As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 1, 2026

 

Registration No. 333-295047

 

 

 

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, DC 20549

 

AMENDMENT NO. 1

TO

FORM F-3

 

REGISTRATION STATEMENT

UNDER THE

SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

 

ANTELOPE ENTERPRISE HOLDINGS LTD.
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

 

British Virgin Islands   Not Applicable

(State or other jurisdiction

of incorporation or organization)

 

(I.R.S. Employer

Identification No.)

 

Room 1802, Block D, Zhonghai International Center

Hi-Tech Zone, Chengdu

Sichuan Province, PRC

Telephone: +86 (28) 8532 4355

 

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

 

Antelope Enterprise Holdings Ltd.

Suite 7540, The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10118

Telephone: +1.838.500.8888

 

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

 

With a copy to:

 

Pang Zhang-Whitaker, Esq.

Darius R. Alam, Esq.

Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP

28 Liberty Street, New York, NY 10005

1 212.238.8844

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Emerging growth company ☐

 

If an emerging growth company that prepares its financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised accounting standards provided 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 or until the registration statement shall become effective on such date as the Commission acting pursuant to said section 8(a), may determine.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting offers to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 

Subject to Completion, dated May 1, 2026

 

PROSPECTUS

 

$200,000,000

 

 

ANTELOPE ENTERPRISE HOLDINGS LTD.

 

Class A Ordinary Shares

Preferred Shares

Debt Securities

Warrants

Rights

Units

 

We may offer to sell, from time to time, in one or more offerings, any combination of Class A ordinary shares, preferred shares, debt securities, warrants, rights, or units having an aggregate initial offering price not exceeding $200,000,000 (or its equivalent in foreign or composite currencies) on terms to be determined at the time of offering. We may also offer any of these securities that may be issuable upon the conversion, exercise or exchange of debt securities, rights or warrants.

 

 

 

 

The aggregate offering price of the securities issued under this prospectus may not exceed $200,000,000. The prices and other terms of the securities that we will offer will be determined at the time of their offering and will be described in a supplement to this prospectus.

 

This prospectus provides a general description of the securities we may offer. We will provide the specific terms of the securities offered in one or more supplements to this prospectus. We may also authorize one or more free writing prospectuses to be provided to you in connection with these offerings. You should read carefully this prospectus, the applicable prospectus supplement and any related free writing prospectus, as well as any documents incorporated by reference before you invest in any of our securities. This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell any securities unless accompanied by the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

The securities issued under this prospectus may be offered directly or through underwriters, agents or dealers. The names of any underwriters, agents or dealers will be included in a supplement to this prospectus.

 

The aggregate market value of our outstanding Class A ordinary shares held by non-affiliates was approximately $2,512,389.48 based on 2,171,984 outstanding Class A ordinary shares, of which 2,165,853 shares are held by non-affiliates, and a per share price of $1.16 based on the closing sale price of our Class A ordinary shares as reported by the Nasdaq Capital Market on April 9, 2026. As of the date of this prospectus, pursuant to General Instruction I.B.5. of Form F-3, the Company has not conducted any transactions in the last 12 months.

 

Investing in our securities being offered pursuant to this prospectus involves a high degree of risk. You should carefully read and consider the risk factors beginning on page 8 of this prospectus, and the risk factors described in the documents incorporated by reference into this prospectus for more information before you make your investment decision.

 

Our class A ordinary shares are listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market under the symbol “AEHL”. On April 9, 2026, the closing price of our class A ordinary shares was $1.16 per share.

 

In this prospectus, unless otherwise indicated, “we,” “us,” “our,” and “Antelope Enterprises” refers to Antelope Enterprise Holdings Limited (formerly China Ceramics Co., Ltd.), a British Virgin Islands company, and its subsidiaries, including Antelope Enterprise Holdings USA, a Delaware incorporated company and wholly owned subsidiary of Antelope Enterprises, which wholly owns AEHL US LLC (“AEHL US”, formerly known as Million Stars US Inc.), a California limited liability company, BTC Universal Media USA Inc. a Delaware incorporated company and wholly owned subsidiary of Antelope Enterprise, Success Winner Limited (“Success Winner”), a British Virgin Islands company and wholly owned subsidiary of Antelope Enterprises, AEHL Group Limited, in the British Virgin Islands, as a holding company, Vast Elite Limited (“Vast Elite”), a Hong Kong company and wholly owned subsidiary of Success Winner and the entity that wholly owns Chengdu Future Talented Management and Consulting Co., Ltd, (“Chengdu Future”) a PRC operating company and was dissolved on November 7, 2024, Antelope Enterprise (HK) Holdings Limited (“Antelope HK”), a Hong Kong company and wholly owned subsidiary of Success Winner and the entity that wholly owns Antelope Holdings (Chengdu) Co., Ltd (“Antelope Chengdu”), a PRC operating company, and the entity that wholly owns Antelope Future (Yangpu) Investment Co., Ltd, a PRC operating company that in turn wholly owns Antelope Ruicheng Investment (Hainan) Co., Ltd (“Antelope Ruicheng”) that in turn owns 51% of Hainan Kylin Cloud Services Technology Co., Ltd (“Hainan Kylin”), and the entity that wholly owns Hainan Antelope Holdings Co., Ltd (“Hainan Antelope”), a PRC operating company (was dissolved on July 26, 2024) that in turn wholly owns Antelope Investment (Hainan) Co., Ltd (“Antelope Investment”) was dissolved on July 25, 2024) , Hainan Kylin owns 100% of Hangzhou Kylin Cloud Services Technology Co., Ltd (“Hangzhou Kylin”), Anhui Kylin Cloud Services Technology Co., Ltd (“Anhui Kylin”), Wenzhou Kylin Cloud Services Technology Co., Ltd., Hubei Kylin Cloud Services Technology Co., Ltd. (“Hubei Kylin”), Jiangxi Kylin Cloud Services Technology Co., Ltd. (“Jiangxi Kylin”), and Chuzhou Kylin Cloud Services Technology Co., Ltd (“Chuzhou Kylin”).

 

On November 20, 2009, China Holdings Acquisition Corp. (“CHAC”), our predecessor, merged with and into Antelope Enterprise Holdings Limited, its wholly owned British Virgin Islands subsidiary, resulting in the redomestication of CHAC to the British Virgin Islands as “Antelope Enterprise Holdings Limited”. Immediately following the merger and redomestication, and as part of the same integrated transaction, Antelope Enterprises acquired all of the outstanding securities of Success Winner.

 

 

 

 

Antelope Enterprise, our ultimate British Virgin Islands holding company, does not have any substantive operations other than indirectly holding the equity interest in our operating subsidiaries in China and other countries and regions. As of the date of this prospectus, (i) Antelope Enterprise’s business operations are carried out inside China; and (ii) it does not maintain any variable interest entity structure or operate any data center in China. Antelope Enterprise may still be subject to PRC laws relating to, among others, data security and restrictions over foreign investments due to the complexity of the regulatory regime in China, and the recent statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government relating to data security may affect our business operations in China or even our ability to offer securities in the United States. Neither Antelope Enterprise nor any of our subsidiaries has obtained the approval from either the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) or the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”) for any offering we may make under this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, and Antelope Enterprise does not intend to obtain the approval from either the CSRC in connection with any such offering, since Antelope Enterprise does not believe, based upon advice of our PRC counsel, Sichuan Jindouyun Law Firm, that such approval is required under these circumstances or for the time being. There can be no assurance, however, that regulators in China will not take a contrary view or will not subsequently require us to undergo the approval procedures and subject us to penalties for non-compliance. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China.”

 

This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell our securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement. The information contained or incorporated in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement is accurate only as of the date of this prospectus, or such prospectus supplement, as applicable, regardless of the time of delivery of this prospectus or any sale of our securities

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission, any United States state securities commission, the British Virgin Islands Financial Services Commission, nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

The date of this prospectus is _______, 2026

 

 

 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS 1
SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS 2
PROSPECTUS SUMMARY 3
ABOUT OUR COMPANY 3
RISK FACTORS 8
USE OF PROCEEDS 8
GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER 8
DESCRIPTION OF SHARES 9
DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES 17
DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS 27
DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS 29
DESCRIPTION OF UNITS 29
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION 30
TAXATION 32
LEGAL MATTERS 32
EXPERTS 32
ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES 33
DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON INDEMNIFICATION FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES 33
INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE 33

MATERIAL CHANGES

33
WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION 33

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any person to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as information we have previously filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the date on the front of those documents only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

 

 

 

ABOUT THIS PROSPECTUS

 

This prospectus is part of a registration statement that we filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) using a “shelf” registration process. Under this shelf registration process, we may offer from time to time, in one or more offerings, securities having an aggregate initial offering price of up to $200,000,000 (or its equivalent in foreign or composite currencies). This prospectus provides you with a general description of the securities that may be offered. Each time we offer securities under this shelf registration statement, we will provide you with a prospectus supplement that describes the specific amounts, prices and terms of the securities being offered. The prospectus supplement also may add, update or change information contained in this prospectus. You should read carefully both this prospectus and any prospectus supplement together with additional information described below under the caption “Where You Can Find More Information,” before making an investment decision. We have incorporated exhibits into this registration statement. You should read the exhibits carefully for provisions that may be important to you.

 

Industry data and other statistical information used in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus are based on independent publications, reports by market research firms or other published independent sources. Some data are also based on our good faith estimates, derived from our review of internal surveys and the independent sources listed above. Although we believe these sources are reliable, we have not independently verified the information.

 

You should rely only on the information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement. We have not authorized any person to provide you with different or additional information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. This prospectus is not an offer to sell securities, and it is not soliciting an offer to buy securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should assume that the information appearing in this prospectus or any prospectus supplement, as well as information we have previously filed with the SEC and incorporated by reference, is accurate as of the date on the front of those documents only. Our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects may have changed since those dates.

 

We may sell securities through underwriters or dealers, through agents, directly to purchasers or through a combination of these methods. We and our agents reserve the sole right to accept or reject, in whole or in part, any proposed purchase of securities. The prospectus supplement, which we will provide to you each time we offer securities, will set forth the names of any underwriters, agents or others involved in the sale of securities and any applicable fee, commission or discount arrangements with them. See the information described below under the heading “Plan of Distribution.”

 

THIS PROSPECTUS MAY NOT BE USED TO SELL ANY SECURITIES UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY THE APPLICABLE PROSPECTUS SUPPLEMENT.

 

This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and it is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted. You should not assume that the information in this prospectus or a prospectus supplement is accurate as of any date other than the date on the front of the document.

 

Except as otherwise indicated by the context, references in this prospectus to:

 

  “Antelope,” “we,” “our,” “our company,” the “company” and “us” are to Antelope Enterprise Holdings Ltd., a British Virgin Islands business company limited by shares;

 

1

 

 

  “China” and “PRC” are to the People’s Republic of China, and for purposes of this prospectus, are also to mainland China;
     
  “ordinary shares” are to our class A ordinary shares, no par value.
  “US$,” “U.S. dollars,” “dollars,” and “$” are to the legal currency of the United States.

 

Our fiscal year end was December 31 until December 2025, when our fiscal year end was changed to September 30. Unless otherwise indicated, references herein to a particular “fiscal year” are to our fiscal year ended December 31 of that calendar year.

 

SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

 

This prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus contain, or will contain, forward-looking statements within the meaning of the “safe harbor” provisions of the United States Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, or the PSLRA. In addition, we, or our executive officers on our behalf, may from time to time make forward-looking statements in reports and other documents we file with the SEC or in connection with oral statements made to the press, potential investors or others. Forward-looking statements include all statements that are not statements of historical facts and may relate to, but are not limited to, expectations or estimates of future operating results or financial performance, capital expenditures, regulatory compliance, plans for growth and future operations, as well as assumptions relating to the foregoing. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as “may,” “will,” “should,” “could,” “expect,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “intend,” “potential,” “continue” or the negative of these terms or other similar terminology. Although we do not make forward-looking statements unless we believe we have a reasonable basis for doing so, we cannot guarantee their accuracy, and actual results may differ materially from those we anticipated due to a number of uncertainties, many of which cannot be foreseen. Our actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in these forward-looking statements for many reasons, including, but not limited to, the risks and uncertainties described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, in any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

 

We believe that it is important to communicate our future expectations to potential investors. However, there may be events in the future that we are not able to accurately predict or control and that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from the expectations expressed in or implied by our forward-looking statements. The risks and uncertainties described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, in any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus provide examples of risks, uncertainties and events that may cause our actual results to differ materially from the expectations we describe in our forward-looking statements. Before you invest in our securities, you should be aware that the occurrence of these risks and uncertainties could negatively impact, among other things, our business, cash flows, results of operations, financial condition and share price. Potential investors should not place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements.

 

Forward-looking statements contained in this report include, but are not limited to, statements about our ability to:

 

Grow or expand our existing business segments, including our livestreaming ecommerce business and our business management and consulting business;
Expand into new business segments, such as our planned natural gas power generation business,
Execute on our business strategy;
Attract, train and retain effective officers, key employees and directors;
Identify, evaluate and consummate strategic opportunities in ways that maximize stockholder value;
Anticipate and react to regulatory changes and uncertainty;
Anticipate the impact of, and respond to applicable new accounting standards;
Respond to fluctuations in commodity prices and foreign currency exchange rates and political unrest and regulatory changes in international markets from various events;
Navigate volatile interest rate environments; and
Maintain our listing on the Nasdaq stock exchange.

 

2

 

 

Forward-looking statements regarding our present plans or expectations for sales, supply contracts, purchases, sources and availability of financing, and growth involve risks and uncertainties relative to return expectations and related allocation of resources, and changing economic or competitive conditions, as well as the negotiation of agreements with suppliers and customers, which could cause actual results to differ from present plans or expectations, and such differences could be material. Similarly, forward-looking statements regarding our present expectations for operating results and cash flow involve risks and uncertainties related to factors such as utilization rates, material prices, demand for products by our customers, supply and other factors described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in this prospectus, in any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and in any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus, which would also cause actual results to differ from present plans. Such differences could be material.

 

All future written and oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or any person acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the cautionary statements contained or referred to in this section. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date the statements are made. New risks and uncertainties arise from time to time, and we cannot predict those events or how they may affect us. We assume no obligation to, and do not plan to, update any forward-looking statements as a result of new information, future events or developments, except as required by U.S. federal securities laws. You should read this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus with the understanding that we cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements and that actual results may differ materially from what we expect. The forward-looking statements contained in this prospectus, any applicable prospectus supplement, any related free writing prospectus and any document incorporated by reference into this prospectus are excluded from the safe harbor protection provided by the PSLRA.

 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

 

This summary highlights selected information that is presented in greater detail elsewhere, or incorporated by reference, in this prospectus. It does not contain all of the information that may be important to you and your investment decision. Before investing in the securities that we are offering, you should carefully read this entire prospectus, including the matters set forth under the section of this prospectus captioned “Risk Factors,” “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements” and the financial statements and related notes and other information that we incorporate by reference herein, including, but not limited to, our 2025 Transition Report and our other SEC reports.

 

ABOUT OUR COMPANY

 

We are a British Virgin Islands company limited by shares with no material operations. Our operations were conducted in China by our subsidiaries. We provide livestream e-commerce services, business management and information systems consulting services. In addition, we plan to launch energy supply business in the third quarter of 2026.

 

Livestreaming Ecommerce Business

 

Our livestreaming ecommerce business is operated in China through our 51% subsidiary, Hainan Kylin and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Hangzhou Kylin and Anhui Kylin. We aim to provide one-stop solutions for our customers who seek to sell their products utilizing the emerging sales channel of livestreaming ecommerce. Our customers usually include consumer goods brands, merchants, and small-scale ecommerce platforms. We believe that livestreaming ecommerce is an important growth engine for consumer good brands as it leverages the content of livestreaming to boost consumer engagement and sales as it combines instant purchasing of a featured product and audience participation through a chat function or reaction buttons. Our typical business model involves the promotion of our customers’ goods by our hosts. Our product management office assesses and selects the products from our customers. We then connect with different suppliers of hosts and influencers, usually staffing agencies that have a growing and diverse pool of such individuals. We also work with freelance hosts and influencers. These hosts and influencers register on Hainan Kylin’s SaaS platform and are matched with the specific products that our customers have engaged us to promote. The hosts and influencers then promote our customers’ products on social media and various e-commerce platforms through livestreaming where a unique link is provided for each product. The consumer is able to place an order for a product by clicking on the provided link. The purchase orders are either directed to the sales sites of our customers where the consumer is able to pay for the product directly to the customer and the purchaser receives delivery of the product directly from the vendor, or directed to third party sites (such as Douyin, China’s most downloaded video-sharing platform and the mainland Chinese counterpart of TikTok, and Xiaohongshu and Kuaishou (very popular third party e-commerce platforms), where the participating vendors ship the products to the purchaser upon the purchaser’s payment to the third party ecommerce site. The third-partye-commerce sites forward the purchase price to our customers after deducting the applicable costs.

 

3

 

 

Each of vendors that engage us for our promotion services are required pay us a service fee in advance, the amount of which is approximately 15% to 30% of the retail price of the product to be promoted by our hosts and influencers. Upon each sale, which is marked by the consumer’s payment for the product (either to our customer directly or to the third-party site), the corresponding advance payment is recognized by us as revenue after deducting the commission payable to the host of the livestreaming site. We generally do not have any accounts receivable or accounts payable in this type of sales cycle. Our service fees are not refundable in the event of a product return by a consumer.

 

Business Management and Consulting Business

 

We also provide business management and consulting services which consists of computer consulting services and software development through our subsidiaries in China, including Chengdu Future and Antelope Chengdu. We diagnose difficulties in infrastructure and enterprise systems and addresses business challenges that enterprises confront by developing strategies to surmount such hurdles to ensure the healthy growth and development of our customers. Our consulting teams have advanced technological knowledge and capabilities to implement workflow solutions via proprietary software products and services to help our customers with customized solutions to solve complex problems.

 

Planned Energy Supply Business

 

The Company is aiming to launch energy supply business through AEHL US, formerly known as Million Star US Inc. AEHL US has taken preliminary steps in developing this business including engaging a broker to source natural gas from natural gas provider in Texas and the procurement of electricity generators. AEHL US plans to supply power to a data center in Midland, Texas. The Company anticipates that its energy supply business will start operation in the third quarter of 2026.

 

AEHL US also plans to generate revenue by securing hosting sites for cryptocurrency mining operators as it leverages anticipated cost-effective electricity costs.

 

Corporate Information

 

Our principal executive office is located at Room 1802, Block D, Zhonghai International Center, Hi-Tech Zone, Chengdu, Sichuan Province, People’s Republic of China. Our telephone number at this address is +86 (28) 8532 4355. Our registered office is Craigmuir Chambers, PO Box 90, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands, and our registered agent is Harneys Corporate Services Limited. We maintain a website at http://www.aehltd.com that contains information about our company. Information on this web site is not part of this prospectus.

 

China Securities Regulatory Commission and Cyberspace Administration of China

 

Antelope Enterprise, our ultimate British Virgin Islands holding company, does not have any substantive operations other than indirectly holding the equity interest in our operating subsidiaries in China and other countries and regions. As of the date of this prospectus, (i) Antelope Enterprise’s business operations are carried out inside China; and (ii) it does not maintain any variable interest entity structure or operate any data center in China. Antelope Enterprise may still be subject to PRC laws relating to, among others, data security and restrictions over foreign investments due to the complexity of the regulatory regime in China, and the recent statements and regulatory actions by the PRC government relating to data security may affect our business operations in China or even our ability to offer securities in the United States. Neither Antelope Enterprise nor any of our subsidiaries has obtained the approval from either the China Securities Regulatory Commission (the “CSRC”) or the Cyberspace Administration of China (the “CAC”) for any offering we may make under this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, and Antelope Enterprise does not intend to obtain the approval from either the CSRC in connection with any such offering, since Antelope Enterprise does not believe, based upon advice of our PRC counsel, Sichuan Jindouyun Law Firm, that such approval is required under these circumstances or for the time being. There can be no assurance, however, that regulators in China will not take a contrary view or will not subsequently require us to undergo the approval procedures and subject us to penalties for non-compliance. See “Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China.”

 

4

 

 

RECENT DEVELOPMENTS

 

Effective February 17, 2025, we dismissed the independent auditors, ARK PRO CPA & Co. On February 17, 2025, we engaged AssentSure PAC as our independent auditors for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024.

 

Effective March 24, 2025, Mr. Dian Zhang (“Mr. Zhang”) resigned as a director and the chair of our audit committee. Effective March 24, 2025, Ms. Ze Yang (“Ms. Yang”) was elected as a director by the remaining members of the Board to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of Mr. Zhang. Ms. Yang also serves as the chair of the Audit Committee and a member of the compensation committee and the nominating committee.

 

Effective April 3, 2025, we implemented a reverse stock split of the Company’s Class A ordinary shares, no par value, at a ratio of 1-for-40. We undertook the reverse stock split in order to meet the minimum $1.00 per class A ordinary share bid requirement for maintaining the listing of the Class A ordinary shares on the Nasdaq Capital Market. The number of outstanding Class A ordinary shares was reduced from approximately 41,430,051 shares to approximately 1,035,752 shares.

 

On July 24, 2025, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with Streeterville Capital, LLC, for a total financing amount of up to $50 million over 24 months. The proceeds from this financing were and will be used exclusively to purchase Bitcoin.

 

Effective August 5, 2025, Ms. Huashu Yuan (“Ms. Yuan”) resigned as a director, a member of audit committee, the chair of compensation committee and the chair of nominating committee. Effective August 5, 2025, Mr. Cong Zhang, was elected as a director by the remaining members of the Board to fill the vacancy resulting from the resignation of Ms. Yuan. Effective August 5, 2025, Mr. Ishak Han, the current chair of the Board, was elected as the chair of the compensation committee and the chair of the nominating committee.

 

As of December 17, 2025, the Board approved a change of the Company’s fiscal year end from December 31 to September 30.

 

On October 22, 2025, the Company incorporated a new subsidiary, AEHL Group Limited, in the British Virgin Islands, as a holding company.

 

On December 15, 2025, the Company’s subsidiary Hainan Kylin incorporated a 100% owned subsidiary, Chuzhou Kylin, in China. Chuzhou Kylin is engaged in business management and consulting services for the livestreaming ecommerce industry.

 

On January 12, 2026, the Company received a notice (the “Delinquency Letter”) from the Listing Qualifications Department (the “Staff”) of The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq”) stating that, because the Company not yet filed a Form 6-K containing an interim balance sheet and income statement as of the end of its second quarter for its fiscal half year ended June 30, 2025 (the “2025 Interim Report”), it no longer complies with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1) (the “Rule”), which requires that listed companies timely file all required periodic financial reports with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The Company was given 60 calendar days from receipt of the notice to submit to Nasdaq a plan to regain compliance with the Rule (the “Compliance Plan”). On February 13, 2026, the Company filed the 2025 Interim Report on a Form 6-K furnished to the Commission, and issued a press release entitled “Antelope Enterprise Announced First Half of 2025 Financial Results.” On March 9, 2026, the Company received a letter from Nasdaq Staff stating that, based on the Company’s filing of the 2025 Interim Report, the Nasdaq Staff has determined that the Company complies with the Rule. Accordingly, the Company has regained compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5250(c)(1). On March 11, 2026, the Company furnished a report on Form 6-K and filed a press release entitled “Antelope Enterprise Holdings Regains Compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule” announcing its regained compliance with the Rule.

 

5

 

 

On February 25, 2026, we reported that we have acquired Bitcoin for an aggregate price of $1,000,000, at $68,300 per Bitcoin.

 

Effective March 4, 2026, we effected a reverse stock split of our Class A ordinary shares at a ratio of 1-for-6. Our Class A ordinary shares began trading on a split-adjusted basis when the Nasdaq Stock Market LLC opened for trading on Thursday, March 5, 2026.

 

On April 15, 2026, we entered into a Securities Purchase Agreement with an institutional investor for the purchase of 12,000,000 of our class A ordinary shares, at the price of $0.207 per share, by the investor. The closing of the transaction is expected to take place in the second quarter of 2026, subject to the satisfaction of the customary closing conditions, including necessary regulatory approvals, if applicable.

 

Summary of Risk Factors

 

Investing in our ordinary shares involves a high degree of risk. This summary does not address all of the risks that we face. Please refer to the information contained in and incorporated by reference under the heading “Risk Factors” on page 8 of this prospectus.

 

Risk Factors Relating to Our Business

 

We have a limited operating history in a highly competitive technology segment.
If certain consumer behavior trends do not continue developing as anticipated, our operating results will be adversely affected.
We have entered a potentially competitive market segment.
We are subject to rapid technology change and certain of our livestreaming ecommerce business could have significant barriers to entry.
Our business depends on our ability to maintain and grow our network of high-quality suppliers of hosts and influencers. If we are unable to do so, our future growth would be limited and our business, financial condition and results of operations would be harmed.
We rely on existing technology systems, networks and platforms that are outside of our control.
If China’s inflation increases or the prices of energy or raw materials increase, we may not be able to pass the resulting increased costs to our customers and this may adversely affect our profitability or cause us to suffer operating losses.
We are dependent on our management team and any loss of our key management personnel without timely and suitable replacements may reduce our revenues and profits.
We may not be able to ensure the successful implementation of our future plans and strategies, resulting in reduced financial performance.
We may inadvertently infringe third-party intellectual property rights, which could negatively impact on our business and financial results.

 

Risk Factors Relating to the Planned Energy Supply Business

 

We might not be able to launch the energy supply business as planned or at all, or generate revenue as planned.
Our financial performance in this planned business will be affected by commodity price fluctuations in the wholesale and retail power and natural gas markets and other market factors that are beyond our control.
Extensive competition in power generation industry could adversely affect our performance.
We will rely on power transmission and fuel distribution facilities owned and operated by other companies
We may be unable to obtain an adequate supply of fuel in the future.
Our electricity generators will be subject to impairments.
State legislative and regulatory action could adversely affect our competitive position and business.
Existing and future anticipated environmental regulations could cause us to incur significant costs and adversely affect our operations generally or in a particular quarter when such costs are incurred.

 

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Risk Factors Relating to Our Discontinued Operations

 

We face risks associated with the divestiture of our ceramic tile manufacturing business.

 

Risk Factors Relating to Our Operations in China

 

Violation of Foreign Corrupt Practices Act or China anti-corruption law could subject us to penalties and other adverse consequences.
We are dependent on political, economic, regulatory and social conditions in the PRC.
In light of recent events indicating greater oversight by the Cyberspace Administration of China, or CAC, over data security, particularly for companies seeking to list or listed on a foreign exchange, we are subject to a variety of laws and other obligations regarding cybersecurity and data protection, and any failure to comply with applicable laws and obligations could have a material and adverse effect on our business, our listing on Nasdaq, financial condition, results of operations.
We are subject to risks related to the laws and regulations of the PRC and the interpretation and implementation thereof.
Our business activities are subject to certain PRC laws and regulations.
PRC foreign exchange control may limit our ability to utilize our profits effectively and affect our ability to receive dividends and other payments from our PRC subsidiaries.
Introduction of new laws or changes to existing laws by the PRC government may adversely affect our business.
It may be difficult for overseas shareholders and/or regulators to conduct investigation or collect evidence within China.
Fluctuations in exchange rates could adversely affect our business and the value of our shares.
Under the EIT Law, Antelope Enterprise, Success Winner and/or Vast Elite and Antelope HK may be classified as a “resident enterprise” of the PRC. Such classification could result in PRC tax consequences to Antelope Enterprise, our non-PRC resident shareholders, Success Winner and/or Vast Elite and Antelope HK.

 

Risks Factors Relating to Our Class A Ordinary Shares

 

The price of our shares could be volatile and could decline at a time when you want to sell your holdings.
We are a “controlled company” within the meaning of the NASDAQ Stock Market Rules and, as a result, may rely on exemptions from certain corporate governance requirements that provide protection to shareholders of other companies.
If we cease to qualify as a foreign private issuer, we would be required to comply fully with the reporting requirements of the Exchange Act applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, and we would incur significant additional legal, accounting and other expenses that we would not incur as a foreign private issuer.
There is a risk that Antelope Enterprise will be classified as a passive foreign investment company, or “PFIC,” which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. holders of its securities.
As the rights of shareholders under British Virgin Islands law differ from those under U.S. law, you may have fewer protections as a shareholder.
British Virgin Islands companies may not be able to initiate shareholder derivative actions, thereby depriving shareholders of the ability to protect their interests.
The laws of the British Virgin Islands may provide comparatively limited protection for minority shareholders, so minority shareholders will have limited recourse if the shareholders are dissatisfied with the conduct of our affairs.
The market price for our shares has been and may continue to be volatile.
Volatility in the price of our shares may result in shareholder litigation that could in turn result in substantial costs and a diversion of our management’s attention and resources.
Although we paid semi-annual dividends in July 2013, January 2014, July 2014 and January 2015, we did not pay a dividend after January 2015 and do not currently plan to pay a dividend in the near future. Therefore, shareholders will benefit from an investment in our shares only if those shares appreciate in value.
We may not be able to pay any dividends on our shares in the future due to British Virgin Islands law.
We may need additional capital, and the sale of additional shares or equity or debt securities could result in additional dilution to our shareholders.
We cannot assure you that our Class A Ordinary Shares will always trade in an active and liquid public market.

 

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RISK FACTORS

 

Before making an investment decision, you should carefully consider the risks described under “Risk Factors” in the applicable prospectus supplement and in our then most recent Transition Report on Form 20-F, or included in any Annual Report or Transition Report on Form 20-F filed with the SEC after the date of this prospectus or Reports on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC after the date of this prospectus, together with all of the other information appearing in this prospectus or incorporated by reference into this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, in light of your particular investment objectives and financial circumstances. Please see “Where You Can Find More Information” on how you can view our SEC reports and other filings. Our business, financial condition or results of operations could be materially adversely affected by any of these risks.

 

USE OF PROCEEDS

 

Unless otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, we intend to use the net proceeds of any offering of securities for working capital and other general corporate purposes, which may include the repayment or refinancing of outstanding indebtedness and the financing of future acquisitions. We may have significant discretion in the use of any net proceeds. The net proceeds may be invested temporarily in interest-bearing accounts and short-term interest-bearing securities until they are used for their stated purpose. We may provide additional information on the use of the net proceeds from the sale of the offered securities in an applicable prospectus supplement relating to the offered securities.

 

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE SECURITIES WE MAY OFFER

 

We may issue from time to time, in one or more offerings the following securities:

 

  ordinary shares;

 

  preferred shares;

 

  debt securities;

 

  warrants to purchase ordinary shares, preferred shares, or debt securities;

 

  rights to purchase ordinary shares, preferred shares, debt securities, warrants or other securities; and

 

  units of ordinary shares, preferred shares, debt securities, rights or warrants, in any combination.

 

This prospectus contains a summary of the material general terms of the various securities that we may offer. The specific terms of the securities will be described in a prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference, or free writing prospectus, which may be in addition to or different from the general terms summarized in this prospectus. Where applicable, the prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference or free writing prospectus will also describe any material United States federal income tax considerations relating to the securities offered and indicate whether the securities offered are or will be listed on any securities exchange. The summaries contained in this prospectus and in any prospectus supplements, information incorporated by reference or free writing prospectus may not contain all of the information that you would find useful. Accordingly, you should read the actual documents relating to any securities sold pursuant to this prospectus. See “Where You Can Find More Information” and “Incorporation of Certain Information by Reference” for information about how to obtain copies of those documents.

 

The terms of any particular offering, the initial offering price and the net proceeds to us will be contained in the applicable prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference or free writing prospectus, relating to such offering.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF SHARES

 

Description of Shares

 

The following description of the material terms of our shares and warrants includes a summary of specified provisions of the Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association. This description is subject to the relevant provisions of the BVI Business Companies Act, Revised Edition 2020 and is qualified by reference to our Memorandum of Association and Articles of Association, copies of which are incorporated in this registration statement by reference.

 

Ordinary Shares

 

Antelope Enterprises is authorized to issue (a) 200,000,000 Class A ordinary shares with no par value each, (b) 50,000,000 Class B ordinary shares with no par value each and (c) 50,000,000 preferred shares with no par value each. Each Class A ordinary share is entitled to one (1) vote and each Class B ordinary share is entitled to 20 votes. As of the date of this filing, 2,297,577 class A ordinary shares and 2,555,497 class B ordinary shares are outstanding. The remaining authorized and unissued class A ordinary shares will be available for future issuance without additional shareholder approval. While the additional shares are not designed to deter or prevent a change of control, under some circumstances Antelope Enterprises could use them to create voting impediments or to frustrate persons seeking to effect a takeover or otherwise gain control, by, for example, issuing shares in private placements to purchasers who might side with the Board of Directors in opposing a hostile takeover bid.

 

Members of Antelope Enterprise’s Board of Directors serve for indefinite terms. There is no cumulative voting with respect to the election of directors, with the result that the holders of more than 50% of the shares eligible to vote for the election of directors can elect all of the directors. Antelope Enterprise’s shareholders have no conversion, preemptive or other subscription rights and there are no sinking fund provisions applicable to the shares.

 

Preferred Shares

 

Pursuant to the BVI Business Companies Act (Revised Edition 2020) of British Virgin Islands (the “BVI Act”), and our memorandum of association, our board of directors by resolution may authorize establishment of one or more classes of preferred shares having such number of shares, designations, dividend rates, relative voting rights, conversion or exchange rights, redemption rights, liquidation rights and other relative participation, optional or other special rights, qualifications, limitations or restrictions as may be fixed by the board of directors without any further shareholder approval. Such rights, preferences, powers and limitations as may be established could have the effect of discouraging an attempt to obtain control of us.

 

Pursuant to our Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Preferred Shares shall not have the right to receive notice of, attend or vote as a Member at any general meeting, but shall be entitled to such dividends as the board may from time to declare. As of the date of this filing, no preferred shares are outstanding.

 

Listing

 

Our shares have been listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol “AEHL” since October 15, 2020. Our shares were listed on the NASDAQ Stock Market under the symbol “CCCL” from January 18, 2011 through October 14, 2020. Our shares were listed on the NASDAQ Capital Market from November 3, 2010 through January 17, 2011, and were relisted on the Nasdaq Capital Market on March 23, 2016 following the listing transfer where they are trading now under the same symbol. Our shares were listed on the NASDAQ Global Market from January 18, 2011 until March 22, 2016. The shares were previously quoted on the OTC Bulletin Board from December 29, 2009 through November 2, 2010.

 

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Transfer Agent and Registrar

 

The transfer agent and registrar for our ordinary shares is TranShare Corporation, 17755 North US Highway 19, Suite 140, Clearwater FL 33764.

 

Distributions

 

The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors subject to the BVI Act.

 

Voting rights

 

Any action required or permitted to be taken by the shareholders may be approved at a duly convened and constituted meeting of the shareholders by the affirmative vote of a majority of in excess of 50 percent of the votes of the shares present at the meeting and entitled to vote on the proposed matters; or may be consented to in writing by a majority of in excess of 50 percent of the votes of shares entitled to vote on the proposed matters. Each shareholder who is present in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) will have one vote for each preferred share which such shareholder holds.

 

Election of directors

 

Under the memorandum and articles of association, the directors can either be elected by a resolutions of shareholders or by a resolution of directors. A director may be removed from office, (a) with or without cause, by resolution of shareholders passed at a meeting of shareholders called for the purposes of removing the director or for purposes including the removal of the director or by a written resolution passed by at least 75 percent of the votes of the shareholders entitled to vote; or (b) with cause, by resolution of directors passed at a meeting of directors called for the purpose of removing the director or for purposes including the removal of the director.

 

Meetings

 

The board of directors must provide written notice of all meetings of shareholders, stating the time, place at least 10 days before the date of the proposed meeting to those persons whose names appear as shareholders in the register of members on the date of the notice and are entitled to vote at the meeting. In addition, the board of directors may call a meeting of shareholders on its own motion. A meeting of shareholders may be called on short notice: (a) if it is so agreed by shareholders holding not less than 90% of the total voting rights on all the matters to be considered at the meeting have waived notice of the meeting and, for this purpose. The presence of a shareholder at the meeting constitutes waiver in relation to all the shares which that shareholder holds.

 

At any meeting of shareholders, a quorum will be present if there are shareholders present in person or by proxy representing not less than 50% of the votes of the shares entitled to vote on the resolutions to be considered at the meeting. Such quorum may be represented by only a single shareholder or proxy. If no quorum is present within two hours of the start time of the meeting, the meeting shall be dissolved if it was convened on the requested of shareholders. In any other case, the meeting shall be adjourned to the next business day, and if shareholders representing not less than one-third of the votes of the ordinary shares or each class of shares entitled to vote on the matters to be considered at the meeting are present within one hour of the start time of the adjourned meeting, a quorum will be present. If not, the meeting will be dissolved. No business may be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present at the commencement of business. If present, the chair of the board of directors shall be the chair presiding at any meeting of the shareholders.

 

A corporation that is a shareholder shall be deemed for the purpose of our memorandum and articles of association to be present in person if represented by its duly authorized representative. This duly authorized representative shall be entitled to exercise the same powers on behalf of the corporation which he represents as that corporation could exercise if it were our individual shareholder.

 

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Protection of minority shareholders

 

The BVI Act provides for protection of minority shareholders in certain circumstances. Outside of this, we would normally expect British Virgin Islands courts to follow English case law precedents, which permit a minority shareholder to commence a representative action, or derivative actions in our name, to challenge (1) an act which is ultra vires or illegal, (2) an act which constitutes a fraud against the minority by parties in control of us, (3) the act complained of constitutes an infringement of individual rights of shareholders, such as the right to vote and pre-emptive rights and (4) an irregularity in the passing of a resolution which requires a majority of the shareholders.

 

Pre-emptive rights

 

The memorandum and articles of association of the Company disapply the statutory pre-emptive rights applicable to the issue by us of new ordinary shares.

 

Transfer of ordinary shares

 

Subject to the restrictions in our memorandum and articles of association and applicable securities laws, any of our shareholders may transfer all or any of his or her ordinary shares by written instrument of transfer signed by the transferor and containing the name and address of the transferee.

 

Liquidation

 

The Company may by a resolution of shareholders or by resolution of directors appoint a voluntary liquidator. Generally under BVI law, a liquidator may divide among the shareholders in specie or kind the whole or any part of our assets (whether they shall consist of property of the same kind or not) and may, for such purpose, set such value as the liquidator deems fair upon any property to be divided.

 

Calls on ordinary shares and forfeiture of ordinary shares

 

All shares are issued fully paid. Shares that are not fully paid on issue are subject to the forfeiture provisions set forth in the memorandum and articles of association, Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a notice served to such shareholders at least 14 days prior to the specified time of payment. The ordinary shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid will be liable to be forfeited .

 

Redemption of ordinary shares

 

The Company may by a resolution of directors redeem, repurchase or otherwise acquire its shares generally with the consent of the relevant shareholders on such terms as the directors may agree with the relevant shareholders, and subject to the memorandum and articles of association and any applicable requirements imposed from time to time by, the BVI Act, the SEC, the Nasdaq Capital Market, or by any recognized stock exchange on which our securities are listed.

 

Modifications of rights

 

All or any of the rights attached to any class of shares may, subject to the provisions of the BVI Act, be amended only with the consent in writing of or by a resolution passed at a meeting by the holders of not less than 50 percent of the issued shares in that class.

 

Changes in the number of shares we are authorized to issue and those in issue

 

We may from time to time by resolution of our board of directors:

 

  amend our memorandum of association to increase or decrease the maximum number of shares we are authorized to issue;

 

  amend our memorandum of association to create additional classes of shares with on such terms and in such manner as they may determine in their sole discretion at any time;

 

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  subject to our memorandum and articles of association, divide our authorized and issued shares into a larger number of shares; and

 

  subject to our memorandum and articles of association, combine our authorized and issued shares into a smaller number of shares.

 

Inspection of books and records

 

Under British Virgin Islands law, holders of our ordinary shares are entitled, upon giving written notice to us, to inspect (i) our memorandum and articles of association, (ii) the register of members, (iii) the register of directors and (iv) minutes of meetings and resolutions of members, and to make copies and take extracts from the documents and records. However, our directors can refuse access if they are satisfied that to allow such access would be contrary to our interests.

 

Rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders

 

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

 

Issuance of additional ordinary shares

 

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

 

Differences in Corporate Law

 

The BVI Act and the laws of the British Virgin Islands affecting British Virgin Islands business companies like us and our shareholders differ from laws applicable to U.S. corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of the material differences between the provisions of the laws of the British Virgin Islands applicable to us and the laws applicable to companies incorporated in the United States and their shareholders.

 

Mergers and similar arrangements

 

Under the laws of the British Virgin Islands, two or more companies may merge or consolidate in accordance with Section 170 of the BVI Act. A merger means the merging of two or more constituent companies into one of the constituent companies and a consolidation means the uniting of two or more constituent companies into a new company. In order to merge or consolidate, the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must be authorized by a resolution of shareholders (except when a parent company merge with one or more subsidiary companies in accordance with Section 172 of the BVI Act).

 

While a director may vote on the plan of merger or consolidation even if he has a financial interest in the plan, the interested director must disclose the interest to all other directors of the company promptly upon becoming aware of the fact that he is interested in a transaction entered into or to be entered into by the company.

 

A transaction entered into by our Company in respect of which a director is interested (including a merger or consolidation) is voidable by us unless the director’s interest was (a) disclosed to the board prior to the transaction or (b) the transaction is (i) between the director and the company and (ii) the transaction is in the ordinary course of the company’s business and on usual terms and conditions.

 

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Notwithstanding the above, a transaction entered into by the company is not voidable if the material facts of the interest are known to the shareholders and they approve or ratify it or the company received fair value for the transaction.

 

Shareholders not otherwise entitled to vote on the merger or consolidation may still acquire the right to vote if the plan of merger or consolidation contains any provision which, if proposed as an amendment to the memorandum or articles of association, would entitle them to vote as a class or series on the proposed amendment. In any event, all shareholders must be given a copy of the plan of merger or consolidation irrespective of whether they are entitled to vote at the meeting to approve the plan of merger or consolidation.

 

The shareholders of the constituent companies are not required to receive shares of the surviving or consolidated company but may receive debt obligations or other securities of the surviving or consolidated company, other assets, or a combination thereof. Further, some or all of the shares of a class or series may be converted into a kind of asset while the other shares of the same class or series may receive a different kind of asset. As such, not all the shares of a class or series must receive the same kind of consideration.

 

After the plan of merger or consolidation has been approved by the directors and authorized by a resolution of the shareholders, articles of merger or consolidation are executed by each company and filed with the Registrar of Corporate Affairs in the British Virgin Islands.

 

A shareholder may dissent from a mandatory redemption of his shares, an arrangement (if permitted by the court), a merger (unless the shareholder was a shareholder of the surviving company prior to the merger and continues to hold the same or similar shares after the merger) or a consolidation. A shareholder properly exercising his dissent rights is entitled to a cash payment equal to the fair value of his shares.

 

A shareholder dissenting from a merger or consolidation must object in writing to the merger or consolidation before the vote by the shareholders on the merger or consolidation, unless notice of the meeting was not given to the shareholder. If the merger or consolidation is approved by the shareholders, the company must give notice of this fact to each shareholder within 20 days who gave written objection. These shareholders then have 20 days to give to the company their written election in the form specified by the BVI Act to dissent from the merger or consolidation, provided that in the case of a merger, the 20 days starts when the plan of merger is delivered to the shareholder.

 

Upon giving notice of his election to dissent, a shareholder ceases to have any shareholder rights except the right to be paid the fair value of his shares. As such, the merger or consolidation may proceed in the ordinary course notwithstanding his dissent.

 

Within seven days of the later of the delivery of the notice of election to dissent and the effective date of the merger or consolidation, the company must make a written offer to each dissenting shareholder to purchase his shares at a specified price per share that the company determines to be the fair value of the shares. The company and the shareholder then have 30 days to agree upon the price. If the company and a shareholder fail to agree on the price within the 30 days, then the company and the shareholder shall, within 20 days immediately following the expiration of the 30-day period, each designate an appraiser and these two appraisers shall designate a third appraiser. These three appraisers shall fix the fair value of the shares as of the close of business on the day prior to the shareholders’ approval of the transaction without taking into account any change in value as a result of the transaction.

 

Shareholders’ suits

 

There are both statutory and common law remedies available to our shareholders as a matter of British Virgin Islands law. These are summarized below:

 

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Prejudiced members

 

A shareholder who considers that the affairs of the company have been, are being, or are likely to be, conducted in a manner that is, or any act or acts of the company have been, or are, likely to be oppressive, unfairly discriminatory or unfairly prejudicial to him in that capacity, can apply to the court under Section 184I of the BVI Act, inter alia, for an order that his shares be acquired, that he be provided compensation, that the Court regulate the future conduct of the company, or that any decision of the company which contravenes the BVI Act or our memorandum and articles of association be set aside.

 

Derivative actions

 

Section 184C of the BVI Act provides that a shareholder of a company may, with the leave of the Court, bring an action in the name of the company to redress any wrong done to it.

 

Just and equitable winding up

 

In addition to the statutory remedies outlined above, shareholders can also petition for the winding up of a company on the grounds that it is just and equitable for the court to so order. Save in exceptional circumstances, this remedy is only available where the company has been operated as a quasi-partnership and trust and confidence between the partners has broken down.

 

Indemnification of directors and executive officers and limitation of liability

 

British Virgin Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any provision providing indemnification may be held by the British Virgin Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime.

 

Under our memorandum and articles of association, we indemnify against all expenses, including legal fees, and against all judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement and reasonably incurred in connection with legal, administrative or investigative proceedings for any person who:

 

  is or was a party or is threatened to be made a party to any threatened, pending or completed proceedings, whether civil, criminal, administrative or investigative, by reason of the fact that the person is or was our director; or

 

  is or was, at our request, serving as a director or officer of, or in any other capacity is or was acting for, another body corporate or a partnership, joint venture, trust or other enterprise.

 

These indemnities only apply if the person acted honestly and in good faith with a view to our best interests and, in the case of criminal proceedings, the person had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation.

 

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

 

These indemnities only apply if the person acted honestly and in good faith with a view to our best interests and, in the case of criminal proceedings, the person had no reasonable cause to believe that his conduct was unlawful. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware corporation.

 

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

 

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Anti-takeover provisions in our memorandum and articles of association

 

Some provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including provisions that provide for a staggered board of directors and prevent shareholders from taking an action by written consent in lieu of a meeting. However, under British Virgin Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time, as they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.

 

 

Directors’ fiduciary duties

 

Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This duty has two components: the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a transaction that is material to the company. The duty of loyalty requires that a director act in a manner he reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. He must not use his corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interest of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder and not shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, a director must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.

 

Under British Virgin Islands law, our directors owe the company certain statutory and fiduciary duties including, among others, a duty to act honestly, in good faith, for a proper purpose and with a view to what the directors believe to be in the best interests of the company. Our directors are also required, when exercising powers or performing duties as a director, to exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonable director would exercise in comparable circumstances, taking into account without limitation, the nature of the company, the nature of the decision and the position of the director and the nature of the responsibilities undertaken. In the exercise of their powers, our directors must ensure neither they nor the company acts in a manner which contravenes the BVI Act or our memorandum and articles of association, as amended and re-stated from time to time. A shareholder has the right to seek damages for breaches of duties owed to us by our directors.

 

Shareholder action by written consent

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by amendment to its certificate of incorporation. British Virgin Islands law provides that shareholders may approve corporate matters by way of a written resolution without a meeting signed by or on behalf of shareholders sufficient to constitute the requisite majority of shareholders who would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting.

 

Shareholder proposals

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special meetings. Under British Virgin Islands law, we are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings, but our memorandum and articles of association do permit the directors to call such a meeting. The location of any shareholders’ meeting can be determined by the board of directors and can be held anywhere in the world.

 

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Cumulative voting

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled on a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. As permitted under British Virgin Islands law, our memorandum and articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a Delaware corporation.

 

Removal of directors

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation with a classified board may be removed only for cause with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our memorandum and articles of association, directors can be removed from office, with cause, by a resolution of shareholders or by a resolution of directors passed at a meeting of directors called for the purpose of removing the director or for purposes including the removal of the director.

 

Transactions with interested shareholders

 

The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following the date that such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is a person or group who or which owns or owned 15% or more of the target’s outstanding voting shares within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquirer to make a two-tiered bid for the target in which all shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things, prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquirer of a Delaware public corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors. British Virgin Islands law has no comparable statute.

 

Dissolution; Winding Up

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by shareholders holding 100% of the total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares. Delaware law allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with dissolutions initiated by the board. Under the BVI Act and our memorandum and articles of association, we may appoint a voluntary liquidator by a resolution of the shareholders or by resolution of directors.

 

Variation of rights of shares

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our memorandum and articles of association, if at any time our shares are divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to any class may only be varied, whether or not our company is in liquidation, by a resolution passed at a meeting by a majority of the votes cast by those entitled to vote at a meeting of the holders of the issued shares in that class.

 

Amendment of governing documents

 

Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote, unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. As permitted by British Virgin Islands law, our memorandum and articles of association may be amended by a resolution of shareholders and, subject to certain exceptions, by a resolution of directors. Any amendment is effective from the date it is registered at the Registry of Corporate Affairs in the British Virgin Islands.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF DEBT SECURITIES

 

As used in this prospectus, debt securities means the debentures, notes, bonds and other evidences of indebtedness that we may issue from time to time. The debt securities may be either secured or unsecured and will either be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities. The debt securities will be issued under one or more separate indentures between us and a trustee to be specified in an accompanying prospectus supplement. Senior debt securities will be issued under a new senior indenture. Subordinated debt securities will be issued under a subordinated indenture. Together, the senior indentures and the subordinated indentures are sometimes referred to in this prospectus as the indentures. This prospectus, together with the applicable prospectus supplement, will describe the terms of a particular series of debt securities.

 

The statements and descriptions in this prospectus or in any prospectus supplement regarding provisions of the indentures and debt securities are summaries thereof, do not purport to be complete and are subject to, and are qualified in their entirety by reference to, all of the provisions of the indentures (and any amendments or supplements we may enter into from time to time which are permitted under each indenture) and the debt securities, including the definitions therein of certain terms.

 

General

 

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the debt securities will be direct unsecured obligations of the Company. The senior debt securities will rank equally with any of our other senior and unsubordinated debt. The subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to any senior indebtedness.

 

Unless otherwise specified in a prospectus supplement, the indentures do not limit the aggregate principal amount of debt securities that we may issue and provide that we may issue debt securities from time to time at par or at a discount, and in the case of the new indentures, if any, in one or more series, with the same or various maturities. Unless indicated in a prospectus supplement, we may issue additional debt securities of a particular series without the consent of the holders of the debt securities of such series outstanding at the time of the issuance. Any such additional debt securities, together with all other outstanding debt securities of that series, will constitute a single series of debt securities under the applicable indenture.

 

Each prospectus supplement will describe the terms relating to the specific series of debt securities being offered. These terms will include some or all of the following:

 

  the title of the debt securities and whether they are subordinated debt securities or senior debt securities;

 

  any limit on the aggregate principal amount of the debt securities;

 

  the ability to issue additional debt securities of the same series;

 

  the price or prices at which we will sell the debt securities;

 

  the maturity date or dates of the debt securities on which principal will be payable;

 

  the rate or rates of interest, if any, which may be fixed or variable, at which the debt securities will bear interest, or the method of determining such rate or rates, if any;

 

  the date or dates from which any interest will accrue or the method by which such date or dates will be determined;

 

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  the right, if any, to extend the interest payment periods and the duration of any such deferral period, including the maximum consecutive period during which interest payment periods may be extended;

 

  whether the amount of payments of principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on the debt securities may be determined with reference to any index, formula or other method, such as one or more

 

  currencies, commodities, equity indices or other indices, and the manner of determining the amount of such payments;

 

  the dates on which we will pay interest on the debt securities and the regular record date for determining who is entitled to the interest payable on any interest payment date;

 

  the place or places where the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest on the debt securities will be payable, where any securities may be surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange or conversion, as applicable, and notices and demands may be delivered to or upon us pursuant to the indenture;

 

  if we possess the option to do so, the periods within which and the prices at which we may redeem the debt securities, in whole or in part, pursuant to optional redemption provisions, and the other terms and conditions of any such provisions;

 

  our obligation, if any, to redeem, repay or purchase debt securities by making periodic payments to a sinking fund or through an analogous provision or at the option of holders of the debt securities, and the period or periods within which and the price or prices at which we will redeem, repay or purchase the debt securities, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation, and the other terms and conditions of such obligation;

 

  the denominations in which the debt securities will be issued, if other than denominations of $1,000 and integral multiples of $1,000;

 

  the portion, or methods of determining the portion, of the principal amount of the debt securities which we must pay upon the acceleration of the maturity of the debt securities in connection with an event of default (as described below), if other than the full principal amount;

 

  the currency, currencies or currency unit in which we will pay the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest, if any, on the debt securities, if not United States dollars;

 

  provisions, if any, granting special rights to holders of the debt securities upon the occurrence of specified events;

 

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  any deletions from, modifications of or additions to the events of default or our covenants with respect to the applicable series of debt securities, and whether or not such events of default or covenants are consistent with those contained in the applicable indenture;
     
  any limitation on our ability to incur debt, redeem shares, sell our assets or other restrictions;
     
  the application, if any, of the terms of the indenture relating to defeasance and covenant defeasance (which terms are described below) to the debt securities;
     
  whether the subordination provisions summarized below or different subordination provisions will apply to the debt securities;
     
  the terms, if any, upon which the holders may convert or exchange the debt securities into or for our ordinary shares or other securities or property;
     
  whether any of the debt securities will be issued in global form and, if so, the terms and conditions upon which global debt securities may be exchanged for certificated debt securities;
     
  any change in the right of the trustee or the requisite holders of debt securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable because of an event of default;
     
  the depository for global or certificated debt securities;
     
  any special tax implications of the debt securities;

 

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  any British Virgin Islands tax consequences applicable to the debt securities, including any debt securities denominated and made payable, as described in the prospectus supplements, in foreign currencies, or units based on or related to foreign currencies;
     
  any trustees, authenticating or paying agents, transfer agents or registrars, or other agents with respect to the debt securities;
     
  any other terms of the debt securities not inconsistent with the provisions of the indentures, as amended or supplemented;
     
  to whom any interest on any debt security shall be payable, if other than the person in whose name the security is registered, on the record date for such interest, the extent to which, or the manner in which, any interest payable on a temporary global debt security will be paid if other than in the manner provided in the applicable indenture;
     
  if the principal of or any premium or interest on any debt securities of the series is to be payable in one or more currencies or currency units other than as stated, the currency, currencies or currency units in which it shall be paid and the periods within and terms and conditions upon which such election is to be made and the amounts payable (or the manner in which such amount shall be determined);
     
  the portion of the principal amount of any securities of the series which shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity of the debt securities pursuant to the applicable indenture if other than the entire principal amount; and
     
  if the principal amount payable at the stated maturity of any debt security of the series will not be determinable as of any one or more dates prior to the stated maturity, the amount which shall be deemed to be the principal amount of such securities as of any such date for any purpose, including the principal amount thereof which shall be due and payable upon any maturity other than the stated maturity or which shall be deemed to be outstanding as of any date prior to the stated maturity (or, in any such case, the manner in which such amount deemed to be the principal amount shall be determined).

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, the debt securities will not be listed on any securities exchange.

 

Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, debt securities will be issued in fully-registered form without coupons.

 

Debt securities may be sold at a substantial discount below their stated principal amount, bearing no interest or interest at a rate which at the time of issuance is below market rates. The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the federal income tax consequences and special considerations applicable to any such debt securities. The debt securities may also be issued as indexed securities or securities denominated in foreign currencies, currency units or composite currencies, as described in more detail in the prospectus supplement relating to any of the particular debt securities. The prospectus supplement relating to specific debt securities will also describe any special considerations and certain additional tax considerations applicable to such debt securities.

 

Subordination

 

The prospectus supplement relating to any offering of subordinated debt securities will describe the specific subordination provisions. However, unless otherwise noted in the prospectus supplement, subordinated debt securities will be subordinate and junior in right of payment to any existing senior indebtedness.

 

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Unless otherwise specified in the applicable prospectus supplement, under the subordinated indenture, “senior indebtedness” means all amounts due on obligations in connection with any of the following, whether outstanding at the date of execution of the subordinated indenture, or thereafter incurred or created:

 

  the principal of (and premium, if any) and interest due on our indebtedness for borrowed money and indebtedness evidenced by bonds, notes, debentures or similar instruments or letters of credit (or reimbursement agreements in respect thereof);
     
  all of our capital lease obligations or attributable debt (as defined in the indentures) in respect of sale and leaseback transactions;
     
  all obligations representing the balance deferred and unpaid of the purchase price of any property or services, which purchase price is due more than six months after the date of placing such property in service or taking delivery and title thereto, except any such balance that constitutes an accrued expense or trade payable or any similar obligation to trade creditors;
     
  all of our obligations in respect of interest rate swap agreements (whether from fixed to floating or from floating to fixed), interest rate cap agreements and interest rate collar agreements; other agreements or arrangements designed to manage interest rates or interest rate risk; and other agreements or arrangements designed to protect against fluctuations in currency exchange rates or commodity prices;
     
  all obligations of the types referred to above of other persons for the payment of which we are responsible or liable as obligor, guarantor or otherwise; and
     
  all obligations of the types referred to above of other persons secured by any lien on any property or asset of ours (whether or not such obligation is assumed by us).

 

However, senior indebtedness does not include:

 

  any indebtedness which expressly provides that such indebtedness shall not be senior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities, or that such indebtedness shall be subordinated to any other of our indebtedness, unless such indebtedness expressly provides that such indebtedness shall be senior in right of payment to the subordinated debt securities;

 

  any of our obligations to our subsidiaries or of a subsidiary guarantor to us or any other of our other subsidiaries;

 

  any liability for federal, state, local or other taxes owed or owing by us or any subsidiary guarantor,

 

  any accounts payable or other liability to trade creditors arising in the ordinary course of business (including guarantees thereof or instruments evidencing such liabilities);

 

  any obligations with respect to any capital stock;

 

  any indebtedness incurred in violation of the indenture, provided that indebtedness under our credit facilities will not cease to be senior indebtedness under this bullet point if the lenders of such indebtedness obtained an officer’s certificate as of the date of incurrence of such indebtedness to the effect that such indebtedness was permitted to be incurred by the indenture; and

 

  any of our indebtedness in respect of the subordinated debt securities.

 

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Senior indebtedness shall continue to be senior indebtedness and be entitled to the benefits of the subordination provisions irrespective of any amendment, modification or waiver of any term of such senior indebtedness.

 

Unless otherwise noted in an accompanying prospectus supplement, if we default in the payment of any principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any senior indebtedness when it becomes due and payable, whether at maturity or at a date fixed for prepayment or by declaration or otherwise, then, unless and until such default is cured or waived or ceases to exist, we will make no direct or indirect payment (in cash, property, securities, by set-off or otherwise) in respect of the principal of or interest on the subordinated debt securities or in respect of any redemption, retirement, purchase or other requisition of any of the subordinated debt securities.

 

In the event of the acceleration of the maturity of any subordinated debt securities, the holders of all senior debt securities outstanding at the time of such acceleration, subject to any security interest, will first be entitled to receive payment in full of all amounts due on the senior debt securities before the holders of the subordinated debt securities will be entitled to receive any payment of principal (and premium, if any) or interest on the subordinated debt securities.

 

If any of the following events occurs, we will pay in full all senior indebtedness before we make any payment or distribution under the subordinated debt securities, whether in cash, securities or other property, to any holder of subordinated debt securities:

 

  any dissolution or winding-up or liquidation or reorganization of the Company, whether voluntary or involuntary or in bankruptcy,

 

  insolvency or receivership;

 

  any general assignment by us for the benefit of creditors; or

 

  any other marshaling of our assets or liabilities.

 

In such event, any payment or distribution under the subordinated debt securities, whether in cash, securities or other property, which would otherwise (but for the subordination provisions) be payable or deliverable in respect of the subordinated debt securities, will be paid or delivered directly to the holders of senior indebtedness in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders until all senior indebtedness has been paid in full. If any payment or distribution under the subordinated debt securities is received by the trustee of any subordinated debt securities in contravention of any of the terms of the subordinated indenture and before all the senior indebtedness has been paid in full, such payment or distribution will be received in trust for the benefit of, and paid over or delivered and transferred to, the holders of the senior indebtedness at the time outstanding in accordance with the priorities then existing among such holders for application to the payment of all senior indebtedness remaining unpaid to the extent necessary to pay all such senior indebtedness in full.

 

The subordinated indenture does not limit the issuance of additional senior indebtedness.

 

Events of Default, Notice and Waiver

 

Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, the following shall constitute “events of default” under the indentures with respect to each series of debt securities:

 

  we default for 30 consecutive days in the payment when due of interest on the debt securities;
     
  we default in the payment when due (at maturity, upon redemption or otherwise) of the principal of, or premium, if any, on the debt securities;
     
  our failure to observe or perform any other of our covenants or agreements with respect to such debt securities for 60 days after we receive notice of such failure;

 

  certain events of bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization of the Antelope Enterprise Holdings Ltd.; or
     
  any other event of default provided with respect to securities of that series.

 

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Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, if an event of default with respect to any debt securities of any series outstanding under either of the indentures shall occur and be continuing, the trustee under such indenture or the holders of at least 25% (or at least 10%, in respect of a remedy (other than acceleration) for certain events of default relating to the payment of dividends) in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series outstanding may declare, by notice as provided in the applicable indenture, the principal amount (or such lesser amount as may be provided for in the debt securities of that series) of all the debt securities of that series outstanding to be due and payable immediately; provided that, in the case of an event of default involving certain events in bankruptcy, insolvency or reorganization, acceleration is automatic; and, provided further, that after such acceleration, but before a judgment or decree based on acceleration, the holders of a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of that series may, under certain circumstances, rescind and annul such acceleration if all events of default, other than the nonpayment of accelerated principal, have been cured or waived. Upon the acceleration of the maturity of original issue discount securities, an amount less than the principal amount thereof will become due and payable. Reference is made to the prospectus supplement relating to any original issue discount securities for the particular provisions relating to acceleration of maturity thereof.

 

Any past default under either indenture with respect to debt securities of any series, and any event of default arising therefrom, may be waived by the holders of a majority in principal amount of all debt securities of such series outstanding under such indenture, except in the case of (1) default in the payment of the principal of (or premium, if any) or interest on any debt securities of such series or (2) certain events of default relating to the payment of dividends.

 

The trustee is required within 90 days after the occurrence of a default (which is known to the trustee and is continuing), with respect to the debt securities of any series (without regard to any grace period or notice requirements), to give to the holders of the debt securities of such series notice of such default.

 

The trustee, subject to its duties during default to act with the required standard of care, may require indemnification by the holders of the debt securities of any series with respect to which a default has occurred before proceeding to exercise any right or power under the indentures at the request of the holders of the debt securities of such series. Subject to such right of indemnification and to certain other limitations, the holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series under either indenture may direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the trustee with respect to the debt securities of such series, provided that such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with the applicable indenture and the trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction.

 

No holder of a debt security of any series may institute any action against us under either of the indentures (except actions for payment of overdue principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such debt security or for the conversion or exchange of such debt security in accordance with its terms) unless (1) the holder has given to the trustee written notice of an event of default and of the continuance thereof with respect to the debt securities of such series specifying an event of default, as required under the applicable indenture, (2) the holders of at least 25% in aggregate principal amount of the debt securities of that series then outstanding under such indenture shall have requested the trustee to institute such action and offered to the trustee indemnity reasonably satisfactory to it against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request; (3) the trustee shall not have instituted such action within 60 days of such request and (4) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the trustee during such 60-day period by the holders of a majority in principal amount of the debt securities of that series. We are required to furnish annually to the trustee statements as to our compliance with all conditions and covenants under each indenture.

 

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Discharge, Defeasance and Covenant Defeasance

 

We may discharge or defease our obligations under the indenture as set forth below, unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

We may discharge certain obligations to holders of any series of debt securities issued under either the senior indenture or the subordinated indenture which have not already been delivered to the trustee for cancellation by irrevocably depositing with the trustee money in an amount sufficient to pay and discharge the entire indebtedness on such debt securities not previously delivered to the trustee for cancellation, for principal and any premium and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of debt securities which have become due and payable) or to the stated maturity or redemption date, as the case may be, and we or, if applicable, any guarantor, have paid all other sums payable under the applicable indenture.

 

If indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we may elect either (1) to defease and be discharged from any and all obligations with respect to the debt securities of or within any series (except in all cases as otherwise provided in the relevant indenture) (“legal defeasance”) or (2) to be released from our obligations with respect to certain covenants applicable to the debt securities of or within any series (“covenant defeasance”), upon the deposit with the relevant indenture trustee, in trust for such purpose, of money and/or government obligations which through the payment of principal and interest in accordance with their terms will provide money in an amount sufficient to pay the principal of (and premium, if any) or interest on such debt securities to maturity or redemption, as the case may be, and any mandatory sinking fund or analogous payments thereon. As a condition to legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, we must deliver to the trustee an opinion of counsel to the effect that the holders of such debt securities will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such legal defeasance or covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such legal defeasance or covenant defeasance had not occurred. Such opinion of counsel, in the case of legal defeasance under clause (i) above, must refer to and be based upon a ruling of the Internal Revenue Service or a change in applicable federal income tax law occurring after the date of the relevant indenture. In addition, in the case of either legal defeasance or covenant defeasance, we shall have delivered to the trustee (1) if applicable, an officer’s certificate to the effect that the relevant debt securities exchange(s) have informed us that neither such debt securities nor any other debt securities of the same series, if then listed on any securities exchange, will be delisted as a result of such deposit and (2) an officer’s certificate and an opinion of counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent with respect to such legal defeasance or covenant defeasance have been complied with.

 

We may exercise our defeasance option with respect to such debt securities notwithstanding our prior exercise of our covenant defeasance option.

 

Modification and Waiver

 

Under the indentures, unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, we and the applicable trustee may supplement the indentures for certain purposes which would not materially adversely affect the interests or rights of the holders of debt securities of a series without the consent of those holders. We and the applicable trustee may also modify the indentures or any supplemental indenture in a manner that affects the interests or rights of the holders of debt securities with the consent of the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of each affected series issued under the indenture. However, the indentures require the consent of each holder of debt securities that would be affected by any modification which would:

 

  reduce the principal amount of debt securities whose holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;
     
  reduce the principal of or change the fixed maturity of any debt security or, except as provided in any prospectus supplement, alter or waive any of the provisions with respect to the redemption of the debt securities;
     
  reduce the rate of or change the time for payment of interest, including default interest, on any debt security;

 

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  waive a default or event of default in the payment of principal of or interest or premium, if any, on, the debt securities (except a rescission of acceleration of the debt securities by the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the then outstanding debt securities and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);
     
  make any debt security payable in money other than that stated in the debt securities;
     
  make any change in the provisions of the applicable indenture relating to waivers of past defaults or the rights of holders of the debt securities to receive payments of principal of, or interest or premium, if any, on, the debt securities;
     
  waive a redemption payment with respect to any debt security (except as otherwise provided in the applicable prospectus supplement);
     
  except in connection with an offer by us to purchase all debt securities, (1) waive certain events of default relating to the payment of dividends or (2) amend certain covenants relating to the payment of dividends and the purchase or redemption of certain equity interests;
     
  make any change to the subordination or ranking provisions of the indenture or the related definitions that adversely affect the rights of any holder; or
     
  make any change in the preceding amendment and waiver provisions.

 

The indentures permit the holders of at least a majority in aggregate principal amount of the outstanding debt securities of any series issued under the indenture which is affected by the modification or amendment to waive our compliance with certain covenants contained in the indentures.

 

Payment and Paying Agents

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, payment of interest on a debt security on any interest payment date will be made to the person in whose name a debt security is registered at the close of business on the record date for the interest.

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, principal, interest and premium on the debt securities of a particular series will be payable at the office of such paying agent or paying agents as we may designate for such purpose from time to time. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at our option, payment of any interest may be made by check mailed to the address of the person entitled thereto as such address appears in the security register.

 

Unless otherwise indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, a paying agent designated by us will act as paying agent for payments with respect to debt securities of each series. All paying agents initially designated by us for the debt securities of a particular series will be named in the applicable prospectus supplement. We may at any time designate additional paying agents or rescind the designation of any paying agent or approve a change in the office through which any paying agent acts, except that we will be required to maintain a paying agent in each place of payment for the debt securities of a particular series.

 

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All moneys paid by us to a paying agent for the payment of the principal, interest or premium on any debt security which remain unclaimed at the end of two years after such principal, interest or premium has become due and payable will be repaid to us upon request, and the holder of such debt security thereafter may look only to us for payment thereof.

 

Denominations, Registrations and Transfer

 

Unless an accompanying prospectus supplement states otherwise, debt securities will be represented by one or more global certificates registered in the name of a nominee for The Depository Trust Company, or DTC. In such case, each holder’s beneficial interest in the global securities will be shown on the records of DTC and transfers of beneficial interests will only be effected through DTC’s records.

 

A holder of debt securities may only exchange a beneficial interest in a global security for certificated securities registered in the holder’s name if:

 

  we deliver to the trustee notice from DTC that it is unwilling or unable to continue to act as depository or that it is no longer a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act and, in either case, a successor depositary is not appointed by us within 120 days after the date of such notice from DTC;

 

  we in our sole discretion determine that the debt securities (in whole but not in part) should be exchanged for definitive debt securities and deliver a written notice to such effect to the trustee; or

 

  there has occurred and is continuing a default or event of default with respect to the debt securities.

 

If debt securities are issued in certificated form, they will only be issued in the minimum denomination specified in the accompanying prospectus supplement and integral multiples of such denomination. Transfers and exchanges of such debt securities will only be permitted in such minimum denomination. Transfers of debt securities in certificated form may be registered at the trustee’s corporate office or at the offices of any paying agent or trustee appointed by us under the indentures. Exchanges of debt securities for an equal aggregate principal amount of debt securities in different denominations may also be made at such locations.

 

Governing Law

 

The debt securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of New York, without regard to its principles of conflicts of laws.

 

Conversion or Exchange Rights

 

The prospectus supplement will describe the terms, if any, on which a series of debt securities may be convertible into or exchangeable for our ordinary shares or other debt securities. These terms will include provisions as to whether conversion or exchange is mandatory, at the option of the holder or at our option. These provisions may allow or require the number of shares of our ordinary shares or other securities to be received by the holders of such series of debt securities to be adjusted. Any such conversion or exchange will comply with applicable British Virgin Islands law and our Articles of Association.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF WARRANTS

 

The following description, together with the additional information we may include in any applicable prospectus supplements, summarizes the material terms and provisions of the warrants that we may offer under this prospectus and the related warrant agreements and warrant certificates. While the terms summarized below will apply generally to any warrants that we may offer under this prospectus, we will describe the particular terms of any series of warrants that we may offer in more detail in the applicable prospectus supplement. If we indicate in the prospectus supplement, the terms of any warrants offered under that prospectus supplement may differ from the terms described below. However, no prospectus supplement shall fundamentally change the terms that are set forth in this prospectus or offer a security that is not registered and described in this prospectus at the time of its effectiveness. Specific warrant agreements will contain additional important terms and provisions and will be incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the registration statement that includes this prospectus or as an exhibit to a report filed under the Exchange Act.

 

General

 

We may issue warrants that entitle the holder to purchase our debt securities, ordinary shares, or any combination thereof. We may issue warrants independently or together with ordinary shares, preferred shares, debt securities, or any combination thereof, and the warrants may be attached to or separate from such securities.

 

We will describe in the applicable prospectus supplement the terms of the series of warrants, including:

 

  the offering price and aggregate number of warrants offered;
     
  the currency for which the warrants may be purchased, if not United States dollars;
     
  if applicable, the designation and terms of the securities with which the warrants are issued and the number of warrants issued with each such security or each principal amount of such security;
     
  if applicable, the date on and after which the warrants and the related securities will be separately transferable;
     
  in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of one warrant and the price at, and currency, if not United States dollars, in which, this principal amount of debt securities may be purchased upon such exercise;
     
  in the case of warrants to purchase ordinary shares or preferred shares, the number of shares of ordinary shares or preferred shares purchasable upon the exercise of one warrant and the price at which these shares may be purchased upon such exercise;
     
  the effect of any merger, consolidation, sale or other disposition of our business on the warrant agreement and the warrants;
     
  the terms of any rights to redeem or call the warrants;
     
  any provisions for changes to or adjustments in the exercise price or number of securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants;
     
  the dates on which the right to exercise the warrants will commence and expire;
     
  the manner in which the warrant agreement and warrants may be modified;
     
  federal income tax consequences of holding or exercising the warrants;
     
  the terms of the securities issuable upon exercise of the warrants; and
     
  any other specific terms, preferences, rights or limitations of or restrictions on the warrants.

 

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Before exercising their warrants, holders of warrants will not have any of the rights of holders of the securities purchasable upon such exercise, including:

 

  in the case of warrants to purchase debt securities, the right to receive payments of principal of, or premium, if any, or interest on, the debt securities purchasable upon exercise or to enforce covenants in the applicable indenture; or

 

  in the case of warrants to purchase ordinary shares or preferred shares, the right to receive dividends, if any, or, payments upon our liquidation, dissolution or winding up or to exercise voting rights, if any.

 

Exercise of Warrants

 

Each warrant will entitle the holder to purchase the securities that we specify in the applicable prospectus supplement at the exercise price that we describe in the applicable prospectus supplement. Unless we otherwise specify in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants at any time up to the specified time on the expiration date that we set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, unexercised warrants will become void.

 

Holders of the warrants may exercise the warrants by delivering the warrant certificate representing the warrants to be exercised together with specified information, and paying the required amount to the warrant agent in immediately available funds, as provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. We will set forth on the reverse side of the warrant certificate and in the applicable prospectus supplement the information that the holder of the warrant will be required to deliver to the warrant agent.

 

Upon receipt of the required payment and the warrant certificate properly completed and duly executed at the corporate trust office of the warrant agent or any other office indicated in the applicable prospectus supplement, we will issue and deliver the securities purchasable upon such exercise. If fewer than all of the warrants represented by the warrant certificate are exercised, then we will issue a new warrant certificate for the remaining amount of warrants. If we so indicate in the applicable prospectus supplement, holders of the warrants may surrender securities as all or part of the exercise price for warrants.

 

Enforceability of Rights by Holders of Warrants

 

Each warrant agent will act solely as our agent under the applicable warrant agreement and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust with any holder of any warrant. A single bank or trust company may act as warrant agent for more than one issue of warrants. A warrant agent will have no duty or responsibility in case of any default by us under the applicable warrant agreement or warrant, including any duty or responsibility to initiate any proceedings at law or otherwise, or to make any demand upon us. Any holder of a warrant may, without the consent of the related warrant agent or the holder of any other warrant, enforce by appropriate legal action its right to exercise, and receive the securities purchasable upon exercise of, its warrants.

 

Modification of the Warrant Agreement

 

The warrant agreements may permit us and the warrant agent, if any, without the consent of the warrant holders, to supplement or amend the agreement in the following circumstances:

 

  to cure any ambiguity;

 

  to correct or supplement any provision which may be defective or inconsistent with any other provisions; or

 

  to add new provisions regarding matters or questions that we and the warrant agent may deem necessary or desirable and which do not adversely affect the interests of the warrant holders.

 

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DESCRIPTION OF RIGHTS

 

We may issue rights to purchase ordinary shares, preferred shares, debt securities or warrants that we may offer to our securityholders. The rights may or may not be transferable by the persons purchasing or receiving the rights. In connection with any rights offering, we may enter into a standby underwriting or other arrangement with one or more underwriters or other persons pursuant to which such underwriters or other persons would purchase any offered securities remaining unsubscribed for after such rights offering. Each series of rights will be issued under a separate rights agent agreement to be entered into between us and a bank or trust company, as rights agent, that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement. The rights agent will act solely as our agent in connection with the rights and will not assume any obligation or relationship of agency or trust for or with any holders of rights certificates or beneficial owners of rights.

 

The prospectus supplement relating to any rights that we offer will include specific terms relating to the offering, including, among other matters:

 

  the date of determining the securityholders entitled to the rights distribution;

 

  the aggregate number of rights issued and the aggregate number of shares of ordinary shares, preferred shares, or aggregate principal amount of debt securities purchasable upon exercise of the rights;

 

  the exercise price;

 

  the conditions to completion of the rights offering;

 

  the date on which the right to exercise the rights will commence and the date on which the rights will expire; and

 

  applicable tax considerations.

 

Each right would entitle the holder of the rights to purchase for cash the principal amount of shares of ordinary shares, preferred shares, debt securities or warrants at the exercise price set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement. Rights may be exercised at any time up to the close of business on the expiration date for the rights provided in the applicable prospectus supplement. After the close of business on the expiration date, all unexercised rights will become void.

 

If less than all of the rights issued in any rights offering are exercised, we may offer any unsubscribed securities directly to persons other than our security holders, to or through agents, underwriters or dealers or through a combination of such methods, including pursuant to standby arrangements, as described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

DESCRIPTION OF UNITS

 

We may issue units comprised of one or more of the other securities described in this prospectus in any combination. Each unit will be issued so that the holder of the unit is also the holder of each security included in the unit. Thus, the holder of a unit will have the rights and obligations of a holder of each included security. The unit agreement under which a unit is issued may provide that the securities included in the unit may not be held or transferred separately, at any time or at any time before a specified date or occurrence.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement may describe:

 

  the designation and terms of the units and of the securities comprising the units, including whether and under what circumstances those securities may be held or transferred separately;

 

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  any provisions for the issuance, payment, settlement, transfer or exchange of the units or of the securities comprising the units; and

 

  whether the units will be issued in fully registered or global form.

 

The applicable prospectus supplement will describe the terms of any units. The preceding description and any description of units in the applicable prospectus supplement does not purport to be complete and is subject to and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the unit agreement and, if applicable, collateral arrangements and depository arrangements relating to such units.

 

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

 

We may sell the securities through underwriters or dealers, through agents, directly to one or more purchasers, through a rights offering, or otherwise. We will describe the terms of the offering of the securities in a prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference or free writing prospectus, including:

 

  the name or names of any underwriters, if any;
     
  the purchase price of the securities and the proceeds we will receive from the sale;
     
  any underwriting discounts and other items constituting underwriters’ compensation;
     
  any initial public offering price;
     
  any discounts or concessions allowed or reallowed or paid to dealers; and
     
  any securities exchange or market on which the securities may be listed.

 

Only underwriters we name in the prospectus supplement, information incorporated by reference or free writing prospectus are underwriters of the securities offered thereby. The distribution of securities may be effected, from time to time, in one or more transactions, including:

 

  block transactions (which may involve crosses) and transactions on the Nasdaq Capital Market or any other organized market where the securities may be traded;
     
  purchases by a broker-dealer as principal and resale by the broker-dealer for its own account pursuant to a prospectus supplement;
     
  ordinary brokerage transactions and transactions in which a broker-dealer solicits purchasers;
     
  sales “at the market” to or through a market maker or into an existing trading market, on an exchange or otherwise; and
     
  sales in other ways not involving market makers or established trading markets, including direct sales to purchasers.

 

The securities may be sold at a fixed price or prices, which may be changed, or at market prices prevailing at the time of sale, at prices relating to the prevailing market prices or at negotiated prices. The consideration may be cash or another form negotiated by the parties. Agents, underwriters or broker-dealers may be paid compensation for offering and selling the securities. That compensation may be in the form of discounts, concessions or commissions to be received from us or from the purchasers of the securities. Dealers and agents participating in the distribution of the securities may be deemed to be underwriters, and compensation received by them on resale of the securities may be deemed to be underwriting discounts and commissions under the U.S. Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act. If such dealers or agents were deemed to be underwriters, they may be subject to statutory liabilities under the Securities Act.

 

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We may also make direct sales through rights distributed to our existing shareholders on a pro rata basis, which may or may not be transferable. In any distribution of rights to our shareholders, if all of the underlying securities are not subscribed for, we may then sell the unsubscribed securities directly to third parties or may engage the services of one or more underwriters, dealers or agents, including standby underwriters, to sell the unsubscribed securities to third parties.

 

Some or all of the securities that we offer though this prospectus may be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters to whom we sell our securities for public offering and sale may make a market in those securities, but they will not be obligated to do so and they may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. Accordingly, we cannot assure you of the liquidity of, or continued trading markets for, any securities that we offer.

 

Agents may, from time to time, solicit offers to purchase the securities. If required, we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement, document incorporated by reference or free writing prospectus, as applicable, any agent involved in the offer or sale of the securities and set forth any compensation payable to the agent. Unless otherwise indicated, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment. Any agent selling the securities covered by this prospectus may be deemed to be an underwriter, as that term is defined in the Securities Act, of the securities.

 

If underwriters are used in an offering, securities will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold, from time to time, in one or more transactions, including negotiated transactions, at a fixed public offering price or at varying prices determined at the time of sale, or under delayed delivery contracts or other contractual commitments. Securities may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by one or more managing underwriters or directly by one or more firms acting as underwriters. If an underwriter or underwriters are used in the sale of securities, an underwriting agreement will be executed with the underwriter or underwriters at the time an agreement for the sale is reached. The applicable prospectus supplement will set forth the managing underwriter or underwriters, as well as any other underwriter or underwriters, with respect to a particular underwritten offering of securities, and will set forth the terms of the transactions, including compensation of the underwriters and dealers and the public offering price, if applicable. The prospectus, and the applicable prospectus supplement and any applicable free writing prospectus will be used by the underwriters to resell the securities.

 

If a dealer is used in the sale of the securities, we or an underwriter will sell the securities to the dealer, as principal. The dealer may then resell the securities to the public at varying prices to be determined by the dealer at the time of resale. To the extent required, we will set forth in the prospectus supplement, document incorporated by reference or free writing prospectus, as applicable, the name of the dealer and the terms of the transactions.

 

We may directly solicit offers to purchase the securities and may make sales of securities directly to institutional investors or others. These persons may be deemed to be underwriters within the meaning of the Securities Act with respect to any resale of the securities. To the extent required, the prospectus supplement, document incorporated by reference or free writing prospectus, as applicable, will describe the terms of any such sales, including the terms of any bidding or auction process, if used.

 

Agents, underwriters and dealers may be entitled under agreements which may be entered into with us to indemnification by us against specified liabilities, including liabilities incurred under the Securities Act, or to contribution by us to payments they may be required to make in respect of such liabilities. If required, the prospectus supplement, document incorporated by reference or free writing prospectus, as applicable, will describe the terms and conditions of such indemnification or contribution. Some of the agents, underwriters or dealers, or their affiliates may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us, our subsidiaries or affiliates in the ordinary course of business.

 

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Under the securities laws of some states, the securities offered by this prospectus may be sold in those states only through registered or licensed brokers or dealers.

 

Any person participating in the distribution of ordinary shares registered under the registration statement that includes this prospectus will be subject to applicable provisions of the Exchange Act, and the applicable SEC rules and regulations, including, among others, Regulation M, which may limit the timing of purchases and sales of any of our ordinary shares by any such person. Furthermore, Regulation M may restrict the ability of any person engaged in the distribution of our ordinary shares to engage in market-making activities with respect to our ordinary shares. These restrictions may affect the marketability of our ordinary shares and the ability of any person or entity to engage in market-making activities with respect to our ordinary shares.

 

Certain persons participating in an offering may engage in over-allotment, stabilizing transactions, short-covering transactions and penalty bids in accordance with Regulation M under the Exchange Act that stabilize, maintain or otherwise affect the price of the offered securities. If any such activities will occur, they will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

To the extent required, this prospectus may be amended or supplemented from time to time to describe a specific plan of distribution.

 

All securities we offer other than ordinary shares will be new issues of securities with no established trading market. Any underwriters may make a market in these securities, but will not be obligated to do so and may discontinue any market making at any time without notice. We cannot guarantee the liquidity of the trading markets for any securities.

 

In compliance with the guidelines of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”), the aggregate maximum discount, commission or agency fees or other items constituting underwriting compensation to be received by any FINRA member or independent broker-dealer will not exceed 8% of any offering pursuant to this prospectus and any applicable prospectus supplement, as the case may be.

 

TAXATION

 

Material income tax consequences relating to the purchase, ownership and disposition of any of the securities offered by this prospectus will be set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement relating to the offering of those securities.

 

LEGAL MATTERS

 

Carter Ledyard & Milburn LLP is acting as counsel for us with respect to certain legal matters as to United States federal securities law and New York state law. Except as otherwise set forth in the applicable prospectus supplement, the validity of the ordinary shares, preferred shares and legal matters in connection with the securities offered pursuant to this prospectus will be passed upon for us by Harney Westwood & Riegels (BVI) LP, British Virgin Islands to the extent governed by the laws of the British Virgin Islands. Additional legal matters may be passed on for us, or any underwriters, dealers or agents, by counsel that we will name in the applicable prospectus supplement.

 

EXPERTS

 

The financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024 and the transition period ended September 30, 2025 have been audited by AssentSure PAC, independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in its report thereon included therein, and incorporated herein by reference. The financial statements incorporated by reference in this prospectus for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, which are presented for comparative purposes in our transition report on Form 20-F for the transition period ended September 30, 2025, have been audited by ARK PRO CPA & Co., an independent registered public accounting firm, as set forth in its report thereon included therein and incorporated herein by reference. Such financial statements are incorporated herein in reliance upon the respective reports of AssentSure PAC and ARK PRO CPA & Co., given on the authority of such firms as experts in accounting and auditing.

 

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ENFORCEABILITY OF CIVIL LIABILITIES

UNDER UNITED STATES FEDERAL SECURITIES LAWS AND OTHER MATTERS

 

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

 

A majority of our directors and executive officers are nationals and/or residents of countries other than the United States, and all or a substantial portion of such persons’ assets are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for investors to effect service of process within the United States upon us or such persons or to enforce against them or against us, judgments obtained in United States courts, including judgments predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state thereof.

 

DISCLOSURE OF COMMISSION POSITION ON INDEMNIFICATION FOR SECURITIES ACT LIABILITIES

 

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

 

INFORMATION INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

 

The SEC allows us to “incorporate by reference” into this prospectus the information we file with them. The information we incorporate by reference into this prospectus is an important part of this prospectus. Any statement in a document we have filed with the SEC prior to the date of this prospectus and which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus will be considered to be modified or superseded to the extent a statement contained in this prospectus or any other subsequently filed document that is incorporated by reference into this prospectus modifies or supersedes that statement. The modified or superseded statement will not be considered to be a part of this prospectus, except as modified or superseded.

 

We incorporate by reference into this prospectus the information contained in the following documents that we have filed with the SEC pursuant to the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “Exchange Act”), which is considered to be a part of this prospectus:

 

  Our Transition Report on Form 20-F for the transition period ended September 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on January 29, 2026;
     
  Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on February 13, 2026 (including Exhibit 99.1 thereto);
     
  Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K/A furnished to the SEC on March 3, 2026;
     
  Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on March 11, 2026;
     
  Our Report of Foreign Private Issuer on Form 6-K furnished to the SEC on April 22, 2026; and
     
  The description of the securities contained in our registration statement on Form 8-A12B originally filed with the SEC on November 2, 2010, together with all amendments and reports filed for the purpose of updating that description.

 

all documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act subsequent to the date of this Registration Statement and prior to the filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement (that indicates that all securities offered have been sold or that deregisters all securities then remaining unsold) shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement and to be part hereof from the date of filing of such documents.

 

We also incorporate by reference all additional documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are filed after the effective date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to the termination of the offering of securities offered pursuant to this prospectus. We also incorporate by reference all additional documents that we file with the SEC pursuant to Section 13(a), 13(c), 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act that are filed after the filing date of the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part and prior to effectiveness of that registration statement. Except to the extent specifically incorporated by reference herein, we are not, however, incorporating, in each case, any documents or information that we are deemed to “furnish” and not file in accordance with SEC rules.

 

You may obtain a copy of these filings, without charge, by writing or calling us at:

 

Antelope Enterprise Holdings Ltd.

Room 1802, Block D, Zhonghai International Center

Hi-Tech Zone, Chengdu

Sichuan Province, PRC

Telephone: +86 (28) 8532 4355

Attn: Investor Relations

 

MATERIAL CHANGES

 

Except as disclosed in our Transition Report on Form 20-F for the transition period ended September 30, 2025, and in our reports on Form 6-K specifically incorporated by reference herein and in this prospectus, we have not experienced any significant changes since September 30, 2025.

 

WHERE YOU CAN FIND MORE INFORMATION

 

We are a reporting company and file annual and current reports and other information with the SEC. This prospectus does not contain all of the information set forth in the registration statement or the exhibits that are a part of the registration statement. Our filings with the SEC are available to the public through the SEC’s Internet site at http://www.sec.gov.

 

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Antelope Enterprise Holdings Ltd.

 

$200,000,000

 

Class A Ordinary Shares, Preferred Shares, Debt Securities, Warrants, Rights, Units

 

PROSPECTUS

 

Dated             , 2026

 

No dealer, salesperson, or other person has been authorized to give any information or to make any representation not contained in this prospectus, and, if given or made, such information and representation should not be relied upon as having been authorized by us. This prospectus does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any of the securities offered by this prospectus in any jurisdiction or to any person to whom it is unlawful to make such offer or solicitation. Neither the delivery of this prospectus nor any sale made hereunder shall under any circumstances create an implication that there has been no change in the facts set forth in this prospectus or in our affairs since the date hereof.

 

 
 

 

PART II

INFORMATION NOT REQUIRED IN PROSPECTUS

 

Item 8. Indemnification of Directors and Officers

 

British Virgin Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s Articles of Association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the British Virgin Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Under the Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant, the Registrant may indemnify and hold harmless its directors and officers against all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages, liabilities, judgments, fines, settlements and other amounts incurred or sustained by such directors or officers, other than by reason of such person’s dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of the Registrant’s business or affairs (including as a result of any mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his or her duties, powers, authorities or discretions, including without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, any costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by such director or officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil, criminal investigative and administrative proceedings concerning the Registrant or its affairs in any court whether in the British Virgin Islands or elsewhere.

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 may be permitted to directors, officers or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

 

Item 9. Exhibits

 

A list of exhibits filed with this registration statement on Form F-3 is set forth on the Exhibit Index and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

Item 10. Undertakings

 

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

 

  (i) To include any prospectus required by section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933;

 

  (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any increase or decrease in volume of securities offered (if the total dollar value of securities offered would not exceed that which was registered) and any deviation from the low or high end of the estimated maximum offering range may be reflected in the form of prospectus filed with the Commission pursuant to Rule 424(b) if, in the aggregate, the changes in volume and price represent no more than 20% change in the maximum aggregate offering price set forth in the “Calculation of Registration Fee” table in the effective registration statement.

 

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

 

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Provided however, that:

 

  A. Paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-8, and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement; and

 

  B. Paragraphs (a)(1)(i), (a)(1)(ii) and (a)(1)(iii) of this section do not apply if the registration statement is on Form S-3 or Form F-3 and the information required to be included in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is contained in reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the registration statement, or is contained in a form of prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) that is part of the registration statement.

 

  (2) That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

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

 

  (4) To file a post-effective amendment to the registration statement to include any financial statements required by Item 8.A. of Form 20-F at the start of any delayed offering or throughout a continuous offering. Financial statements and information otherwise required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act need not be furnished, provided that the registrant includes in the prospectus, by means of a post-effective amendment, financial statements required pursuant to this paragraph (a)(4) and other information necessary to ensure that all other information in the prospectus is at least as current as the date of those financial statements. Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to registration statements on Form F-3, a post-effective amendment need not be filed to include financial statements and information required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Act or Rule 3-19 of this chapter if such financial statements and information are contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the Commission by the registrant pursuant to section 13 or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 that are incorporated by reference in the Form F-3.

 

  (5) That, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser:

 

  (i) If the registrant is relying on Rule 430B:

 

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

 

  (b) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (vii), or (x) for the purpose of providing the information required by section 10(a) of the Securities Act of 1933 shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or

 

II-2
 

 

  (ii) If the registrant is subject to Rule 430C, each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

 

  (6) That, for the purpose of determining liability of the registrant under the Securities Act of 1933 to any purchaser in the initial distribution of the securities: The undersigned registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to such purchaser:

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

  (b) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of determining any liability under the Securities Act of 1933, each filing of the registrant’s annual report pursuant to section 13(a) or section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (and, where applicable, each filing of an employee benefit plan’s annual report pursuant to section 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934) that is incorporated by reference in the registration statement shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

 

  (c) The undersigned registrant hereby undertakes to supplement the prospectus, after the expiration of the subscription period, to set forth the results of the subscription offer, the transactions by the underwriters during the subscription period, the amount of unsubscribed securities to be purchased by the underwriters, and the terms of any subsequent reoffering thereof. If any public offering by the underwriters is to be made on terms differing from those set forth on the cover page of the prospectus, a post-effective amendment will be filed to set forth the terms of such offering.

 

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SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form F-3 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunder duly authorized, on May 1, 2026.

 

 

Antelope Enterprise Holdings Ltd

   
  By:

/s/ Tingting Zhang

  Name: Tingting Zhang
  Title: Chief Executive Officer

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

 

Each person whose signature appears below constitutes and appoints Tingting Zhang as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agent, with full power of substitution and re-substitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place, and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments, exhibits thereto and other documents in connection therewith) to this Registration Statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto, and other documents in connection therewith, with the Commission, granting unto said attorney-in-fact and agent full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorney-in-fact and agent, or his substitute or substitutes, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on May 1, 2026.

 

Name   Title
     
/s/ Tingting Zhang   Chief Executive Officer and Director
Tingting Zhang   (Principal Executive Officer)
     
/s/ Xiaoying Song   Chief Financial Officer and Director
Xiaoying Song   (Principal Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer)
     
/s/ Song Chungen   Director
Song Chungen    
     
/s/ Ze Yang   Director
Ze Yang    
     
/s/ Ishak Han   Director
Ishak Han    
     
/s/ Cong Zhang   Director
Cong Zhang    
     

/s/ Junjie Dong

  Director
Junjie Dong    

 

II-4
 

 

EXHIBIT INDEX

 

Exhibit

Number

  Description of Exhibit
1.1*   Form of Underwriting Agreement
4.1*   Form of Debt Security
4.2+   Form of Indenture
4.3*   Form of Ordinary Share Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate
4.4*   Form of Preferred Share Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate
4.5*   Form of Debt Securities Warrant Agreement and Warrant Certificate
4.6*   Form of Rights Agreement (including rights certificate)
4.7*   Form of Unit Agreement (including unit certificate)
5.1**   Opinion of Harney Westwood & Riegels (BVI) LP, British Virgin Islands
23.1+   Consent of AssentSure PAC
23.2+   Consent of ARK PRO CPA & CO
23.3**   Consent of Harney Westwood & Riegels (BVI) LP, British Virgin Islands (contained in Exhibit 5.1)
24.1+   Power of Attorney (contained on signature page)
107**   Filing Fees Table

 

  * To the extent applicable, to be filed by an amendment or as an exhibit to a document filed under the Exchange Act and incorporated by reference herein.

 

  ** Previously filed.

 

  + Filed herewith.

 

II-5

 

 

Exhibit 4.2

 

Form of Indenture

 

Antelope Enterprise Holdings Limited

and

INDENTURE

Dated as of ________, _____

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

ARTICLE I DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE 1
   
Section 1.01 Definitions 1
Section 1.02 Other Definitions 4
Section 1.03 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act 4
Section 1.04 Rules of Construction 4
   
ARTICLE II THE SECURITIES 5
   
Section 2.01 Issuable in Series 5
Section 2.02 Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities 5
Section 2.03 Execution and Authentication 6
Section 2.04 Registrar and Paying Agent 7
Section 2.05 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust 7
Section 2.06 Holder Lists 7
Section 2.07 Transfer and Exchange 7
Section 2.08 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities 7
Section 2.09 Outstanding Securities 8
Section 2.10 Treasury Securities 8
Section 2.11 Temporary Securities 8
Section 2.12 Cancellation 8
Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest 8
Section 2.14 Global Securities 9
Section 2.15 CUSIP Numbers 9
   
ARTICLE III REDEMPTION 10
   
Section 3.01 Notice to Trustee 10
Section 3.02 Selection of Securities to be Redeemed 10
Section 3.03 Notice of Redemption 10
Section 3.04 Effect of Notice of Redemption 10
Section 3.05 Deposit of Redemption Price 11
Section 3.06 Securities Redeemed in Part 11

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE IV COVENANTS 11
   
Section 4.01 Payment of Principal and Interest 11
Section 4.02 SEC Reports 11
Section 4.03 Compliance Certificate 11
Section 4.04 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws 11
   
ARTICLE V SUCCESSORS 12
   
Section 5.01 When Company May Merge, Etc. 12
Section 5.02 Successor Corporation Substituted 12
   
ARTICLE VI DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES 13
   
Section 6.01 Events of Default 13
Section 6.02 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment 14
Section 6.03 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee 14
Section 6.04 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim 14
Section 6.05 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities 15
Section 6.06 Application of Money Collected 15
Section 6.07 Limitation on Suits 15
Section 6.08 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest 16
Section 6.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies 16
Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative 16
Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver 16
Section 6.12 Control by Holders 16
Section 6.13 Waiver of Past Defaults 16
Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs 16
   
ARTICLE VII TRUSTEE 17
   
Section 7.01 Duties of Trustee 17
Section 7.02 Rights of Trustee 18
Section 7.03 Individual Rights of Trustee 18
Section 7.04 Trustee’s Disclaimer 18
Section 7.05 Notice of Defaults 18
Section 7.06 Reports by Trustee to Holders 19
Section 7.07 Compensation and Indemnity 19
Section 7.08 Replacement of Trustee 19
Section 7.09 Successor Trustee by Merger, etc. 20
Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification 20
Section 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company 20

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE VIII SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE 21
   
Section 8.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture 21
Section 8.02 Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification 21
Section 8.03 Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series 22
Section 8.04 Covenant Defeasance

23

Section 8.05 Repayment to Company

23

Section 8.06 Reinstatement 23
   
ARTICLE IX AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS 24
   
Section 9.01 Without Consent of Holders 24
Section 9.02 With Consent of Holders 25
Section 9.03 Limitations 25
Section 9.04 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act 25
Section 9.05 Revocation and Effect of Consents 25
Section 9.06 Notation on or Exchange of Securities 25
Section 9.07 Trustee Protected 25
   
ARTICLE X MISCELLANEOUS 26
   
Section 10.01 Trust Indenture Act Controls 26
Section 10.02 Notices. 26
Section 10.03 Communication by Holders with Other Holders 26
Section 10.04 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent 26
Section 10.05 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion 27
Section 10.06 Rules by Trustee and Agents 27
Section 10.07 Legal Holidays 27
Section 10.08 No Recourse Against Others 27
Section 10.09 Counterparts 27
Section 10.10 Governing Laws 27
Section 10.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements 27
Section 10.12 Successors 27
Section 10.13 Severability 27
Section 10.14 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. 27
Section 10.15 Securities in a Foreign Currency 27
Section 10.16 Judgment Currency 28
   
ARTICLE XI SINKING FUNDS 28
   
Section 11.01 Applicability of Article 28
Section 11.02 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities 28
Section 11.03 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund 29

 

 

 

 

Antelope Enterprise Holdings Limited

Reconciliation and tie between Trust Indenture Act of 1939 and

Indenture, dated as of_______, ____

 

Section 310 (a)(1) 7.10
  (a)(2) 7.10
  (a)(3) NOT APPLICABLE
  (a)(4) NOT APPLICABLE
  (a)(5) 7.10
  (b) 7.10
Section 311 (a) 7.11
  (b) 7.11
  (c) NOT APPLICABLE
Section 312 (a) 2.06
  (b) 10.03
  (c) 10.03
Section 313 (a) 7.06
  (b) 7.06
  (c) 7.06
  (d) 7.06
Section 314 (a) 4.02
  (a)(4) 10.05
  (b) NOT APPLICABLE
  (c) NOT APPLICABLE
  (d) NOT APPLICABLE
  (e) 10.05
  (f) NOT APPLICABLE

 

Indenture dated as of________,______ between Antelope Enterprise Holdings Limited, a British Virgin Islands company (“Company”), and_______, a_______ corporation, as trustee (“ Trustee “).

 

Each party agrees as follows for the benefit of the other party and for the equal and ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities issued under this Indenture.

 

 

 

 

ARTICLE I

DEFINITIONS AND INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE

 

Section 1.01 Definitions.

 

Additional Amounts” means any additional amounts which are required hereby or by any Security, under circumstances specified herein or therein, to be paid by the Company in respect of certain taxes imposed on Holders specified herein or therein and which are owing to such Holders.

 

Affiliate” of any specified person means any other person directly or indirectly controlling or controlled by or under direct or indirect common control with such specified person. For the purposes of this definition, “control” (including, with correlative meanings, the terms “controlled by” and “under common control with”), as used with respect to any person, shall mean the possession, directly or indirectly, of the power to direct or cause the direction of the management or policies of such person, whether through the ownership of voting securities or by agreement or otherwise.

 

Agent” means any Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent.

 

Applicable Procedures” means, with respect to any transfer or transaction involving a Global Security or beneficial interest therein, the rules and procedures of DTC or any successor Depositary, in each case to the extent applicable to such transaction and as in effect from time to time.

 

Authorized Newspaper” means a newspaper in an official language of the country of publication customarily published at least once a day for at least five days in each calendar week and of general circulation in the place in connection with which the term is used. If it shall be impractical in the opinion of the Trustee to make any publication of any notice required hereby in an Authorized Newspaper, any publication or other notice in lieu thereof that is made or given by the Trustee shall constitute a sufficient publication of such notice.

 

Bearer” means anyone in possession from time to time of a Bearer Security.

 

Bearer Security” means any Security, including any interest coupon appertaining thereto, that does not provide for the identification of the Holder thereof.

 

Board of Directors” means the Board of Directors of the Company or any duly authorized committee thereof.

 

Board Resolution” means a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Company to have been adopted by the Board of Directors or pursuant to authorization by the Board of Directors and to be in full force and effect on the date of the certificate and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Business Day” means, unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

Capital Interests” means any and all shares, interests, participations, rights or other equivalents (however designated) of capital stock, including, without limitation, with respect to partnerships, partnership interests (whether general or limited) and any other interest or participation that confers on a person the right to receive a share of the profits and losses of, or distributions of assets of, such partnership.

 

1

 

 

Company” means the party named as such above until a successor replaces it and thereafter means the successor.

 

Company Order” means a written order signed in the name of the Company by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.

 

Company Request” means a written request signed in the name of the Company by its Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer or a Vice President, and by its Treasurer, an Assistant Treasurer, its Secretary or an Assistant Secretary, and delivered to the Trustee.

 

Corporate Trust Office” means the office of the Trustee at which at any particular time its corporate trust business shall be principally administered.

 

Default” means any event which is, or after notice or passage of time or both would be, an Event of Default.

 

Depository” means, with respect to the Securities of any Series issuable or issued in whole or part in the form of one or more Global Securities, the person designated as Depositary for such Series by the Company, which Depository shall be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act; and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Depository” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Depository with respect to the Securities of such Series.

 

Discount Security” means any Security that provides for an amount less than the stated principal amount thereof to be due and payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02.

 

Dollars” and “$” means the currency of The United States of America.

 

DTC” means the Depository Trust Company, a New York corporation.

 

Exchange Act” means the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Foreign Currency” means any currency or currency unit issued by a government other than the government of The United States of America.

 

Foreign Government Obligations” means, with respect to Securities of any Series that are denominated in a Foreign Currency, (i) direct obligations of the government that issued or caused to be issued such currency for the payment of which obligations its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by or acting as an agency or instrumentality of such government the timely payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by such government, which, in either case under clauses (i) or (ii), are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof.

 

GAAP” means generally accepted accounting principles set forth in the opinions and pronouncements of the Accounting Principles Board of the American Standards Board or in such other statements by such other entity as have been approved by a significant segment of the accounting profession.

 

Global Security” or “Global Securities” means a Security or Securities, as the case may be, in the form established pursuant to Section 2.02 evidencing all or part of a Series of Securities, issued to the Depository for such Series or its nominee, and registered in the name of such Depository or nominee.

 

Holder” means a person in whose name a Security is registered or the holder of a Bearer Security.

 

Indenture” means this Indenture as amended or supplemented from time to time and shall include the form and terms of particular Series of Securities established as contemplated hereunder.

 

interest” with respect to any Discount Security which by its terms bears interest only after Maturity means interest payable after Maturity.

 

Maturity,” when used with respect to any Security or installment of principal thereof, means the date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal becomes due and payable as therein or herein provided, whether at the Stated Maturity or by declaration of acceleration, call for redemption or otherwise.

 

Officer” means the Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, any Vice-President, the Treasurer, the Secretary, any Assistant Treasurer or any Assistant Secretary of the Company.

 

2

 

 

Officers’ Certificate” means a certificate signed by two Officers, one of whom must be the Company’s principal executive officer, principal financial officer or principal accounting officer.

 

Opinion of Counsel” means a written opinion of legal counsel who is reasonably acceptable to the Trustee. The counsel may be an employee of or counsel to the Company.

 

Person” means any individual, corporation, partnership, joint venture, association, limited liability company, joint-stock company, trust, unincorporated organization or government or any agency or political subdivision thereof.

 

Principal” of a Security means the principal of the Security plus, when appropriate, the premium, if any, on, and any Additional Amounts in respect of, the Security.

 

Responsible Officer” means any officer of the Trustee in its Corporate Trust Office with direct responsibility for the administration of this Indenture and also means, with respect to a particular corporate trust matter, any other officer to whom any corporate trust matter is referred because of his or her knowledge of and familiarity with a particular subject.

 

SEC” means the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

Securities” means the debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company of any Series authenticated and delivered under this Indenture.

 

Series” or “Series of Securities” means each series of debentures, notes or other debt instruments of the Company created pursuant to Sections 2.01 and 2.02 hereof.

 

Stated Maturity” means when used with respect to any Security or any installment of principal thereof or interest thereon, the date specified in such Security as the fixed date on which the principal of such Security or such installment of principal or interest is due and payable.

 

Subsidiary” means, with respect to any person, any corporation, association or other business entity of which more than 50% of the total voting power of shares of Capital Interests entitled (without regard to the occurrence of any contingency) to vote in the election of directors, managers or trustees thereof or, in the case of a partnership, more than 50% of the partners’ Capital Interests (considering all partners’ Capital Interests as a single class), is at the time owned or controlled, directly or indirectly, by such person or one or more of the other Subsidiaries of such person or combination thereof.

 

TIA” means the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 (15 U.S. Code Sections 77aaa-77bbbb) as in effect on the date of this Indenture and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder; provided, however, that in the event the Trust Indenture Act of 1939 is amended after such date, “TIA” means, to the extent required by any such amendment, the Trust Indenture Act as so amended.

 

Trustee” means the person named as the “Trustee” in the first paragraph of this instrument until a successor Trustee shall have become such pursuant to the applicable provisions of this Indenture, and thereafter “Trustee” shall mean each person who is then a Trustee hereunder, and if at any time there is more than one such person, “Trustee” as used with respect to the Securities of any Series shall mean the Trustee with respect to Securities of that Series.

 

U.S. Government Obligations” means securities which are (i) direct obligations of The United States of America for the payment of which its full faith and credit is pledged or (ii) obligations of a person controlled or supervised by and acting as an agency or instrumentality of The United States of America the payment of which is unconditionally guaranteed as a full faith and credit obligation by The United States of America, and which are not callable or redeemable at the option of the issuer thereof, and shall also include a depository receipt issued by a bank or trust company as custodian with respect to any such U.S. Government Obligation or a specific payment of interest on or principal of any such U.S. Government Obligation held by such custodian for the account of the holder of a depository receipt, provided that (except as required by law) such custodian is not authorized to make any deduction from the amount payable to the holder of such depository receipt from any amount received by the custodian in respect of the U.S. Government Obligation evidenced by such depository receipt.

 

3

 

 

Section 1.02 Other Definitions.

 

TERM 

DEFINED IN

SECTION

 
“Bankruptcy Law”   6.01 
“Custodian”   6.01 
“Event of Default”   6.01 
“Judgment Currency”   10.16 
“Legal Holiday”   10.07 
“mandatory sinking fund payment”   11.01 
“Market Exchange Rate”   10.15 
“New York Banking Day”   10.16 
“optional sinking fund payment”   11.01 
“Paying Agent”   2.04 
“Registrar”   2.04 
“Required Currency”   10.16 
“Service Agent”   2.04 
“successor person”   5.01 

 

Section 1.03 Incorporation by Reference of Trust Indenture Act.

 

Whenever this Indenture refers to a provision of the TIA, the provision is incorporated by reference in and made a part of this Indenture. The following TIA terms used in this Indenture have the following meanings:

 

Commission” means the SEC.

 

indenture securities” means the Securities.

 

indenture security holder” means a Holder.

 

indenture to be qualified” means this Indenture.

 

indenture trustee” or “institutional trustee” means the Trustee.

 

obligor” on the indenture securities means the Company and any successor obligor upon the Securities.

 

All other terms used in this Indenture that are defined by the TIA, defined by TIA reference to another statute or defined by SEC rule under the TIA and not otherwise defined herein are used herein as so defined.

 

Section 1.04 Rules of Construction.

 

Unless the context otherwise requires:

 

(a) a term has the meaning assigned to it;

 

(b) an accounting term not otherwise defined has the meaning assigned to it in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;

 

(c) references to “generally accepted accounting principles” and “GAAP” shall mean generally accepted accounting principles in effect as of the time when and for the period as to which such accounting principles are to be applied;

 

(d) “or” is not exclusive;

 

(e) words in the singular include the plural, and in the plural include the singular; and

 

(f) provisions apply to successive events and transactions.

 

4

 

 

ARTICLE II

THE SECURITIES

 

Section 2.01 Issuable in Series. The aggregate principal amount of Securities that may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture is unlimited. The Securities may be issued in one or more Series. All Securities of a Series shall be identical except as may be set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution. In the case of Securities of a Series to be issued from time to time, the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture detailing the adoption of the terms thereof pursuant to authority granted under a Board Resolution may provide for the method by which specified terms (such as interest rate, maturity date, record date or date from which interest shall accrue) are to be determined. Securities may differ between Series in respect of any matters, provided that all Series of Securities shall be equally and ratably entitled to the benefits of the Indenture.

 

Section 2.02 Establishment of Terms of Series of Securities. At or prior to the issuance of any Securities within a Series, the following shall be established (as to the Series generally, in the case of Subsection 2.02(a) and either as to such Securities within the Series or as to the Series generally in the case of Subsections 2.02(b) through 2.02(s) by or pursuant to a Board Resolution, and set forth or determined in the manner provided in a Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate:

 

(a) the form and title of the Series (which shall distinguish the Securities of that particular Series from the Securities of any other Series);

 

(b) the price or prices (expressed as a percentage of the principal amount thereof) at which the Securities of the Series will be issued;

 

(c) any limit upon the aggregate principal amount of the Securities of the Series which may be authenticated and delivered under this Indenture (except for Securities authenticated and delivered upon registration of transfer of, or in exchange for, or in lieu of, other Securities of the Series pursuant to Section 2.07, 2.08, 2.11, 3.06 or 9.06);

 

(d) the date or dates on which the principal of the Securities of the Series is payable;

 

(e) the rate or rates (which may be fixed or variable) per annum or, if applicable, the method used to determine such rate or rates (including, but not limited to, any commodity, commodity index, stock exchange index or financial index) at which the Securities of the Series shall bear interest, if any, the date or dates from which such interest, if any, shall accrue, the date or dates on which such interest, if any, shall commence and be payable and any regular record date for the interest payable on any interest payment date;

 

(f) the place or places where the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of the Series shall be payable, where the Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served, and the method of such payment, if by wire transfer, mail or other means;

 

(g) if applicable, the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which the Securities of the Series may be redeemed, in whole or in part, at the option of the Company;

 

(h) the obligation, if any, of the Company to redeem or purchase the Securities of the Series pursuant to any sinking fund or analogous provisions or at the option of a Holder thereof and the period or periods within which, the price or prices at which and the terms and conditions upon which Securities of the Series shall be redeemed or purchased, in whole or in part, pursuant to such obligation;

 

(i) the dates, if any, on which and the price or prices at which the Securities of the Series will be repurchased by the Company at the option of the Holders thereof and other detailed terms and provisions of such repurchase obligations;

 

(j) if other than denominations of $1,000 and any integral multiple thereof, the denominations in which the Securities of the Series shall be issuable;

 

(k) if other than the principal amount thereof, the portion of the principal amount of the Securities of the Series that shall be payable upon declaration of acceleration of the maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02;

 

(l) the currency of denomination of the Securities of the Series, which may be Dollars or any Foreign Currency, and the agency or organization, if any, responsible for overseeing such composite currency;

 

(m) the provisions, if any, relating to any security provided for the Securities of the Series;

 

5

 

 

(n) any addition to or change in the Events of Default which applies to any Securities of the Series and any change in the right of the Trustee or the requisite Holders of such Securities to declare the principal amount thereof due and payable pursuant to Section 6.02;

 

(o) any addition to or change in the covenants set forth in Articles IV or V which applies to Securities of the Series;

 

(p) the provisions, if any, relating to conversion of any Securities of such Series, including, if applicable, the securities into which the Securities are convertible, the conversion price, the conversion period, provisions as to whether conversion will be mandatory, at the option of the Holders or at the option of the Company, the events requiring an adjustment of the conversion price and provisions affecting conversion if such Series of Securities are redeemed;

 

(q) whether the Securities of such Series will be senior debt securities or subordinated debt securities and, if applicable, a description of the subordination terms thereof;

 

(r) any depositaries, interest rate calculation agents, exchange rate calculation agents or other agents with respect to Securities of such Series if other than those appointed herein; and

 

(s) any other terms of the Securities of the Series (which may modify or delete any provision of this Indenture insofar as it applies to such Series).

 

All Securities of any one Series need not be issued at the same time and may be issued from time to time, consistent with the terms of this Indenture, if so provided by or pursuant to the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate referred to above, and, unless otherwise provided in such Board Resolution, a Series may be reopened, without the consent of the Holders, for increases in the aggregate principal amount of such Series and issuances of additional Securities of such Series.

 

Section 2.03 Execution and Authentication. Two Officers shall sign the Securities for the Company by manual or facsimile signature. If an Officer whose signature is on a Security no longer holds that office at the time the Security is authenticated, the Security shall nevertheless be valid. A Security shall not be valid until authenticated by the manual signature of the Trustee or an authenticating agent. The signature shall be conclusive evidence that the Security has been authenticated under this Indenture. The Trustee shall at any time, and from time to time, authenticate Securities for original issue in the principal amount provided in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate, upon receipt by the Trustee of a Company Order. Such Company Order may authorize authentication and delivery pursuant to oral or electronic instructions from the Company or its duly authorized agent or agents, which oral instructions shall be promptly confirmed in writing. Each Security shall be dated the date of its authentication unless otherwise provided by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate. The aggregate principal amount of Securities of any Series outstanding at any time may not exceed any limit upon the maximum principal amount for such Series set forth in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02, except as provided in Section 2.02 or 2.08. Prior to the issuance of Securities of any Series, the Trustee shall have received and (subject to Section 7.02) shall be fully protected in relying on: (a) the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture hereto or Officers’ Certificate establishing the form of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series and the terms of the Securities of that Series or of Securities within that Series, (b) an Officers’ Certificate complying with Section 10.04 and (c) an Opinion of Counsel complying with Section 10.04. The Trustee shall have the right to decline to authenticate and deliver any Securities of such Series: (a) if the Trustee, being advised by counsel, determines that such action may not be taken lawfully; or (b) if the Trustee’s by its board of directors or trustees, executive committee or a trust committee of directors and/or vice-presidents shall determine in good faith that such action would expose the Trustee to personal liability to Holders of any then outstanding Series of Securities. The Trustee may appoint an authenticating agent acceptable to the Company to authenticate Securities. An authenticating agent may authenticate Securities whenever the Trustee may do so. Each reference in this Indenture to authentication by the Trustee includes authentication by such agent. An authenticating agent has the same rights as an Agent to deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company.

 

6

 

 

Section 2.04 Registrar and Paying Agent. The Company shall maintain, with respect to each Series of Securities, at the place or places specified with respect to such Series pursuant to Section 2.02, an office or agency where Securities of such Series may be presented or surrendered for payment (“Paying Agent”), where Securities of such Series may be surrendered for registration of transfer or exchange (“Registrar”) and where notices and demands to or upon the Company in respect of the Securities of such Series and this Indenture may be served (“Service Agent”). The Registrar shall keep a register with respect to each Series of Securities and to their transfer and exchange. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of the name and address, and any change in the name or address, of each Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent. If at any time the Company shall fail to maintain any such required Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent or shall fail to furnish the Trustee with the name and address thereof, such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands may be made or served at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and the Company hereby appoints the Trustee as its agent to receive all such presentations, surrenders, notices and demands. The Company may also from time to time designate one or more co-registrars, additional paying agents or additional service agents and may from time to time rescind such designations; provided, however, that no such designation or rescission shall in any manner relieve the Company of its obligations to maintain a Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent in each place so specified pursuant to Section 2.02 for Securities of any Series for such purposes. The Company will give prompt written notice to the Trustee of any such designation or rescission and of any change in the name or address of any such co-registrar, additional paying agent or additional service agent. The term “Registrar” includes any co-registrar; the term “Paying Agent” includes any additional paying agent; and the term “Service Agent” includes any additional service agent. The Company hereby appoints the Trustee the initial Registrar, Paying Agent and Service Agent for each Series unless another Registrar, Paying Agent or Service Agent, as the case may be, is appointed prior to the time Securities of that Series are first issued.

 

Section 2.05 Paying Agent to Hold Money in Trust. The Company shall require each Paying Agent other than the Trustee to agree in writing that the Paying Agent will hold in trust, for the benefit of Holders of any Series of Securities, or the Trustee, all money held by the Paying Agent for the payment of principal of or interest on the Series of Securities, and will notify the Trustee of any default by the Company in making any such payment. While any such default continues, the Trustee may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. The Company at any time may require a Paying Agent to pay all money held by it to the Trustee. Upon payment over to the Trustee, the Paying Agent (if other than the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company) shall have no further liability for the money. If the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company acts as Paying Agent, it shall segregate and hold in a separate trust fund for the benefit of Holders of any Series of Securities all money held by it as Paying Agent.

 

Section 2.06 Holder Lists. The Trustee shall preserve in as current a form as is reasonably practicable the most recent list available to it of the names and addresses of Holders of each Series of Securities and shall otherwise comply with TIA Section 312(a). If the Trustee is not the Registrar, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee at least ten (10) days before each interest payment date and at such other times as the Trustee may request in writing a list, in such form and as of such date as the Trustee may reasonably require, of the names and addresses of Holders of each Series of Securities.

 

Section 2.07 Transfer and Exchange. Where Securities of a Series are presented to the Registrar or a co-registrar with a request to register a transfer or to exchange them for an equal principal amount of Securities of the same Series, the Registrar shall register the transfer or make the exchange if its requirements for such transactions are met. To permit registrations of transfers and exchanges, the Trustee shall authenticate Securities at the Registrar’s request. No service charge shall be made for any registration of transfer or exchange (except as otherwise expressly permitted herein), but the Company may require payment of a sum sufficient to cover any transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable in connection therewith (other than any such transfer tax or similar governmental charge payable upon exchanges pursuant to Sections 2.11, 3.06 or 9.06). Neither the Company nor the Registrar shall be required (a) to issue, register the transfer of, or exchange Securities of any Series for the period beginning at the opening of business fifteen days immediately preceding the mailing of a notice of redemption of Securities of that Series selected for redemption and ending at the close of business on the day of such mailing, or (b) to register the transfer of or exchange Securities of any Series selected, called or being called for redemption as a whole or the portion being redeemed of any such Securities selected, called or being called for redemption in part.

 

Section 2.08 Mutilated, Destroyed, Lost and Stolen Securities.

 

(a) If any mutilated Security is surrendered to the Trustee, the Company shall execute and the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery in exchange therefor a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. If there shall be delivered to the Company and the Trustee (i) evidence to their satisfaction of the destruction, loss or theft of any Security and (ii) such security or indemnity as may be required by them to save each of them and any agent of either of them harmless, then, in the absence of notice to the Company or the Trustee that such Security has been acquired by a protected purchaser, the Company shall execute and upon its request the Trustee shall authenticate and make available for delivery, in lieu of any such destroyed, lost or stolen Security, a new Security of the same Series and of like tenor and principal amount and bearing a number not contemporaneously outstanding. In case any such mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Security has become or is about to become due and payable, the Company in its discretion may, instead of issuing a new Security, pay such Security.

 

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(b) Upon the issuance of any new Security under this Section, the Company may require the payment of a sum sufficient to cover any tax or other governmental charge that may be imposed in relation thereto and any other expenses (including the fees and expenses of the Trustee) connected therewith. Every new Security of any Series issued pursuant to this Section in lieu of any destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall constitute an original additional contractual obligation of the Company, whether or not the destroyed, lost or stolen Security shall be at any time enforceable by anyone, and shall be entitled to all the benefits of this Indenture equally and proportionately with any and all other Securities of that Series duly issued hereunder. The provisions of this Section are exclusive and shall preclude (to the extent lawful) all other rights and remedies with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities.

 

Section 2.09 Outstanding Securities. The Securities outstanding at any time are all the Securities authenticated by the Trustee except for those canceled by it, those delivered to it for cancellation, those reductions in the interest on a Global Security effected by the Trustee in accordance with the provisions hereof and those described in this Section as not outstanding. If a Security is replaced pursuant to Section 2.08, it ceases to be outstanding until the Trustee receives proof satisfactory to it that the replaced Security is held by a protected purchaser. If the Paying Agent (other than the Company, a Subsidiary of the Company or an Affiliate of the Company) holds on the Maturity of Securities of a Series money sufficient to pay such Securities payable on that date, then on and after that date such Securities of the Series cease to be outstanding and interest on them ceases to accrue. A Security does not cease to be outstanding because the Company or an Affiliate of the Company holds the Security. In determining whether the Holders of the requisite principal amount of outstanding Securities have given any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver hereunder, the principal amount of a Discount Security that shall be deemed to be outstanding for such purposes shall be the amount of the principal thereof that would be due and payable as of the date of such determination upon a declaration of acceleration of the Maturity thereof pursuant to Section 6.02.

 

Section 2.10 Treasury Securities. In determining whether the Holders of the required principal amount of Securities of a Series have concurred in any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, Securities of a Series owned by the Company shall be disregarded, except that for the purposes of determining whether the Trustee shall be protected in relying on any such request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent or waiver, only Securities of a Series that the Trustee knows are so owned shall be so disregarded.

 

Section 2.11 Temporary Securities. Until definitive Securities are ready for delivery, the Company may prepare and the Trustee shall authenticate temporary Securities upon a Company Order. Temporary Securities shall be substantially in the form of definitive Securities but may have variations that the Company considers appropriate for temporary Securities. Without unreasonable delay, the Company shall prepare and the Trustee upon request shall authenticate definitive Securities of the same Series and date of maturity in exchange for temporary Securities. Until so exchanged, temporary securities shall have the same rights under this Indenture as the definitive Securities.

 

Section 2.12 Cancellation. The Company at any time may deliver Securities to the Trustee for cancellation. The Registrar and the Paying Agent shall forward to the Trustee any Securities surrendered to them for registration of transfer, exchange or payment. The Trustee shall cancel all Securities surrendered for registration of transfer, exchange, payment, replacement or cancellation in accordance with its customary procedures and deliver such canceled Securities to the Company, unless the Company otherwise directs; provided that the Trustee shall not be required to destroy Securities. The Company may not issue new Securities to replace Securities that it has paid or delivered to the Trustee for cancellation.

 

Section 2.13 Defaulted Interest. If the Company defaults in a payment of interest on a Series of Securities, it shall pay the defaulted interest, plus, to the extent permitted by law, any interest payable on the defaulted interest, to the persons who are Holders of the Series on a subsequent special record date. The Company shall fix the record date and payment date. At least ten (10) days before the record date, the Company shall mail to the Trustee and to each Holder of the Series a notice that states the record date, the payment date and the amount of interest to be paid. The Company may pay defaulted interest in any other lawful manner.

 

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Section 2.14 Global Securities.

 

(a) Terms of Securities. A Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate shall establish whether the Securities of a Series shall be issued in whole or in part in the form of one or more Global Securities and the Depository for such Global Security or Securities.

 

(b) Transfer and Exchange. Notwithstanding any provisions to the contrary contained in Section 2.07 of the Indenture and in addition thereto, any Global Security shall be exchangeable pursuant to Section 2.07 of the Indenture for Securities registered in the names of Holders other than the Depository for such Security or its nominee only if (i) such Depository notifies the Company that it is unwilling or unable to continue as Depository for such Global Security or if at any time such Depository ceases to be a clearing agency registered under the Exchange Act, and, in either case, the Company fails to appoint a successor Depository registered as a clearing agency under the Exchange Act within 90 days of such event, (ii) the Company executes and delivers to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate to the effect that such Global Security shall be so exchangeable or (iii) an Event of Default with respect to the Securities represented by such Global Security shall have happened and be continuing. Any Global Security that is exchangeable pursuant to the preceding sentence shall be exchangeable for Securities registered in such names as the Depository shall direct in writing in an aggregate principal amount equal to the principal amount of the Global Security with like tenor and terms.

 

(c) Except as provided in Section 2.14(b), a Global Security may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository with respect to such Global Security to a nominee of such Depository, by a nominee of such Depository to such Depository or another nominee of such Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.

 

(d) Legend. Any Global Security issued hereunder shall bear a legend in substantially the following form:

 

“This Security is a Global Security within the meaning of the Indenture hereinafter referred to and is registered in the name of the Depository or a nominee of the Depository. This Security is exchangeable for Securities registered in the name of a person other than the Depository or its nominee only in the limited circumstances described in the Indenture, and may not be transferred except as a whole by the Depository to a nominee of the Depository, by a nominee of the Depository to the Depository or another nominee of the Depository or by the Depository or any such nominee to a successor Depository or a nominee of such a successor Depository.”

 

(e) Acts of Holders. The Depository, as a Holder, may appoint agents and otherwise authorize participants to give or take any request, demand, authorization, direction, notice, consent, waiver or other action which a Holder is entitled to give or take under the Indenture.

 

(f) Payments. Notwithstanding the other provisions of this Indenture, unless otherwise specified as contemplated by Section 2.02, payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on any Global Security shall be made to the Holder thereof.

 

(g) Consents, Declaration and Directions. Except as provided in Section 2.14(h), the Company, the Trustee and any Agent shall treat a person as the Holder of such principal amount of outstanding Securities of such Series represented by a Global Security as shall be specified in a written statement of the Depository with respect to such Global Security, for purposes of obtaining any consents, declarations, waivers or directions required to be given by the Holders pursuant to this Indenture.

 

(h) The Depository or its nominee, as registered owner of a Global Security, shall be the Holder of such Global Security for all purposes under the Indenture and the Securities, and owners of beneficial interests in a Global Security shall hold such interests pursuant to the Applicable Procedures. Accordingly, any such owner’s beneficial interest in a Global Security will be shown only on, and the transfer of such interest shall be effected only through, records maintained by the Depositary or its nominee and such owners of beneficial interests in a Global Security will not be considered the owners or holders thereof.

 

Section 2.15 CUSIP Numbers. The Company in issuing the Securities may use “CUSIP” numbers (if then generally in use), and, if so, the Trustee shall use “CUSIP” numbers in notices of redemption as a convenience to Holders; provided that any such notice may state that no representation is made as to the correctness of such numbers either as printed on the Securities or as contained in any notice of a redemption and that reliance may be placed only on the other elements of identification printed on the Securities, and any such redemption shall not be affected by any defect in or omission of such numbers. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee of any change in “CUSIP” numbers of which the Company becomes aware.

 

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ARTICLE III

REDEMPTION

 

Section 3.01 Notice to Trustee. The Company may, with respect to any Series of Securities, reserve the right to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or may covenant to redeem and pay the Series of Securities or any part thereof prior to the Stated Maturity thereof at such time and on such terms as provided for in such Securities. If a Series of Securities is redeemable and the Company wants or is obligated to redeem prior to the Stated Maturity thereof all or part of the Series of Securities pursuant to the terms of such Securities, it shall notify the Trustee of the redemption date and the principal amount of Series of Securities to be redeemed.

 

Section 3.02 Selection of Securities to be Redeemed. Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture or an Officers’ Certificate, if less than all the Securities of a Series are to be redeemed, the Trustee shall select the Securities of the Series to be redeemed in any manner that the Trustee deems fair and appropriate. The Trustee shall make the selection from Securities of the Series outstanding not previously called for redemption. The Trustee may select for redemption portions of the principal of Securities of the Series that have denominations larger than $1,000. Securities of the Series and portions of them it selects shall be in amounts of $1,000 or whole multiples of $1,000 or, with respect to Securities of any Series issuable in other denominations pursuant to Section 2.02(j), the minimum principal denomination for each Series and integral multiples thereof. Provisions of this Indenture that apply to Securities of a Series called for redemption also apply to portions of Securities of that Series called for redemption.

 

Section 3.03 Notice of Redemption.

 

(a) Unless otherwise indicated for a particular Series by Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, at least 30 days but not more than 60 days before a redemption date, the Company shall mail a notice of redemption by first-class mail to each Holder whose Securities are to be redeemed and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion a notice in an Authorized Newspaper. The notice shall identify the Securities of the Series to be redeemed and shall state:

 

(i) the redemption date;

 

(ii) the redemption price;

 

(iii) the name and address of the Paying Agent;

 

(iv) that Securities of the Series called for redemption must be surrendered to the Paying Agent to collect the redemption price;

 

(v) that interest on Securities of the Series called for redemption ceases to accrue on and after the redemption date;

 

(vi) the CUSIP number, if any; and

 

(vii) any other information as may be required by the terms of the particular Series or the Securities of a Series being redeemed.

 

At the Company’s request, the Trustee shall give the notice of redemption in the Company’s name and at its expense.

 

Section 3.04 Effect of Notice of Redemption. Once notice of redemption is mailed or published as provided in Section 3.03, Securities of a Series called for redemption become due and payable on the redemption date and at the redemption price. A notice of redemption may not be conditional. Upon surrender to the Paying Agent, such Securities shall be paid at the redemption price plus accrued interest to the redemption date; provided that installments of interest whose Stated Maturity is on or prior to the redemption date shall be payable to the Holders of such Securities (or one or more predecessor Securities) registered at the close of business on the relevant record date therefor according to their terms and the terms of this Indenture.

 

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Section 3.05 Deposit of Redemption Price. On or before 10:00 a.m., New York City time, on the redemption date, the Company shall deposit with the Paying Agent money sufficient to pay the redemption price of and accrued interest, if any, on all Securities to be redeemed on that date.

 

Section 3.06 Securities Redeemed in Part. Upon surrender of a Security that is redeemed in part, the Trustee shall authenticate for the Holder a new Security of the same Series and the same maturity equal in principal amount to the unredeemed portion of the Security surrendered.

 

ARTICLE IV

COVENANTS

 

Section 4.01 Payment of Principal and Interest. The Company covenants and agrees for the benefit of the Holders of each Series of Securities that it will duly and punctually pay the principal of and interest, if any, on the Securities of that Series in accordance with the terms of such Securities and this Indenture.

 

Section 4.02 SEC Reports. The Company shall, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, electronically file with the Commission the annual, quarterly and other periodic reports that the Company is required to file (or would be otherwise required to file) with the Commission pursuant to Sections 13 and 15(d) of the Exchange Act. The Company also shall comply with the other provisions of TIA Section 314(a). Delivery of any reports, information and documents to the Trustee is for informational purposes only and the Trustee’s receipt of such shall not constitute constructive notice of any information contained therein or determinable from information contained therein, including the Company’s compliance with any of its covenants hereunder (as to which the Trustee is entitled to rely exclusively on an Officers’ Certificate).

 

Section 4.03 Compliance Certificate. The Company shall, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, within 120 days after the end of each fiscal year of the Company, an Officers’ Certificate stating whether or not to the knowledge of the signers thereof the Company is in default in the performance and observance of any of the terms, provisions and conditions hereof (without regard to any period of grace or requirement of notice provided hereunder), and if a Default or Event of Default shall have occurred, specifying all such Defaults or Events of Default and the nature and status thereof of which they may have knowledge. The Company shall, so long as any of the Securities are outstanding, deliver to the Trustee, within thirty (30) days after becoming aware of any Default or Event of Default, an Officers’ Certificate specifying such Default or Event of Default and what action the Company is taking or proposes to take with respect thereto.

 

Section 4.04 Stay, Extension and Usury Laws. The Company covenants (to the extent that it may lawfully do so) that it will not at any time insist upon, plead or in any manner whatsoever claim or take the benefit or advantage of, any stay, extension or usury law wherever enacted, now or at any time hereafter in force, which may affect the covenants or the performance of this Indenture or the Securities and the Company (to the extent it may lawfully do so) hereby expressly waives all benefit or advantage of any such law and covenants that it will not, by resort to any such law, hinder, delay or impede the execution of any power herein granted to the Trustee, but will suffer and permit the execution of every such power as though no such law has been enacted.

 

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ARTICLE V

SUCCESSORS

 

Section 5.01 When Company May Merge, Etc. The Company shall not consolidate with or merge with or into, or convey, transfer or lease all or substantially all of its properties and assets to, any person (a “successor person”) unless:

 

(a) the Company is the surviving corporation or the successor person (if other than the Company) is organized and validly existing under the laws of British Virgin Islands or any U.S. domestic jurisdiction and expressly assumes the Company’s obligations on the Securities and under this Indenture; and

 

(b) immediately after giving effect to the transaction, no Default or Event of Default shall have occurred and be continuing.

 

The Company shall deliver to the Trustee prior to the consummation of the proposed transaction an Officers’ Certificate to the foregoing effect and an Opinion of Counsel stating that the proposed transaction and any supplemental indenture comply with this Indenture.

 

Section 5.02 Successor Corporation Substituted. Upon any consolidation or merger, or any sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition of all or substantially all of the assets of the Company in accordance with Section 5.01, the successor corporation formed by such consolidation or into or with which the Company is merged or to which such sale, lease, conveyance or other disposition is made shall succeed to, and be substituted for, and may exercise every right and power of, the Company under this Indenture with the same effect as if such successor person has been named as the Company herein; provided, however, that the predecessor Company in the case of a sale, conveyance or other disposition (other than a lease) shall be released from all obligations and covenants under this Indenture and the Securities.

 

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ARTICLE VI

DEFAULTS AND REMEDIES

 

Section 6.01 Events of Default.

 

Event of Default,” wherever used herein with respect to Securities of any Series, means any one of the following events, unless in the establishing Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate, it is provided that such Series shall not have the benefit of said Event of Default:

 

(a) default in the payment of any interest on any Security of that Series when it becomes due and payable, and continuance of such default for a period of 30 days (unless the entire amount of such payment is deposited by the Company with the Trustee or with a Paying Agent prior to the expiration of such period of 30 days); or

 

(b) default in the payment of principal of any Security of that Series at its Maturity; or

 

(c) default in the performance or breach of any covenant or warranty of the Company in this Indenture (other than a covenant or warranty for which the consequences of nonperformance or breach are addressed elsewhere in this Section 6.01 and other than a covenant or warranty that has been included in this Indenture solely for the benefit of Series of Securities other than that Series), which default continues uncured for a period of 90 days after there has been given, by registered or certified mail, to the Company by the Trustee or to the Company and the Trustee by the Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series a written notice specifying such default or breach and requiring it to be remedied and stating that such notice is a “Notice of Default” hereunder; or

 

(d) the Company pursuant to or within the meaning of any Bankruptcy Law:

 

(i) commences a voluntary case or proceeding;

 

(ii) consents to the entry of an order for relief against it in an involuntary case,

 

(iii) consents to the appointment of a Custodian of it or for all or substantially all of its property,

 

(iv) makes a general assignment for the benefit of its creditors, or

 

(v) makes an admission by writing that it is generally unable to pay its debts as the same become due; or

 

(e) a court of competent jurisdiction enters an order or decree under any Bankruptcy Law that:

 

(i) is for relief against the Company in an involuntary case,

 

(ii) appoints a Custodian of the Company or for all or substantially all of its property, or

 

(iii) orders the liquidation of the Company, and the order or decree remains unstayed and in effect for 90 days; or

 

(f) any other Event of Default provided with respect to Securities of that Series, which is specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate, in accordance with Section 2.02(n).

 

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The term “Bankruptcy Law” means Title 11 of the U.S. Code or any similar federal or state law for the relief of debtors. The term “Custodian” means any receiver, trustee, assignee, liquidator or similar official under any Bankruptcy Law.

 

Section 6.02 Acceleration of Maturity; Rescission and Annulment. If an Event of Default with respect to Securities of any Series at the time outstanding occurs and is continuing (other than an Event of Default referred to in Section 6.01(d) or (e)), then in every such case the Trustee or the Holders at least 25% (or at least 10%, in respect of a remedy (other than acceleration) for certain events of default relating to the payment of dividends) in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series may declare the principal amount (or, if any Securities of that Series are Discount Securities, such portion of the principal amount as may be specified in the terms of such Securities) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all of the Securities of that Series to be due and payable immediately, by a notice in writing to the Company (and to the Trustee if given by Holders), and upon any such declaration such principal amount (or specified amount) and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, shall become immediately due and payable. If an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(d) or (e) shall occur, the principal amount (or specified amount) of and accrued and unpaid interest, if any, on all outstanding Securities shall ipso facto become and be immediately due and payable without any declaration or other act on the part of the Trustee or any Holder. At any time after such a declaration of acceleration with respect to any Series has been made and before a judgment or decree for payment of the money due has been obtained by the Trustee as hereinafter in this Article provided, the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series, by written notice to the Company and the Trustee, may rescind and annul such declaration and its consequences if all Events of Default with respect to Securities of that Series, other than the non-payment of the principal and interest, if any, of Securities of that Series which have become due solely by such declaration of acceleration, have been cured or waived as provided in Section 6.13. No such rescission shall affect any subsequent Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

Section 6.03 Collection of Indebtedness and Suits for Enforcement by Trustee.

 

The Company covenants that if:

 

(a) default is made in the payment of any interest on any Security when such interest becomes due and payable and such default continues for a period of 30 days, or

 

(b) default is made in the payment of principal of any Security at the Maturity thereof, then the Company will, upon demand of the Trustee, pay to it, for the benefit of the Holders of such Securities, the whole amount then due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest and, to the extent that payment of such interest shall be legally enforceable, interest on any overdue principal and any overdue interest at the rate or rates prescribed therefor in such Securities and, in addition thereto, such further amount as shall be sufficient to cover the costs and expenses of collection, including the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel.

 

If the Company fails to pay such amounts forthwith upon such demand, the Trustee, in its own name and as trustee of an express trust, may institute a judicial proceeding for the collection of the sums so due and unpaid, may prosecute such proceeding to judgment or final decree and may enforce the same against the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities and collect the moneys adjudged or deemed to be payable in the manner provided by law out of the property of the Company or any other obligor upon such Securities, wherever situated.

 

If an Event of Default with respect to any Securities of any Series occurs and is continuing, the Trustee may in its discretion proceed to protect and enforce its rights and the rights of the Holders of Securities of such Series by such appropriate judicial proceedings as the Trustee shall deem most effectual to protect and enforce any such rights, whether for the specific enforcement of any covenant or agreement in this Indenture or in aid of the exercise of any power granted herein, or to enforce any other proper remedy.

 

Section 6.04 Trustee May File Proofs of Claim. In case of the pendency of any receivership, insolvency, liquidation, bankruptcy, reorganization, arrangement, adjustment, composition or other judicial proceeding relative to the Company or any other obligor upon the Securities or the property of the Company or of such other obligor or their creditors, the Trustee (irrespective of whether the principal of the Securities shall then be due and payable as therein expressed or by declaration or otherwise and irrespective of whether the Trustee shall have made any demand on the Company for the payment of overdue principal or interest) shall be entitled and empowered, by intervention in such proceeding or otherwise, (a) to file and prove a claim for the whole amount of principal and interest owing and unpaid in respect of the Securities and to file such other papers or documents as may be necessary or advisable in order to have the claims of the Trustee (including any claim for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel) and of the Holders allowed in such judicial proceeding, and (b) to collect and receive any moneys or other property payable or deliverable on any such claims and to distribute the same, and any custodian, receiver, assignee, trustee, liquidator, sequestrator or other similar official in any such judicial proceeding is hereby authorized by each Holder to make such payments to the Trustee and, in the event that the Trustee shall consent to the making of such payments directly to the Holders, to pay to the Trustee any amount due it for the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, and any other amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07. Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to authorize the Trustee to authorize or consent to or accept or adopt on behalf of any Holder any plan of reorganization, arrangement, adjustment or composition affecting the Securities or the rights of any Holder thereof or to authorize the Trustee to vote in respect of the claim of any Holder in any such proceeding.

 

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Section 6.05 Trustee May Enforce Claims Without Possession of Securities. All rights of action and claims under this Indenture or the Securities may be prosecuted and enforced by the Trustee without the possession of any of the Securities or the production thereof in any proceeding relating thereto, and any such proceeding instituted by the Trustee shall be brought in its own name as trustee of an express trust, and any recovery of judgment shall, after provision for the payment of the reasonable compensation, expenses, disbursements and advances of the Trustee, its agents and counsel, be for the ratable benefit of the Holders of the Securities in respect of which such judgment has been recovered.

 

Section 6.06 Application of Money Collected.

 

Any money collected by the Trustee pursuant to this Article shall be applied in the following order, at the date or dates fixed by the Trustee and, in case of the distribution of such money on account of principal or interest, upon presentation of the Securities and the notation thereon of the payment if only partially paid and upon surrender thereof if fully paid:

 

First: To the payment of all amounts due the Trustee under Section 7.07; and

 

Second: To the payment of the amounts then due and unpaid for principal of and interest on the Securities in respect of which or for the benefit of which such money has been collected, ratably, without preference or priority of any kind, according to the amounts due and payable on such Securities for principal and interest, respectively; and

 

Third: To the Company.

 

Section 6.07 Limitation on Suits. No Holder of any Security of any Series shall have any right to institute any proceeding, judicial or otherwise, with respect to this Indenture, or for the appointment of a receiver or trustee, or for any other remedy hereunder, unless:

 

(a) such Holder has previously given written notice to the Trustee of a continuing Event of Default with respect to the Securities of that Series;

 

(b) the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series shall have made written request to the Trustee to institute proceedings in respect of such Event of Default in its own name as Trustee hereunder;

 

(c) such Holder or Holders have offered to the Trustee reasonable indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities to be incurred in compliance with such request;

 

(d) the Trustee for 60 days after its receipt of such notice, request and offer of indemnity has failed to institute any such proceeding; and

 

(e) no direction inconsistent with such written request has been given to the Trustee during such 60-day period by the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of that Series; it being understood and intended that no one or more of such Holders shall have any right in any manner whatever by virtue of, or by availing of, any provision of this Indenture to affect, disturb or prejudice the rights of any other of such Holders, or to obtain or to seek to obtain priority or preference over any other of such Holders or to enforce any right under this Indenture, except in the manner herein provided and for the equal and ratable benefit of all such Holders.

 

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Section 6.08 Unconditional Right of Holders to Receive Principal and Interest. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Indenture, the Holder of any Security shall have the right, which is absolute and unconditional, to receive payment of the principal of and interest, if any, on such Security on the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date) and to institute suit for the enforcement of any such payment, and such rights shall not be impaired without the consent of such Holder.

 

Section 6.09 Restoration of Rights and Remedies. If the Trustee or any Holder has instituted any proceeding to enforce any right or remedy under this Indenture and such proceeding has been discontinued or abandoned for any reason, or has been determined adversely to the Trustee or to such Holder, then and in every such case, subject to any determination in such proceeding, the Company, the Trustee and the Holders shall be restored severally and respectively to their former positions hereunder and thereafter all rights and remedies of the Trustee and the Holders shall continue as though no such proceeding had been instituted.

 

Section 6.10 Rights and Remedies Cumulative. Except as otherwise provided with respect to the replacement or payment of mutilated, destroyed, lost or stolen Securities in Section 2.08, no right or remedy herein conferred upon or reserved to the Trustee or to the Holders is intended to be exclusive of any other right or remedy, and every right and remedy shall, to the extent permitted by law, be cumulative and in addition to every other right and remedy given hereunder or now or hereafter existing at law or in equity or otherwise. The assertion or employment of any right or remedy hereunder, or otherwise, shall not, to the extent permitted by law, prevent the concurrent assertion or employment of any other appropriate right or remedy.

 

Section 6.11 Delay or Omission Not Waiver. No delay or omission of the Trustee or of any Holder of any Securities to exercise any right or remedy accruing upon any Event of Default shall impair any such right or remedy or constitute a waiver of any such Event of Default or an acquiescence therein. Every right and remedy given by this Article or by law to the Trustee or to the Holders may be exercised from time to time, and as often as may be deemed expedient, by the Trustee or by the Holders, as the case may be.

 

Section 6.12 Control by Holders. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series shall have the right to direct the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred on the Trustee, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that:

 

(a) such direction shall not be in conflict with any rule of law or with this Indenture,

 

(b) the Trustee may take any other action deemed proper by the Trustee which is not inconsistent with such direction, and

 

(c) subject to the provisions of Section 6.01, the Trustee shall have the right to decline to follow any such direction if the Trustee in good faith shall, by a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, determine that the proceeding so directed would involve the Trustee in personal liability.

 

Section 6.13 Waiver of Past Defaults. The Holders of not less than a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may on behalf of the Holders of all the Securities of such Series waive any past Default hereunder with respect to such Series and its consequences, except a Default (i) in the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security of such Series (provided, however, that the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series may rescind an acceleration and its consequences, including any related payment default that resulted from such acceleration) or (ii) in respect of a covenant or provision hereof which cannot be modified or amended without the consent of the Holder of each outstanding Security of such Series affected. Upon any such waiver, such Default shall cease to exist, and any Event of Default arising therefrom shall be deemed to have been cured, for every purpose of this Indenture; but no such waiver shall extend to any subsequent or other Default or impair any right consequent thereon.

 

Section 6.14 Undertaking for Costs. All parties to this Indenture agree, and each Holder of any Security by his acceptance thereof shall be deemed to have agreed, that any court may in its discretion require, in any suit for the enforcement of any right or remedy under this Indenture, or in any suit against the Trustee for any action taken, suffered or omitted by it as Trustee, the filing by any party litigant in such suit of an undertaking to pay the costs of such suit, and that such court may in its discretion assess reasonable costs, including reasonable attorneys’ fees, against any party litigant in such suit, having due regard to the merits and good faith of the claims or defenses made by such party litigant; but the provisions of this Section shall not apply to any suit instituted by the Company, to any suit instituted by the Trustee, to any suit instituted by any Holder, or group of Holders, holding in the aggregate more than 10% in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series, or to any suit instituted by any Holder for the enforcement of the payment of the principal of or interest on any Security on or after the Stated Maturity or Stated Maturities expressed in such Security (or, in the case of redemption, on the redemption date).

 

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ARTICLE VII

TRUSTEE

 

Section 7.01 Duties of Trustee.

 

(a) If an Event of Default has occurred and is continuing, the Trustee shall exercise the rights and powers vested in it by this Indenture and use the same degree of care and skill in their exercise as a prudent person would exercise or use under the circumstances in the conduct of such person’s own affairs.

 

(b) Except during the continuance of an Event of Default:

 

(i) The Trustee need perform only those duties that are specifically set forth in this Indenture and no others.

 

(ii) In the absence of bad faith on its part, the Trustee may conclusively rely, as to the truth of the statements and the correctness of the opinions expressed therein, upon Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel furnished to the Trustee and conforming to the requirements of this Indenture; however, in the case of any such Officers’ Certificates or Opinions of Counsel which by any provisions hereof are specifically required to be furnished to the Trustee, the Trustee shall examine such Officers’ Certificates and Opinions of Counsel to determine whether or not they conform to the requirements of this Indenture.

 

(c) The Trustee may not be relieved from liability for its own negligent action, its own negligent failure to act or its own willful misconduct, except that:

 

(i) This paragraph does not limit the effect of paragraph (b) of this Section.

 

(ii) The Trustee shall not be liable for any error of judgment made in good faith by a Responsible Officer, unless it is proved that the Trustee was negligent in ascertaining the pertinent facts.

 

(iii) The Trustee shall not be liable with respect to any action taken, suffered or omitted to be taken by it with respect to Securities of any Series in good faith in accordance with the direction of the Holders of a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series relating to the time, method and place of conducting any proceeding for any remedy available to the Trustee, or exercising any trust or power conferred upon the Trustee, under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such Series.

 

(d) Every provision of this Indenture that in any way relates to the Trustee is subject to paragraph (a), (b) and (c) of this Section.

 

(e) The Trustee may refuse to perform any duty or exercise any right or power at the request or direction of any Holder unless it receives indemnity satisfactory to it against any loss, liability or expense.

 

(f) The Trustee shall not be liable for interest on any money received by it except as the Trustee may agree in writing with the Company. Money held in trust by the Trustee need not be segregated from other funds except to the extent required by law.

 

(g) No provision of this Indenture shall require the Trustee to risk its own funds or otherwise incur any financial liability in the performance of any of its duties, or in the exercise of any of its rights or powers, if it shall have reasonable grounds for believing that repayment of such funds or adequate indemnity against such risk is not reasonably assured to it.

 

(h) The Paying Agent, the Registrar and any Service Agent or authenticating agent shall be entitled to the protections, immunities and standard of care as are set forth in paragraphs (a), (b) and (c) of this Section with respect to the Trustee.

 

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Section 7.02 Rights of Trustee.

 

(a) The Trustee may rely on and shall be protected in acting or refraining from acting upon any document believed by it to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the proper person. The Trustee need not investigate any fact or matter stated in the document.

 

(b) Before the Trustee acts or refrains from acting, it may require an Officers’ Certificate. The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith in reliance on such Officers’ Certificate.

 

(c) The Trustee may act through agents and shall not be responsible for the misconduct or negligence of any agent appointed with due care. No Depository shall be deemed an agent of the Trustee, and the Trustee shall not be responsible for any act or omission by any Depository.

 

(d) The Trustee shall not be liable for any action it takes or omits to take in good faith which it believes to be authorized or within its rights or powers, provided that the Trustee’s conduct does not constitute negligence or bad faith.

 

(e) The Trustee may consult with counsel, and the advice of such counsel or any Opinion of Counsel shall be full and complete authorization and protection in respect of any action taken, suffered or omitted by it hereunder without negligence and in good faith and in reliance thereon.

 

(f) The Trustee shall be under no obligation to exercise any of the rights or powers vested in it by this Indenture at the request or direction of any of the Holders of Securities unless such Holders shall have offered to the Trustee reasonable security or indemnity against the costs, expenses and liabilities which might be incurred by it in compliance with such request or direction.

 

(g) The Trustee shall not be bound to make any investigation into the facts or matters stated in any resolution, certificate, statement, instrument, opinion, report, notice, request, direction, consent, order, bond, debenture, note, other evidence of indebtedness or other paper or document, but the Trustee, in its discretion, may make such further inquiry or investigation into such facts or matters as it may see fit.

 

(h) The Trustee shall not be deemed to have notice of any Default or Event of Default unless a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has actual knowledge thereof or unless written notice of any event which is in fact such a default is received by the Trustee at the Corporate Trust Office of the Trustee, and such notice references the Securities generally or the Securities of a particular Series and this Indenture.

 

(i) The permissive rights of the Trustee enumerated herein shall not be construed as duties.

 

Section 7.03 Individual Rights of Trustee. The Trustee in its individual or any other capacity may become the owner or pledgee of Securities and may otherwise deal with the Company or an Affiliate of the Company with the same rights it would have if it were not Trustee. Any Agent may do the same with like rights. The Trustee is also subject to Sections 7.10 and 7.11.

 

Section 7.04 Trustee’s Disclaimer. The Trustee makes no representation as to the validity or adequacy of this Indenture or the Securities, it shall not be accountable for the Company’s use of the proceeds from the Securities, and it shall not be responsible for any statement in the Securities other than its authentication.

 

Section 7.05 Notice of Defaults. If a Default or Event of Default occurs and is continuing with respect to the Securities of any Series and if it is known to a Responsible Officer of the Trustee, the Trustee shall mail to each Holder of the Securities of that Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, notice of a Default or Event of Default within 60 days after it occurs or, if later, after a Responsible Officer of the Trustee has knowledge of such Default or Event of Default. Except in the case of a Default or Event of Default in payment of principal of or interest on any Security of any Series, the Trustee may withhold the notice if and so long as its corporate trust committee or a committee of its Responsible Officers in good faith determines that withholding the notice is in the interests of Holders of that Series.

 

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Section 7.06 Reports by Trustee to Holders. Within 60 days after May 15 in each year, the Trustee shall transmit by mail to all Holders, as their names and addresses appear on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish in an Authorized Newspaper, a brief report dated as of such May 15, in accordance with, and to the extent required under, TIA Section 313(a), (b), (c) and (d). A copy of each report at the time of its mailing to Holders of any Series shall be filed with the SEC and each stock exchange on which the Securities of that Series are listed. The Company shall promptly notify the Trustee when Securities of any Series are listed on any stock exchange.

 

Section 7.07 Compensation and Indemnity. The Company shall pay to the Trustee from time to time compensation for its services as the Company and the Trustee shall from time to time agree upon in writing. The Trustee’s compensation shall not be limited by any law on compensation of a trustee of an express trust. The Company shall reimburse the Trustee upon request for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it. Such expenses shall include the reasonable compensation and expenses of the Trustee’s agents and counsel. The Company shall indemnify each of the Trustee and any predecessor Trustee (including the cost of defending itself) against any loss, liability or expense, including taxes (other than taxes based upon, measured by or determined by the income of the Trustee) incurred by it except as set forth in this Section 7.07 in the performance of its duties under this Indenture as Trustee or Agent. The Trustee shall notify the Company promptly of any claim for which it may seek indemnity. The Company shall defend the claim and the Trustee shall cooperate in the defense. The Trustee may have one separate counsel and the Company shall pay the reasonable fees and expenses of such counsel. The Company need not pay for any settlement made without its consent, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld. This indemnification shall apply to officers, directors, employees, shareholders and agents of the Trustee. The Company need not reimburse any expense or indemnify against any loss or liability incurred by the Trustee or by any officer, director, employee, shareholder or agent of the Trustee through the negligence or bad faith of any such persons. To secure the Company’s payment obligations in this Section, the Trustee shall have a lien prior to the Securities of any Series on all money or property held or collected by the Trustee, except that held in trust to pay principal of and interest on particular Securities of that Series. When the Trustee incurs expenses or renders services after an Event of Default specified in Section 6.01(d) or (e) occurs, the expenses and the compensation for the services are intended to constitute expenses of administration under any Bankruptcy Law. The provisions of this Section shall survive the resignation or removal of the Trustee and the termination of this Indenture.

 

Section 7.08 Replacement of Trustee. A resignation or removal of the Trustee and appointment of a successor Trustee shall become effective only upon the successor Trustee’s acceptance of appointment as provided in this Section. The Trustee may resign with respect to the Securities of one or more Series by so notifying the Company at least 30 days prior to the date of the proposed resignation. The Holders of a majority in principal amount of the Securities of any Series may remove the Trustee with respect to that Series by so notifying the Trustee and the Company. The Company may remove the Trustee with respect to Securities of one or more Series if:

 

(a) the Trustee fails to comply with Section 7.10;

 

(b) the Trustee is adjudged bankrupt or insolvent or an order for relief is entered with respect to the Trustee under any Bankruptcy Law;

 

(c) a Custodian or public officer takes charge of the Trustee or its property; or

 

(d) the Trustee becomes incapable of acting.

 

If the Trustee resigns or is removed or if a vacancy exists in the office of Trustee for any reason, the Company shall promptly appoint a successor Trustee.

 

If a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of any one or more Series does not take office within 60 days after the retiring Trustee resigns or is removed, the retiring Trustee, the Company or the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the Securities of the applicable Series may petition any court of competent jurisdiction for the appointment of a successor Trustee.

 

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A successor Trustee shall deliver a written acceptance of its appointment to the retiring Trustee and to the Company. Immediately after that, the retiring Trustee shall transfer all property held by it as Trustee to the successor Trustee subject to the lien provided for in Section 7.07, the resignation or removal of the retiring Trustee shall become effective, and the successor Trustee shall have all the rights, powers and duties of the Trustee with respect to each Series of Securities for which it is acting as Trustee under this Indenture. A successor Trustee shall mail a notice of its succession to each Holder of each such Series and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, publish such notice on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper. Notwithstanding replacement of the Trustee pursuant to this Section 7.08, the Company’s obligations under Section 7.07 hereof shall continue for the benefit of the retiring Trustee with respect to expenses and liabilities incurred by it prior to the date of such replacement.

 

Section 7.09 Successor Trustee by Merger, etc. If the Trustee consolidates with, merges or converts into, or transfers all or substantially all of its corporate trust business to, another corporation, the successor corporation without any further act shall be the successor Trustee.

 

Section 7.10 Eligibility; Disqualification. This Indenture shall always have a Trustee who satisfies the requirements of TIA Section 310(a)(1), (2) and (5). The Trustee shall comply with TIA Section 310(b).

 

Section 7.11 Preferential Collection of Claims Against Company. The Trustee is subject to TIA Section 311(a), excluding any creditor relationship listed in TIA Section 311(b). A Trustee who has resigned or been removed shall be subject to TIA Section 311(a) to the extent indicated.

 

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ARTICLE VIII

SATISFACTION AND DISCHARGE; DEFEASANCE

 

Section 8.01 Satisfaction and Discharge of Indenture.

 

This Indenture shall upon Company Order cease to be of further effect (except as hereinafter provided in this Section 8.01), and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall execute proper instruments acknowledging satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, when

 

(a) any of the following shall have occurred:

 

(i) no Securities have been issued hereunder;

 

(ii) all Securities theretofore authenticated and delivered (other than Securities that have been destroyed, lost or stolen and that have been replaced or paid) have been delivered to the Trustee for cancellation; or

 

(iii) all such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation (1) have become due and payable, or (2) will become due and payable at their Stated Maturity within one year, or (3) are to be called for redemption within one year under arrangements satisfactory to the Trustee for the giving of notice of redemption by the Trustee in the name, and at the expense, of the Company;

 

and the Company has irrevocably deposited or caused to be deposited with the Trustee as trust funds in trust an amount sufficient for the purpose of paying and discharging the entire indebtedness on such Securities not theretofore delivered to the Trustee for cancellation, for principal and interest to the date of such deposit (in the case of Securities which have become due and payable on or prior to the date of such deposit) or to the Stated Maturity or redemption date, as the case may be;

 

(b) the Company has paid or caused to be paid all other sums payable hereunder by the Company; and

 

(c) the Company has delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture have been complied with.

 

Notwithstanding the satisfaction and discharge of this Indenture, the obligations of the Company to the Trustee under Section 7.07 and, if money shall have been deposited with the Trustee pursuant to clause (a) of this Section, the provisions of Sections 2.04 , 2.05 , 2.07, 2.08, 8.01, 8.02 and 8.05 shall survive.

 

Section 8.02 Application of Trust Funds; Indemnification.

 

(a) Subject to the provisions of Section 8.05, all money deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.01, all money and U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.03 or 8.04 and all money received by the Trustee in respect of U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited with the Trustee pursuant to Section 8.03 or 8.04, shall be held in trust and applied by it, in accordance with the provisions of the Securities and this Indenture, to the payment, either directly or through any Paying Agent (other than the Company acting as its own Paying Agent) as the Trustee may determine, to the persons entitled thereto, of the principal and interest for whose payment such money has been deposited with or received by the Trustee or analogous payments as contemplated by Sections 8.03 or 8.04.

 

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(b) The Company shall pay and shall indemnify the Trustee against any tax, fee or other charge imposed on or assessed against U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations deposited pursuant to Sections 8.03 or 8.04 or the interest and principal received in respect of such obligations other than any payable by or on behalf of Holders.

 

(c) The Trustee shall deliver or pay to the Company from time to time upon Company Request any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money held by it as provided in Sections 8.03 or 8.04 which, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, are then in excess of the amount thereof which then would have been required to be deposited for the purpose for which such U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations or money were deposited or received. This provision shall not authorize the sale by the Trustee of any U.S. Government Obligations or Foreign Government Obligations held under this Indenture.

 

Section 8.03 Legal Defeasance of Securities of any Series. Unless this Section 8.03 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.02(s), to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, the Company shall be deemed to have paid and discharged the entire indebtedness on all the outstanding Securities of any Series on the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (d) hereof, and the provisions of this Indenture, as it relates to such outstanding Securities of such Series, shall no longer be in effect (and the Trustee, at the expense of the Company, shall, at Company Request, execute proper instruments acknowledging the same), except as to:

 

(a) the rights of Holders of Securities of such Series to receive, from the trust funds described in subparagraph (d) hereof, (i) payment of the principal of and each installment of principal of and interest on the outstanding Securities of such Series on the Stated Maturity of such principal or installment of principal or interest, and (ii) the benefit of any mandatory sinking fund payments applicable to the Securities of such Series on the day on which such payments are due and payable in accordance with the terms of this Indenture and the Securities of such Series; and

 

(b) the provisions of Sections 2.04, 2.05, 2.07, 2.08, 8.02, 8.03 and 8.05; and

 

(c) the rights, powers, trust and immunities of the Trustee hereunder;

 

provided that, the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

 

(d) with reference to this Section 8.03, the Company shall have deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.02(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments, specifically pledged as security for and dedicated solely to the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of all the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;

 

(e) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

 

(f) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

 

(g) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that (i) the Company has received from, or there has been published by, the Internal Revenue Service a ruling, or (ii) since the date of execution of this Indenture, there has been a change in the applicable Federal income tax law, in either case to the effect that, and based thereon such Opinion of Counsel shall confirm that, the Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for Federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit, defeasance and discharge and will be subject to Federal income tax on the same amounts and in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit, defeasance and discharge had not occurred;

 

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(h) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate stating that the deposit was not made by the Company with the intent of preferring the Holders of the Securities of such Series over any other creditors of the Company or with the intent of defeating, hindering, delaying or defrauding any other creditors of the Company;

 

(i) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent provided for relating to the defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with; and

 

(j) such defeasance shall not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless such trust shall be registered under such Act or exempt from registration thereunder.

 

Section 8.04 Covenant Defeasance. Unless this Section 8.04 is otherwise specified, pursuant to Section 2.02(s), to be inapplicable to Securities of any Series, on and after the 91st day after the date of the deposit referred to in subparagraph (a) hereof, the Company may omit to comply with respect to the Securities of any Series with any term, provision or condition set forth under Sections 4.02, 4.03, and 5.01 as well as any additional covenants specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02 (and the failure to comply with any such covenants shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default with respect to such Series under Section 6.01) and the occurrence of any event specified in a supplemental indenture for such Series of Securities or a Board Resolution or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02 and designated as an Event of Default shall not constitute a Default or Event of Default hereunder, with respect to the Securities of such Series, provided that the following conditions shall have been satisfied:

 

(a) with reference to this Section 8.04, the Company has deposited or caused to be irrevocably deposited (except as provided in Section 8.02(c)) with the Trustee as trust funds in trust for the purpose of making the following payments specifically pledged as security for, and dedicated solely to, the benefit of the Holders of such Securities (i) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in Dollars, cash in Dollars and/or U.S. Government Obligations, or (ii) in the case of Securities of such Series denominated in a Foreign Currency (other than a composite currency), money and/or Foreign Government Obligations, which through the payment of interest and principal in respect thereof in accordance with their terms, will provide (and without reinvestment and assuming no tax liability will be imposed on such Trustee), not later than one day before the due date of any payment of money, an amount in cash, sufficient, in the opinion of a nationally recognized firm of independent certified public accountants expressed in a written certification thereof delivered to the Trustee, to pay and discharge each installment of principal of and interest, if any, on and any mandatory sinking fund payments in respect of the Securities of such Series on the dates such installments of interest or principal and such sinking fund payments are due;

 

(b) such deposit will not result in a breach or violation of, or constitute a default under, this Indenture or any other agreement or instrument to which the Company is a party or by which it is bound;

 

(c) no Default or Event of Default with respect to the Securities of such Series shall have occurred and be continuing on the date of such deposit or during the period ending on the 91st day after such date;

 

(d) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Opinion of Counsel to the effect that Holders of the Securities of such Series will not recognize income, gain or loss for federal income tax purposes as a result of such deposit and covenant defeasance and will be subject to federal income tax on the same amounts, in the same manner and at the same times as would have been the case if such deposit and covenant defeasance had not occurred;

 

(e) the Company shall have delivered to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate and an Opinion of Counsel, each stating that all conditions precedent herein provided for relating to the covenant defeasance contemplated by this Section have been complied with; and

 

(f) Such defeasance shall not result in the trust arising from such deposit constituting an investment company within the meaning of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, unless such trust shall be registered under such Act or exempt from registration thereunder.

 

Section 8.05 Repayment to Company. The Trustee and the Paying Agent shall pay to the Company upon written request any money held by them for the payment of principal and interest that remains unclaimed for two years, and after such time, Holders entitled to the money must look to the Company for payment as general creditors unless an applicable abandoned property law designates another person.

 

Section 8.06 Reinstatement. If the Trustee or the Paying Agent is unable to apply any money deposited with respect to Securities of any series in accordance with Section 8.01 by reason of any legal proceeding or by reason of any order or judgment of any court or governmental authority enjoining, restraining or otherwise prohibiting such application, the obligations of the Company under this Indenture with respect to the Securities of such series and under the Securities of such series shall be revived and reinstated as though no deposit had occurred pursuant to Section 8.01 until such time as the Trustee or the Paying Agent is permitted to apply all such money in accordance with Section 8.01; provided, however, that if the Company has made any payment of principal of, premium (if any) or interest on any Additional Amounts with respect to any Securities because of the reinstatement of its obligations, the Company shall be subrogated to the rights of the Holders of such Securities to receive such payment from the money held by the Trustee or the Paying Agent.

 

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ARTICLE IX

AMENDMENTS AND WAIVERS

 

Section 9.01 Without Consent of Holders. The Company and the Trustee may amend or supplement this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series without the consent of any Holder:

 

(a) to evidence the succession of another person to the Company under this Indenture and the Securities and the assumption by any such successor person of the obligations of the Company hereunder and under the Securities;

 

(b) to add or remove covenants of the Company for the benefit of the Holders of all or any series of Securities (and if such covenants are to be for the benefit of less than all series of Securities, stating that such covenants are expressly being included for the benefit of such series) or to surrender any right or power herein conferred upon the Company provided such action does not adversely affect the interests of the Company;

 

(c) to add any additional Events of Default;

 

(d) to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture to such extent as shall be necessary to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in bearer form, registrable or not registrable as to principal, and with or without interest coupons, or to permit or facilitate the issuance of Securities in uncertificated form;

 

(e) to add to, change or eliminate any of the provisions of this Indenture in respect of one or more series of Securities, provided that any such addition, change or elimination (A) shall neither (i) apply to any Security of any series created prior to the execution of such supplemental indenture and entitled to the benefit of such provision nor (ii) modify the rights of the Holder of any such Security with respect to such provision or (B) shall become effective only when there is no such Security Outstanding;

 

(f) to establish the forms or terms of the Securities of any series issued pursuant to the terms hereof;

 

(g) to cure any ambiguity or correct any inconsistency in this Indenture;

 

(h) to evidence and provide for the acceptance of appointment hereunder by a successor Trustee with respect to the Securities of one or more series and to add to or change any of the provisions of this Indenture as shall be necessary to provide for or facilitate the administration of the trusts hereunder by more than one Trustee;

 

(i) to qualify this Indenture under the Trust Indenture Act;

 

(j) to provide for uncertificated securities in addition to certificated securities;

 

(k) to supplement any provisions of this Indenture necessary to permit or facilitate the defeasance and discharge of any series of Securities, provided that such action does not adversely affect the interests of the Holders of Securities of such series or any other series; and

 

(l) to comply with the rules or regulations of any securities exchange or automated quotation system on which any of the Securities may be listed or traded.

 

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Section 9.02 With Consent of Holders. The Company and the Trustee may enter into a supplemental indenture with the written consent of the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of each Series affected by such supplemental indenture (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series), for the purpose of adding any provisions to or changing in any manner or eliminating any of the provisions of this Indenture or of any supplemental indenture or of modifying in any manner the rights of the Holders of each such Series. Except as provided in Section 6.13, the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of any Series by notice to the Trustee (including consents obtained in connection with a tender offer or exchange offer for the Securities of such Series) may waive compliance by the Company with any provision of this Indenture or the Securities with respect to such Series. It shall not be necessary for the consent of the Holders of Securities under this Section 9.02 to approve the particular form of any proposed supplemental indenture or waiver, but it shall be sufficient if such consent approves the substance thereof. After a supplemental indenture or waiver under this section becomes effective, the Company shall mail to the Holders of Securities affected thereby and, if any Bearer Securities affected thereby are outstanding, publish on one occasion in an Authorized Newspaper, a notice briefly describing the supplemental indenture or waiver. Any failure by the Company to mail or publish such notice, or any defect therein, shall not, however, in any way impair or affect the validity of any such supplemental indenture or waiver.

 

Section 9.03 Limitations. Without the consent of each Holder affected, an amendment or waiver may not:

 

(a) reduce the amount of Securities whose Holders must consent to an amendment, supplement or waiver;

 

(b) reduce the rate of or extend the time for payment of interest (including default interest) on any Security;

 

(c) reduce the principal or change the Stated Maturity of any Security or reduce the amount of, or postpone the date fixed for, the payment of any sinking fund or analogous obligation;

 

(d) reduce the principal amount of Discount Securities payable upon acceleration of the maturity thereof;

 

(e) waive a Default or Event of Default in the payment of the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security (except a rescission of acceleration of the Securities of any Series by the Holders of at least a majority in principal amount of the outstanding Securities of such Series and a waiver of the payment default that resulted from such acceleration);

 

(f) make the principal of or interest, if any, on any Security payable in any currency other than that stated in the Security;

 

(g) make any change in Sections 6.08, 6.13, or 9.03; or

 

(h) waive a redemption payment with respect to any Security.

 

Section 9.04 Compliance with Trust Indenture Act. Every amendment to this Indenture or the Securities of one or more Series shall be set forth in a supplemental indenture hereto that complies with the TIA as then in effect.

 

Section 9.05 Revocation and Effect of Consents. Until an amendment is set forth in a supplemental indenture or a waiver becomes effective, a consent to it by a Holder of a Security is a continuing consent by the Holder and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security, even if notation of the consent is not made on any Security. However, any such Holder or subsequent Holder may revoke the consent as to his Security or portion of a Security if the Trustee receives the notice of revocation before the date of the supplemental indenture or the date the waiver becomes effective. Any amendment or waiver once effective shall bind every Holder of each Series affected by such amendment or waiver unless it is of the type described in any of clauses (a) through (h) of Section 9.03. In that case, the amendment or waiver shall bind each Holder of a Security who has consented to it and every subsequent Holder of a Security or portion of a Security that evidences the same debt as the consenting Holder’s Security.

 

Section 9.06 Notation on or Exchange of Securities. The Trustee may place an appropriate notation about an amendment or waiver on any Security of any Series thereafter authenticated. The Company in exchange for Securities of that Series may issue and the Trustee shall authenticate upon request new Securities of that Series that reflect the amendment or waiver.

 

Section 9.07 Trustee Protected. In executing, or accepting the additional trusts created by, any supplemental indenture permitted by this Article or the modifications thereby of the trusts created by this Indenture, the Trustee shall be entitled to receive, in addition to the documents required by Section 10.04, and (subject to Section 7.01) shall be fully protected in relying upon, an Opinion of Counsel stating that the execution of such supplemental indenture is authorized or permitted by this Indenture. The Trustee shall sign all supplemental indentures, except that the Trustee need not sign any supplemental indenture that adversely affects its rights.

 

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ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

 

Section 10.01 Trust Indenture Act Controls. If any provision of this Indenture limits, qualifies or conflicts with another provision which is required or deemed be included in this Indenture by the TIA, such required or deemed provision shall control.

 

Section 10.02 Notices.

 

(a) Any notice or communication by the Company or the Trustee to the other, or by a Holder to the Company or the Trustee, is duly given if in writing and delivered in person or mailed by first-class mail or sent by telecopier transmission addressed as follows:

 

if to the Company:

 

Suite 7540, The Empire State Building

350 Fifth Avenue

New York, New York 10118

+1.838.500.8888

 

if to the Trustee:

 

[●]

 

(b) The Company or the Trustee by notice to the other may designate additional or different addresses for subsequent notices or communications. Any notice or communication to a Holder shall be mailed by first-class mail to his address shown on the register kept by the Registrar and, if any Bearer Securities are outstanding, published in an Authorized Newspaper. Failure to mail a notice or communication to a Holder of any Series or any defect in it shall not affect its sufficiency with respect to other Holders of that or any other Series. If a notice or communication is mailed or published in the manner provided above, within the time prescribed, it is duly given, whether or not the Holder receives it. If the Company mails a notice or communication to Holders, it shall mail a copy to the Trustee and each Agent at the same time.

 

(c) Any notice or demand that by any provision of this Indenture is required or permitted to be given or served by the Company may, at the Company’s written request received by the Trustee not fewer than five (5) Business Days prior (or such shorter period of time as may be acceptable to the Trustee) to the date on which such notice must be given or served, be given or served by the Trustee in the name of and at the expense of the Company.

 

Section 10.03 Communication by Holders with Other Holders. Holders of any Series may communicate pursuant to TIA Section 312(b) with other Holders of that Series or any other Series with respect to their rights under this Indenture or the Securities of that Series or all Series. The Company, the Trustee, the Registrar and anyone else shall have the protection of TIA Section 312(c).

 

Section 10.04 Certificate and Opinion as to Conditions Precedent. Upon any request or application by the Company to the Trustee to take any action under this Indenture, the Company shall furnish to the Trustee:

 

(a) an Officers’ Certificate stating that, in the opinion of the signers, all conditions precedent, if any, provided for in this Indenture relating to the proposed action have been complied with; and

 

(b) an Opinion of Counsel stating that, in the opinion of such counsel, all such conditions precedent have been complied with.

 

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Section 10.05 Statements Required in Certificate or Opinion. Each certificate or opinion with respect to compliance with a condition or covenant provided for in this Indenture (other than a certificate provided pursuant to TIA Section 314(a)(4)) shall comply with the provisions of TIA Section 314(e) and shall include:

 

(a) a statement that the person making such certificate or opinion has read such covenant or condition;

 

(b) a brief statement as to the nature and scope of the examination or investigation upon which the statements or opinions contained in such certificate or opinion are based;

 

(c) a statement that, in the opinion of such person, he has made such examination or investigation as is necessary to enable him to express an informed opinion as to whether or not such covenant or condition has been complied with; and

 

(d) a statement as to whether or not, in the opinion of such person, such condition or covenant has been complied with.

 

Section 10.06 Rules by Trustee and Agents. The Trustee may make reasonable rules for action by or a meeting of Holders of one or more Series. Any Agent may make reasonable rules and set reasonable requirements for its functions.

 

Section 10.07 Legal Holidays. Unless otherwise provided by Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture hereto for a particular Series, a “Legal Holiday” is any day that is not a Business Day. If a payment date is a Legal Holiday at a place of payment, payment may be made at that place on the next succeeding day that is not a Legal Holiday, and no interest shall accrue for the intervening period.

 

Section 10.08 No Recourse Against Others. A director, officer, employee or stockholder, as such, of the Company shall not have any liability for any obligations of the Company under the Securities or the Indenture or for any claim based on, in respect of or by reason of such obligations or their creation. Each Holder by accepting a Security waives and releases all such liability. The waiver and release are part of the consideration for the issue of the Securities.

 

Section 10.09 Counterparts. This Indenture may be executed in any number of counterparts and by the parties hereto in separate counterparts, each of which when so executed shall be deemed to be an original and all of which taken together shall constitute one and the same agreement.

 

Section 10.10 Governing Laws. This Indenture and the Securities will be governed by, and construed in accordance with, the internal laws of the State of New York, without regard to conflict of law principles that would result in the application of any law other than the laws of the State of New York.

 

Section 10.11 No Adverse Interpretation of Other Agreements. This Indenture may not be used to interpret another indenture, loan or debt agreement of the Company or a Subsidiary of the Company. Any such indenture, loan or debt agreement may not be used to interpret this Indenture.

 

Section 10.12 Successors. All agreements of the Company in this Indenture and the Securities shall bind its successor. All agreements of the Trustee in this Indenture shall bind its successor.

 

Section 10.13 Severability. In case any provision in this Indenture or in the Securities shall be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired thereby.

 

Section 10.14 Table of Contents, Headings, Etc. The Table of Contents, Cross-Reference Table, and headings of the Articles and Sections of this Indenture have been inserted for convenience of reference only, are not to be considered a part hereof, and shall in no way modify or restrict any of the terms or provisions hereof.

 

Section 10.15 Securities in a Foreign Currency. Unless otherwise specified in a Board Resolution, a supplemental indenture hereto or an Officers’ Certificate delivered pursuant to Section 2.02 of this Indenture with respect to a particular Series of Securities, whenever for purposes of this Indenture any action may be taken by the Holders of a specified percentage in aggregate principal amount of Securities of all Series or all Series affected by a particular action at the time outstanding and, at such time, there are outstanding Securities of any Series which are denominated in a coin or currency other than Dollars, then the principal amount of Securities of such Series which shall be deemed to be outstanding for the purpose of taking such action shall be that amount of Dollars that could be obtained for such amount at the Market Exchange Rate at such time. For purposes of this Section 10.15, “Market Exchange Rate” shall mean the noon Dollar buying rate in New York City for cable transfers of that currency as published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. If such Market Exchange Rate is not available for any reason with respect to such currency, the Trustee shall use, in its sole discretion and without liability on its part, such quotation of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York as of the most recent available date, or quotations from one or more major banks in The City of New York or in the country of issue of the currency in question or such other quotations as the Trustee, upon consultation with the Company, shall deem appropriate. The provisions of this paragraph shall apply in determining the equivalent principal amount in respect of Securities of a Series denominated in currency other than Dollars in connection with any action taken by Holders of Securities pursuant to the terms of this Indenture. All decisions and determinations of the Trustee regarding the Market Exchange Rate or any alternative determination provided for in the preceding paragraph shall be in its sole discretion and shall, in the absence of manifest error, to the extent permitted by law, be conclusive for all purposes and irrevocably binding upon the Company and all Holders.

 

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Section 10.16 Judgment Currency. The Company agrees, to the fullest extent that it may effectively do so under applicable law, that (a) if for the purpose of obtaining judgment in any court it is necessary to convert the sum due in respect of the principal of or interest or other amount on the Securities of any Series (the “Required Currency”) into a currency in which a judgment will be rendered (the “Judgment Currency”), the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered, unless such day is not a New York Banking Day, then the rate of exchange used shall be the rate at which in accordance with normal banking procedures the Trustee could purchase in The City of New York the Required Currency with the Judgment Currency on the New York Banking Day preceding the day on which final unappealable judgment is entered and (b) its obligations under this Indenture to make payments in the Required Currency (i) shall not be discharged or satisfied by any tender, any recovery pursuant to any judgment (whether or not entered in accordance with subsection (a)), in any currency other than the Required Currency, except to the extent that such tender or recovery shall result in the actual receipt, by the payee, of the full amount of the Required Currency expressed to be payable in respect of such payments, (ii) shall be enforceable as an alternative or additional cause of action for the purpose of recovering in the Required Currency the amount, if any, by which such actual receipt shall fall short of the full amount of the Required Currency so expressed to be payable, and (iii) shall not be affected by judgment being obtained for any other sum due under this Indenture. For purposes of the foregoing, “New York Banking Day” means any day except a Saturday, Sunday or a legal holiday in The City of New York on which banking institutions are authorized or required by law, regulation or executive order to close.

 

ARTICLE XI

SINKING FUNDS

 

Section 11.01 Applicability of Article. The provisions of this Article shall be applicable to any sinking fund for the retirement of the Securities of a Series, except as otherwise permitted or required by any form of Security of such Series issued pursuant to this Indenture. The minimum amount of any sinking fund payment provided for by the terms of the Securities of any Series is herein referred to as a “ mandatory sinking fund payment “ and any other amount provided for by the terms of Securities of such Series is herein referred to as an “ optional sinking fund payment .” If provided for by the terms of Securities of any Series, the cash amount of any sinking fund payment may be subject to reduction as provided in Section 11.02. Each sinking fund payment shall be applied to the redemption of Securities of any Series as provided for by the terms of the Securities of such Series.

 

Section 11.02 Satisfaction of Sinking Fund Payments with Securities. The Company may, in satisfaction of all or any part of any sinking fund payment with respect to the Securities of any Series to be made pursuant to the terms of such Securities (1) deliver outstanding Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable (other than any of such Securities previously called for mandatory sinking fund redemption) and (2) apply as credit Securities of such Series to which such sinking fund payment is applicable and which have been repurchased by the Company or redeemed either at the election of the Company pursuant to the terms of such Series of Securities (except pursuant to any mandatory sinking fund) or through the application of permitted optional sinking fund payments or other optional redemptions pursuant to the terms of such Securities, provided that such Securities have not been previously so credited. Such Securities shall be received by the Trustee, together with an Officers’ Certificate with respect thereto, not later than 15 days prior to the date on which the Trustee begins the process of selecting Securities for redemption, and shall be credited for such purpose by the Trustee at the price specified in such Securities for redemption through operation of the sinking fund and the amount of such sinking fund payment shall be reduced accordingly. If as a result of the delivery or credit of Securities in lieu of cash payments pursuant to this Section 11.02, the principal amount of Securities of such Series to be redeemed in order to exhaust the aforesaid cash payment shall be less than $100,000, the Trustee need not call Securities of such Series for redemption, except upon receipt of a Company Order that such action be taken, and such cash payment shall be held by the Trustee or a Paying Agent and applied to the next succeeding sinking fund payment, provided, however, that the Trustee or such Paying Agent shall from time to time upon receipt of a Company Order pay over and deliver to the Company any cash payment so being held by the Trustee or such Paying Agent upon delivery by the Company to the Trustee of Securities of that Series purchased by the Company having an unpaid principal amount equal to the cash payment required to be released to the Company.

 

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Section 11.03 Redemption of Securities for Sinking Fund. Not less than 45 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, supplemental indenture or Officers’ Certificate in respect of a particular Series of Securities) prior to each sinking fund payment date for any Series of Securities, the Company will deliver to the Trustee an Officers’ Certificate specifying the amount of the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment for that Series pursuant to the terms of that Series, the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by payment of cash and the portion thereof, if any, which is to be satisfied by delivering and crediting of Securities of that Series pursuant to Section 11.02, and the optional amount, if any, to be added in cash to the next ensuing mandatory sinking fund payment, and the Company shall thereupon be obligated to pay the amount therein specified. Not less than 30 days (unless otherwise indicated in the Board Resolution, Officers’ Certificate or supplemental indenture in respect of a particular Series of Securities) before each such sinking fund payment date the Trustee shall select the Securities to be redeemed upon such sinking fund payment date in the manner specified in Section 3.02 and cause notice of the redemption thereof to be given in the name of and at the expense of the Company in the manner provided in Section 3.03. Such notice having been duly given, the redemption of such Securities shall be made upon the terms and in the manner stated in Sections 3.04, 3.05 and 3.06.

 

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Indenture to be duly executed and attested, all as of the day and year first above written.

 

Antelope Enterprise Holdings Limited  
              
By:    
Name:    
Title:    
     
as Trustee  
   
By:    
Name:    
Title:    

 

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Exhibit 23.1

 

Assentsure PAC

UEN – 201816648N

180B Bencoolen Street 03-01

The Bencoolen Singapore 189648

http://www.assentsure.com.sg

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form F-3 of our report dated January 29, 2026, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of Antelope Enterprise Holdings Limited and its subsidiaries, appearing in its Annual Report on Form 20-F for the transitional period from January 1, 2025 to September 30, 2025.

 

We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in this Registration Statement.

 

/s/ AssentSure PAC

Singapore

May 1, 2026

 

 

 

 

Exhibit 23.2

 

 

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

We consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement of Antelope Enterprise Holdings Ltd. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) on Form F-3 (Amendment No. 1) of our report dated May 10, 2024 included in its transition Report on Form 20-F for the transition period ended September 30, 2025, filed with the SEC on January 29, 2026; with respect to our audits of the consolidated statements of financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2023, and the related consolidated statements of comprehensive income (loss), changes in equity and cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2023.

 

We also consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Experts” in this Registration Statement.

 

/s/ ARK Pro CPA & Co

 

ARK PRO CPA & CO

Certified Public Accountants

 

Hong Kong, China

May 1, 2026

 

PCAOB Firm ID: 3299