other crypto assets. Such a change would only happen if there were significant customer demand for a specific crypto asset
and that crypto asset was available to us through multiple trading partners, crypto asset exchanges, and crypto asset brokers.
To serve our customers, we follow AML and KYC
guidelines appropriate for BSA compliance. The Company's operating unit, Athena Bitcoin, Inc., is FinCEN registered and undergoes an
annual Compliance and Financial audit to maintain good standing. We also comply with state regulations and reporting in each state where
it is required.
Expansion of Business Operations
in El Salvador (White-label and Chivo Ecosystem)
On June 8, 2021, the Bitcoin Law, proposed by
President of El Salvador, Nayib Bukele, was passed by the Legislative Assembly of El Salvador giving Bitcoin the status of legal tender
within El Salvador. Under this law, effective as of September 7, 2021, Salvadorans can pay taxes in Bitcoin and businesses will be obliged
to accept Bitcoin as payment for goods and services. The U.S. dollar will continue to circulate alongside Bitcoin as the national currency
and legally recognized tender. When Salvadorans convert their Bitcoin to dollars within the Chivo digital wallet, they do not receive
dollars in the digital wallet in the same sense as having a dollar balance with a chartered bank. Instead, they become holders of dollar
obligations as represented by a dollar balance within the Chivo digital wallet, which are only a claim to real dollars. At that point,
Salvadorans hold an asset backed by Chivo S.A. de C. V., which according to news reports is not a chartered bank, and the full faith
and credit of Mr. Bukele’s government. According to news reports, the government spent up to $120 million to supply $30 worth of
Bitcoin into each Chivo wallet, the country’s new official Bitcoin wallet application. That funding would cover the cost of providing
4 million citizens with Bitcoin in a country of 6.5 million. The government created a $150 million fund to support Bitcoin to U.S. dollar
conversions and began implementation of Chivo ATMs to give citizens access to paper-currency in exchange for their Bitcoin and U.S. dollar
balances held in their Chivo digital wallets.
El Salvador ranks third to last among its regional
peers in terms of banking access. Since approximately 70% of the adult population of El Salvador does not have access to the traditional
banking system, Bitcoin/digital wallets can serve as a savings instrument, promote financial inclusion and democratize access to electronic
payments. Currently, there are already 161 mobile subscriptions per 100 inhabitants in El Salvador, and it is likely easier to provide
financial services linked to cellphones than trying to open new bank accounts. Bitcoin legalization could lower the cost of paying and
receiving money. According to President Bukele, Bitcoin, which is easy to send across borders, will greatly reduce remittance fees. In
El Salvador, remittances accounted for more than 26.4% GDP in 2020. On a global basis, according to the World Bank’s Remittance
Prices Worldwide (March 2021), sending remittances costs an average of 6.38% of the amount sent, but can reach more than 10% for small
transactions. The high cost of remittances means that El Salvador loses more than 1% of GDP on remittances fees. The Chivo digital wallet
also allows Salvadorans in the U.S. to send money home without incurring remittance fees. Since the implementation of the Bitcoin Law,
many Bitcoin enthusiasts around the world have shown interest in moving to the country, where their Bitcoin trading profits would be
tax-exempt from capital gains and where tax rates are relatively low. El Salvador is offering permanent residency to anyone who invests
at least three Bitcoins (about $160,000) in the country. Legalization of Bitcoin could attract investment of both crypto asset investors
and miners, and could generate additional tourism.
Business Operations
Since June 2021, when the Bitcoin Law was enacted,
the Company has focused its resources and expanded its operations in El Salvador. The Company’s operating subsidiary in El Salvador
is Athena Holdings El Salvador, S.A. de C.V.; however, our agreements with the government of El Salvador discussed below, have also been
entered with Athena Bitcoin Global, a Nevada corporation and Athena Bitcoin, Inc., a Delaware corporation, our wholly-owned operating
subsidiary. We began discussions with the government of El Salvador in late June 2021, and successfully executed agreements with the
Department of Treasury (Ministerio de Hacienda) in August 2021. Under those agreements, the Company is responsible for several major
projects, which include the operation of 200 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs in El Salvador,10 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs at El Salvador consulates in the
U.S. (in the states of California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Texas), 45 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs in other U.S. locations (including
de-installations,) and the delivery to the government of El Salvador 950 Chivo point-of-sale (“POS”) terminals for local
businesses in El Salvador to process transactions with Bitcoin.
For operating 200 Bitcoin ATMs the Company was
paid a one-time non-refundable installation fee and will recognize recurring monthly service fees for maintaining the machines. The Department
of Treasury of El Salvador paid the Company the agreed price per contract for each POS terminal delivered in 2021. We are also
charging a monthly fee to maintain Chivo Bitcoin ATMs in the U.S. for each consulate. The agreement terms vary by project from one year to three years with monthly or annual renewal terms. Currently, we do
not face any direct competition for the services we provide since we are operating under contract with El Salvador’s Treasury department.
Contracts with the Government of El Salvador
In the third quarter of 2021, the Company signed
several contracts with the Department of Treasury (Ministerio de Hacienda) of El Salvador (“El Salvador Contracts”) which
include installing and operating 200 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs in El Salvador, 10 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs at El Salvador consulates in the U.S.,
45 Chivo Bitcoin ATMs in other U.S. locations, and sales of 950 point-of-sale (POS) terminals for local businesses in El Salvador to
process transactions with Bitcoin. Additionally, the Company contracted to sell intellectual property in software, and develop and maintain
a Bitcoin platform designed to support a branded digital wallet, as specified in El Salvador Contracts. See also Note 3 to our financial
statements on pages F-18 and F-53.
From time to time, the Company receives money
from GOES to facilitate replenishment of cash in the ATMs that we provide and operate for them. As of September 30, 2023 and December
31, 2022, the cash received as advances from GOES was $201,000 and $1,107,000 respectively (see pages F-20 and F-54 of the unaudited
financial statements for the quarter ended September 30, 2023 and audited financial statement for the fiscal year ended December
31, 2022, respectively).
The Company completed contract negotiations with
Chivo, Sociedad Anónima de Capital Variable, a wholly owned private company of the Government of El Salvador (“CHIVO”)
in which both parties signed on October 5, 2022, a Master Services Agreement (MSA) and a Service Level Agreement (SLA) with an effective
date of July 1, 2022, replacing the existing Master Services Agreement, Contracts and Athena Service Addendums 1 and 2 with the Department
of Treasury of El Salvador. The services, performance obligations, pricing and terms continue the services, performance obligations, pricing
and terms outlined in the original Master Services Agreement, Contracts and Addendums through July 30, 2024, in line with the original
MSA, Contracts and Addendums. In conjunction with the new MSA and SLA, the Company and CHIVO completed a financial settlement agreement
secured by certain assets of the Company in El Salvador, to reconcile reporting, finalize balances owed between the parties and conclude
the original MSA, Contracts and Addendums between the Company and the Department of Treasury of El Salvador.
Termination of Letter of Intent with Vakano
Industries
In September 2021, the Company entered into a
non-binding Letter of Intent with Arley Lozano, a principal beneficial owner of Vakano Industries and XPay, both Colombian entities (collectively,
“XPay”), for the purchase and sale of certain assets of XPay, primarily intellectual property assets, including the XPay
Wallet (the precursor to the Chivo Wallet and the Chivo App), all software code and IT developments regarding Chivo Wallet and XPay POS
System software and other intellectual property (“XPay Assets”), to the Company. The total purchase price was comprised of
$3 million in cash and the issuance of 270 million of the Company’s shares of common stock (valued at $27 million at a $0.10 per
share valuation), however the parties did not agree on the final terms of the transaction. The definitive agreement for the purchase
and sale of XPay Assets has never been executed and the acquisition was never completed as contemplated in the letter of intent, however,
the Company paid certain advances in a total of $1,595,283 for those certain XPay Assets which were transferred to the Company. In December
2022, the Company terminated its Letter of Intent with XPay and any future negotiations. The Company agreed to the purchase of already
transferred XPay Assets in exchange for the advances previously made to the Company. XPay filed a legal action against the Company
in connection with the transfer of XPay Assets, see “Legal Proceedings” on page 99 of this prospectus.
Environmental Impact
El Salvador’s Bitcoin plan has put a spotlight
on the environmental impact of cryptocurrency with the World Bank flagging such potential adverse effects among its concerns. Mining
digital currency requires large amounts of energy, and the Bitcoin industry’s global CO2 emissions have risen to 60 million tons,
equal to the exhaust from about 9 million cars, according to Bank of America’s report in March 2021. President Bukele sought to
counter sustainability concerns by engaging state-owned geothermal electric company, LaGeo SA de CV to offer Bitcoin mining facilities
using renewable energy from the country’s volcanoes.
Marketing
Our marketing consists of:
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Trade shows, |
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Digital advertising on search engines, map sites, and industry-specific platforms, |
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Social media, and |
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SMS messaging. |
Athena also maintains country-specific websites
that include information about how to access our service offerings as well as country-specific disclosures. Total advertising costs amounted
to $33,000, $123,000 and $365,000 for the nine months ended September 30, 2023, twelve months ended December 31, 2022, and twelve
months ended December 31, 2021, respectively.