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UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549
(Mark One)
☐ REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR 12(g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
☒ ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
FORM 20-F
For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022
OR
☐ TRANSITION REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
OR
☐ SHELL COMPANY REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of event requiring this shell company report _______________________
For the transition period from _________________ to _______________________
Commission file number 001-39109
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)
N/A
(Translation of Registrant’s name into English)
Cayman Islands
(Jurisdiction of incorporation or organization)
Room 602, Unit B4, Kexing Science Park
15 Keyuan Road, Technology Park
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518057
People’s Republic of China
(Address of principal executive offices)
Xi Zeng
Chief Executive Officer
Room 602, Unit B4, Kexing Science Park
15 Keyuan Road, Technology Park
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518057
People’s Republic of China
Phone: +86 755 2699 8968
(Name, Telephone, E-mail and/or Facsimile number and Address of Company Contact Person)
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
Title of each class
Trading Symbol(s)
Name of each exchange on which
registered
American depositary shares, each
representing 375 Class A ordinary shares,
par value US$0.0000001 per share
Class A ordinary shares, par value
US$0.0000001 per share*
DUO
The Nasdaq Global Market
The Nasdaq Global Market*
* Not for trading, but only in connection with the listing on the Nasdaq Global Market of American depository shares, each representing 375 Class A ordinary shares
Securities registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:
None
(Title of Class)
Securities for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act:
None
(Title of Class)
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Indicate the number of outstanding shares of each of the issuer’s classes of capital or common stock as of the close of the period covered by the annual report.
As of December 31, 2022, there were (i) 1,850,866,648 Class A ordinary shares issued and outstanding, par value of US$0.0000001 per share (excluding Class A ordinary
shares issued to the depositary bank for bulk issuance of ADSs reserved for future issuances upon the exercise or vesting of awards granted under our share incentive
plans), (ii) 619,938,058 Class B ordinary shares outstanding, par value of US$0.0000001 per share, and (iii) 75,000 Class C ordinary shares outstanding, par value of
US$0.0000001 per share.
Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act. Yes ☐ No ☒
If this report is an annual or transition report, indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes ☐ No ☒
Note – Checking the box above will not relieve any registrant required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 from their
obligations under those Sections.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Section 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the
preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90
days.
Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T (§
232.405 of this chapter) during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files). Yes ☒ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of
“large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.
Large accelerated filer ☐
Accelerated filer ☐
Non-accelerated filer ☒
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 financial accounting standards† provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐
† The term “new or revised financial accounting standard” refers to any update issued by the Financial Accounting Standards Board to its Accounting Standards
Codification after April 5, 2012.
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed a report on and attestation to its management’s assessment of the effectiveness of its internal control over financial
reporting under Section 404(b) of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act (15 U.S.C. 7262(b)) by the registered public accounting firm that prepared or issued its audit report.
Yes ☐ No ☒
If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the
correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.
Yes ☐ No ☐
Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the
registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to § 240.10D-1(b).
Yes ☐ No ☐
Indicate by check mark which basis of accounting the registrant has used to prepare the financial statements included in this filing:
U.S. GAAP ☒
International Financial Reporting
Standards as issued by the International
Accounting Standards Board ☐
Other ☐
If “Other” has been checked in response to the previous question, indicate by check mark which financial statement item the registrant has elected to follow. ☐ Item
17☐ Item 18
If this is an annual report, indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act). Yes ☐ No ☒
(APPLICABLE ONLY TO ISSUERS INVOLVED IN BANKRUPTCY PROCEEDINGS DURING THE PAST FIVE YEARS)
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has filed all documents and reports required to be filed by Sections 12, 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
subsequent to the distribution of securities under a plan confirmed by a court. Yes ☐ No ☐
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PART I
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS
ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION
ITEM 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY
ITEM 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS
ITEM 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES
ITEM 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING.
ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
ITEM 11. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES.
PART II
ITEM 13. DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES.
ITEM 14. MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF
PROCEEDS.
ITEM 15. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.
ITEM 16A. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.
ITEM 16B. CODE OF ETHICS.
ITEM 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.
ITEM 16D. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES.
ITEM 16E. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS.
ITEM 16F. CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT.
ITEM 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
ITEM 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
ITEM 16I. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
ITEM 16J. INSIDER TRADING POLICIES
PART III
ITEM 17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ITEM 18. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
ITEM 19. EXHIBITS.
SIGNATURES
FANGDD NETWORK GROUP LTD. INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
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Conventions Used in this Annual Report
In this annual report, unless otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires:
INTRODUCTION
● “ADSs” refer to the American depositary shares, each of which represents 375 of our Class A ordinary shares and “ADRs” refer
to the American depositary receipts that evidence our ADSs;
● “active agents” refer to real estate agents who have visited our marketplace and used one or more of its functions within a
period of time;
● “China” or “PRC” refers to the People’s Republic of China, excluding, for the purpose of this annual report only, Taiwan, Hong
Kong, and Macau;
● “Class A ordinary shares” refer to our class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.0000001 per share;
● “Class B ordinary shares” refer to our class B ordinary shares, par value US$0.0000001 per share;
● “Class C ordinary shares” refer to our class C ordinary shares, par value US$0.0000001 per share;
● “closed-loop GMV” refers to the GMV of closed-loop transactions facilitated in our marketplace during the specified period;
● “closed-loop transactions” refer to property transactions of which the major steps are completed or managed by real estate
agents in our marketplace;
● “commission-based GMV” refers to the GMV of commission-based transactions facilitated in our marketplace during the
specified period;
● “commission-based transactions” refer to property transactions from which we derive base commission revenue, which are
currently comprised of new property transactions facilitated in our marketplace;
● “Fangdd Network,” “variable interest entity” or “VIE” refers to Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., a company
incorporated in the People’s Republic of China in 2011;
● “GMV” refers to gross merchandise value, which is calculated as the total value of all transactions we facilitate on our
marketplace, including the value of the new property sales and resale property transactions and the total rent of the rental
property transactions;
● “new properties” refer to new residential properties, including new developments and ongoing projects from real estate
developers;
● “ordinary shares” refer to our Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares;
● “resale properties” refer to previously-owned residential properties for sale;
● “RMB” and “Renminbi” refer to the legal currency of China;
● “SaaS” refers to software as a service, a cloud-based software licensing and delivery model in which software and associated
data are centrally hosted;
● “US$,” “U.S. dollars,” “$” or “dollars” refers to the legal currency of the United States; and
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● “we,” “us,” “our company”, “our” and “Fangdd Cayman” refer to Fangdd Network Group Ltd., a Cayman Islands exempted
company and its subsidiaries and, in the context of describing our operations and consolidated financial information, also
include its consolidated PRC affiliated entities, including the VIE and its subsidiaries.
Our reporting currency is Renminbi because our business is mainly conducted in China and all of our revenues are denominated in
Renminbi. This annual report contains translations of Renminbi amounts into U.S. dollars at specific rates solely for the convenience of
the reader. Unless otherwise stated, all translations from Renminbi into U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to Renminbi in this annual
report were made at the rate of RMB6.8972 to US$1.00, the exchange rate in effect as of December 30, 2022 as set forth in the H.10
statistical release of the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. We make no representation that any Renminbi or U.S. dollar
amounts could have been, or could be, converted into U.S. dollars or Renminbi, as the case may be, at any particular rate, or at all.
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SPECIAL NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This annual report contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations and views of future events. These
forward-looking statements are made under the “safe-harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.
Known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, including those listed under “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors,”
may cause our actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from those expressed or implied by the forward-
looking statements.
You can identify these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “aim,”
“estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-
looking statements largely on our current expectations and projections about future events and financial trends that we believe may affect
our financial condition, results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements include, but are
not limited to, statements about:
● our mission and strategies;
● our future business development, financial condition and results of operations;
● expected changes in our revenues, costs or expenditures;
● our expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of our services;
● competition in our industry;
● government policies and regulations related to our industry; and
● assumptions underlying or related to any of the foregoing.
You should read this annual report and the documents that we refer to in this annual report and have filed as exhibits to this annual
report completely and with the understanding that our actual future results may be materially different from what we expect. Other
sections of this annual report include additional factors that could adversely impact our business and financial performance. Moreover,
we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our
management to predict all risk factors and uncertainties, nor can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which
any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in any forward-looking
statements. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements by these cautionary statements.
You should not rely upon forward-looking statements as predictions of future events. The forward-looking statements made in this
annual report relate only to events or information as of the date on which the statements are made in this annual report. Except as
required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new
information, future events or otherwise, after the date on which the statements are made or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated
events.
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PART I
Investing in our securities involves a high degree of risk. Please carefully consider the risks discussed under “Item 3. Key
Information—D. Risk Factors” in this annual report.
Our Holding Company Structure and Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and Its Shareholders
Fangdd Network Group Ltd. is not an operating company but a Cayman Islands holding company with operations primarily
conducted by its subsidiaries and variable interest entity, or the VIE, and the VIE’s subsidiaries. Foreign ownership in the business
involving value-added telecommunications service (except for e-commerce, domestic conferencing, store-and-forward, and call center
services), including internet real estate services, is subject to significant restrictions under current PRC laws, rules and regulations.
Accordingly, we operate these businesses in China through Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., which we refer to as
Fangdd Network or the VIE, in this annual report. A series of contractual arrangements were entered into among one of our wholly
owned PRC subsidiaries, Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd., which we refer to as Shenzhen Fangdd or the WFOE, the
VIE and the VIE’s nominee shareholders, which we refer to as the Fangdd Network VIE Agreements. These agreements allow the
WFOE to (i) direct the activities of the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries that most significantly impact the economic performance of the
VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries; (ii) receive substantially all of the economic benefits of the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries; and (iii) have
an exclusive option to purchase all or part of the equity interest in the VIE when and to the extent permitted by PRC law. As a result of
the Fangdd Network VIE Agreements, we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes and treat it as a PRC
consolidated entity under U.S. GAAP. We consolidate the financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial
statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. Neither we nor our investors own any equity ownership in, direct foreign investment in, or
control through such ownership/investment of the VIE. These Fangdd Network VIE Agreements have not been tested in a court of law in
the PRC. As a result, investors in our ADSs are not purchasing equity interest in our operating entities in China but instead are
purchasing equity interest in a Cayman Islands holding company.
As used in this annual report, (i) “Fangdd Network,” “variable interest entity” or “VIE” refers to Shenzhen Fangdd Network
Technology Co., Ltd., a company incorporated in the People’s Republic of China; (ii) “Shenzhen Fangdd,” or “WFOE” refers to
Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd.; (iii) “Fangdd Cayman” or “our holding company” refers to Fangdd Network Group
Ltd., our Cayman Islands holding company; and (iv) “we,” “us,” “our company,” or “our” refer to Fangdd Network Group Ltd. and its
subsidiaries and, in the context of describing our operations and consolidated financial information, also include the VIE and its
subsidiaries.
Our corporate structure is subject to risks associated with our contractual arrangements with the VIE. Our holding company that
investors will own may never have a direct ownership interest in the businesses that are conducted by the VIE. If the PRC government
finds that the agreements that establish the structure for operating our business in China do not comply with PRC laws and regulations, or
if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, we could be subject to
severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in the operations of the VIE. This would result in the VIE being deconsolidated.
The majority of our assets, including the necessary licenses to conduct business in China, are held by the VIE. A significant part of our
revenue is generated by the VIE. An event that results in the deconsolidation of the VIE would have a material adverse effect on our
operations and result in the ADSs diminishing substantially in value or even becoming worthless. Our holding company, the WFOE, the
VIE and our investors face uncertainty about potential future actions by the PRC government that could affect the enforceability of the
contractual arrangements with the VIE and, consequently, significantly affect the financial performance of the VIE and our company as a
whole. For a detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure” in this annual report.
We and the VIE face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties related to doing business in Mainland China and Hong
Kong. A significant part of our business operations in China are conducted through the VIE, and we are subject to complex and evolving
PRC laws and regulations. For example, we and the VIE face risks associated with regulatory approvals on offshore offerings, the use of
variable interest entities, anti-monopoly regulatory actions, and oversight on cybersecurity and data privacy, which may impact our
ability to conduct certain businesses, accept foreign investments, or list on a United States or other foreign exchange. These risks could
result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to
offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause such securities to significantly decline in value or become worthless. For a
detailed description of risks related to doing business in China, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing
Business in China.”
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The Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act
Pursuant to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCA Act, if the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
or the SEC, determines that a company retains a foreign accounting firm that cannot be subject to inspections by the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board, or the PCAOB, for two consecutive years, the SEC will prohibit its securities from being traded on a
national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a
report relaying to the SEC its determinations that the board was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting
firms in Mainland China and Hong Kong. In March 2022, the SEC issued its first “Conclusive list of issuers identified under the HFCA
Act” indicating that those companies were formally subject to the delisting provisions. In May 2022, we were conclusively identified by
the SEC under the HFCA Act due to the fact that our previous auditor was located in Mainland China and could not be inspected by the
PCAOB. See https://www.sec.gov/hfcaa.
On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB signed with the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC, and the Ministry of
Finance of the PRC a Statement of Protocol, which gives the PCAOB sole discretion to select the firms, audit engagements and potential
violations it inspects and investigates and put in place procedures for PCAOB inspectors and investigators to view complete audit work
papers with all information included and for the PCAOB to retain information as needed. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB issued a
report that vacated its December 16, 2021 determination and removed Mainland China and Hong Kong from the list of jurisdictions
where it was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms. Each year, the PCAOB will determine
whether it can inspect and investigate completely audit firms in Mainland China and Hong Kong, among other jurisdictions.
We have engaged our current auditor, a Singapore-based accounting firm that is registered with the PCAOB, as our independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, and our current auditor can be inspected under the
PCAOB requirements. However, if the PCAOB determines in the future that it no longer has full access to inspect and investigate
completely accounting firms in Mainland China and Hong Kong, it may create uncertainties about the ability of our current auditor to
fully cooperate with the PCAOB’s request for audit workpapers. Such lack of inspection could cause trading in our securities to be
prohibited under the HFCA Act and ultimately result in a determination by a securities exchange to delist our securities. If our shares and
ADSs are prohibited from trading in the United States, there is no certainty that we will be able to list on a non-U.S. exchange or that a
market for our shares will develop outside of the United States. Such a prohibition would substantially impair your ability to sell or
purchase our ADSs when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with delisting would cause our ADSs to significantly
decline in value or become worthless. Also, such a prohibition would significantly affect our ability to raise capital on terms acceptable
to us, or at all, which would have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and prospects. For more details, see
“Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors —Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Our ADSs may be prohibited from trading in
the United States under the HFCA Act in the future if the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely auditors located in
China. The delisting of our ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.”
Permissions Required from the PRC Authorities for Our Operations
We conduct our business primarily through our PRC subsidiaries, the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries in China. Our operations in
China are governed by PRC laws and regulations. As of the date of this annual report, our PRC subsidiaries, the VIE and the VIE’s
subsidiaries have obtained the requisite licenses and permits from the PRC government authorities that are material for the business
operations of our subsidiaries and our consolidated affiliated entities in China, including, among others, the Value-Added
Telecommunication Business Operating License and the Certificate of Filing of Real Estate Brokerage Business. Given the uncertainties
of interpretation and implementation of relevant laws and regulations and the enforcement practice by relevant government authorities,
we may be required to obtain additional licenses, permits, filings or approvals for the functions and services of our platform in the future.
For more detailed information, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks related to Our Business and Industry—If we fail
to obtain or keep licenses, permits or approvals applicable to the various real estate services provided by us, we may incur significant
financial penalties and other government sanctions.”
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The PRC government has recently indicated an intent to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas
and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers. For example, on February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated a set of new regulations,
including the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas Securities Offerings and Listings by Domestic Companies, or the Trial
Measures, and five supporting guidelines. The regulations came into effect on March 31, 2023. The Trial Measures refine the regulatory
system by subjecting both direct and indirect overseas offering and listing activities to the CSRC filing-based administration.
Requirements for filing entities, time points and procedures are specified. Where a PRC domestic company indirectly offers and lists
securities in overseas markets, the issuer shall designate a major domestic operating entity to file with the CSRC. Companies, like us,
that are already listed overseas as of March 31, 2023 are not required to make an immediate filing with the CSRC until a subsequent
offering, in which case a filing should be made with the CSRC within three business days after the offering is completed. Failure to
complete the filing required by the Trial Measures may result in a warning and a fine between RMB1 million and RMB10 million.
Additionally, on December 28, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China, or the CAC, together with another twelve regulatory
authorities jointly issued the Cybersecurity Review Measures, which came into effect on February 15, 2022. The Cybersecurity Review
Measures require that, an online platform operator that possesses personal data of more than one million users shall declare to the Office
of Cybersecurity Review for cybersecurity review before listing in a foreign country. For more detailed information, see “Item 3. Key
Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks related to Doing Business in China—The approval of and the filing with the CSRC, CAC or other
PRC governmental authorities may be required in connection with our future offshore offerings under PRC law and if required, we
cannot predict whether or how soon we will be able to obtain such approval or complete such filing.”
Furthermore, in connection with our previous issuance of securities to investors, under current PRC laws, regulations and regulatory
rules, as of the date of this annual report, we, our PRC subsidiaries, the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries, (i) are not required to obtain
permissions or approvals from the CSRC, and (ii) are not required to go through cybersecurity review by the CAC, because (i) the
ownership structures of our PRC subsidiaries and VIE were not established through acquisition of equity interest or assets of any PRC
domestic company by foreign entities as defined under the Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign
Investor, and (ii) the Cybersecurity Review Measures do not provide any explanation or interpretation of “affect or may affect national
security.” In addition, we, our PRC subsidiaries, the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries have not been asked to obtain or denied such
permissions by any PRC authority, nor have we received any inquiry, notice, warning or sanctions regarding our corporate structure and
contractual arrangements from the CSRC, CAC or any other PRC governmental agency. However, there are substantial uncertainties
regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws. Accordingly, a PRC government agency may take a view
that is contrary to the above conclusion.
Doing Business in China
We and the VIE face risks and uncertainties related to doing business in China in general, including, but not limited to, the
following:
● Changes in China’s economic, political or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our
business and operations. The enforcement of laws and regulations in China could be uncertain and the rules and policies in
China may change quickly with little advance notice, which could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the
value of our ADSs. See “Item 3. Key Information— D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC
government’s significant oversight over our business operation could result in a material adverse change in our operations and
the value of our ADSs;”
● The PRC government’s significant oversight over our business operation could result in a material adverse change in our
operations and the value of our ADSs. The Chinese government may intervene or influence our operations at any time, or may
exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could result in a
material change in our operations and/or the value of our ADSs. Any actions by the Chinese government to exert more
oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers could
significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of
such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to
Doing Business in China—The PRC government’s significant oversight over our business operation could result in a material
adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs;” and
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● We believe that we are not required to submit an application for the approval under the M&A Rules for an offshore offering.
However, the approval and/or other requirements of the CSRC, CAC or other PRC governmental authorities may be required
under future laws and regulations in connection with an offering under PRC rules, regulations or policies, and, if required, we
cannot predict whether or how soon we will be able to obtain such approval. As of the date of this annual report, we have not
received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanctions regarding offshore offering from the CSRC, CAC or any other PRC
government authorities. Any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining the requisite governmental approval for an offering, or a
rescission of such approval, may subject us to sanctions imposed by the relevant PRC regulatory authority. See “Item 3. Key
Information—D. Risk Factors —Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The approval of and the filing with the CSRC,
CAC or other PRC governmental authorities may be required in connection with our future offshore offerings under PRC law
and if required, we cannot predict whether or how soon we will be able to obtain such approval or complete such filing.”
Since 2021, the PRC government has initiated a series of regulatory actions and guidelines to regulate business operations in China,
including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, enhancing supervision over China-based companies listed overseas,
adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews and strength the administration on data cross-border transfer,
regulating overseas securities offering and listing, and expanding the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement, which may impact our ability
to conduct business, accept foreign investments, or list on a U.S. or other foreign exchange.
● On July 6, 2021, the General Office of the Communist Party of China Central Committee and the General Office of the State
Council jointly made public the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities Activities in Accordance with the Law.
These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities activities and the supervision on
overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting the construction of
relevant regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. As these
opinions are recently issued, official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued yet and the interpretation
of these opinions remains unclear at this stage.
● The PRC Data Security Law, which was promulgated by the Standing Committee of PRC National People’s Congress, or the
SCNPC, on June 10, 2021 and became effective on September 1, 2021, outlines the main system framework of data security
protection. The Personal Information Protection Law, which was promulgated by the SCNPC on August 20, 2021 and became
effective on November 1, 2021, outlines the main system framework of personal information protection and processing. Given
that these laws were recently promulgated or issued, their interpretation, application and enforcement are subject to substantial
uncertainties.
● The PRC government authorities have taken steps to limit the method and manner that the internet companies may apply when
using the algorithms. For instance, the CAC, together with eight other government authorities, jointly issued the Guidelines on
Strengthening the Comprehensive Regulation of Algorithms for Internet Information Services on September 17, 2021, which
provide that daily monitoring of data use, application scenarios, and effects of algorithms must be carried out by the relevant
regulators, and relevant regulators should conduct security assessments of algorithms. The guidelines also provide that an
algorithm filing system should be established, and classified security management of algorithms should be promoted. In
addition, on December 31, 2021, the CAC, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the PRC, or the MIIT, the
Ministry of Public Security, and the State Administration for Market Regulation, the SAMR, promulgated the Administrative
Provisions on Internet Information Service Algorithm-Based Recommendation, which became effective on March 1, 2022. The
Administrative Provisions on Internet Information Service Algorithm-Based Recommendation stipulate that algorithm-based
recommendation service providers should inform users of their provision of algorithm-based recommendation services in a
conspicuous manner, and publicize the basic principles, purpose intentions, and main operating mechanisms of algorithm-based
recommendation services in an appropriate manner, and shall provide users with the function of selecting or deleting user tags
based on their personal characteristics used for algorithm recommendation services. Regulatory requirements and enforcement
regarding the Administrative Provisions on Internet Information Service Algorithm-Based Recommendation are constantly
evolving, and the levels of practice in industrial implementation are not same. We will continue to take necessary measures and
will closely monitor the regulatory development and adjust our business operations from time to time to comply with the
regulations over algorithm-based recommendation.
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● On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the draft Regulations for the Administration of Cyber Data Security, or the Draft
Data Security Regulations, for public comments until December 13, 2021. The Draft Data Security Regulations require that a
data processor who processes personal information of more than one million individuals shall (i) go through the cyber security
review if it intends to be listed in a foreign country; (ii) report to the local CAC within 15 working days once identifying any
important data. Where data processors conduct merger, reorganization separation, or otherwise, the data recipient shall continue
to perform its data security protection obligations, and the data processor shall report to the local competent department if
personal information of more than one million people is involved. The Draft Data Security Regulations also require a data
processor processing important data or being listed outside China shall carry out data security assessment annually by itself or
through a third-party data security service provider and submit assessment report to local agency of the CAC. As no detailed
rules or implementation of the Draft Data Security Regulations have been issued, the CAC and the PRC governmental
authorities may have wide discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of these regulations. It also remains uncertain
whether the future regulatory changes would impose additional restrictions on companies like us. We cannot predict the impact
of the Draft Data Security Regulations, if any, at this stage, and we will closely monitor and assess any development in the
rulemaking process. If the enacted version of the Draft Data Security Regulations requires any clearance of cybersecurity
review and other specific actions to be completed by companies like us, we face uncertainties as to whether such clearance can
be timely obtained, or at all. If we are not able to comply with the cybersecurity and data privacy requirements in a timely
manner, or at all, we may be subject to government enforcement actions and investigations, fines, penalties, or suspension of
our non-compliant operations, among other sanctions, which could materially and adversely affect our business and results of
operations.
● On December 28, 2021, the CAC and 12 other PRC regulatory authorities jointly revised and issued the Cyber Security Review
Measures. The Cyber Security Review Measures provide, among others, (i) the purchase of cyber products and services by
critical information infrastructure operators that affects or may affect national security and the data processing activities
engaged in by network platform operators that affect or may affect national security shall be subject to the cybersecurity review
by the Cybersecurity Review Office, the department which is responsible for the implementation of cybersecurity review under
the CAC; and (ii) the network platform operators with personal information data of more than one million users that seek for
listing in a foreign country are obliged to apply for a cybersecurity review by the Cybersecurity Review Office. However, the
Cyber Security Review Measures do not provide any explanation or interpretation of “affect or may affect national security”,
and the Chinese government may have broad discretion in interpreting and enforcing these laws and regulations. We cannot
predict the impact of the Cyber Security Review Measures, if any, at this stage, and we will closely monitor and assess the
statutory developments in this regard.
● On July 7, 2022, the CAC issued the Measures for the Security Assessment of Data Cross-border Transfer, which became
effective on September 1, 2022. The Measures for the Security Assessment of Data Cross-border Transfer require that any data
processor providing important data collected and generated during operations within the territory of the PRC or personal
information that should be subject to security assessment according to law to an overseas recipient shall conduct security
assessment. The Measures for the Security Assessment of Data Cross-border Transfer provide four circumstances, under any of
which data processors shall, through the local cyberspace administration at the provincial level, apply to the national cyberspace
administration for security assessment of data cross-border transfer. These circumstances include (i) where a data processor
transfers important data overseas; (ii) where a critical information infrastructure operator, or a data processor processing the
personal information of more than one million individuals, who, in either case, transfers personal information overseas; (iii)
where a data processor who has, since January 1 of the previous year cumulatively transferred overseas the personal
information of more than 100,000 individuals, or the sensitive personal information of more than 10,000 individuals; or (iv)
other circumstances under which security assessment of data cross-border transfer is required as prescribed by the national
cyberspace administration. Any failure to comply with such requirements may subject us to, among others, suspension of
services, fines, revoking relevant business permits or business licenses and penalties.
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● On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated a set of new regulations, including the Trial Administrative Measures of
Overseas Securities Offerings and Listings by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, and five supporting guidelines. The
regulations came into effect on March 31, 2023. The Trial Measures refine the regulatory system by subjecting both direct and
indirect overseas offering and listing activities to the CSRC filing-based administration. Requirements for filing entities, time
points and procedures are specified. Where a PRC domestic company indirectly offers and lists securities in overseas markets,
the issuer shall designate a major domestic operating entity to file with the CSRC. Companies that are already listed overseas as
of March 31, 2023 are not required to make an immediate filing with the CSRC until a subsequent offering, in which case a
filing should be made with the CSRC within three business days after the offering is completed. Failure to complete the filing
required by the Trial Measures may result in a warning and a fine between RMB1 million and RMB10 million. However,
uncertainty remains as to the details of these regulations and their interpretation and implementation upon promulgation.
● The State Anti-Monopoly Bureau, the anti-monopoly enforcement agency in the PRC, has in recent years strengthened
enforcement under the Anti-Monopoly Law, including conducting investigations and levying significant fines with respect to
concentration of undertakings, cartel activity, monopoly agreements and abusive behavior by companies with market
dominance. In February 2021, the Anti-Monopoly Committee of the State Council published the guideline that aims at
specifying some of the circumstances under which an activity of internet platforms may be identified as a monopolistic act as
well as setting out merger controlling filing procedures involving variable interest entities. We cannot assure you that we will
not be affected, either directly or indirectly, by the strengthened enforcements actions taken by the authority. In addition, in
order to comply with existing and new anti-monopoly laws, regulations and guidance which are constantly evolving, we may
need to devote additional resources and efforts, which may adversely affect our business, growth prospects, and the value of our
ADSs, and any incompliance or associated inquiries, investigations and other governmental actions may divert significant
management time and attention and our financial resources, bring negative publicity, subject us to liabilities or administrative
penalties, and materially and adversely affect our financial condition, operations and business prospects.
For a detailed description of risks related to doing business in China, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related
to Doing Business in China” and “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation” in this annual report on
Form 20-F.
Cash Flows Through Our Organization
Under our current corporate structure, we may rely on dividend payments from our subsidiaries, to fund any cash and financing
requirements we may have. As of the date of this annual report, none of our subsidiaries have ever issued any dividends or made other
distributions to us or their respective holding companies nor have we or any of our subsidiaries ever paid dividends or made other
distributions to U.S. investors. We currently intend to retain all future earnings to finance business operations. As a result, we do not
expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute dividends to us
or on the ability of the VIE to make payments to us may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements. If any of our subsidiaries
incurs debt on its own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us. To the
extent cash in the business is in the PRC or a PRC entity, and may need to be used to fund operations outside of the PRC, the funds may
not be available due to limitations placed by the government. For more details, see “Item 3. Key Information—A. [Reserved]—Transfer
of Cash Through Our Organization,” “Item 3. Key Information—A. [Reserved]—Impact of Taxation on Dividends or Distributions,” and
“Item 3. Key Information—A. [Reserved]—Restrictions and Limitations on Transfer of Capital.”
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ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS
Not applicable.
ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
Not applicable.
ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION
Our Corporate Structure and Related Risks
Fangdd Network Group Ltd. is a Cayman Islands holding company with no material operations of its own. We conduct our
operations in China primarily through our PRC subsidiary Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd., or Shenzhen Fangdd or
the WFOE, the VIE Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., or Fangdd Network or the VIE, and the VIE’s subsidiaries.
Foreign ownership in the business involving value-added telecommunications service (except for e-commerce, domestic conferencing,
store-and-forward, and call center services), including internet real estate services, is subject to significant restrictions under current PRC
laws, rules and regulations. Accordingly, these businesses are operated by the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries. Investors in our ADSs thus
are not purchasing equity interest in our operating entities in China but instead are purchasing equity interest in a Cayman Islands
holding company.
The following chart illustrates our corporate structure as of the date of this annual report.
(1) Shareholders of Fangdd Network are Yi Duan, Jiancheng Li, Xi Zeng, Wei Zhang, Li Zhou, Jingjing Huang, Jiaorong Pan, Wentao
Bai and Ying Lu, holding 31.95%, 19.75%, 16.87%, 9.0%, 8.87%, 8.0%, 2.66%, 2.0% and 0.9%, respectively, of the equity interest
in Fangdd Network. Yi Duan is our director. Xi Zeng is our chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer. Jiaorong
Pan is our director and chief operating officer.
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(2) As of the date of this annual report, Fangdd Network had 24 wholly owned subsidiaries.
Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and Its Shareholders
Neither we nor our subsidiaries own any equity interest in the VIE. The equity interest in the VIE is legally held by individuals who
act as nominee shareholders of the VIE on behalf of the WFOE. A series of contractual arrangements were entered into between the
WFOE, the VIE and the VIE’s shareholders, which we refer to as the Fangdd Network VIE Agreements. The Fangdd Network VIE
Agreements were originally entered into in March 2014 and subsequently amended to include registration of the Equity Interest Pledge
Agreements with the relevant registration authority and amended when three nominee shareholders transferred equity interest in Fangdd
Network to other nominee shareholders in 2017. The Fangdd Network VIE Agreements allow the WFOE to (i) direct the activities of the
VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries that most significantly impact the economic performance of the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries; (ii)
receive substantially all of the economic benefits of the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries; and (iii) have an exclusive option to purchase all
or part of the equity interest in the VIE when and to the extent permitted by PRC law. As a result of the Fangdd Network VIE
Agreements, we are the primary beneficiary of the VIE for accounting purposes and treat it as a PRC consolidated entity under U.S.
GAAP. We consolidate the financial results of the VIE in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
The Fangdd Network VIE Agreements include Business Operation Agreement, Powers of Attorney, Equity Interest Pledge
Agreements, Option Agreements, Operation Maintenance Service Agreement and Technology Development and Application Service
Agreement. The following is a brief description of the Fangdd Network VIE Agreements:
● Business Operation Agreement. Pursuant to the business operation agreement, Fangdd Network and its shareholders undertake
that without the Shenzhen Fangdd’s prior written consent, Fangdd Network shall not (i) enter into any transactions that may
have material effects on Fangdd Network’s assets, obligations, rights or business operations, (ii) sell, transfer, pledge or
otherwise dispose of any rights associated with their equity interest in Fangdd Network, (iii) approve any merger or acquisition
of Fangdd Network, (iv) take any actions that may have a material adverse effect on Fangdd Network’s assets, businesses and
liabilities, or sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose or impose other encumbrances of any assets, businesses or income of
Fangdd Network, (v) request Fangdd Network to declare dividend or make other distribution, (vi) amend Fangdd Network’s
articles of association and (vii) increase, decrease or otherwise change Fangdd Network’s registered capital. Shenzhen Fangdd
may request Fangdd Network to transfer at any time all the intellectual property rights held by Fangdd Network to Shenzhen
Fangdd or any person designated by the Shenzhen Fangdd. Fangdd Network and certain of its shareholders, including Yi Duan,
Jiancheng Li and Xi Zeng, shall be jointly and severally responsible for the performance of their obligations under this
agreement.
● Powers of Attorney. Each shareholder of Fangdd Network has issued a power of attorney, irrevocably appointing Mr. Jiancheng
Li, the director of Shenzhen Fangdd, or any person designated by Shenzhen Fangdd, as such shareholder’s attorney-in-fact to
exercise all shareholder rights.
● Equity Interest Pledge Agreements. Pursuant to the equity interest pledge agreements, Fangdd Network’s shareholders have
pledged all of his or her equity interest in Fangdd Network to Shenzhen Fangdd to guarantee the performance by Fangdd
Network and its shareholders of their obligations under the master agreements, which include technology development and
application service agreement, the operation maintenance service agreement, the business operation agreement and the option
agreements.
● Option Agreements. Pursuant to the option agreements, Fangdd Network’s shareholder has irrevocably granted Shenzhen
Fangdd an exclusive option, to the extent permitted by PRC law, to purchase, or have its designated person or persons to
purchase, at its discretion all or part of the shareholder’s equity interest in Fangdd Network or all or part of Fangdd Network’s
assets.
● Operation Maintenance Service Agreement. Pursuant to the operation maintenance service agreement, Shenzhen Fangdd has
the exclusive right to provide Fangdd Network with operation maintenance services and marketing services.
● Technology Development and Application Service Agreement. Pursuant to the technology development and application service
agreement, Shenzhen Fangdd has the exclusive right to provide Fangdd Network with technology development and application
services.
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For a summary of the material provisions of the Fangdd Network VIE Agreements, please refer to “Item 4. Information on the
Company—C. Organizational Structure” in this annual report on Form 20-F.
The contractual arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over Fangdd Network, and we
may incur substantial costs to enforce the terms of the arrangements. The legal environment in the PRC is not as developed as in other
jurisdictions, such as the United States. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability, as a Cayman Islands
holding company, to enforce these contractual arrangements and doing so may be quite costly. There are also substantial uncertainties
regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules regarding the status of the rights of our
Cayman Islands holding company with respect to its contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders. It is uncertain whether
any new PRC laws, rules or regulations related to VIE structures will be adopted or if adopted, what effect they may have on our
corporate structure. If, as a result of such contractual arrangements, we or Fangdd Network is found to be in violation of any existing or
future PRC laws or regulations, or such contractual arrangement is determined as illegal and invalid by the PRC court, arbitral tribunal or
regulatory authorities, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities would have broad discretion to take action in dealing with such violations
or failures. For a detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure, please refer to risks disclosed under “Item 3.D.
Key Information—Risk Factors— Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure” in this annual report on Form 20-F.
We and the VIE are also subject to risks and uncertainties related to our corporate structure, including, but not limited to, the
following:
● We believe that our corporate structure and contractual arrangements comply with the current applicable PRC laws and
regulations. As of the date of this annual report, based on the opinion of our PRC legal counsel, we believe that our PRC
subsidiaries and the VIE are not subject to permission requirements from the CSRC, the CAC, nor any other entity to approve
these contractual arrangements. However, PRC laws and regulations governing the approval of these contractual arrangements
are uncertain and the relevant government authorities have broad discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations.
Accordingly, the PRC regulatory authorities may take a view that is contrary to the view of our PRC counsel. There can be no
assurance that the PRC government authorities such as the Ministry of Commerce, or the MOFCOM, the MIIT, or other
authorities that regulate our business and other participants in the telecommunications industry, would agree that our corporate
structure or any of the above contractual arrangements comply with PRC licensing, registration or other regulatory
requirements, with existing policies or with requirements or policies that may be adopted in the future. PRC laws and
regulations governing the approval of these contractual arrangements are uncertain and the relevant government authorities
have broad discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations. As of the date of this annual report, we have not received any
inquiry, notice, warning, or sanctions regarding our corporate structure and contractual arrangements from the CSRC, CAC or
any other PRC government authorities. If we inadvertently conclude that approvals are not required, or if these regulations
change or are interpreted differently and we are required to obtain approval in the future, our shares may decline in value or
become worthless if we are unable to assert our contractual control rights over the assets of our PRC subsidiaries that conduct
all or substantially all of our operations. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate
Structure—If the PRC government deems that our contractual arrangements with the VIE do not comply with PRC regulatory
restrictions on foreign investment in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations
change in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations;”
● We rely on contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders for our business operations, and these contractual
arrangements may not be as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over the VIE. We rely on the
performance by the VIE and its shareholders of their obligations under the contracts to exercise control over the VIE. The
shareholders of the VIE may not act in the best interests of us or may not perform their obligations under these contracts. Such
risks exist throughout the period in which we intend to operate certain portion of our business through the contractual
arrangements with the VIE. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—We
rely on contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders to exercise control over our business, which may not be as
effective as direct ownership in providing operational control;”
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● Any failure by the VIE or its shareholders to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would
have a material adverse effect on our business. If the VIE or its shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations under
the contractual arrangements, we may have to incur substantial costs and expend additional resources to enforce such
arrangements. We may also have to rely on legal remedies under PRC law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive
relief, and claiming damages, which we cannot assure you will be effective under PRC law. See “Item 3. Key Information—D.
Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—Any failure by the VIE or its shareholders to perform their
obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would have a material and adverse effect on our business;” and
● The shareholders of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect our
business and financial condition. The shareholders of the VIE may breach, or cause the VIE to breach, or refuse to renew, the
existing contractual arrangements we have with them and the VIE, which would have a material adverse effect on our ability to
effectively control the VIE and receive economic benefits from them. If we cannot resolve any conflict of interest or dispute
between us and these shareholders, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in disruption of our business
and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome of any such legal proceedings. See “Item 3. Key Information—D.
Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—The shareholders of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest
with us, which may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.”
A.
[Reserved]
Financial Information Related to the VIE and Parent
Set forth below are the condensed consolidating schedules showing the results of operations, financial position and cash flows for
our holding company, the VIE and its subsidiaries and our other subsidiaries, eliminating adjustments and consolidated totals for the
periods and as of the dates presented.
Condensed Consolidated Schedule of Results of Operations
Condensed Consolidated Schedule of Results of Operations
Revenue(1)
Cost of revenue(1)
Gross profit
Operating expenses
Loss from operations
Other income (expenses)(1)
Equity loss of subsidiaries and the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries(2)
Loss before income tax
Income tax expense
Net loss
For the Year Ended December 31, 2022
Parent
Other
Subsidiaries
VIE and Its Eliminating Consolidated
Adjustments
Totals
Subsidiaries
(in RMB thousands)
239,879
(213,628)
26,251
(58,251)
(32,000)
(8,580)
—
(40,580)
(3,142)
(43,722)
6,906
(7,585)
(679)
(63,587)
(64,266)
14,925
—
(49,341)
(4,345)
(53,686)
(837)
—
(837)
14,786
13,949
743
111,344
126,036
—
126,036
245,948
(221,213)
24,735
(274,128)
(249,393)
17,292
—
(232,101)
(7,487)
(239,588)
—
—
—
(167,076)
(167,076)
10,204
(111,344)
(268,216)
—
(268,216)
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Condensed Consolidated Schedule of Results of Operations
Revenue(1)
Cost of revenue(1)
Gross profit
Operating expenses
Loss from operations
Other income (expenses)(1)
Equity loss of subsidiaries and the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries(2)
Loss before income tax
Income tax credit (expense)
Net loss
Condensed Consolidated Schedule of Results of Operations
Revenue(1)
Cost of revenue(1)
Gross profit
Operating expenses
Income from operations
Other income (expenses)(1)
Equity loss of subsidiaries and the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries(2)
Loss before income tax
Income tax credit (expense)
Net loss
For the Year Ended December 31, 2021
Other
Parent
Subsidiaries
VIE and Its
Subsidiaries
Eliminating Consolidated
Adjustments
Totals
—
—
—
(13,058)
(13,058)
2,462
(626,570)
(637,166)
—
(637,166)
41,251
(5,880)
35,371
(190,134)
(154,763)
(25,652)
—
(180,415)
1,854
(178,561)
(in RMB thousands)
905,284
(829,993)
75,291
(891,441)
(816,150)
(206,935)
—
(1,023,085)
(8,854)
(1,031,939)
(4,155)
—
(4,155)
30,831
26,676
(6,670)
626,570
646,576
(1,907)
644,669
942,380
(835,873)
106,507
(1,063,802)
(957,295)
(236,795)
—
(1,194,090)
(8,907)
(1,202,997)
For the Year Ended December 31, 2020
Other
Parent
Subsidiaries
VIE and its
subsidiaries
Eliminating Consolidated
Adjustments
Totals
—
—
—
(13,607)
(13,607)
3,366
(115,964)
(126,205)
—
(126,205)
351
(101)
250
(20,291)
(20,041)
3,097
—
(16,944)
98
(16,846)
(in RMB thousands)
2,450,937
(2,036,664)
414,273
(606,740)
(192,467)
125,320
—
(67,147)
(16,138)
(83,285)
(1)
(56)
(57)
152
95
(112,473)
115,964
3,586
1,375
4,961
2,451,287
(2,036,821)
414,466
(640,486)
(226,020)
19,310
—
(206,710)
(14,665)
(221,375)
Notes:
(1) Intercompany provision of services of promotion, entrusted loan services, sales of software copyright were eliminated at the
consolidation level.
(2) It represents the elimination of the investment in the VIE and its subsidiaries by Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
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Condensed Consolidated Schedule of Financial Position
Condensed Consolidating Schedule of Financial Position
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash
Short-term investments
Accounts receivable, net
Prepayments and other current assets
Amounts due from subsidiaries and VIE(2)
Others(1)
Total assets
Short-term bank borrowings
Accounts payable
Customers’ refundable fees
Accrued expenses and other payables
Amounts due to subsidiaries and VIE(2)
Others
Total liabilities
Total equity (deficit)
As of December 31, 2022
Parent
Other
Subsidiaries
VIE and Its Eliminating
Adjustments
Subsidiaries
(in RMB thousands)
Consolidated
Totals
22,710
—
—
—
—
1,666,630
—
1,689,340
—
—
—
27,224
—
—
27,224
1,662,116
64,374
—
—
4,728
4,747
1,952,730
113,713
2,140,292
—
20,920
—
12,813
2,355,022
5,899
2,394,654
(254,362)
56,850
38,811
2,000
466,269
188,144
600,557
227,075
1,579,706
72,500
638,295
30,747
145,088
1,535,076
31,784
2,453,490
(873,784)
—
—
—
—
(895)
(4,219,917)
(111,847)
(4,332,659)
—
—
—
(3,985)
(3,890,098)
—
(3,894,083)
(438,576)
143,934
38,811
2,000
470,997
191,996
—
228,941
1,076,679
72,500
659,215
30,747
181,140
—
37,683
981,285
95,394
As of December 31, 2021
Condensed Consolidating Schedule of Financial Position
Parent
Other
Subsidiaries
Consolidated
Totals
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash
Short-term investments
Accounts receivable, net
Prepayments and other current assets
Amounts due from subsidiaries and VIE(2)
Others(1)
Total assets
Short-term bank borrowings
Accounts payable
Customers’ refundable fees
Accrued expenses and other payables
Amounts due to subsidiaries and VIE(2)
Others
Total liabilities
Total equity (deficit)
162,974
—
—
—
—
1,764,671
—
1,927,645
—
—
—
28,207
—
—
28,207
1,899,438
VIE and Its Eliminating
Adjustments
Subsidiaries
(in RMB thousands)
227,742
24,131
6,150
879,103
206,689
627,140
284,624
2,255,579
134,780
1,154,572
30,997
171,725
1,569,400
27,984
3,089,458
(833,879)
—
—
—
—
2,045
(4,251,165)
(126,842)
(4,375,962)
—
—
—
9,012
(3,676,928)
—
(3,667,916)
(708,045)
101,391
—
—
5,637
11,437
1,859,354
127,902
2,105,721
—
21,371
—
29,254
2,107,528
1,404
2,159,557
(53,837)
492,107
24,131
6,150
884,740
220,171
—
285,684
1,912,983
134,780
1,175,943
30,997
238,198
—
29,388
1,609,306
303,677
Notes:
(1) Intercompany provision of services of promotion, entrusted loan services, sales of software copyright were eliminated at the
consolidation level.
(2) It represents the elimination of intercompany balances among the parent, the VIE and its subsidiaries and our other subsidiaries.
15
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Condensed Consolidated Schedule of Cash Flows
Condensed Consolidating Schedule of Cash Flows
For the Year Ended December 31, 2022
Other
VIE and Its Eliminating Consolidated
Parent
Subsidiaries
Subsidiaries Adjustments
Totals
Net cash used in operating activities(1)
Net cash used in investing activities(1)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities(1)
Effect of exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the year
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the year
(5,064)
(149,372)
3,136
11,036
(140,264)
162,974
22,710
(24,555)
(2,838)
(10,000)
376
(37,017)
101,391
64,374
(in RMB thousands)
(77,162)
(8,355)
(70,695)
—
(156,212)
251,873
95,661
(20,202)
1,297
18,905
—
—
—
—
(126,983)
(159,268)
(58,654)
11,412
(333,493)
516,238
182,745
For the Year Ended December 31, 2021
Condensed Consolidating Schedule of Cash Flows
Net cash used in operating activities(1)
Net cash used in investing activities(1)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities(1)
Effect of exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted
cash
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the
year
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the year
Condensed Consolidating Schedule of Cash Flows
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities(1)
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities(1)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities(1)
Effect of exchange rates on cash, cash equivalents and restricted
cash
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the
year
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the year
(60,618)
(43,725)
(307,129)
(8,320)
(419,792)
936,030
516,238
Parent
Other
Subsidiaries
VIE and Its Eliminating Consolidated
Adjustments
Totals
(18,400)
(128,192)
—
(22,052)
(55,004)
43,426
Subsidiaries
(in RMB thousands)
(20,162)
(43,725)
(167,363)
(4)
183,196
(183,192)
—
(146,592)
(8,320)
(41,950)
—
(231,250)
309,566
162,974
143,341
101,391
483,123
251,873
—
—
—
—
For the Year Ended December 31, 2020
Parent
Other
Subsidiaries
VIE and Its Eliminating Consolidated
Adjustments
Totals
(5,894)
(115,569)
—
606,356
(803,000)
115,569
Subsidiaries
(in RMB thousands)
(312,630)
14,500
134,964
(612,827)
909,917
(297,090)
(324,995)
5,848
(46,557)
—
(121,463)
(32,138)
(113,213)
—
(163,166)
—
—
(32,138)
(397,842)
431,029
309,566
256,554
143,341
646,289
483,123
—
—
1,333,872
936,030
Note:
(1) It represents the cash flows that have occurred among the parent, the VIE and its subsidiaries and our other subsidiaries, including
bank entrusted loan, equity investment and other operating activities.
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Roll-Forward of the Amounts Due From Subsidiaries and VIE
Amounts Due From Subsidiaries and VIE
2020
As of January 1
Cash paid to other subsidiaries
Cash received on behalf of other subsidiaries
Equity loss of subsidiaries and the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries
Share based compensation
Effect of foreign currency translation
As of December 31
Transfer of Cash Through Our Organization
2022
For the Year Ended December 31,
2021
(in RMB thousands)
2,219,626
128,192
—
(626,570)
47,067
(3,664)
1,764,671
2,145,325
648,202
(553,449)
(115,964)
102,750
(7,238)
2,219,626
1,764,671
457
(8,358)
(111,344)
16,724
4,479
1,666,629
Fangdd Network Group Ltd. is a Cayman Islands holding company with no material operations of its own. We currently conduct our
operations primarily through Fangdd Network, the VIE, and its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2022, we had RMB182.7 million
(US$26.5 million) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash and RMB2.0 million (US$0.3 million) in short-term investments that
consisted of investments in wealth management products which are redeemable by us at any time. Although we consolidate the results of
the VIE and its subsidiaries, we only have access to the assets or earnings of the VIE and its subsidiaries through our contractual
arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders. The cash flows that have occurred between our holding company, its subsidiaries and the
VIE are summarized as follows:
Cash received by Fangdd Network Group Ltd. as equity investment
Cash paid by Fangdd Network Group Ltd. to Fangdd Network Holding Ltd. (Hong
Kong) to invest in WFOE, Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd.(1)
Cash paid by Fangdd Network Holding Ltd. (Hong Kong) to contribute to the
payment to WFOE as paid-in capital
Cash paid by WFOE to VIE, Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd.,
through bank entrusted loan (2)
2020
For the Year Ended December 31,
2021
(in US$millions)
—
80.2
95.6
113.2
118.5
21.5
12.8
69.0
2022
0.5
—
—
5.7
Notes:
(1) Part of Fangdd Network Holding Ltd. (Hong Kong)’s cash used to invest in Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd. was
from its bank balance of previous years’ equity financing before 2016.
(2) Part of Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd.’s cash used to loan to the VIE was from its bank balance of previous
years’ equity financing before 2016.
Pursuant to the operation maintenance service agreement, Shenzhen Fangdd has the exclusive right to provide the VIE with
operation maintenance services and marketing services. Fangdd Network agrees to pay service fees on an annual basis and at an amount
determined by the WFOE after taking into account factors such as the labor cost, facility cost and marketing expenses incurred by the
WFOE in providing the services. Pursuant to the technology development and application service agreement, Shenzhen Fangdd has the
exclusive right to provide Fangdd Network with technology development and application services. Fangdd Network agrees to pay
service fees on an annual basis and at an amount determined by Shenzhen Fangdd after taking into account multiple factors, such as the
labor and time consumed for the provision of the service, the type and complexity of the services provided, the difficulties in providing
the service, the commercial value of services provided and the market price of comparable services. Since Fangdd Network has incurred
and accumulated losses historically, there was no service fee payable by Fangdd Network to Shenzhen Fangdd.
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Impact of Taxation on Dividends or Distributions
Fangdd Network Group Ltd. is incorporated in the Cayman Islands and conducts business in China through its PRC subsidiaries and
the VIE. Neither our subsidiaries nor the consolidated VIE has declared or paid any dividend or distribution to us. We have never
declared or paid any dividend on our ordinary shares and we have no current intention to pay dividends to shareholders. We currently
intend to retain all future earnings to finance our operations and to expand our business. Under the current laws of the Cayman Islands,
Fangdd Network Group Ltd. is not subject to tax on income or capital gains. Upon payments of dividends to our shareholders, no
Cayman Islands withholding tax will be imposed.
For purposes of illustration, the following discussion reflects the hypothetical taxes that might be required to be paid in Mainland
China and Hong Kong, assuming that: (i) we have taxable earnings, and (ii) we determine to pay a dividend in the future:
Hypothetical pre-tax earnings(1)
Tax on earnings at statutory rate of 25% at Shenzhen Fangdd level
Amount to be distributed as dividend from Shenzhen Fangdd to Hong Kong subsidiary(2)
Withholding tax at tax treaty rate of 5%
Amount to be distributed as dividend at Hong Kong subsidiary level and net distribution to Fangdd Network Group
Ltd.
100.00
(25.00)
75.00
(3.75)
71.25
Notes:
(1) For purposes of this example, the tax calculation has been simplified. The hypothetical book pre-tax earnings amount is assumed to
equal Chinese taxable income.
(2) China’s Enterprise Income Tax Law imposes a withholding income tax of 10% on dividends distributed by a foreign invested
enterprise to its immediate holding company outside of Mainland China. A lower withholding income tax rate of 5% is applied if the
foreign invested enterprise’s immediate holding company is registered in Hong Kong or other jurisdictions that have a tax treaty
arrangement with Mainland China, subject to a qualification review at the time of the distribution. There is no incremental tax at
Hong Kong subsidiary level for any dividend distribution to Fangdd Network Group Ltd. If a 10% withholding income tax rate is
imposed, the withholding tax will be 7.5 and the amount to be distributed as dividend at Hong Kong subsidiary level and net
distribution to Fangdd Network Group Ltd. will be 67.5.
Restrictions and Limitations on Transfer of Capital
We face various restrictions and limitations on foreign exchange, our ability to transfer cash between entities, across borders and to
U.S. investors, and our ability to distribute earnings from our businesses, including our subsidiaries and/or the consolidated VIE, to the
parent company and U.S. investors as well as the ability to settle amounts owed under the VIE agreements.
Our offshore holding company is permitted under PRC laws and regulations to provide funding to our PRC subsidiaries only through
loans or capital contributions, subject to the approval of government authorities and limits on the amount of capital contributions and
loans. This may delay or prevent us from using the proceeds from our initial public offering to make loans or capital contribution to our
PRC subsidiaries. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—PRC regulation of loans
and direct investment by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may delay or prevent us from making loans or additional capital
contributions to our PRC operating subsidiaries.”
Under our current corporate structure, Fangdd Cayman’s ability to pay dividends depends upon dividends paid by its Hong Kong
subsidiary, which in turn depends on dividends paid by its PRC subsidiaries, which further depend on payments from the VIE under the
Fangdd Network VIE Agreements.
● Although we consolidate the results of the VIE and its subsidiaries, we only have access to the assets or earnings of the VIE and
its subsidiaries through the Fangdd Network VIE Agreements. If the PRC authorities determine that the contractual
arrangements constituting part of the VIE structure do not comply with PRC regulations, or if current regulations change or are
interpreted differently in the future, our ability to settle amounts owed by the VIE under the VIE agreements may be seriously
hindered.
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● Our wholly owned subsidiaries in China are permitted to pay dividends to us only out of their retained earnings, if any, as
determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Under PRC laws, each of our subsidiaries, the VIE
and the VIE’s subsidiaries in China is required to set aside at least 10% of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain
statutory reserve funds until such reserve funds reach 50% of its registered capital. In addition, after making an allocation to the
statutory reserve funds from their after-tax profits, our wholly owned subsidiaries in China, the VIE and the VIE’s subsidiaries
may allocate a portion of their after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to a discretionary surplus fund at their
discretion. The statutory reserve funds and the discretionary funds are not distributable as cash dividends.
● In addition, if our wholly owned subsidiaries incur debts on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing their debts
may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us.
● Remittance of dividends by our wholly owned subsidiaries out of China is subject to examination by the banks designated by
SAFE. Approvals by or registration with appropriate government authorities are required where RMB is to be converted into
foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign
currencies. The PRC government may also at its discretion restrict access in the future to foreign currencies for current account
transactions. If the foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currencies to satisfy our
foreign currency demands, our PRC subsidiaries may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to us and our access to
cash generated from its operations will be restricted. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing
Business in China—Governmental control of currency conversion may affect the value of your investment.”
● Our Hong Kong subsidiary may be considered a non-resident enterprise for tax purposes, so any dividends our PRC
subsidiaries pay to our Hong Kong subsidiary may be regarded as China-sourced income and, as a result, may be subject to
PRC withholding tax at a rate of up to 10%. If we are required under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law to pay income tax for
any dividends we receive from our subsidiaries in China, or if our Hong Kong subsidiary is determined by PRC government
authority as receiving benefits from a reduced income tax rate due to a structure or arrangement that is primarily tax-driven, it
would materially and adversely affect the amount of dividends, if any, we may pay to our shareholders.
● If the PRC tax authorities determine that our Cayman Islands holding company is a PRC resident enterprise for enterprise
income tax purposes, we may be required to withhold a 10% tax from dividends we pay to our shareholders that are non-
resident enterprises, including the holders of the ADSs. In addition, non-resident enterprise shareholders, including our ADS
holders, may be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 10% on gains realized on the sale or other disposition of ADSs or ordinary
shares if such income is treated as sourced from within the PRC. Furthermore, if we are deemed a PRC resident enterprise,
dividends paid to our non-PRC individual shareholders, including our ADS holders, and any gain realized on the transfer of
ADSs or ordinary shares by such shareholders may be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 20% which in the case of dividends may
be withheld at source. Any such tax may reduce the returns on your investment in the ADSs or ordinary shares.
Since Fangdd Network has incurred and accumulated losses historically, there was no service fee payable by Fangdd Network to
Shenzhen Fangdd. As of the date of this annual report, Shenzhen Fangdd has not made any dividend payments or distributions to us, and
no dividends or distributions have been made by us. We intend to keep future earnings to re-invest in and finance the expansion of our
business, and we do not anticipate that any cash dividends will be paid in the foreseeable future.
B.
Capitalization and Indebtedness.
Not applicable.
C.
Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds.
Not applicable.
19
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D.
Risk Factors.
Summary of Risk Factors
Below please find a summary of the principal risks we face, organized under relevant headings.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
● We have a history of losses and negative cash flows from operating activities, and we may not achieve or maintain profitability
in the future.
● We may face financial risks as a result of increases in doubtful accounts.
● We have a limited operating history, and we may not be able to effectively implement our business strategies.
● Our business is susceptible to fluctuations in China’s real estate market, its overall economic growth and government measures
aimed at China’s real estate industry.
● The COVID-19 coronavirus has had and may continue to have adverse impact on our business, financial condition and
prospects.
● We may fail to compete effectively with existing and new industry players, which could significantly reduce our market share
and materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
● If our marketplace is unable to offer comprehensive, authentic, accurate and up-to-date property listings, our business, financial
condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
● If we are unable to retain and attract real estate professionals or fail to continue to develop and promote our marketplace,
service offerings and features, and develop the technologies that cater to their needs, our business and operating results would
be harmed.
● Our reliance on a limited number of property developers may materially and adversely affect us.
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
● If the PRC government deems that our contractual arrangements with the VIE do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions
on foreign investment in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the
future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.
● We rely on contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders to exercise control over our business, which may not be
as effective as direct ownership in providing operational control.
● The shareholders of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect our
business and financial condition.
● Any failure by the VIE or its shareholders to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would
have a material and adverse effect on our business.
● Our contractual arrangements with the VIE may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities and they may determine that
we or the VIE owe additional taxes, which could negatively affect our financial condition and the value of your investment.
20
Table of Contents
Risks Related to Doing Business in China
● The PRC government’s significant oversight over our business operation could result in a material adverse change in our
operations and the value of our ADSs.
● The approval of and the filing with the CSRC, CAC or other PRC governmental authorities may be required in connection with
our future offshore offerings under PRC law and if required, we cannot predict whether or how soon we will be able to obtain
such approval or complete such filing.
● Changes in PRC government policies or political or social conditions could have a material adverse effect on the overall
economic growth in China, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
● The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including a higher level of
government involvement, the ongoing development of a market-oriented economy, a higher level of control over foreign
exchange, and a less efficient allocation of resources.
● The PRC legal system contains uncertainties, which could limit the legal protections available to you and us.
● The PCAOB had historically been unable to inspect our former auditor in relation to their audit work.
● Our ADSs may be prohibited from trading in the United States under the HFCA Act in the future if the PCAOB is unable to
inspect or investigate completely auditors located in China. The delisting of our ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may
materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.
Risks Related to The ADSs
● The market price movement of the ADSs may be volatile.
● We may be unable to comply with the applicable continued listing requirements of Nasdaq.
● The sale or availability for sale of substantial amounts of the ADSs or ordinary shares could adversely affect their market price.
● Our triple-class voting structure will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing
any change of control transactions that holders of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may view as beneficial.
● If securities or industry analysts cease to publish research or reports about our business, or if they adversely change their
recommendations regarding the ADSs, the market price for the ADSs and trading volume could decline.
● Because we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on price appreciation of the ADSs for return
on your investment.
Risks Related to Our Business and Industry
We have a history of losses and negative cash flows from operating activities, and we may not achieve profitability in the future.
We incurred a net loss of RMB221.4 million, RMB1.2 billion and RMB239.6 million (US$34.7 million) in 2020, 2021 and 2022,
respectively. We had negative cash flows from operating activities of RMB325.0 million, RMB60.6 million and RMB127.0 million
(US$18.4 million) in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
21
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The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that we will continue as a going concern, which
contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. We have experienced recurring
losses from operations. As of December 31, 2022, we had an accumulated deficit of RMB4.6 billion (US$660.8 million). For the year
ended December 31, 2022, we recorded a significant decline in our revenue, resulted a net loss of RMB239.6 million (US$34.7 million)
and had negative cash flows from operating activities of RMB127.0 million (US$18.4 million). As of December 31, 2022, our cash and
cash equivalents balance were RMB143.9 million. Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent on, among other things, our
ability to generate cash flows from operations and our ability to arrange adequate financing arrangements, which in turn are subject to
various factors, many of which are beyond our control. For example, our revenues depend on the number of active agents who establish
online shops in our marketplace and the number of transactions they are able to complete within a given period using the resources
offered by our marketplace. Agents’ willingness to subscribe to and pay for our premium services depends on the quality and breadth of
our service offerings. As we continue to take new business initiatives to introduce more SaaS solutions, we expect our operating costs
and expenses to increase in the future. We plan to devote substantial financial resources to develop real estate transaction digitalization
services, including product development, sales and marketing, technology infrastructure, and strategic opportunities that may not result
in increased revenue or growth in our business.
We expect that we will continue to incur losses at least in the near term as we strategically reduce the scale of our property
transaction services and actively explore opportunities from other real estate transaction digitalization services. We may also incur
significant losses in the future for a number of reasons, including possible changes in general economic conditions and regulatory
environment, the continued downturn status of China’s real estate market, the heightened credit risks of developers, as well as other risks
described in this annual report, and we may encounter unforeseen expenses, difficulties, complications and delays in generating revenues
or profitability. Our revenue declined from 2021 to 2022, and if this trend continues, we may not be able to reduce costs in a timely
manner. In addition, if we reduce variable costs to respond to losses, this may limit our ability to acquire customers and grow our
revenues. Accordingly, we may not achieve or maintain profitability and may continue to incur significant losses in the future.
If our estimates relating to our allowance for doubtful accounts prove to be wrong, our financial condition and results of operations
could be adversely affected.
Our allowance for doubtful accounts decreased to a negative of RMB67.6 million (US$9.8 million) in 2022 from RMB612.7 million
in 2021. We reduced our allowance for doubtful accounts due to our estimates of increased collectability of our accounts receivable from
real estate developers, given that (i) a series of preferential policies were promulgated to spur the recovery of Chinese real estate market,
such as greater access to credit and funding for real estate developers, mortgage interest rate cuts and lower down payments for home
buyers, loosening restrictions on secondhand housing sales and purchases, and (ii) the ease of COVID-19 related restrictions in China.
However, There remains uncertainty as to the effects of these preferential factors on real estate developers in repaying debts and our
company in collecting accounts receivable when they become due. If our estimates relating to the allowance for doubtful accounts prove
to be wrong, our financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected.
We have been taking measures to protect our accounts receivable. For accounts receivable that are seriously overdue, we have
initiated lawsuits and applied for injunctive relief. We enhance credit risk management by conducting periodic reviews of the credit
status of the real estate developers and terminating cooperation relationships with real estate developers with poor credit conditions to
ensure the collectability of our accounts receivable. If we fail to collect our accounts receivable on time or if real estate developers fail to
satisfy their financial obligations towards us, our business and results of operations may be materially adversely affected and we may
face liquidity constraints as a result.
We have a limited operating history, and we may not be able to effectively implement our business strategies.
We have a limited operating history, which makes it difficult to assess our future prospects or forecast our future results of
operations. While we have experienced rapid growth in 2018 and 2019 with our total revenue growing from RMB2.3 billion in 2018 to
RMB3.6 billion in 2019, our total revenue dropped to RMB2.5 billion in 2020, RMB942.4 million in 2021 and RMB245.9 million
(US$35.7 million) in 2022. In 2022, our growth was impacted by various factors, including the continued downturn status of China’s real
estate market, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the heightened credit risks of developers. In response to these challenges, we
strategically reduced the scale of our property transaction services and actively explore opportunities from other real estate transaction
digitalization services. We may fail to regain our historical growth rates or achieve profitability. You should not consider our historical
growth and financial performance as indicative of our future financial performance.
22
Table of Contents
You should consider our future operations in light of the challenges and uncertainties that we may encounter. These risks and
challenges include our ability to, among other things:
● attract and retain real estate agents who conduct closed-loop transactions in our marketplace and who subscribe to our products
and services;
● strengthen our cooperation with high-quality real estate developers and secure accounts receivable in light of the heightened
credit risks of real estate developers;
● obtain timely, authentic and accurate property listing information and enhance our property database;
● develop and deploy new products and services and improve our real estate transaction digitalization capabilities;
● increase the number of real estate buyers and other market participants using our website and mobile applications;
● successfully compete with other companies that are currently in, or may in the future enter, the business of providing residential
real estate information and facilitating real estate transactions online and on mobile applications, as well as with companies that
provide this information and services offline;
● successfully manage our exclusive selling business;
● effectively implement our business strategies;
● control costs and expenses associated with our business, including agents’ commission, sales and marketing expenses and
salaries and benefits;
● navigate an uncertain and evolving regulatory environment and adjust our business to the changing real estate market condition;
and
● maintain our regional coverage and expand geographically.
If the demand for online residential real estate transaction services does not develop as we expect, or if we fail to continue to address
the needs of real estate agents, real estate sellers, real estate buyers and other market participants or attract additional marketplace users,
our business and financial conditions may be materially adversely affected.
Our business is susceptible to fluctuations in China’s real estate market, its overall economic growth and government measures
aimed at China’s real estate industry.
We conduct our real estate services business primarily in China. Our business depends substantially on conditions in China’s real
estate industry. Demand for private residential real estate in China has grown steadily in recent years but such growth is often coupled
with volatility and fluctuations in real estate transaction volume and prices. Fluctuations of supply and demand in China’s real estate
industry are caused by economic, social, political, environmental and other factors. The Chinese economy has shown slower growth
since 2012 compared to the previous decade and this trend is likely to continue. There is considerable uncertainty over the long-term
effects of the expansionary monetary and fiscal policies adopted by the central banks and financial authorities of some of the world’s
leading economies, including China. Any severe or prolonged slowdown in China’s economy may materially and adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, there may be situations in which China’s real estate industry is so
active that real estate developers see a reduced need for collaborating with real estate agents and reduce their spending on such
initiatives, which could potentially adversely affect our results of operations. To the extent fluctuations in China’s real estate industry
adversely affect spending on real estate sales and marketing, our financial condition and results of operations may be materially and
adversely affected.
23
Table of Contents
The real estate industry in China is also subject to government regulations on primary and resale property transactions, including
measures that are intended to control real estate prices. In recent years, PRC governmental authorities have issued a number of restrictive
rules on the real estate market. For instance, major cities in China rolled out regulatory measures to regulate the real estate market and
restrict debt financing to real estate developers. For homebuyers, it takes more time than before to obtain housing bank loans under the
tightened bank borrowing policies, such as the newly-implemented real estate loan concentration management system. Impacted by the
macroeconomic regulation and the tightening of mortgage loans, the real estate market has rapidly cooled off and credit risk for
developers has been intensifying. While these measures and policies remain in effect, they may continue to depress the real estate
market, dissuade potential purchasers from making purchases, reduce transaction volume, cause a decline in average selling prices,
prevent developers from raising the capital they need and increase developers’ costs to start new projects. The general trend of tightening
government regulation over the real estate industry may result in lower growth rates in the real estate industry.
In recent years, PRC government authorities and certain cities also have issued a number of restrictive rules on the real estate
agencies, requiring that real estate agencies shall check the ownership information of the property and the identification for the client
before publication of the property information and the property information published shall be authentic, comprehensive and accurate.
Recently, some of the largest and most affluent cities in China have introduced new measures to administer the price of real estate. For
instance, on February 23, 2021, the Shenzhen Municipal Housing and Construction Bureau issued a work plan on a special inspection of
the reference price of second-hand residential property transactions to promote stable development of the local real estate market. On
March 3, 2021, governmental authorities in Shanghai announced the notice on further strengthening the administration of the real estate
market in Shanghai, according to which certain restrictions are imposed on real estate newly purchased in Shanghai.
The PRC government may continue to adopt new measures in the future that may result in lower growth rates in the real estate
industry. Frequent changes in government policies may also create uncertainty that could discourage investment in real estate. Our
business may be materially and adversely affected as a result of decreased transaction volumes or real estate prices that may result from
government policies.
The COVID-19 coronavirus has had and may continue to have adverse impact on our business, financial condition and prospects.
In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus, COVID-19, was first reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China. Since then, the
COVID-19 coronavirus has spread globally. The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic caused the Chinese government to take
unprecedented measures to contain the virus, such as lock-down of cities, nationwide travel restrictions and compulsory quarantine
requirements. After the initial outbreak in late 2019, from time to time, especially since late 2021 and throughout 2022, there were
outbreaks of COVID-19 in many areas of China, particularly due to the Delta and Omicron variants. During the outbreaks, we had to
temporarily close our office facilities, restrict employee travel, switch to online virtual meetings or even cancel meetings with partners.
Also, we observed a significant drop in the number of real estate transactions completed in our marketplace, mainly because commercial
activities, including those of real estate developers and agents, paused as a result of the outbreak.
In late 2022, China began to modify its COVID-19 policy, and most of the travel restrictions and quarantine requirements were lifted
in December 2022. There were significant surges of COVID-19 cases across the country during this time, which disrupted our operations
and adversely affected our operational and financial performance. There remains uncertainty as to the future impact of the virus,
especially in light of this change in policy. Future lockdowns or other restrictive measures once imposed if reinitiate may have a material
impact on our operations and financial condition. Amid the COVID-19 pandemic as well as other factors such as the continued downturn
status of China’s real estate market, we suffered a fall in our financial results. Our total revenue decreased from RMB942.4 million in
2021 to RMB245.9 million (US$35.7 million). It is uncertain as to how long and how far the coronavirus outbreak may continue to
impact our financial results. The real estate industry is affected by all of the factors that affect the economy in general. The full impact of
the coronavirus is unknown at this time. If the outbreak continues and lasts for a prolonged period in the regions where we operate, the
economy could suffer substantially from the measures and restrictions taken to combat the virus, which would in turn have adverse
impact on the real estate industry, including our business prospects. To the extent the COVID-19 pandemic adversely affects our business
and financial results, it may also have the effect of heightening many of the other risks described in this “Risk Factors” section, such as
those relating to our high level of indebtedness, our need to generate sufficient cash flows to service our indebtedness.
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A severe or prolonged downturn in the Chinese or global economy could materially and adversely affect our business and financial
condition.
COVID-19 had a severe and negative impact on the Chinese and the global economy in 2021 and 2022. Due to the impact of
COVID-19 and other factors, the world economy has suffered a noticeable slowdown. Whether this will lead to a prolonged downturn in
the economy is still unknown. Commercial activities throughout the world could continue to be curtailed with decreased consumer
spending, business disruptions, interrupted supply chains and difficulties in travel. Our business has been adversely affected by the
outbreak of COVID-19. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our results will depend on future developments, which are highly
uncertain and cannot be predicted.
Even before the outbreak of COVID-19, the global macroeconomic environment was facing numerous challenges. The growth rate
of the Chinese economy had already been slowing since 2010. There is considerable uncertainty over the long-term effects of the
expansionary monetary and fiscal policies which had been adopted by the central banks and financial authorities of some of the world’s
leading economies, including the United States and China, even before 2021. The conflict in Ukraine and the imposition of broad
economic sanctions on Russia could raise energy prices and disrupt global markets. Unrest, terrorist threats and the potential for war may
increase market volatility across the globe. There have also been concerns about the relationship between China and other countries,
including the surrounding Asian countries, which may potentially have economic effects. In particular, there is significant uncertainty
about the future relationship between the United States and China with respect to trade policies, treaties, government regulations and
tariffs. Economic conditions in China are sensitive to global economic conditions, as well as changes in domestic economic and political
policies and the expected or perceived overall economic growth rate in China. Any severe or prolonged slowdown in the global or
Chinese economy may materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We may fail to compete effectively with existing and new industry players, which could significantly reduce our market share and
materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
We face competition in each of our primary business activities. At the national level, we compete primarily with other online real
estate service providers in China, as well as with traditional real estate brokerage companies. In addition, we have faced, and may
continue to face, competition from regional players. Our competitors may have more established brand names, larger visitor numbers and
more extensive distribution channels than we do, either overall, or in specific regions in which we operate.
The business of providing online real estate services in China is becoming increasingly competitive. As the online real estate
services industry in China is relatively new and constantly evolving, our current or future competitors may be able to better position
themselves to compete as the industry matures. As our platform is transaction-oriented, our main competitors primarily focus on
providing real estate listings, transaction services and home renovation services. To a lesser extent, we also compete with traffic-oriented
platforms, which primarily focus on attracting online traffic and providing listing and advertising services.
We also face competition from other companies that offer e-commerce, listing and similar services. Any of these competitors may
offer products and services that provide significant advantages over those offered by us in terms of performance, price, scope, creativity
or other advantages. These products and services may achieve greater market acceptance than our service offerings, and thus weaken our
brand. Increased competition in the online real estate services industry in China could make it difficult for us to retain existing agents and
real estate buyers and attract new agents and real estate buyers, and could lead to a reduction in our revenues.
Any of our current or future competitors may also receive investments from or enter into other commercial or strategic relationships
with larger, well-established and well-financed companies and obtain significantly greater financial, marketing and content licensing and
development resources than us. Furthermore, some of our competitors receive support from local governments, which may place us at a
disadvantage when competing with them in their local markets. We cannot assure you that we will be able to compete successfully
against our current or future competitors. Any failure to compete effectively in the real estate internet services market in China would
have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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If our marketplace is unable to offer comprehensive, authentic, accurate and up-to-date property listings, our business, financial
condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
One of the key reasons for real estate agents to come to our marketplace is our comprehensive and authenticated property listings.
We believe having a large number of high-quality listings attracts agents, real estate sellers and real estate buyers to our marketplace and
increases the volume of potential transactions. Although we have developed a comprehensive verification procedure to ensure the
timeliness, reliability, authenticity and accuracy of listing information, we cannot assure you that all information listed in our
marketplace is authentic, accurate and up to date. Despite our verification procedures, information posted by agents, real estate sellers
and real estate buyers may not be accurate and up to date in all aspects. To the extent we are unable to continue to offer and expand the
sources of listing information, or we fail to ensure the timeliness, authenticity and accuracy of our listings, our marketplace could
become less attractive to users and transaction volumes may decrease. In such an event, our competitive position could be significantly
weakened and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
If we are unable to retain and attract real estate professionals or fail to continue to develop and promote our marketplace, service
offerings and features, and develop the technologies that cater to their needs, our business and operating results would be harmed.
As we generate a substantial portion of our revenues from sharing commission fees with real estate agents who complete
transactions in our marketplace, our business relies heavily on the total number of active agents. Our ability to attract and retain real
estate professionals depends on a number of factors, including:
● the size, accuracy and timeliness of our listings;
● the number and quality of services that we provide to our agents;
● the efficiency of our sales and marketing efforts;
● the competition for real estate professionals from various online real estate agent service platforms;
● the number of real estate buyers using our website and mobile applications; and
● the strength of the real estate market.
If we fail to attract and retain the number of total agents in our marketplace, our revenue may not grow and our business as well as
operating results could suffer materially.
We have invested, and will need to continue to dedicate, significant time, efforts and resources to advertising and market promotion
initiatives. Historically, our sales and marketing expenses fluctuated from quarter to quarter based on our advertising and marketing plans
and due to the seasonality we experienced. We may need to devote a greater portion of our resources to continue to attract listings and
strengthen our brand recognition, which may impact our profitability. We cannot guarantee that our marketing efforts will ultimately be
successful, as it is affected by numerous factors, including our level of investment in, and the effectiveness of, our sales and marketing
campaigns, our ability to provide consistent, high quality products and services, customer satisfaction with our products, as well as
supports and services we provide, among others.
Our reliance on a limited number of property developers may materially and adversely affect us.
Our revenues from transactions rely heavily on our continued relationship with real estate developers. In the future, these property
developers, all of which are independent third parties, may not continue to engage our services at the same level, or at all. If these
property developers terminate or substantially reduce their business with us and we fail to engage with new property developers to
provide us with new properties, our financial condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
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In addition, a part of new properties transacted through our platform are pre-sold prior to meeting delivery conditions. Under the
current PRC laws and regulations, property developers must fulfill certain conditions before they can commence pre-sales of real estate
properties. On September 21, 2018, the Guangdong Real Estate Association issued an “Emergency Notice on the Relevant Opinions on
Providing the Pre-sale Permit for Commodity Houses” asking for opinions on the prohibition of residential property pre-sales. On March
7, 2020, the General Office of Hainan Provincial Committee and the General Office of the People’s Government of Hainan Province
issued the Notice on Establishing the System of Municipal Governments’ Responsibility for the Steady and Healthy Development of the
Real Estate Market (the “Hainan Notice”) promulgating that the commercial houses constructed on the land newly assigned since the
date of issuance of the Hainan Notice can only be sold after the completion of construction. We cannot assure you that the relevant
authorities in China will continue to allow pre-sales of properties or will refrain from imposing additional or more stringent requirements
on property pre-sales. In the event that the relevant authorities prohibit pre-sales of properties or impose additional or more stringent
requirements, our real estate developer partners may be required to suspend the sales of certain projects listed on our platform or
encounter delays in providing us with additional primary listings, which could have an adverse effect on our business, results of
operations, cash flow, and financial condition.
We have entered into sales commitment arrangements with real estate developers and funding partners to sell new properties, which
may expose us to financial and regulatory risks and may materially adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Since the beginning of 2018, we have entered into tri-party agreements with developers and funding partners which are limited
partnerships formed by certain investors, including us, and are treated as our equity method investees, pursuant to which the funding
partners, rather than us, are required to advance developers the deposits and undertake to purchase any unsold properties from the
developers. As a limited partner of these funding partners, our maximum exposure to the losses arising from our investments in these
limited partnerships is the aggregate amount of (i) the carrying amounts of our investments in these limited partnerships and (ii) the
maximum amount of additional capital that we are committed to providing under the respective partnership deeds. See “Item 5.
Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—B. Liquidity and Capital Resources—Material Cash Requirements” for more
information about our capital commitment obligations. As of December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, our maximum exposure to the losses
arising from our investments in these limited partnerships was RMB796.2 million, RMB745.9 million and RMB754.8 million (US$109.4
million), respectively. Under certain tri-party agreements entered into in 2019 and 2020, there has been added a withdrawal mechanism
allowing our funding partners to withdraw from the agreement with a penalty not more than 10% of the transaction price of the
properties under the agreement or of the unsold properties as of the withdrawal date, as the case may be. If our equity method investee
funding partners are required to purchase the unsold units or otherwise compensate developers in the circumstances where we fail to sell
the properties within the agreed upon period, we will be exposed to downside risks due to our investments in such funding partners.
Considering current real estate market conditions and the operating performance of these limited partnerships, we recognized other-than-
temporary impairment loss of RMB62.6 million (US$9.1 million) to the investment in certain limited partnerships in 2022.
We have also entered into sales commitment arrangements relating to certain parking space projects with real estate developers in
2021. Pursuant to such arrangements, we are obligated to pay an advance deposit of 50% of the retail price of the property in exchange
for an exclusive right to sell their parking spaces for a limited period of time. The deposit will be refunded as we sell the corresponding
parking spaces. As of December 31, 2022, we were refunded RMB5.0 million and the balance of the advanced deposits was RMB40.1
million. There is no guarantee that we will be able to sell all the parking spaces under the sales commitment arrangements. If we fail to
sell all parking spaces, there is no guarantee that we will be able to reach amicable solutions with developers to obtain the advanced
deposits, in which case our financial condition and results of operations would be materially adversely affected.
In addition, some local government authorities have implemented regulations that prohibit real estate agencies from entering into
cooperation agreements with firm-commitment clauses. Although we have not been subject to such regulations in the past, cities in
which we operate currently or in the future may implement relevant regulations to which we may be subject in the future. In such cases,
we may be found to be in violation of relevant regulations and be subject to fines or other penalties, and our operation, business, financial
condition and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
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We depend significantly on the strength of our brand and reputation. If we, our employees, real estate agents, real estate developers,
financial institutions, or other business partners on our platform engage, or are perceived to engage, in misconduct, fraudulent acts
or wrongdoing, our business or reputation could be harmed and we could be exposed to regulatory investigations, costs and liabilities.
We believe our “Fangdd” brand is considered a leading online and mobile real estate platform that provides a consistent offering of
high-quality products and services. Our continued success in maintaining and enhancing our brand and image depends to a large extent
on our ability to satisfy the needs of agents, real estate buyers and other market participants by further developing and maintaining
quality of services across our operations, as well as our ability to respond to competitive pressures.
We rely on our employees to provide digital housing transaction services and various other services. Our employees may not fully
comply with our internal policies and relevant laws or regulations, and may engage in misconduct or illegal actions, which may result in
negative publicity and adversely impact our reputation and brand image.
We attract real estate agencies to our platform to conduct sales of properties. We cannot assure you that each real estate agency using
our platform holds the required licenses, has made all necessary filings with relevant authorities or that all actions taken by real estate
agents will meet applicable legal standards and real estate buyers’ expectations, especially since it is difficult for us to effectively monitor
the actions of the agents at all times. We may be found liable and subject to monetary and other penalties for the failure of real estate
agencies using our platform to hold the required licenses or to make required filings with relevant authorities. In addition, real estate
agents operating through our platform have in the past been the subject of various allegations, including allegations of failure to refund
commission fees and other fraudulent acts or wrongdoing. Although we do not believe that we are directly responsible for real estate
agents’ wrongdoings, Chinese media have reported certain incidents and negatively implicated our brand. These incidents and any
similar incidents, or true or untrue claims of such incidents could harm our reputation and impair our ability to attract and retain real
estate agents, real estate sellers and real estate buyers.
We partner with real estate developers to provide quality services related to new properties transactions. Any inappropriate actions
taken by real estate developers as platform participants during the sales process or otherwise, may materially and adversely affect our
reputation, which may result in a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. In particular, the
developers we cooperate with may breach contracts or otherwise violate laws and regulations, which may expose us to potential legal
liabilities and subject us to real estate buyers’ claims for indemnifications and other remedies.
We also rely on other business partners on our platform and ecosystem. For example, we work with financial institutions to provide
effective and affordable financial solutions to customers. To the extent they are unable to provide satisfactory services to real estate
buyers and real estate agents, or they engage in any inappropriate or illegal actions, which may be due to factors that are beyond our
control, we may suffer actual or reputational damage as a result. Any of the failure to provide satisfactory services, potential misconduct
or illegal actions discussed above could materially and adversely impact our business, reputation, financial condition and results of
operations. If we are unable to maintain a good reputation, further enhance our brand recognition, continue to cultivate user trust and
increase the positive awareness of our website, our reputation, brand, financial condition and results of operations may be materially and
adversely affected.
Our initiatives to develop new products and services, introduce new technologies and improve existing products and services may not
succeed, which may limit our future growth.
We have invested and plan to continue investing in the research and development of new products and services, as well as improving
existing products and services. In particular, we spend great efforts in improving the features, functionalities and effectiveness of our
existing websites, mobile applications and WeChat mini program. However, positive research results may not lead to commercially
successful products. The new products and services we develop may not be commercially viable and may not reach the industry
standards or meet platform participants’ needs. In addition, radical technological changes may not be well received by the market or lead
to a long-term success. Similarly, there is no guarantee that our investment in product improvement will bring commercial return. If we
are unable to continue offering high-quality and innovative products and services, we may be unable to retain and attract real estate
buyers, agents, real estate sellers and other business partners, which could harm our business, results of operations and financial
condition. As a result, we cannot assure you that our efforts in research and development will translate into commercial success.
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Our outstanding and future indebtedness may adversely affect our available cash flow and our ability to operate our business. In
addition, we may not be able to obtain additional capital when desired, on favorable terms or at all.
As of December 31, 2022, we had RMB72.5 million (US$10.5 million) short-term bank borrowings from certain Chinese banking
institutions. Recent interest rates in China have been at historically low levels, and any increase in these rates would increase our interest
expense and reduce our funds available for operations and other purposes. Our current level of indebtedness increases the possibility that
we may be unable to pay the principal amount of our indebtedness and other obligations when due. Our outstanding and future loans,
combined with our other financial obligations and contractual commitments, could have negative consequences on our business and
financial conditions.
We believe that our cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash on hand will be sufficient to meet our current and anticipated needs for
general corporate purposes for at least the next 12 months. However, we need to make continued investments in facilities, hardware,
software and technological systems, and to retain talents to remain competitive. Due to the unpredictable nature of the capital markets
and our industry, there can be no assurance that we will be able to raise additional capital on terms favorable to us, or at all, if and when
required, especially if we experience disappointing operating results. If adequate capital is not available to us as required, our ability to
fund our operations, take advantage of unanticipated opportunities, develop or enhance our infrastructure or respond to competitive
pressures could be significantly limited. If we do raise additional funds through the issuance of equity or convertible debt securities, the
ownership interests of our shareholders could be significantly diluted. These newly issued securities may have rights, preferences or
privileges senior to those of existing shareholders.
Our results of operations and cash flows may fluctuate due to seasonal variations in the real estate market, the non-recurring nature
of our real estate transactions, billing cycles and unpredictable development cycles.
Our revenues have historically been substantially lower during the first quarter than during other quarters, due to reduced real estate
transactional activity in the PRC real estate industry during and around the Chinese Lunar New Year holiday, which generally occurs in
January and February of each year. In contrast, the third and fourth quarters of each year generally contribute a majority of our annual
revenues. For this reason, our results of operations may not be comparable from quarter to quarter.
Moreover, we typically enter into agreements with developers shortly before they are expected to obtain permits to sell their newly
developed properties. However, the timing for obtaining these sales permits varies from project to project and is subject to uncertain and
potentially lengthy delays as developers need to obtain a series of other permits and approvals related to the development before
obtaining a sales permit. It is therefore difficult to predict the interval between the time we sign these agency agreements and the time we
launch the sale of projects. In addition, as we typically settle the payment of our commissions with developers at the end of a sales period
based on successful sales achieved during the period, which typically lasts several months, our working capital levels are affected by the
time lag between the time we actually make sales, bill developers and collect the commissions owed to us.
Failure to attract and retain qualified personnel at a reasonable cost could jeopardize our competitive position. We also depend on the
continued efforts of our senior management. If one or more of our key executives were unable or unwilling to continue in their
present positions, our business may be severely disrupted.
Our industry is characterized by high demand and intense competition for talent. As a result, we may need to offer higher
compensation and other benefits in order to attract and retain quality sales, technical and other operational personnel in the future. We
compete with other companies engaged in online real estate services and internet-related businesses for qualified personnel. We have,
from time to time in the past, experienced, and we expect in the future to continue to experience, difficulty in hiring and retaining highly
skilled employees with appropriate qualifications. There may be a limited supply of qualified individuals in some of the cities in China
where we have operations and other cities into which we intend to expand. We must hire and train qualified managerial and other
employees on a timely basis to meet our business needs while maintaining consistent quality of services across our operations in various
geographic locations. We must also provide continued training, through our various training programs, including Fangduoduo University,
to our managerial and other employees so that they are equipped with up-to-date knowledge of various aspects of our operations and can
meet our demand for high-quality services. If we fail to do so, the quality of our services may decline in one or more of the markets
where we operate, which in turn, may cause a negative perception of our brand and adversely affect our business. We cannot assure you
that we will be able to attract or retain the quality personnel that we need to achieve our business objectives.
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In addition, we place substantial reliance on the real estate industry experience and knowledge of our senior management team as
well as their relationships with other industry participants. We do not carry key person insurance on any member of our senior
management team. The loss of one or more members of our senior management team, in particular if any of them joins our competitors,
could hinder our ability to effectively manage our business and implement our growth strategies. Finding suitable replacements for our
current senior management could be difficult as competition for such talent is intense.
If we fail to successfully attract new personnel, retain and motivate our current personnel, or retain our senior management, we may
lose competitiveness and our results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
We have granted, and may continue to grant, share options and other forms of share-based incentive awards, which will adversely
affect our results of operations and you will incur immediate and substantial dilution.
We adopted the 2018 Share Incentive Plan, or the 2018 Plan, in December 2018 and amended it in September 2019. Under the 2018
Plan, as amended, the maximum aggregate number of shares that may be issued pursuant to all awards is 356,514,660 ordinary shares.
As of March 31, 2023, awards to purchase 69,094,125 ordinary shares were granted and outstanding under the 2018 Plan.
In 2022, we incurred RMB16.7 million (US$2.4 million) share-based compensation expenses relating to awards granted under the
2018 Plan. We believe the granting of share incentive awards is critical to our ability to attract and retain employees and promote the
success of our business, and we will continue to grant share incentive awards in the future. As a result, our expenses associated with the
grant of share-based incentive awards may increase, which will have an adverse effect on our results of operations. In addition, issuance
of ordinary shares underlying the outstanding awards will cause you to experience an immediate and substantial dilution of your
shareholding.
We use internet search engines, WeChat, and other social media to direct traffic to our website and application. If we fail to
successfully implement these initiatives, our traffic would decline and our business would be adversely affected.
We use internet search engines, WeChat, and other social media to direct traffic to our website and application. For example, when a
user types a physical address into a search engine, we rely on a high organic search ranking of our webpages in these search results to
refer the user to our website. However, our ability to maintain high organic search result rankings through internet search engines is not
within our control. Our competitors’ search engine optimization, or SEO, efforts may result in their websites receiving a higher search
result ranking than ours, or internet search engines could revise their methodologies in a way that would adversely affect our search
result rankings. If internet search engines modify their search algorithms in ways that are detrimental to us, or if our competitors’ SEO
efforts are more successful than ours, overall growth in our user base could slow. Search engine providers could provide listings and
other real estate information directly in search results or choose to align with our competitors. Our website has experienced fluctuations
in search result rankings in the past, and we anticipate similar fluctuations in the future.
In addition, we integrate our platform with WeChat and other social media applications to help drive traffic to our website and
mobile applications, and promote our brand and products. WeChat and other social media may make changes to their policies, which
could hinder or impede audiences from being directed to our platform. Any reduction in the number of visitors directed to our website
and apps through WeChat and other social media could also harm our business and operating results.
Our services and solutions and internal systems rely on software that is highly technical, and if it contains undetected errors or we
fail to properly maintain or promptly upgrade our technology, our results of operations and financial condition may be materially and
adversely affected.
Our platform and internal systems rely on software that is highly technical and complex. In addition, our platform and internal
systems depend on the ability of such software to store, retrieve, process and manage immense amounts of data. The software on which
we rely has contained, and may now or in the future contain, undetected errors or bugs. Errors or other design defects within the software
on which we rely may result in a negative experience for our platform users, delay introductions of new features or enhancements, result
in errors or compromise our ability to protect user data or our intellectual property. Any errors, bugs or defects discovered in the software
on which we rely could result in harm to our reputation, loss of platform users or investors or liability for damages, any of which could
adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
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Any failure to protect our trademarks and other intellectual property rights could have a negative impact on our business.
We believe our trademarks, copyrights and other intellectual property rights are critical to our success. Any unauthorized use or
misuse of our trademarks and other intellectual property rights could harm our business. Historically, China’s protection of intellectual
property rights has been less stringent and robust compared to other countries such as the United States. Infringement of intellectual
property rights continues to pose a serious risk of doing business in China. Monitoring and preventing unauthorized use is difficult and
the measures we take to protect our intellectual property rights may not be adequate. For example, copyright registration by itself may
not be adequate protection from potential misuse, infringement or other challenges from third parties claiming rights on our intellectual
property.
Furthermore, the application of laws governing intellectual property rights in China and abroad is uncertain and evolving, and could
expose us to risks. If we are unable to adequately protect our brand, trademarks and other intellectual property rights, we may lose these
rights and our business may suffer materially. We typically impose contractual obligations on employees and consultants and have taken
other precautionary measures to maintain the confidentiality of our proprietary information and restricted the use of the proprietary
information other than for our company’s benefit. However, if our employees and consultants do not honor their contractual obligations
or misappropriate our database and other proprietary information, our business would suffer as a result.
We may be subject to intellectual property infringement or misappropriation claims by third parties, which may force us to incur
substantial legal expenses and, if determined adversely against us, could materially disrupt our business.
We cannot be certain that our services and information provided on our website do not or will not infringe patents, copyrights or
other intellectual property rights held by third parties. From time to time, we may be subject to legal proceedings and claims alleging
infringement of patents, trademarks or copyrights, or misappropriation of creative ideas or formats, or other infringement of proprietary
intellectual property rights.
The validity, enforceability and scope of intellectual property rights protection in internet-related industries, particularly in China,
are uncertain and still evolving. For example, as we face increasing competition and as litigation is more frequently used to resolve
disputes in China, we face a higher risk of being the subject of intellectual property infringement claims. Pursuant to relevant laws and
regulations, internet service providers may be held liable for damages if such providers have reason to know that the works uploaded or
linked infringe the copyrights of others. Any such proceeding could result in significant costs to us and divert our management’s time
and attention from the operation of our business, as well as potentially adversely impact our reputation, even if we are ultimately
absolved of all liability.
Actual or alleged failure to comply with data privacy and protection laws and regulations could have a serious adverse effect on our
reputation, and discourage current and potential clients from doing business with us.
Concerns about our practice of accessing, storing, processing and using the data from platform users, as well as collecting and
processing the personal information published on other third parties’ websites, even if unfounded, could damage our reputation, business
and results of operations. The data or information we collect primarily consists of personal mobile numbers and information on the
housing unit for-sale or for-rent. We are subject to various data privacy and protection laws and regulations in China, including, without
limitation, the PRC Cyber Security Law. To protect personal information, these laws and regulations regulate data collection, storage,
use, processing, disclosure and transfer of personal information. Pursuant to these laws and regulations, an internet service provider is
required to obtain a user’s consent to collect the user’s personal information, and is prohibited from gathering personal information that is
unrelated to the services it provides, and the internet information service provider must also inform the user of the purposes, the means
and the scope of the information collection and uses. The Civil Code of the PRC stipulates that: (i) natural persons’ personal information
shall be protected by law; (ii) any organizations and individuals who need to obtain personal information of others shall obtain such
information in accordance with the law and shall ensure the confidentiality of such information; and (iii) organizations and individuals
are not allowed to illegally collect, use, process or transfer the personal information of others. It is illegal to buy and sell, supply or
publish the personal information of others. The PRC Cyber Security Law also prohibits individuals or entities from obtaining personal
information through theft or other illegal ways or selling or otherwise illegally disclosing personal information. The PRC Criminal Law
prohibits entities and their employees from selling or otherwise illegally disclosing a citizen’s personal information or obtaining personal
information through theft or other illegal ways in serious circumstances. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business
Overview—Regulation—Regulation on Information Security and Privacy Protection.”
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The PRC Data Security Law, which was promulgated by the Standing Committee of PRC National People’s Congress, or the
SCNPC, on June 10, 2021 and became effective on September 1, 2021, outlines the main system framework of data security protection.
On August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China promulgated the Personal Information
Protection Law, which integrates the scattered rules with respect to personal information rights and privacy protection and took effect in
November 2021. The draft Regulations for the Administration of Cyber Data Security, or the Draft Data Security Regulations, published
by the CAC on November 14, 2021 for public comments until December 13, 2021 require that a data processor who processes personal
information of more than 1 million individuals shall (i) go through the cyber security review if it intends to be listed in a foreign country;
(ii) report to the local CAC within 15 working days once identifying any important data. Where data processors conduct merger,
reorganization separation, or otherwise, the data recipient shall continue to perform its data security protection obligations, and the data
processor shall report to the local competent department if personal information of more than one million people is involved. The Draft
Data Security Regulations also require a data processor processing important data or being listed outside China shall carry out data
security assessment annually by itself or through a third-party data security service provider and submit assessment report to local agency
of the CAC. On December 28, 2021, the CAC and 12 other PRC regulatory authorities jointly issued the Cyber Security Review
Measures. The Cyber Security Review Measures provide, among others, (i) the purchase of cyber products and services by critical
information infrastructure operators that affects or may affect national security and the data processing activities engaged in by network
platform operators that affect or may affect national security shall be subject to the cybersecurity review by the Cybersecurity Review
Office, the department which is responsible for the implementation of cybersecurity review under the CAC; and (ii) the network platform
operators with personal information data of more than one million users that seek for listing in a foreign country are obliged to apply for
a cybersecurity review by the Cybersecurity Review Office. However, the Cyber Security Review Measures do not provide any
explanation or interpretation of “affect or may affect national security”, and the Chinese government may have broad discretion in
interpreting and enforcing these laws and regulations. We cannot predict the impact of the Cyber Security Review Measures, if any, at
this stage, and we will closely monitor and assess the statutory developments in this regard. Nonetheless, given that the aforementioned
draft measures or draft regulations were released for public comment only or the laws and regulations were recently promulgated or
issued, their interpretation, application and enforcement are subject to substantial uncertainties and the CAC or other PRC governmental
authorities may have wide discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of these laws and regulations. It also remains uncertain
whether the future regulatory changes would impose additional restrictions on companies like us. We may be required to make further
adjustments to our business practices to comply with the data privacy and protection laws and regulations. If the enacted version of the
Draft Data Security Regulations requires any clearance of cybersecurity review and other specific actions to be completed by companies
like us, we face uncertainties as to whether such clearance can be timely obtained, or at all. If we are not able to comply with the data
privacy and protection requirements in a timely manner, or at all, we may be subject to government enforcement actions and
investigations, fines, penalties, or suspension of our non-compliant operations, among other sanctions, which could materially and
adversely affect our business and results of operations. As of the date of this annual report, we have not been involved in any
investigations on cybersecurity review made by the Cyberspace Administration of China on such basis, and we have not received any
inquiry, notice, warning, or sanctions in such respect.
Our mobile apps and websites only collect basic user personal information that is necessary to provide the corresponding services.
We do not collect any sensitive personal information or other excessive personal information that is not related to the corresponding
services. We update our privacy policies from time to time to meet the latest regulatory requirements of Cyberspace Administration of
China and other authorities and adopt technical measures to protect data and ensure cybersecurity in a systematic way. While we have
taken these measures to comply with all applicable data privacy and protection laws and regulations in China, we cannot guarantee their
effectiveness. The activities of third parties such as business partners are beyond our control. If our business partners, including financial
institutions, violate the PRC Cyber Security Law and related laws and regulations related to the protection of personal information, or
fail to fully comply with the service agreements with us, or if any of our employees fail to comply with our internal control measures and
misuse the information, we may be subject to penalties. For further information, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business
Overview—Regulation—Regulation on Information Security and Privacy Protection.” Any failure or perceived failure to comply with
all applicable data privacy and protection laws and regulations, or any failure or perceived failure of our business partners to do so, or
any failure or perceived failure of our employees to comply with our internal control measures, may result in negative publicity and legal
proceedings or regulatory actions against us, and could damage our reputation, discourage current and potential agents, real estate sellers
and real estate buyers from using our services and subject us to fines and damages, which could have a material adverse effect on our
business and results of operations.
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Furthermore, the interpretation and application of data privacy and protection laws and regulations and standards are still uncertain
and evolving. We cannot assure you that relevant governmental authorities will not interpret or implement the laws or regulations in
ways that negatively affect us. In addition, it is possible that we may become subject to additional or new laws and regulations regarding
the protection of personal information or privacy-related matters in connection with the data we have access to. Complying with
additional or new regulatory requirements could force us to incur substantial costs or require us to change our business practices. In
addition to the regulatory requirements, user attitudes towards data privacy are also evolving, and user concerns about the extent to
which personal information is accessible to, used by or shared with agents or other platform users may adversely affect our ability to gain
access to data. Any occurrence of the abovementioned circumstances may negatively affect our business and results of operations.
If we fail to obtain or keep licenses, permits or approvals applicable to the various real estate services provided by us, we may incur
significant financial penalties and other government sanctions.
The internet information services industries in China are highly regulated by the PRC government. We are required to obtain a
value-added telecommunications license in order to provide internet information services. Fangdd Network has renewed in November
2020 its value-added telecommunications service license for the operations of internet content services. The regulations related to value-
added telecommunication licenses also provide that a value-added telecommunication license holder must first obtain approvals from, or
make filings with, competent counterparts of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or the MIIT, in connection with
subsequent updates to its shareholding structure or certain other matters relating to such value-added telecommunication license holder.
We cannot assure you that we will be able to successfully keep value-added telecommunication licenses or complete the updating and
renewal of the filing records of our value-added telecommunication licenses with local MIIT counterparts on a timely basis.
Pursuant to the relevant regulations regarding real estate agents and brokerage businesses, a company active in the real estate
brokerage business is required to make a filing with the real estate administrative authority within 30 days after the issuance of its
business license. The requirements of the local real estate administrative authorities for such filings may vary in different cities and we
cannot assure you that, if we are required to complete such filings, we will be able to do so in a timely manner or at all. In addition, we
may be required to obtain additional licenses. For example, the provision of real estate market news on our platform may be viewed as
providing internet news information services, which could require us to obtain an internet news information license. If we are required to
apply for such licenses, we can provide no assurance that we will procure and maintain such additional licenses.
One of our subsidiaries is a small loan company permitted to operate as an online small loan lending business. Its operations are
subject to the inspections and examinations of relevant government authorities from time to time. Depending on the inspection results,
these local regulatory authorities may require the online small loan companies they inspected to take rectification measures within
specified periods of time, may revoke the operation approvals of non-compliant companies and may order non-compliant companies to
cease business operations. We cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain all the licenses, permits or approvals required to conduct
our online small loan business in China or maintain our existing licenses, permits and approvals. Any failure or significant delay to
obtain or renew, or any suspension or revocation, of these licenses, permits and approvals, may have a material adverse impact on our
online small loan lending businesses and results of operations.
Under applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations, the failure to obtain and/or maintain the licenses and permits required to conduct
our business may subject us to various penalties, including confiscation of revenues, imposition of fines and/or restrictions on their
business operations, or the discontinuation of their operations. Any such disruption in the business operations of the consolidated VIE
could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
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We are exposed to potential liabilities for information in our marketplace and for services sold over the internet and we may incur
significant costs and suffer from reputational damage as a result of defending against such potential liabilities.
We source content from third party sources and list them in our marketplace, including the information collected and processed from
other third parties’ websites, on our websites such as real estate listings. In certain circumstances, we do not have the authorization from
owners of listed properties in our marketplace. According to relevant PRC laws and regulations, a real estate agency shall not publish
information on properties without the prior written authorization of the owner. We may be exposed to liability with respect to such third-
party information or the products and services sold through our website or mobile applications. Among other things, we may face
allegations that, by directly or indirectly providing such third-party content, we should be liable for defamation, negligence, copyrights,
trademark infringement, unfair competition or other actions by parties providing such content. We may be subject to fines or legal
sanctions according to the Anti-Unfair Competition Law or other PRC laws. We may also face allegations that content on our websites,
including statistics or other data we compile internally, contains false information, errors or omissions, and real estate buyers and other
marketplace users could seek damages for losses incurred as a result of their reliance upon or otherwise relating to incorrect information.
We may also be subject to fines and other sanctions by the PRC government for publication of information without prior written
authorization or incorrect information. In addition, our websites could be used as a marketplace for fraudulent transactions. We have
adopted a rigorous listing verification process that includes owner verification and cross-agent verification to ensure the listings posted in
our marketplace are authentic. However, we cannot assure you that the measures we take to guard against liability for third-party content
or information will be adequate to protect us from relevant civil and other liabilities. Any such claims, with or without merit, could be
time-consuming to defend and result in litigation and significant diversion of management’s attention and resources. Even if these claims
do not result in liability to us, we could incur significant costs in investigating and defending against these claims and suffer damage to
our reputation. Our general liability insurance may not cover all potential claims to which we are exposed to and may not be adequate to
indemnify us for all liabilities that may be imposed.
We provide recommendation services for financial institutions, which may constitute provision of intermediary service, and our
agreements with these financial institutions may be deemed as intermediation contracts under the Civil Code of the PRC.
Under the Civil Code of the PRC, if an intermediary conceals any material fact intentionally or provides false information in
connection with the conclusion of a proposed transaction, which results in harm to a client’s interests, the intermediary may not claim
service fees and is liable for any damages caused. We provide recommendation services for financial service providers as part of our real
estate financial services, which may constitute provision of intermediary services, and our agreements with these financial service
providers may be deemed intermediation contracts under the Civil Code of the PRC. If we intentionally conceal material information or
provide false information to financial service providers, or if we fail to identify false information received from users or any third party
and in turn provide such information to financial service providers, we could be held liable for damages caused to financial service
providers as an intermediary pursuant to the Civil Code of the PRC. Due to the lack of detailed regulations and guidance in this area of
financial product recommendation services and the possibility that the PRC government authorities may promulgate new laws and
regulations regulating financial product recommendation services in the future, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the
interpretation and application of current or future PRC laws and regulations for financial product recommendation services, and there can
be no assurance that the PRC government authority will share our views.
In addition, if the transactions, in which we provide intermediary service, violate the PRC laws and regulations on the real estate
financial services, we may not continue to provide the intermediary service for such transactions and our business of provision of
intermediary service may be adversely affected.
Regulatory uncertainties relating to real estate-related financial services in China could harm our business, financial condition and
results of operation.
Since we historically provided real estate-related financial services, our business may continue to be subject to a variety of PRC laws
and regulations governing financial services for such historical practices. The application and interpretation of these laws and regulations
are ambiguous and may be interpreted and applied inconsistently between different government authorities. As of the date of this annual
report, we have not been subject to any material fines or other penalties under any PRC laws or regulations on our real estate financial
services operations. However, if the PRC government adopts a stringent regulatory framework for the real estate-related financial
services market in the future, and imposes specific requirements (including licensing requirements) on market participants, our business,
financial condition and prospects could be materially and adversely affected. If our historical practice is deemed to violate any existing
laws and regulations, we may be subject to penalties as determined by the relevant government authorities.
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The successful operation of our business depends upon the performance and reliability of the internet infrastructure and
telecommunications networks in China.
Our business depends on the performance and reliability of the internet infrastructure in China. Substantially all access to the
internet is maintained through state-controlled telecommunication operators under the administrative control and regulatory supervision
of MIIT. In addition, the national networks in China are connected to the internet through international gateways controlled by the PRC
government. These international gateways are generally the only websites through which a domestic user can connect to the internet. We
cannot assure you that a more sophisticated internet infrastructure will be developed in China. We may not have access to alternative
networks in the event of disruptions, failures or other problems with China’s internet infrastructure. In addition, the internet infrastructure
in China may not support the demands associated with continued growth in internet usage.
We also rely on China Unicom and China Telecom to provide us with data communications capacity primarily through local
telecommunications lines and internet data centers to host our servers. We do not have access to alternative services in the event of
disruptions, failures or other problems with the fixed telecommunications networks of China Unicom or China Telecom, or if China
Unicom or China Telecom otherwise fails to provide such services. Any unscheduled service interruption could disrupt our operations,
damage our reputation and result in a decrease in our revenues. Furthermore, we have no control over the costs of the services provided
by China Unicom and China Telecom. If the prices that we pay for telecommunications and internet services rise significantly, our gross
margins could be significantly reduced. In addition, if internet access fees or other charges to internet users increase, our user traffic may
decrease, which in turn may cause our revenues to decline.
Historically there have been occurrences of unexpected network interruptions and security breaches, including “hacking” or
computer virus attacks. Such disruptions in the future would cause delays or interruptions of service, damage our reputation and
result in a loss of users of our products, which could harm our business, operating results, and financial condition.
Our business depends heavily on the performance and reliability of China’s internet infrastructure, the continued accessibility of
bandwidth and servers on our service providers’ networks and the continuing performance, reliability and availability of our technology
platform. We have in the past and are likely again in the future to be subject to unexpected interruptions and security breaches, although
to date no such attack has resulted in any material damages or remediation costs. Any failure to maintain the satisfactory performance,
reliability, security and availability of our computer and hardware systems may cause significant harm to our reputation and our ability to
attract and maintain platform users and visitor traffic. Major risks related to our network infrastructure include:
● any breakdown or system failure resulting in a sustained shutdown of our servers, including failures which may be attributable
to sustained power shutdowns, or efforts to gain unauthorized access to our systems causing loss or corruption of data or
malfunctions of software or hardware;
● any disruption or failure in the national network infrastructure, which would prevent our platform users from accessing our
website;
● any damage from fire, flood, earthquake and other natural disasters; and
● computer viruses, hackings and similar events.
Computer viruses and hacking attacks may cause delays or other service interruptions and could result in significant damage to our
hardware, software systems and databases, disruptions to our business activities, such as to our e-mail and other communication systems,
breaches of security and inadvertent disclosure of confidential or sensitive information, inadvertent transmissions of computer viruses
and interruptions of access to our website through the use of denial-of-service or similar attacks. In addition, the inadvertent transmission
of computer viruses could expose us to a material risk of loss or litigation and possible liability. All of our servers and routers, including
back-up servers, are currently hosted by third-party service providers in Beijing, Shenzhen and Shanghai and all information on our
website is backed up in real time and daily. Any hacking, security breach or other system disruption or failure which occurs in between
our weekly backup procedures could disrupt our business or cause us to lose, and be unable to recover, data such as real estate listings,
contact information and other important transaction-related information.
We also do not maintain insurance policies covering losses relating to our systems and do not have business interruption insurance.
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Any significant cybersecurity incident or disruption of our information technology systems or those of third-party partners could
materially damage our user relationships and subject us to significant reputational, financial, legal and operational consequences.
We depend on our information technology systems, as well as those of third parties, to develop new products and services, host and
manage our services, store data and process transactions. For example, all of our cloud storage is provided by Huawei Cloud. Any
material disruption or slowdown of our systems or those of third parties whom we depend upon could cause outages or delays in our
services, which could harm our brand and adversely affect our operating results. If changes in technology cause our information
technology systems, or those of third parties whom we depend upon, to become obsolete, or if our or their information systems are
inadequate to handle our growth, we could lose users, and our business and operating results could be adversely affected.
We are subject to risks relating to our leased properties.
Currently, most of our offices are on leased premises. We may not be able to successfully maintain, extend or renew our leases upon
the expiration of the current term on commercially reasonable terms or at all, and may therefore be forced to relocate to new offices.
In addition, we have entered into certain lease agreements with parties who have not provided evidence of proper legal title to the
leased premises or authorization from the legal owners for sublease of the premises. If such parties are not the legal owners, or if they
have not obtained the proper authorization from the legal owners of the premises, we might be forced to relocate. We also have not
registered certain of our lease agreements with the relevant government authorities. Under the relevant PRC laws and regulations, we
may be required to register and file with the relevant government authority executed leases. Failure to register the lease agreements for
our leased properties will not affect the validity of these lease agreements, but housing authorities may order us to register the lease
agreements in a prescribed period of time and impose a fine ranging from RMB1,000 to RMB10,000 for each non-registered lease if we
fail to complete the registration within the prescribed timeframe.
Potential strategic investments, acquisitions or new business initiatives may disrupt our ability to manage our business effectively.
Strategic investments, acquisitions or new business initiatives and any subsequent integration of new companies or businesses will
require significant attention from our management, in particular to ensure that such changes do not disrupt any existing collaborations, or
affect our users’ opinion and perception of our products and services. In addition, in the case of acquisitions or new business initiatives
our management will need to ensure that the acquired or new business is effectively integrated into our existing operations. The diversion
of our management’s attention and any difficulties encountered during integration could have a material adverse effect on our ability to
manage our business. In addition, strategic investments, acquisitions or new business initiatives could expose us to potential risks,
including:
● risks associated with the assimilation of new operations, services, technologies and personnel;
● unforeseen or hidden liabilities;
● the diversion of resources from our existing businesses and technologies;
● implementation or remediation of controls, procedures and policies at the acquired company;
● the inability to generate sufficient revenues to offset the costs and expenses of the transaction; and
● potential loss of, or harm to, relationships with employees and platform users as a result of the integration of new businesses or
investment.
Our failure to address these risks or other problems encountered in connection with our past or future acquisitions and investments
could cause us to fail to realize the anticipated benefits of such acquisitions or investments, incur unanticipated liabilities and harm our
business, results of operations and financial condition.
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Enforcement of stricter labor laws and regulations and increases in labor costs in the PRC may adversely affect our business and our
profitability.
China’s overall economy and the average wage in China have increased in recent years and are expected to continue to grow. The
average wage level for our employees has also increased in recent years. We expect that our labor costs, including wages and employee
benefits, will continue to increase. Unless we are able to pass on these increased labor costs to our users by increasing commission fees
we charge and prices for our products or services, our profitability and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
In addition, we have been subject to stricter regulatory requirements in terms of entering labor contracts with our employees and
paying various statutory employee benefits, including pensions, housing fund, medical insurance, work-related injury insurance,
unemployment insurance and childbearing insurance to designated government agencies for the benefit of our employees. Pursuant to the
PRC Labor Contract Law, as amended, or the Labor Contract law, and its implementation rules, employers are subject to various
requirements in terms of signing labor contracts, minimum wages, paying remuneration, determining the term of employees’ probation
and unilaterally terminating labor contracts. In the event that we decide to terminate some of our employees or otherwise change our
employment or labor practices, the Labor Contract Law and its implementation rules may limit our ability to effect those changes in a
desirable or cost-effective manner, which could adversely affect our business and results of operations. Under the PRC Social Insurance
Law and the Administrative Measures on Housing Fund, employees are required to participate in pension insurance, work-related injury
insurance, medical insurance, unemployment insurance, maternity insurance, and housing funds, employers are required, together with
their employees or separately, to pay the social insurance premiums and housing funds for their employees and employers that fail to
make adequate social insurance and housing fund contributions may be subject to fines and legal sanctions. We could be deemed to have
failed to pay certain social insurance and housing fund contributions under the relevant PRC laws and regulation. If the relevant PRC
authorities determine that we shall make supplemental contributions, that we are not in compliance with labor laws and regulations, or
that we are subject to fines or other legal sanctions, such as order of timely rectification, and our business, financial condition and results
of operations may be adversely affected.
In addition, pursuant to the Labor Contract Law, dispatched labor is only intended to be a supplementary form of employment. The
Interim Provisions on Labor Dispatch, which became effective on March 1, 2014, further provides that the number of dispatched workers
an employer may use must not exceed 10% of its total labor force. We use dispatched workers from employment agents in the PRC from
time to time for provision of services to agents. We cannot assure you that the number of dispatched workers we use has not exceeded
10% of the total number of our employees in the past as we continue to develop and expand our business. If we are deemed to have
violated the foregoing limitations, we could be ordered by the relevant labor administrative authorities to rectify within a specified period
of time, and could be subject to fines if the rectification is not completed in time to the satisfaction of the labor administrative authorities.
Moreover, as the interpretation and implementation of labor-related laws and regulations are still evolving, we cannot assure you that
our employment practice do not and will not violate labor-related laws and regulations in China, which may subject us to labor disputes
or government investigations. If we are deemed to have violated relevant labor laws and regulations, we could be required to provide
additional compensation to our employees and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and
adversely affected.
Our results of operations are susceptible to fluctuations due to changes of, significant reduction in or discontinuation of government
grants.
We received government grants in the amount of RMB22.9 million in 2020, RMB22.3 million in 2021 and RMB14.9 million
(US$2.2 million) in 2022. These government grants were extended to support the development of technology companies in China and we
are not subject to any specific performance obligations or other terms as a condition of receiving these grants. Although we expect to
continue to receive government grants from time to time in the future, the extensions of future grants are at the local governments’ sole
discretion. The government incentives grants may be increased, significantly reduced or discontinued for any reasons, which may cause
our financial condition and results of operations to fluctuate.
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We have identified a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting, and we cannot assure you that additional
material weaknesses will not be identified in the future. Our failure to implement and maintain effective internal control over
financial reporting could result in failure to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud, or result in material
misstatements in our financial statements which could cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information and
have a negative effect on the price of the ADSs.
We are subject to reporting obligations under the U.S. securities laws. The SEC, as required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley
Act of 2002, adopted rules requiring every public company to include a management report on such company’s internal control over
financial reporting in its annual report, which contains management’s assessment of the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting. However, we were not subject to the requirement to provide attestation by our independent registered public
accounting firm on effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting for the year ended December 31, 2022 as we qualified as an
“emerging growth company,” as defined in the JOBS Act, as of December 31, 2022. Once we cease to be an “emerging growth
company,” our independent registered public accounting firm must attest to and report on the effectiveness of our internal control over
financial reporting, unless we qualify for other exemptions.
Our management, with the participation of our chief executive officer and financial controller, has performed an evaluation of the
effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period
covered by this report, as required by Rule 13a-15(b) under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our management has
concluded that our internal control over financial reporting was ineffective as of December 31, 2022 due to one “material weakness” in
our internal control over financial reporting. As defined in the standards established by the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight
Board, or PCAOB, a “material weakness” is a deficiency, or combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting,
such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented
or detected on a timely basis.
The material weakness identified related to the lack of sufficient financial reporting and accounting personnel with appropriate
understanding of U.S. GAAP to implement formal period-end financial reporting policies and procedures, to address complex U.S.
GAAP technical accounting issues, and to prepare and review our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in accordance
with U.S. GAAP and financial reporting requirements set forth by the SEC. Following the identification of the material weakness, we
have taken measures and plan to continue to take measures to remedy these deficiencies. For details of these remedies, see “Item 15.
Controls and Procedures.” However, the implementation of these measures may not fully address the material weakness and deficiencies
in our internal control over financial reporting, and we cannot conclude that they have been fully remedied. Our failure to correct the
material weakness and other control deficiencies or our failure to discover and address any other material weakness could result in
inaccuracies in our financial statements and could also impair our ability to comply with applicable financial reporting requirements and
related regulatory filings on a timely basis. As a result, our business, financial condition, results of operations and prospects, as well as
the trading price of our ADSs, may be materially and adversely affected. Additionally, ineffective internal control over financial
reporting could expose us to increased risk of fraud or misuse of corporate assets and subject us to potential delisting from the stock
exchange on which we list, regulatory investigations and civil or criminal sanctions.
In addition, once we cease to be an “emerging growth company” as such term is defined in the JOBS Act, our independent registered
public accounting firm must attest to and report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting. Even if our
management concludes that our internal control over financial reporting is effective in the future, our independent registered public
accounting firm, after conducting its own independent testing, may issue a report that is qualified if it is not satisfied with our internal
controls or the level at which our controls are documented, designed, operated or reviewed, or if it interprets the relevant requirements
differently from us.
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We have been and may continue to be subject to legal and administrative proceedings from time to time. If the outcomes of these
proceedings are adverse to us, it could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.
We have been, and may from time to time in the future, be subject to various legal and administrative proceedings arising in the
ordinary course of our business. As we routinely enter into business contracts with real estate developers, sellers, agencies and agents,
housing buyers, and other marketplace participants, we have been and may continue to be involved in legal proceedings arising from
contract disputes. In response to the heightened credit risks of real estate developers amid the downturn status of China’s real estate
market in 2021 and 2022, we have initiated an increased number of lawsuits against real estate developers to protect our accounts
receivable. In the meantime, as commissions are payable to real estate agencies by us after we have collected payments from real estate
developers, we have also seen an increased number of lawsuits initiated by real estate agencies against us. We believe these lawsuits are
immaterial to our company on an individual basis or a collective basis. However, regardless of the outcome, litigations or other legal or
administrative proceedings may result in substantial costs and diversion of management resources and attention.
In addition, we may also receive formal and informal inquiries from government authorities and regulators regarding our compliance
with laws and regulations, many of which are evolving and subject to interpretation. Claims arising out of actual or alleged violations of
law could be asserted against us by developers and real estate sellers, agents, real estate buyers, competitors, or governmental entities in
civil or criminal investigations and proceedings or by other entities. These claims could be asserted under a variety of laws in different
jurisdictions, including but not limited to internet information services laws, intellectual property laws, unfair competition laws, data
protection and privacy laws, labor and employment laws, securities laws, real estate laws, tort laws, contract laws, property laws and
employee benefit laws.
There is no guarantee that we will be successful in defending ourselves in legal and administrative actions or in asserting our rights
under various laws. Even if we are successful in our attempt to defend ourselves in legal and administrative actions or to assert our rights
under various laws, enforcing our rights against the various parties involved may be expensive, time-consuming and ultimately futile.
These actions could expose us to negative publicity and to substantial monetary damages and legal defense costs, injunctive relief and
criminal and civil fines and penalties, including but not limited to suspension or revocation of licenses to conduct business.
We are subject to changing laws and regulations regarding regulatory matters, corporate governance and public disclosure that have
increased both our costs and the risk of non-compliance.
We are subject to rules and regulations by various governing bodies, including, for example, the Securities and Exchange
Commission, which is charged with the protection of investors and the oversight of companies whose securities are publicly traded, and
the various regulatory authorities in China and the Cayman Islands, and to new and evolving regulatory measures under applicable law.
Our efforts to comply with new and changing laws and regulations have resulted in and are likely to continue to result in, increased
general and administrative expenses and a diversion of management time and attention from revenue-generating activities to compliance
activities.
Moreover, because these laws, regulations and standards are subject to varying interpretations, their application in practice may
evolve over time as new guidance becomes available. This evolution may result in continuing uncertainty regarding compliance matters
and additional costs necessitated by ongoing revisions to our disclosure and governance practices. If we fail to address or comply with
these regulations or any subsequent changes, we may be subject to penalty and our business may be harmed.
We have limited insurance coverage which could expose us to significant costs and business disruption.
The insurance industry in China is still in an early stage of development and PRC insurance companies offer only limited business
insurance products. While we maintain some insurance policies to safeguard against risks and unexpected events, we do not maintain
business interruption insurance or litigation insurance coverage for our operations in China. Any business disruption, litigation or natural
disaster may cause us to incur substantial costs and result in the diversion of our resources, as well as significantly disrupt our operations,
and have a material adverse effect on our business, financial position and results of operations. Moreover, to improve our performance
and to prevent disruption of our services, we may have to make substantial investments to deploy additional servers or create one or more
copies of our website to mirror our online resources, either of which could increase our expenses and reduce our net income.
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In addition to COVID-19, we face risks related to other health epidemics and natural disasters, which could significantly disrupt our
operations and adversely affect our business, financial condition or results of operation.
In addition to the impact of COVID-19, our business could be adversely affected by the effects of Ebola virus disease, H1N1 flu,
H7N9 flu, avian flu, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome, or SARS, or other epidemics. Our business operations could be disrupted if
any of our employees is suspected of having any of these epidemics, since it could require our employees to be quarantined and/or our
offices to be disinfected. In addition, to the extent that any of these epidemics harms the Chinese economy in general, our results of
operations and financial performance could be adversely affected.
We are also vulnerable to natural disasters and other calamities. Fire, floods, typhoons, earthquakes, power loss, telecommunications
failures, break-ins, war, riots, terrorist attacks or similar events may give rise to server interruptions, breakdowns, system failures,
technology platform failures or internet failures, which could cause the loss or corruption of data or malfunctions of software or hardware
as well as adversely affect our ability to provide products and services on our platform.
Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure
If the PRC government deems that our contractual arrangements with the VIE do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on
foreign investment in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future,
we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.
Foreign ownership in the business involving value-added telecommunications service (except for e-commerce, domestic
conferencing, store-and-forward, and call center services), including internet real estate services, is subject to significant restrictions
under current PRC laws, rules and regulations. Our holding company is a Cayman Islands company, and one of its wholly owned
subsidiaries in PRC, Shenzhen Fangdd, which we refer to as our WFOE, is considered a foreign-invested enterprise. Since our business
involves provision of the value-added telecommunications service, we conduct our business in China, including our online business for
new and resale properties transaction services, our rental services, and other services, primarily through Fangdd Network, and its
subsidiaries. We have gained control over Fangdd Network through a series of contractual arrangements by and between our WFOE,
Fangdd Network and its shareholders, and we refer to Fangdd Network as the VIE. The VIE and its subsidiaries have the licenses,
approvals or fillings with relevant authorities that are essential for our business operations.
We have entered into, through our WFOE, a series of contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders. These contractual
arrangements enable us to (i) direct the activities that most significantly affect the economic performance of the VIE and its subsidiaries;
(ii) receive substantially all of the economic benefits from the VIE and its subsidiaries in consideration for the services provided by the
WFOE; and (iii) have an exclusive option to purchase all or part of the equity interest in the VIE or to all or part of the assets of the VIE,
when and to the extent permitted by PRC law, or request any existing shareholder of the VIE to transfer all or part of the equity interest
in the VIE to another PRC person or entity designated by us at any time in our discretion.
These agreements make us their “primary beneficiary” for accounting purposes under U.S. GAAP. For descriptions of these
contractual arrangements, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure—Contractual Agreements with the
VIE and its Shareholders.” We believe that our corporate structure and contractual arrangements comply with the current applicable PRC
laws and regulations. Our PRC legal counsel, based on its understanding of the relevant laws and regulations, is of the opinion that each
of the contracts among our WFOE, the consolidated VIE and the VIE’s shareholders is valid, binding and enforceable in accordance with
its terms. However, our PRC legal counsel has also advised us that there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and
application of PRC laws and regulations, including the Foreign Investment Law (2019), Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of
Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules and the Telecommunications Regulations and the relevant regulatory
measures concerning the telecommunications industry. Accordingly, the PRC regulatory authorities may take a view that is contrary to
the opinion of our PRC legal counsel. There can be no assurance that the PRC government authorities, such as the Ministry of
Commerce, or the MOFCOM, the MIIT, or other authorities that regulate our business and other participants in the telecommunications
industry, would agree that our corporate structure or any of the above contractual arrangements comply with PRC licensing, registration
or other regulatory requirements, with existing policies or with requirements or policies that may be adopted in the future. PRC laws and
regulations governing the validity of these contractual arrangements are uncertain and the relevant government authorities have broad
discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations.
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We believe that our corporate structure and contractual arrangements comply with the current applicable PRC laws and regulations.
As of the date of this annual report, based on the opinion of our PRC legal counsel, we believe that our WFOE and the VIE are not
subject to permission requirements from the CSRC, CAC, nor any other entity to approve these contractual arrangements. However, PRC
laws and regulations governing the approval of these contractual arrangements are uncertain and the relevant government authorities
have broad discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations. Accordingly, the PRC regulatory authorities may take a view that is
contrary to the view of our PRC counsel. There can be no assurance that the PRC government authorities such as the Ministry of
Commerce, or the MOFCOM, the MIIT, or other authorities that regulate our business and other participants in the telecommunications
industry, would agree that our corporate structure or any of the above contractual arrangements comply with PRC licensing, registration
or other regulatory requirements, with existing policies or with requirements or policies that may be adopted in the future. PRC laws and
regulations governing the approval of these contractual arrangements are uncertain and the relevant government authorities have broad
discretion in interpreting these laws and regulations. As of the date of this annual report, we have not received any inquiry, notice,
warning, or sanctions regarding our corporate structure and contractual arrangements from the CSRC, CAC or any other PRC
government authorities. If we inadvertently conclude that approvals are not required, or if these regulations change or are interpreted
differently and we are required to obtain approval in the future, our shares may decline in value or become worthless if we are unable to
assert our contractual control rights over the assets of the VIE and its subsidiaries that conduct all or substantially all of our operations. If
the PRC government determines that these contractual arrangements do not comply with its restrictions on foreign investment in the
internet business, if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change or are interpreted differently in the future, or if
the PRC government otherwise finds that we, the VIE, or any of its subsidiaries is in violation of PRC laws or regulations or lack the
necessary permits or licenses to operate our business, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities, including but not limited to the MIIT,
which regulates internet information service companies, would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations, including:
● revoking our business and operating licenses;
● discontinuing or restricting our operations;
● imposing fines or confiscating any of our income that they deem to have been obtained through illegal operations;
● requiring us, our PRC subsidiaries and the VIE and its subsidiaries to restructure the relevant ownership structure or operations;
● placing restrictions on our right to collect revenues;
● restricting or prohibiting our use of the proceeds from our initial public offering to finance the business and operations of the
VIE; and
● taking other regulatory or enforcement actions that could be harmful to our business.
The imposition of any of these penalties could have a material and adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of
operations. If any of these penalties results in our inability to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its economic
performance, and/or our failure to receive the economic benefits from the VIE, we may not be able to consolidate the financial results of
the VIE and its subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP. In addition, our shares may decline
in value or become worthless if we are unable to assert our contractual control rights over the assets of the VIE and its subsidiaries that
conduct all or substantially all of our operations.
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We rely on contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders to exercise control over our business, which may not be as
effective as direct ownership in providing operational control.
Since the applicable PRC laws, rules and regulations restrict foreign ownership in the value-added telecommunications services, we
conduct our online real estate service and derive related revenues through the contractual arrangements with the VIE. We rely on
contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders for our business operations, and these contractual arrangements may not be
as effective as direct ownership in providing us with control over the VIE. We rely on the performance by the VIE and its shareholders of
their obligations under the contracts to exercise control over the VIE. The shareholders of the VIE may not act in the best interests of us
or may not perform their obligations under these contracts. Such risks exist throughout the period in which we intend to operate certain
portion of our business through the contractual arrangements with the VIE. As we have no direct or indirect ownership interest in the
VIE, these contractual arrangements, including the voting proxies granted to us, may not be as effective in providing us with control over
these companies as direct or indirect ownership. If we were the controlling shareholder of the VIE with direct or indirect ownership, we
would be able to exercise our rights as shareholders to effect changes in the board of directors, which in turn could effect change, subject
to any applicable fiduciary obligations, at the management level. Since we control the VIE through contractual arrangements, if the VIE
or its shareholders fail to perform their obligations under these contractual arrangements, we may be forced to (i) incur substantial costs
and resources to enforce such arrangements, including the voting proxies, and (ii) rely on legal remedies available under PRC law,
including exercising our call option right over the equity interest in the VIE or the assets of the VIE, seeking specific performance or
injunctive relief, and claiming monetary damages. See “—Any failure by the VIE or its shareholders to perform their obligations under
our contractual arrangements with them would have a material and adverse effect on our business.” In the event that we are unable to
enforce these contractual arrangements, or if we suffer significant time delays or other obstacles in the process of enforcing these
contractual arrangements, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
The equity and asset transfer and foreclosure of pledge in accordance with our contractual arrangements shall be subject to
procedures required by relevant PRC authorities. In addition, the equity and asset transfer price may be subject to review and tax
adjustment by the relevant tax authority.
The shareholders of the VIE may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and adversely affect our business
and financial condition.
The VIE is currently 31.95% owned by Yi Duan, 19.75% owned by Jiancheng Li, 16.87% owned by Xi Zeng, 9.0% owned by Wei
Zhang, 8.87% owned by Li Zhou, 8.0% owned by Jingjing Huang, 2.66% owned by Jiaorong Pan, 2.0% owned by Wentao Bai and 0.9%
owned by Ying Lu, respectively. Yi Duan, Xi Zeng and Jiancheng Li are our co-founders. Jiaorong Pan is our director and chief operating
officer. However, we cannot assure you that these shareholders would not have potential conflicts of interest with us. If they breach, or
cause the VIE to breach, or refuse to renew, the existing contractual arrangements we have with them and the VIE, our ability to
effectively control the VIE and receive economic benefits from the VIE and its subsidiaries would be materially and adversely affected.
For example, the shareholders may be able to cause our agreements with the VIE to be performed in a manner adverse to us by, among
other things, failing to remit payments due under the contractual arrangements to us on a timely basis. We cannot assure you that when
conflicts of interest arise, any or all of these shareholders will act in the best interests of our company or such conflicts will be resolved
in our favor.
Currently, we do not have any arrangements to address potential conflicts of interest between these shareholders and our company.
For the shareholders who are also our directors and executive officers, we rely on them to abide by the laws of the Cayman Islands and
China, which provide that the directors owe a fiduciary duty to the company that requires them to act in good faith and in what they
believe to be the best interests of the company and not to use their position for personal gain. There is currently no specific and clear
guidance under PRC laws that address any conflict between PRC law and Cayman Islands law in respect of any conflict relating to
corporate governance. If we cannot resolve any conflict of interest or dispute between us and the shareholders of the VIE, we would have
to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in disruption of our business and subject us to substantial uncertainty as to the outcome
of any such legal proceedings.
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Any failure by the VIE or its shareholders to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would have a
material and adverse effect on our business.
We refer to the shareholders of the VIE as its nominee shareholders because although they are the holders on record of equity
interest in the VIE, pursuant to the terms of the relevant power of attorney, each such shareholder has irrevocably authorized Jiancheng
Li, a director of our WFOE, or another person designated by our WFOE in case Jiancheng Li ceases to be the WFOE’s director, to
exercise his or her rights as a shareholder of the VIE. However, if the VIE or its shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations
under the contractual arrangements, we may have to incur substantial costs and expend additional resources to enforce such
arrangements. We may also have to rely on legal remedies under PRC law, including seeking specific performance or injunctive relief,
and claiming damages, which we cannot assure will be effective under PRC law. For example, if the shareholders of the VIE refuse to
transfer their equity interest in the VIE to us or our designee when we exercise the purchase option pursuant to these contractual
arrangements, or if they otherwise act in bad faith toward us, then we may have to take legal actions to compel them to perform their
contractual obligations.
All of the agreements under our contractual arrangements are governed by PRC law and provide for the resolution of disputes
through arbitration or litigation. Accordingly, these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with PRC law and any disputes would
be resolved through arbitration in Hong Kong or litigation in PRC. The legal system in the PRC is not as developed as in some other
jurisdictions, such as the United States. As a result, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit our ability to enforce these
contractual arrangements. See “—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC legal system contains uncertainties, which could
limit the legal protections available to you and us.” Meanwhile, there are very few precedents and little formal guidance as to how
contractual arrangements in the context of a VIE should be interpreted or enforced under PRC law. There remain significant uncertainties
regarding the ultimate outcome of such arbitration should legal action become necessary. In addition, rulings by arbitrators are final,
parties cannot appeal the arbitration results in courts, and if the losing parties fail to carry out the arbitration awards within a prescribed
time limit, the prevailing parties may only enforce the arbitration awards in PRC courts through arbitration award recognition
proceedings, which would require additional expenses and delay. In the event we are unable to enforce these contractual arrangements, or
if we suffer significant delays or other obstacles in the process of enforcing these contractual arrangements, we may not be able to exert
effective control over the VIE, and our ability to conduct our business may be negatively affected.
Our contractual arrangements with the VIE may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities and they may determine that we or
the VIE owe additional taxes, which could negatively affect our financial condition and the value of your investment.
Pursuant to applicable PRC laws and regulations, arrangements and transactions among related parties may be subject to audit or
challenge by the PRC tax authorities within ten years after the taxable year when the transactions are conducted. Under the PRC
Enterprise Income Tax Law effective as of January 1, 2008, every enterprise in China must submit its annual enterprise income tax return
together with a report on transactions with its related parties to the relevant tax authorities. The PRC tax authorities may impose
reasonable adjustments on taxation if they have identified any related party transactions that are inconsistent with arm’s length principles
and we may face material and adverse tax consequences. If the PRC tax authorities determine that the contractual arrangements between
our WFOE, the VIE and its shareholders were not entered into on an arm’s-length basis in such a way resulting in an impermissible
reduction in taxes, they may adjust the VIE’ income in the form of a transfer pricing adjustment. A transfer pricing adjustment could,
among other things, reduce expense deductions recorded by the VIE for PRC tax purposes, which could, in turn, increase its tax
liabilities without reducing the WFOE’ tax expenses. In addition, if the WFOE requests the VIE’s shareholders to transfer their equity
interest in VIE at nominal or no value, or the WFOE requests the VIE to transfer its assets at nominal or no value pursuant to the
contractual agreements, such transfer could be viewed as a gift and subject the WFOE to PRC income tax. Furthermore, the PRC tax
authorities may impose late payment fees and other penalties on the VIE for the adjusted but unpaid taxes according to the applicable
regulations. Our financial position and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected if the VIE’ tax liabilities increase
or if they are required to pay late payment fees and other penalties.
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Any unauthorized use of indicia of corporate power or authority would have a material adverse effect on our business.
In China, a company chop or seal serves as the legal representation of the company towards third parties even when unaccompanied
by a signature. Each legally registered company in China is required to maintain a company chop, which must be registered with the
local Public Security Bureau. In addition to this mandatory company chop, companies may have several other chops which can be used
for specific purposes. The chops of our PRC subsidiaries, the VIE and its subsidiaries are generally held securely by personnel
designated or approved by us in accordance with our internal control procedures. To the extent those chops are not kept safe, are stolen or
are used by unauthorized persons or for unauthorized purposes, the corporate governance of these entities could be severely and
adversely compromised and those corporate entities may be bound to abide by the terms of any documents so chopped, even if they were
chopped by an individual who lacked the requisite power and authority to do so.
We may lose the ability to utilize assets held by the VIE that are important to the operation of our business if the VIE goes bankrupt
or becomes subject to a dissolution or liquidation proceeding.
Our WFOE is considered foreign-invested enterprise in China and is, therefore, not permitted under the current PRC laws, rules and
regulations to hold the ICP license that are critical to our operations. The VIE, therefore, holds the ICP License required for operating our
website and our mobile applications in China. Under our contractual arrangements, the shareholders of the VIE may not approve the VIE
to sell, transfer, mortgage or dispose of its assets or legal or beneficial interests in the business in any manner without our prior consent.
However, in the event that the shareholders breach this obligation and voluntarily liquidate the VIE, or the VIE declares bankruptcy, or
all or part of its assets become subject to liens or rights of third-party creditors, we may be unable to continue some or all of our
operations, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. Furthermore, if the
VIE or its subsidiaries undergo a voluntary or involuntary liquidation proceeding, its shareholders or unrelated third-party creditors may
claim rights to some or all of its assets, hindering our ability to operate our business, which could materially and adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
Substantial uncertainties exist with respect to the interpretation and implementation of the Foreign Investment Law (2019) and how
they may impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and operations.
The value-added telecommunications services that we conduct through the VIE and its subsidiaries are subject to foreign investment
restrictions set forth in the Special Management Measures (Negative List) for the Access of Foreign Investment issued by MOFCOM and
the National Development and Reform Commission, effective January 2022.
On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress promulgated the Foreign Investment Law, or the Foreign Investment Law
(2019), which became effective on January 1, 2020 and replaced the Sino-Foreign Equity Joint Venture Enterprise Law, the Sino-Foreign
Cooperative Joint Venture Enterprise Law and the Wholly Foreign-Owned Enterprise Law to become the legal foundation for foreign
investment in the PRC. The Foreign Investment Law (2019) mainly focuses on foreign investment promotion, foreign investment
protection and foreign investment management. The Foreign Investment Law (2019) does not mention the concept of “actual control,”,
nor does it specify the regulation on controlling via contractual arrangements. However, since it is relatively new, uncertainties still exist
in relation to its interpretation and implementation. For instance, under the Foreign Investment Law (2019), “foreign investment” refers
to the investment activities directly or indirectly conducted by foreign individuals, enterprises or other entities in China. Though it does
not explicitly classify contractual arrangements as a form of foreign investment, there is no assurance that foreign investment via
contractual arrangements would not be interpreted as a type of indirect foreign investment activities in the future. In addition, the
definition of foreign investment contains a catch-all provision that includes investments made by foreign investors through other means
stipulated in laws, administrative regulations or provisions of the State Council. Therefore, it still leaves leeway for future laws,
administrative regulations or provisions promulgated by the State Council to provide for contractual arrangements as a form of foreign
investment. In any of these cases, it will be uncertain whether our contractual arrangements will be deemed to be in violation of the
market access requirements for foreign investment under the PRC laws and regulations. If further actions shall be taken under future
laws, administrative regulations or provisions of the State Council, we may face substantial uncertainties as to whether we can complete
such actions. Failure to do so could materially and adversely affect our current corporate structure, corporate governance and operations.
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Risks Related to Doing Business in China
The PRC government’s significant oversight over our business operation could result in a material adverse change in our operations
and the value of our ADSs.
We conduct our business in China primarily through our PRC subsidiaries and the VIE. Our operations in China are governed by
PRC laws and regulations. The PRC government’s significant oversight over our business operation could result in a material adverse
change in our operations and the value of our ADSs. The Chinese government may intervene or influence our operations at any time, or
may exert more control over offerings conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers, which could result in a
material change in our operations and/or the value of our ADSs. Any actions by the Chinese government to exert more oversight and
control over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers could significantly limit or
completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly
decline or become worthless.
There are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations, including, but not
limited to, the laws and regulations governing our and the VIE’s business, or the enforcement and performance of our contractual
arrangements with the VIE. These laws and regulations may be subject to change, the enforcement of laws and regulations in China
could be uncertain and the rules and policies in China may change quickly with little advance notice, which could result in a material
adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs. New laws and regulations that affect existing and proposed future
businesses may also be applied retroactively. Due to the uncertainty and complexity of the regulatory environment, we cannot assure you
that we and the VIE would always be in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the violation of which may have an
adverse effect on our and the VIE’s business and our reputation. Also, the PRC government has recently indicated an intent to exert more
oversight over offerings that are conducted overseas and/or foreign investment in China-based issuers. Any such action could
significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors. In addition, implementation of
industry-wide regulations directly targeting our operations could cause our securities to significantly decline in value or become
worthless. Therefore, investors of our company face potential uncertainty from actions taken by the PRC government affecting our
business.
The approval of and the filing with the CSRC, CAC or other PRC governmental authorities may be required in connection with our
future offshore offerings under PRC law and if required, we cannot predict whether or how soon we will be able to obtain such
approval or complete such filing.
On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated a set of new regulations, including the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas
Securities Offerings and Listings by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, and five supporting guidelines. The regulations came
into effect on March 31, 2023. The Trial Measures refine the regulatory system by subjecting both direct and indirect overseas offering
and listing activities to the CSRC filing-based administration. Requirements for filing entities, time points and procedures are specified.
Where a PRC domestic company indirectly offers and lists securities in overseas markets, the issuer shall designate a major domestic
operating entity to file with the CSRC. Companies, like us, that are already listed overseas as of March 31, 2023 are not required to make
an immediate filing with the CSRC until a subsequent offering, in which case a filing should be made with the CSRC within three
business days after the offering is completed. Failure to complete the filing required by the Trial Measures may result in a warning and a
fine between RMB1 million and RMB10 million. However, uncertainty remains as to the interpretation and implementation of the Trial
Measures and five supporting guidelines upon promulgation.
The Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Enterprises by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, among other things,
requires offshore special purpose vehicles formed for the purpose of an overseas listing and controlled by PRC companies or individuals,
to obtain the CSRC approval prior to listing their securities on an overseas stock exchange. The interpretation and application of the
regulations remain unclear. Our PRC legal counsel has advised us that, based on their understanding of the current PRC laws, the CSRC
approval is not required under the M&A Rules for our offshore offerings because the ownership structures of our PRC subsidiaries and
VIE were not established through acquisition of equity interest or assets of any PRC domestic company by foreign entities as defined
under the M&A Rules. However, we have been advised by our PRC legal counsel that there are uncertainties regarding the interpretation
and application of the PRC law, and there can be no assurance that the PRC government will ultimately take a view that is not contrary to
the above opinion of our PRC legal counsel. If it is determined that the CSRC approval is required for our offshore offerings, we may
face sanctions by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory agencies for failure to seek the CSRC approval for such offerings.
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Furthermore, relevant PRC governmental authorities promulgated the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities
Activities, which provided that the administration and supervision of overseas-listed China-based companies will be strengthened, and
the special provisions of the State Council on overseas issuance and listing of shares by such companies will be revised, clarifying the
responsibilities of domestic industry competent authorities and regulatory authorities. However, the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down
Illegal Securities Activities were only issued recently, leaving uncertainties regarding the interpretation and implementation of these
opinions. It is possible that any new rules or regulations may impose additional requirements on us.
The draft Regulations for the Administration of Cyber Data Security, or the Draft Data Security Regulations, published by the CAC
on November 14, 2021 for public comments until December 13, 2021 require that a data processor who processes personal information
of more than 1 million individuals shall (i) go through the cyber security review if it intends to be listed in a foreign country; (ii) report to
the local CAC within 15 working days once identifying any important data. Where data processors conduct merger, reorganization
separation, or otherwise, the data recipient shall continue to perform its data security protection obligations, and the data processor shall
report to the local competent department if personal information of more than one million people is involved. The Draft Data Security
Regulations also require a data processor processing important data or being listed outside China shall carry out data security assessment
annually by itself or through a third-party data security service provider and submit assessment report to local agency of the CAC. As no
detailed rules or implementation of the Draft Data Security Regulations have been issued, the CAC and the PRC governmental
authorities may have wide discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of these regulations. It also remains uncertain whether the
future regulatory changes would impose additional restrictions on companies like us. If the enacted version of the Draft Data Security
Regulations requires any clearance of cybersecurity review and other specific actions to be completed by companies like us, we face
uncertainties as to whether such clearance can be timely obtained, or at all. On December 28, 2021, the CAC and 12 other regulatory
authorities jointly issued the Cyber Security Review Measures. The Cyber Security Review Measures provide, among others, (i) the
purchase of cyber products and services by critical information infrastructure operators that affects or may affect national security and the
data processing activities engage in by network platform operators that affect or may affect national security shall be subject to the
cybersecurity review by the Cybersecurity Review Office, the department which is responsible for the implementation of cybersecurity
review under the CAC; and (ii) the network platform operators with personal information data of more than one million users that seek
for listing in a foreign country are obliged to apply for a cybersecurity review by the Cybersecurity Review Office. However, the Cyber
Security Review Measures do not provide any explanation or interpretation of “affect or may affect national security”, and Chinese
government may have broad discretion in interpreting and enforcing these laws and regulations. We cannot predict the impact of the
Cyber Security Review Measures, if any, at this stage, and we will closely monitor and assess the statutory developments in this regard.
As of the date of this annual report, we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanctions regarding offshore offering from the
CAC or any other PRC governmental authorities.
If it is determined in the future that a filing with the CSRC or other procedural requirements are required to be met for and prior to
an offering, it is uncertain whether we can or how long it will take us to complete such filing or procedures and any such filing could be
rescinded. Any failure to obtain or delay in obtaining such filing or completing such procedures for an offering, or a rescission of any
such filing, may subject us to sanctions by the relevant PRC governmental authorities. The governmental authorities may impose
restrictions and penalties on our operations in China that could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, results
of operations and prospects, as well as the trading price of the ADSs. The PRC governmental authorities may also take actions requiring
us, or making it advisable for us, to halt an offering before settlement and delivery of the ADSs offered hereby. Consequently, if you
engage in market trading or other activities in anticipation of and prior to settlement and delivery, you do so at the risk that settlement
and delivery may not occur. In addition, if the PRC governmental authorities later promulgate new rules or explanations requiring that
we obtain their approvals for filings, registrations or other kinds of authorizations for an offering, we cannot assure you that we can
obtain the approval, authorizations, or complete required procedures or other requirements in a timely manner, or at all, or obtain a
waiver of the requisite requirements if and when procedures are established to obtain such a waiver.
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Changes in PRC government policies or political or social conditions could have a material adverse effect on the overall economic
growth in China, which could adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
Our business and operations are primarily conducted in China. Accordingly, our financial condition and results of operations have
been, and are expected to continue to be, affected by the economic, political and social developments in relation to the internet, online
marketing and real estate industries in China. A slowdown of economic growth in China could reduce sales of real estate and related
products and services, which in turn could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations. In
addition, the increased global focus on social, ethical and environmental issues may lead to China’s adoption of more stringent standards
in these areas, which may adversely impact the operations of China-based companies including us. See “—Risks Related to Our Business
and Industry—Our business is susceptible to fluctuations in China’s real estate market, its overall economic growth and government
measures aimed at China’s real estate industry.” for more information.
The Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including a higher level of
government involvement, the ongoing development of a market-oriented economy, a higher level of control over foreign exchange,
and a less efficient allocation of resources.
While the PRC economy has experienced significant growth since the late 1970s, growth has been uneven, both geographically and
among various sectors of the economy. The PRC government has implemented various measures to encourage economic growth and
guide the allocation of resources. These measures are intended to benefit the overall PRC economy, but may also have a negative effect
on us. For example, our business, financial condition and results of operations could be adversely affected by PRC government control
over capital investments or changes in tax regulations that are applicable to us.
The PRC economy has been transitioning from a centrally-planned economy to a more market-oriented economy. Although the PRC
government has implemented measures since the late 1970s which emphasize the utilization of market forces for economic reform, the
PRC government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry development by imposing industrial policies. The PRC
government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth through the allocation of resources, controlling payment of
foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy and providing preferential treatment to particular industries or
companies.
The PRC legal system contains uncertainties, which could limit the legal protections available to you and us.
In 1979, the PRC government began to promulgate a comprehensive system of laws and regulations governing economic matters in
general. The overall effect of legislation over the past four decades has significantly enhanced the protections afforded to various forms
of foreign investment in China. These PRC subsidiaries are subject to laws and regulations applicable to foreign-invested enterprises in
China. In particular, they are subject to PRC laws, rules and regulations governing foreign companies’ ownership and operation of
Internet information services as well as of the real estate sector. Such laws and regulations are subject to change, and their interpretation
and enforcement involve uncertainties, which could limit the legal protections available to us and our investors. In addition, we cannot
predict the effect of future developments in the PRC legal system, including the promulgation of new laws, changes to existing laws or
the interpretation or enforcement of such laws, or the preemption of local regulations by PRC laws, rules and regulations.
Moreover, China has a civil law system based on written statutes, which, unlike common law systems, is a system in which decided
judicial cases have little precedential value. Furthermore, interpretation of statutes and regulations may be subject to government policies
reflecting domestic political changes. The relative inexperience of China’s judiciary in many cases creates additional uncertainty as to the
outcome of litigation. In addition, enforcement of existing laws or contracts based on existing laws may be uncertain and sporadic, and it
may be difficult to obtain swift and equitable enforcement within China. All such uncertainties could materially and adversely affect our
business, financial condition and results of operations.
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We may be deemed to operate a financing guarantee business by the PRC regulatory authorities.
In August 2017, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on the Administration of Financing Guarantee Companies, or the
Financing Guarantee Rules which became effective on October 1, 2017. Pursuant to the Financing Guarantee Rules, “financing
guarantee” refers to the activities in which guarantors provide guarantee to the guaranteed parties as to loans, bonds or other types of debt
financing, and “financing guarantee companies” refer to companies legally established and operating financing guarantee business.
According to the Financing Guarantee Rules, the establishment of financing guarantee companies is subject to the approval by the
relevant governmental authority, and unless otherwise stipulated, no entity may operate financing guarantee business without such
approval. If any entity violates these regulations and operates financing guarantee business without approval, the entity may be subject to
penalties including ban or suspension of business, fines of RMB500,000 (US$78,461) to RMB1,000,000 (US$156,922), confiscation of
illegal gains if any, and criminal liability if the violation constitutes a criminal offense.
Due to the lack of further interpretations, the exact definition and scope of “operating financing guarantee business” under the
Financing Guarantee Rules is unclear. It is uncertain whether we would be deemed to operate financing guarantee and loan businesses
because of our current arrangements with certain financial institutions. Furthermore, pursuant to a notice jointly issued by the People’s
Bank of China, or the PBOC, and the China Banking Regulatory Commission, or the CBRC, on December 1, 2017, a bank participating
in loan facilitation transactions may not accept credit enhancement service from a third party which is not a financing guarantee
company, including credit enhancement service in the form of a “buy-back” commitment. If the relevant regulatory authorities determine
that such prohibition is applicable to the financing arrangements we facilitate/participate in, we may be required to obtain approval or
license for financing guarantee and loan businesses to continue our collaboration arrangement with certain financial institutions. If we are
no longer able to maintain our current arrangement with these financial institutions, or become subject to penalties, our business,
financial condition, results of operations and prospects could be materially and adversely affected.
Regulation and censorship of information disseminated over the internet in China may adversely affect our business, and we may be
liable for information displayed on, retrieved from or linked to our websites and mobile applications.
The PRC government has adopted regulations governing internet access and the distribution of information over the internet. Under
these regulations, internet content providers and internet publishers are prohibited from posting or displaying over the internet content
that, among other things, impairs the national dignity of China, contains terrorism or extremism content, or is reactionary, obscene,
superstitious, fraudulent or defamatory, or otherwise violates PRC laws and regulations. Failure to comply with these requirements may
result in the revocation of licenses to provide internet content and the closure of the concerned websites and applications. The website
operator may also be held liable for such censored information displayed on or linked to the website.
In addition, the MIIT has published regulations that subject website operators to potential liability for content displayed on their
websites and for the actions of users and others using their systems, including liability for violations of PRC laws prohibiting the
dissemination of content deemed to be socially destabilizing. The Ministry of Public Security has the authority to order any local internet
service provider to block any internet website at its sole discretion. From time to time, the Ministry of Public Security has stopped the
dissemination over the internet of information which it believes to be socially destabilizing. The State Administration for the Protection
of State Secrets is also authorized to block any website it deems to be leaking state secrets or failing to meet the relevant regulations
related to the protection of state secrets in the dissemination of online information.
Although we attempt to monitor the illicit content posted by users on our platform, we may not be able to effectively control or
restrict illicit content (including comments as well as pictures, videos and other multimedia content) generated or placed on our platform
by our users. To the extent that PRC regulatory authorities find any content displayed on our platform inappropriate, they may require us
to limit or eliminate the dissemination of such information on our platform. Failure to do so may subject us to liabilities and penalties and
may even result in the temporary blockage or complete shutdown of our online operations. If this were to happen, our business and
results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.
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The discontinuation of any of the preferential tax treatments currently available to us in China could materially and adversely affect
our financial condition and results of operations.
We currently enjoy certain preferential tax treatment in the PRC. For example, Fangdd Network was qualified as a “high and new
technology enterprise” and entitled to a reduced enterprise income tax rate of 15% in 2022. However, under the Administrative Rules for
the Certification of High and New Technology Enterprises issued in January 2016, the qualification of a “high and new technology
enterprise” is subject to annual evaluation and a review every three years by the relevant authorities in China. There is no assurance that
Fangdd Network will continue to meet the applicable criteria for such qualification or enjoy the preferential tax rate at the same level in
the future. Moreover, Fangdd Network currently enjoys preferential tax treatment with regard to its research and development expenses,
and we cannot assure you that such treatment will continue at the current level, or at all. If we are not able to continue to enjoy our
current preferential tax treatment, our financial condition and results of operations can be adversely affected.
Dividends we receive from our subsidiaries located in the PRC may be subject to PRC withholding tax, which could materially and
adversely affect the amount of dividends, if any, we may pay our shareholders.
The PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law classifies enterprises as resident enterprises and non-resident enterprises. The PRC Enterprise
Income Tax Law provides that an income tax rate of 20% may be applicable to dividends payable to non-resident investors, which (i) do
not have an establishment or place of business in the PRC, or (ii) have an establishment or place of business in the PRC but the relevant
income is not effectively connected with the establishment or place of business, to the extent such dividends are derived from sources
within the PRC. The State Council of the PRC reduced such rate to 10% through the implementation regulations of the PRC Enterprise
Income Tax Law. Further, pursuant to the Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement between Hong Kong and Mainland China, or the Double
Tax Avoidance Arrangement, and the Notice on Certain Issues with Respect to the Enforcement of Dividend Provisions in Tax Treaties
issued in February 2009 by the State Administration of Taxation of the PRC, or the SAT, if a Hong Kong resident enterprise owns more
than 25% of the equity interest in a company in China at all times during the 12-month period immediately prior to obtaining a dividend
from such company, the 10% withholding tax on dividends is reduced to 5% provided certain other conditions and requirements under
the Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement and other applicable PRC laws are satisfied at the discretion of relevant PRC tax authority.
If our Cayman Islands holding company and our Hong Kong subsidiary are considered as non-resident enterprises and our Hong
Kong subsidiary is considered as a Hong Kong resident enterprise under the Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement and is determined by
the competent PRC tax authority to have satisfied relevant conditions and requirements, then the dividends paid to our Hong Kong
subsidiary by its PRC subsidiaries may be subject to the reduced income tax rate of 5% under the Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement.
However, based on the Notice on Certain Issues with Respect to the Enforcement of Dividend Provisions in Tax Treaties, if the relevant
PRC tax authorities determine, in their discretion, that a company benefits from such reduced income tax rate due to a structure or
arrangement that is primarily tax-driven, such PRC tax authorities may adjust the preferential tax treatment. In addition, based on the
Announcement on Certain Issues Concerning the Recognition of Beneficial Owners in Tax Treaties issued on February 3, 2018 by SAT,
comprehensive analysis shall be conducted based on the factors listed and the actual circumstances of the specific cases to recognize the
“beneficial owner.” If we fail to be recognized as beneficial owner, we will not be entitled to the abovementioned reduced income tax
rate of 5% under the Double Tax Avoidance Arrangement. If we are required under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law to pay income
tax for any dividends we receive from our subsidiaries in China, or if our Hong Kong subsidiary is determined by PRC government
authority as receiving benefits from reduced income tax rate due to a structure or arrangement that is primarily tax-driven, it would
materially and adversely affect the amount of dividends, if any, we may pay to our shareholders.
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If we are classified as a “resident enterprise” of China under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, we and our non-PRC
shareholders could be subject to unfavorable tax consequences, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could
be materially and adversely affected.
Under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and its implementation rules, an enterprise established outside the PRC with “de facto
management body” within the PRC is considered a “resident enterprise” and will be subject to the enterprise income tax on its global
income at the rate of 25%. The implementation rules define the term “de facto management body” as the body that exercises full and
substantial control and overall management over the business, productions, personnel, accounts and properties of an enterprise. In 2009,
SAT issued a circular, known as SAT Circular 82, which provides certain specific criteria for determining whether the “de facto
management body” of a PRC-controlled enterprise that is incorporated offshore is located in China. Although this circular only applies to
offshore enterprises controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by PRC individuals or foreigners, the
criteria set forth in the circular may reflect the SAT’s general position on how the “de facto management body” text should be applied in
determining the tax resident status of all offshore enterprises. According to SAT Circular 82, an offshore incorporated enterprise
controlled by a PRC enterprise or a PRC enterprise group will be regarded as a PRC tax resident by virtue of having its “de facto
management body” in China and will be subject to PRC enterprise income tax on its global income only if all of the following conditions
are met: (i) the primary location of the day-to-day operational management is in the PRC; (ii) decisions relating to the enterprise’s
financial and human resource matters are made or are subject to approval by organizations or personnel in the PRC; (iii) the enterprise’s
primary assets, accounting books and records, company seals, and board and shareholder resolutions, are located or maintained in the
PRC; and (iv) at least 50% of board members with voting rights or senior executives habitually reside in the PRC.
We believe that our Cayman Islands holding company, Fangdd Cayman, is not a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes.
However, the tax resident status of an enterprise is subject to determination by the PRC tax authorities and uncertainties remain with
respect to the interpretation of the term “de facto management body.” If the PRC tax authorities determine that our Cayman Islands
holding company is a PRC resident enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes, we may be required to withhold a 10% tax from
dividends we pay to our shareholders that are non-resident enterprises, including the holders of the ADSs. In addition, non-resident
enterprise shareholders, including our ADS holders, may be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 10% on gains realized on the sale or other
disposition of ADSs or ordinary shares, if such income is treated as sourced from within the PRC. Furthermore, if we are deemed a PRC
resident enterprise, dividends paid to our non-PRC individual shareholders, including our ADS holders, and any gain realized on the
transfer of ADSs or ordinary shares by such shareholders may be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 20% which in the case of dividends may
be withheld at source. Any PRC tax liability may be reduced by an applicable tax treaty. However, it is unclear whether non-PRC
shareholders of our company would be able to claim the benefits of any tax treaties between their country of tax residence and the PRC
in the event that we are treated as a PRC resident enterprise. Any such tax may reduce the returns on your investment in the ADSs or
ordinary shares.
In addition to the uncertainty as to the application of the “resident enterprise” classification, we cannot assure you that the PRC
government will not amend or revise the taxation laws, rules and regulations to impose stricter tax requirements or higher tax rates. Any
of such changes could materially and adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
Governmental control of currency conversion may affect the value of your investment.
Currently, the Renminbi cannot be freely converted into any foreign currency. The PRC government imposes controls on the
convertibility of RMB into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of currency out of China. We receive substantially all
of our revenues in RMB. Under our current structure, our income will be primarily derived from dividend payments from our PRC
subsidiaries. Shortages in the availability of foreign currency may restrict the ability of our PRC subsidiaries and our affiliated entity to
remit sufficient foreign currency to pay dividends or other payments to us, or otherwise satisfy their foreign currency dominated
obligations. Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, including profit distributions, interest
payments and expenditures from trade-related transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from the PRC State
Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, by complying with certain procedural requirements. However, for most capital account
items, approval from or registration with appropriate government authorities is required where RMB is to be converted into foreign
currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such as the repayment of bank loans denominated in foreign currencies. The
PRC government may also at its discretion restrict access in the future to foreign currencies for current account transactions. If the
foreign exchange control system prevents us from obtaining sufficient foreign currency to satisfy our currency demands, we may not be
able to pay dividends in foreign currencies to our shareholders, including holders of the ADSs.
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Fluctuation in exchange rates could have a material adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.
The value of the Renminbi against the U.S. dollar and other currencies may fluctuate and is affected by, among other things, changes
in political and economic conditions in China and by China’s foreign exchange policies. Since June 2010, the Renminbi has fluctuated
against the U.S. dollar, at times significantly and unpredictably. On November 30, 2015, the Executive Board of the International
Monetary Fund, or IMF, completed the regular five-year review of the basket of currencies that make up the Special Drawing Right, or
the SDR, and decided that with effect from October 1, 2016, Renminbi is determined to be a freely usable currency and will be included
in the SDR basket as a fifth currency, along with the U.S. dollar, the Euro, the Japanese yen and the British pound. In the fourth quarter
of 2016, the RMB has depreciated significantly in the backdrop of a surging U.S. dollar and persistent capital outflows of China. With
the development of the foreign exchange market and progress towards interest rate liberalization and Renminbi internationalization, the
PRC government may in the future announce further changes to the exchange rate system, and we cannot assure you that the Renminbi
will not appreciate or depreciate significantly in value against the U.S. dollar in the future. It is difficult to predict how market forces or
PRC or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar in the future.
Significant revaluation of the Renminbi may have a material and adverse effect on your investment. For example, to the extent that
we need to convert U.S. dollars we receive from our initial public offering into Renminbi for our operations, appreciation of the
Renminbi against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the Renminbi amount we would receive from the conversion.
Conversely, if we decide to convert our Renminbi into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our ordinary
shares or ADSs or for other business purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Renminbi would have a negative effect on the
U.S. dollar amount available to us. Very limited hedging options are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate
fluctuations. As of the date of this annual report, we have not entered into any hedging transactions in an effort to reduce our exposure to
foreign currency exchange risk. While we may decide to enter into hedging transactions in the future, the availability and effectiveness of
these hedges may be limited and we may not be able to adequately hedge our exposure or at all. In addition, our currency exchange
losses may be magnified by PRC exchange control regulations that restrict our ability to convert Renminbi into foreign currency or to
convert foreign currency into Renminbi.
PRC regulations related to offshore investment activities by PRC residents and enterprises may increase our administrative burden
and restrict our overseas and cross-border investment activity. If our PRC resident and enterprise shareholders fail to make any
required applications and filings under such regulations, we may be unable to distribute profits to such shareholders and may
become subject to liability under PRC law.
In July 2014, SAFE promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control on Domestic Residents’
Offshore Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, which replaces
the previous SAFE Circular 75. SAFE Circular 37 requires PRC residents, including PRC individuals and PRC corporate entities, to
register with SAFE or its local branches in connection with their direct or indirect offshore investment activities. SAFE Circular 37 is
applicable to our shareholders who are PRC residents and may be applicable to any offshore acquisitions that we may make in the future.
Under SAFE Circular 37, PRC residents who make, or have prior to the implementation of SAFE Circular 37 made, direct or
indirect investments in offshore special purpose vehicles are required to register such investments with SAFE or its local branches. In
addition, any PRC resident who is a direct or indirect shareholder of an SPV, is required to update its registration with the local branch of
SAFE with respect to that SPV, to reflect any material change. Moreover, any subsidiary of such SPV in China is required to urge the
PRC resident shareholders to update their registration with the local branch of SAFE to reflect any material change. If any PRC resident
shareholder of such SPV fails to make the required registration or to update the registration, the subsidiary of such SPV in China may be
prohibited from distributing its profits or the proceeds from any capital reduction, share transfer or liquidation to the SPV, and the SPV
may also be prohibited from making additional capital contributions into its subsidiaries in China. In February 2015, SAFE promulgated
a Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving Foreign Exchange Administration Policy on Direct Investment, or SAFE Notice 13.
Under SAFE Notice 13, applications for foreign exchange registration of inbound foreign direct investments and outbound direct
investments, including those required under SAFE Circular 37, must be filed with qualified banks instead of SAFE. Qualified banks
should examine the applications and accept registrations under the supervision of SAFE.
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We may not be aware of the identities of all of our beneficial owners who are PRC residents. We do not have control over our
beneficial owners and there can be no assurance that all of our PRC resident beneficial owners will comply with SAFE Circular 37 and
subsequent implementation rules, and there is no assurance that any required registration under SAFE Circular 37 and any amendment
will be completed in a timely manner, or at all. The failure of our beneficial owners who are PRC residents to register or amend their
foreign exchange registrations in a timely manner pursuant to SAFE Circular 37 and subsequent implementation rules, or the failure of
future beneficial owners of our Company who are PRC residents to comply with the registration procedures set forth in SAFE Circular
37 and subsequent implementation rules, may subject such beneficial owners or our PRC subsidiaries to fines and legal sanctions. Failure
to register or comply with relevant requirements may also limit our ability to contribute additional capital to our PRC subsidiaries and
limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to us. These risks may have a material adverse effect on our business, financial
condition and results of operations.
Furthermore, as these foreign exchange and outbound investment related regulations are relatively new and their interpretation and
implementation has been constantly evolving, it is unclear how these regulations, and any future regulation concerning offshore or cross-
border investments and transactions, will be interpreted, amended and implemented by the relevant government authorities. For example,
we may be subject to a more stringent review and approval process with respect to our foreign exchange activities, such as remittance of
dividends and foreign-currency-denominated borrowings, which may adversely affect our financial condition and results of operations.
We cannot assure you that we have complied or will be able to comply with all applicable foreign exchange and outbound investment
related regulations. In addition, if we decide to acquire a PRC domestic company, we cannot assure you that we or the owners of such
company, as the case may be, will be able to obtain the necessary approvals or complete the necessary filings and registrations required
by the foreign exchange regulations. This may restrict our ability to implement our acquisition strategy and could adversely affect our
business and prospects.
PRC regulation of loans and direct investment by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may delay or prevent us from making
loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC operating subsidiaries.
As an offshore holding company of our PRC operating subsidiaries, we may make loans to our PRC subsidiaries, the VIE and the
VIE’s subsidiaries, or may make additional capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries, subject to satisfaction of applicable
governmental registration and approval requirements.
Any loans we extend to our PRC subsidiaries, which are treated as foreign-invested enterprises under PRC law, cannot exceed the
statutory limit and must be registered with the local counterpart of the SAFE.
We may also decide to finance our PRC subsidiaries by means of capital contributions. According to the relevant PRC regulations on
foreign-invested enterprises in China, these capital contributions are subject to registration with or approval by the MOFCOM or its local
counterparts. In addition, the PRC government also restricts the convertibility of foreign currencies into Renminbi and use of the
proceeds. On March 30, 2015, SAFE promulgated Circular 19, which took effect and replaced certain previous SAFE regulations from
June 1, 2015. SAFE further promulgated Circular 16, effective on June 9, 2016, which, among other things, amend certain provisions of
Circular 19. According to SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16, the flow and use of the Renminbi capital converted from foreign
currency denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company is regulated such that Renminbi capital may not be used for
business beyond its business scope or to provide loans to persons other than affiliates unless otherwise permitted under its business
scope. On October 23, 2019, SAFE issued the Circular to Further Promote Cross-border Trade and Investment to further ease cross-
border trade and investment, according to which foreign non-investment enterprises are allowed to carry out domestic equity investment
provided that such investment will not violate applicable special administrative measures (negative list) for foreign investment access
and the investment projects shall be authentic and legitimate. Violations of the applicable circulars and rules may result in severe
penalties, including substantial fines as set forth in the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulations. If the VIE requires financial
support from us or our wholly owned subsidiaries in the future and we find it necessary to use foreign currency-denominated capital to
provide such financial support, our ability to fund the VIE’s operations will be subject to statutory limits and restrictions, including those
described above. These circulars may limit our ability to transfer the net proceeds from our initial public offering to the VIE and our PRC
subsidiaries, and we may not be able to convert the net proceeds from our initial public offering into Renminbi to invest in or acquire any
other PRC companies in China. Despite the restrictions under these SAFE circulars, our PRC subsidiaries may use their income in
Renminbi generated from their operations to finance the VIE through entrustment loans to the VIE or loans to the VIE’s shareholders for
the purpose of making capital contributions to the VIE. In addition, our PRC subsidiaries can use Renminbi funds converted from foreign
currency registered capital to carry out any activities within their normal course of business and business scope, including to purchase or
lease servers and other relevant equipment and fund other operational needs in connection with their provision of services to the relevant
VIE under the applicable exclusive technical support agreements.
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In light of the various requirements imposed by PRC regulations on loans to, and direct investment in, PRC entities by offshore
holding companies, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete the necessary government registrations or obtain the necessary
government approvals on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future loans to our PRC subsidiaries or the VIE or future capital
contributions by us to our PRC subsidiaries. If we fail to complete such registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to use the
proceeds we expect to receive from our initial public offering and to fund our PRC operations may be negatively affected, which could
materially and adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
We may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing
requirements we may have, and any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to make payments to us could have a material
and adverse effect on our ability to make investments or acquisitions, pay dividends or otherwise fund our business.
We are a holding company, and we may rely on dividends from our subsidiaries in China for our cash requirements, including any
debt we may incur. Current PRC regulations permit our subsidiaries to pay dividends to us only out of their accumulated profits, if any,
determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. In addition, each of our subsidiaries in China is required to
set aside a certain amount of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserves. These reserves are not distributable
as cash dividends. Furthermore, if our subsidiaries in China incur debt on their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing the
debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends or make other payments to us. In addition, the PRC tax authorities may require us to adjust
our taxable income under the contractual arrangements we currently have in place in a manner that would materially and adversely affect
our subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends and other distributions to us. Any limitation on the ability of our subsidiaries to distribute
dividends or other payments to us could materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions that could
be beneficial to our businesses, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our business.
Failure to comply with PRC regulations regarding the registration requirements for employee stock ownership plans or share option
plans may subject the PRC plan participants or us to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions.
Under the applicable regulations and SAFE rules, PRC citizens who participate in an employee stock ownership plan or a stock
option plan in an overseas publicly listed company are required to register with SAFE and complete certain other procedures. In
February 2012, SAFE promulgated the Notices on Issues concerning the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals
Participating in Stock Incentive Plans of Overseas Publicly-Listed Companies, or the Stock Option Rules, which replaced the
Application Procedures of Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Employee Stock Ownership Plan
or Stock Option Plans of Overseas Publicly-Listed Companies issued by SAFE in March 2007. Pursuant to the Stock Option Rules, if a
PRC resident participates in any stock incentive plan of an overseas publicly-listed company, a qualified PRC domestic agent must,
among other things, file on behalf of such participant an application with SAFE to conduct the SAFE registration with respect to such
stock incentive plan and obtain approval for an annual allowance with respect to the purchase of foreign exchange in connection with the
exercise or sale of stock options or stock such participant holds. Such participating PRC residents’ foreign exchange income received
from the sale of stock and dividends distributed by the overseas publicly-listed company must be fully remitted into a PRC collective
foreign currency account opened and managed by the PRC agent before distribution to such participants. We and our PRC resident
employees who have been granted stock options or other share-based incentives of our Company are subject to the Stock Option Rules.
If we or our PRC resident participants fail to comply with these regulations, we and/or our PRC resident participants may be subject to
fines and legal sanctions. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—Regulations Related to
Stock Incentive Plans.”
The M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations establish complex procedures for some acquisitions of PRC companies by foreign
investors, which could make it more difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China.
The M&A Rules and relevant regulations and rules concerning mergers and acquisitions established additional procedures and
requirements that could make merger and acquisition activities by foreign investors more time consuming and complex. The M&A
Rules require that the MOFCOM be notified in advance of any change-of-control transaction in which a foreign investor takes control of
a PRC domestic enterprise, if (i) any important industry is concerned, (ii) such transaction involves factors that have or may have impact
on the national economic security; or (iii) such transaction will lead to a change in control of a domestic enterprise which holds a famous
trademark or PRC time-honored brand. The approval from MOFCOM shall be obtained in circumstances where overseas companies
established or controlled by PRC enterprises or residents acquire affiliated domestic companies.
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The Anti-Monopoly Law, or the AML, promulgated by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress, which became
effective in August 2008, requires that when a concentration of undertakings occurs and reaches statutory thresholds, the undertakings
concerned shall file a prior notification with MOFCOM. Without the clearance from MOFCOM, no concentration of undertakings shall
be implemented and effected. Mergers, acquisitions or contractual arrangements that allow one market player to take control of or to
exert decisive impact on another market player must also be notified in advance to the MOFCOM when the threshold under the
Provisions on Thresholds for Prior Notification of Concentrations of Undertakings, or the Prior Notification Rules, issued by the State
Council in August 2008 is triggered. If such prior notification is not obtained, MOFCOM may order the concentration to cease its
operations, dispose of shares or assets, transfer the business of the concentration within a time limit, take any other necessary measures to
restore the situation as it was before the concentration, and may impose administrative fines.
In addition, the Implementing Rules Concerning Security Review on the Mergers and Acquisitions by Foreign Investors of Domestic
Enterprises, issued by the MOFCOM in August 2011, specify that mergers and acquisitions by foreign investors involved in “an industry
related to national security” are subject to strict review by the MOFCOM, and prohibit any activities attempting to bypass such security
review, including by structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual control arrangement. In the future, we may grow our
business by acquiring complementary businesses. Complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned regulations and other
relevant rules to complete such transactions could be time consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining approval
from the MOFCOM or its local counterparts may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions.
We cannot preclude the possibility that the MOFCOM or other government agencies may publish explanations contrary to our
understanding or broaden the scope of such security reviews in the future, in which case our future acquisitions in the PRC, including
those by way of entering into contractual control arrangements with target entities, may be closely scrutinized or prohibited. Our ability
to expand our business or maintain or expand our market share through future acquisitions would as such be materially and adversely
affected.
We and our shareholders face uncertainty with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises, assets
attributed to a PRC establishment of a non-PRC company or immovable properties located in China owned by non-PRC companies.
In February 2015, SAT issued a Public Notice Regarding Certain Corporate Income Tax Matters on Indirect Transfer of Properties
by Non-Tax Resident Enterprises, or SAT Public Notice 7. SAT Public Notice 7 extends its tax jurisdiction to transactions involving
transfer of other taxable assets through offshore transfer of a foreign intermediate holding company. In addition, SAT Public Notice 7
provides clear criteria for assessment of reasonable commercial purposes and has introduced safe harbors for internal group
restructurings and the purchase and sale of equity through a public securities market. SAT Public Notice 7 also brings challenges to both
foreign transferor and transferee (or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer) of taxable assets. In October 2017, SAT issued
the Announcement of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Concerning the Withholding of Non-resident Enterprise Income Tax
at Source, or SAT Bulletin 37, which came into effect on December 1, 2017. The Bulletin 37 further clarifies the practice and procedure
of the withholding of non-resident enterprise income tax. Where a non-resident enterprise transfers taxable assets indirectly by disposing
of the equity interest of an overseas holding company, which is an indirect transfer, the non-resident enterprise as either transferor or
transferee, or the PRC entity that directly owns the taxable assets, may report such Indirect Transfer to the relevant tax authority. Using a
“substance over form” principle, the PRC tax authority may disregard the existence of the overseas holding company if it lacks a
reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding or deferring PRC tax. As a result, gains
derived from such indirect transfer other than transfer of Shares of ADSs acquired and sold on public markets may be subject to PRC
enterprise income tax, and the transferee or other person who is obligated to pay for the transfer is obligated to withhold the applicable
taxes, currently at a rate of 10% for the transfer of equity interest in a PRC resident enterprise. Both the transferor and the transferee may
be subject to penalties under PRC tax laws if the transferee fails to withhold the taxes and the transferor fails to pay the taxes.
We face uncertainties as to the reporting and other implications of certain past and future transactions that involve PRC taxable
assets, such as offshore restructuring, sale of the shares in our offshore subsidiaries and investments. Our company may be subject to
filing obligations or taxed if our company is transferor in such transactions, and may be subject to withholding obligations if our
company is transferee in such transactions, under SAT Public Notice 7 or Bulletin 37, or both.
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You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing actions in China against
us or our management named in this annual report based on foreign laws.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. We conduct substantially all of our operations in
China and a substantial portion of our assets are located in China. In addition, many of our senior executive officers and directors reside
within China for a significant portion of the time and some of them are PRC nationals. As a result, it may be difficult for you to effect
service of process upon us or those persons inside China. It may also be difficult for you to enforce in U.S. courts judgments obtained in
U.S. courts based on the civil liability provisions of the U.S. federal securities laws against us and our officers and directors. In addition,
the courts of the Cayman Islands or the PRC are unlikely to (i) recognize or enforce judgments of U.S. courts against us or our directors
or officers that are predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United
States, or (ii) entertain original actions brought in the Cayman Islands or the PRC to impose liabilities against us or our directors or
officers that are predicated upon the federal securities laws of the United States or the securities laws of any state in the United States so
far as the liabilities imposed by those provisions are penal in nature.
The recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments are provided for under the PRC Civil Procedures Law. PRC courts may
recognize and enforce foreign judgments in accordance with the requirements of the PRC Civil Procedures Law and other applicable
laws, regulations and interpretations based either on treaties between China and the country where the judgment is made or on principles
of reciprocity between jurisdictions. China does not have any treaties or other forms of written arrangement with the United States that
provide for the reciprocal recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law,
the PRC courts will not enforce a foreign judgment against us or our directors and officers if they decide that the judgment violates the
basic principles of PRC laws or national sovereignty, security or the public interest. As a result, it is uncertain whether and on what basis
a PRC court would enforce a judgment rendered by a court in the United States.
The PCAOB had historically been unable to inspect our former auditor in relation to their audit work.
Our former auditor, the independent registered public accounting firm that issued the audit reports on our consolidated financial
statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2021, as an auditor of companies that are traded publicly in the United
States and a firm registered with the PCAOB is required by the laws of the United States to undergo regular inspections by the PCAOB
to assess its compliance with the laws of the United States and professional standards. Because our former auditor is located in the PRC,
a jurisdiction where the PCAOB was historically unable to conduct inspections and investigations completely before 2022, our former
auditor was not inspected by the PCAOB in relation to their audit work for our company. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB issued a
report that vacated its December 16, 2021 determination and removed Mainland China and Hong Kong from the list of jurisdictions
where it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms. Each year, the PCAOB will determine whether
it can inspect and investigate completely audit firms in Mainland China and Hong Kong, among other jurisdictions.
Inspections of other firms that the PCAOB has conducted outside China have identified deficiencies in those firms’ audit procedures
and quality control procedures, which may be addressed as part of the inspection process to improve future audit quality. The lack of
PCAOB inspections in China in the past made it difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of our former auditor’s audit procedures or quality
control procedures as compared to auditors outside of China that were subject to PCAOB inspections. Investors may lose confidence in
our reported financial information and procedures and the quality of our financial statements. As part of our continued efforts to ensure
accuracy of our financial reporting, our audit committee periodically communicates with our independent auditor to oversee and evaluate
the audit procedures and status. However, we cannot assure you that the measures our audit committee has taken or will take in the future
will be effective. We have dismissed our former auditor that is located in Mainland China and engaged our current auditor, a Singapore-
based accounting firm that is registered with the PCAOB and meets the PCAOB inspection requirements, as our company’s independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022.
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Our ADSs may be prohibited from trading in the United States under the HFCA Act in the future if the PCAOB is unable to inspect
or investigate completely auditors located in China. The delisting of our ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially
and adversely affect the value of your investment.
Pursuant to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCA Act, if the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission,
or the SEC, determines that a company retains a foreign accounting firm that cannot be subject to inspections by the PCAOB for two
consecutive years, the SEC will prohibit its securities from being traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter
trading market in the United States. On December 16, 2021, the PCAOB issued a report relaying to the SEC its determinations that the
board was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms in Mainland China and Hong Kong. In March
2022, the SEC issued its first “Conclusive list of issuers identified under the HFCA Act” indicating that those companies were formally
subject to the delisting provisions. In May 2022, we were conclusively identified by the SEC under the HFCA Act due to the fact that our
previous auditor was located in Mainland China and could not be inspected by the PCAOB. See https://www.sec.gov/hfcaa.
On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB signed with the CSRC and the Ministry of Finance of the PRC a Statement of Protocol, which
gives the PCAOB sole discretion to select the firms, audit engagements and potential violations it inspects and investigates and put in
place procedures for PCAOB inspectors and investigators to view complete audit work papers with all information included and for the
PCAOB to retain information as needed. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB issued a report that vacated its December 16, 2021
determination and removed Mainland China and Hong Kong from the list of jurisdictions where it was unable to inspect or investigate
completely registered public accounting firms. Each year, the PCAOB will determine whether it can inspect and investigate completely
audit firms in Mainland China and Hong Kong, among other jurisdictions.
We have engaged our current auditor, a Singapore-based accounting firm that is registered with the PCAOB, as our independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, and our current auditor can be inspected under the
PCAOB requirements. However, if the PCAOB determines in the future that it no longer has full access to inspect and investigate
completely accounting firms in Mainland China and Hong Kong, it may create uncertainty about the ability of our current auditor to fully
cooperate with the PCAOB’s request for audit work papers. Such lack of inspection could cause trading in our securities to be prohibited
under the HFCA Act and ultimately result in a determination by a securities exchange to delist our securities. If our shares and ADSs are
prohibited from trading in the United States, there is no certainty that we will be able to list on a non-U.S. exchange or that a market for
our shares will develop outside of the United States. Such a prohibition would substantially impair your ability to sell or purchase our
ADSs when you wish to do so, and the risk and uncertainty associated with delisting would cause our ADSs to significantly decline in
value or become worthless. Also, such a prohibition would significantly affect our ability to raise capital on terms acceptable to us, or at
all, which would have a material adverse impact on our business, financial condition, and prospects.
If additional remedial measures are imposed on the “big four” PRC-based accounting firms, including our former independent
registered public accounting firm, in administrative proceedings brought by the SEC alleging such firms’ failure to meet specific
criteria set by the SEC with respect to requests for the production of documents, we could fail to timely file future financial statements
in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act.
In late 2012, the SEC commenced administrative proceedings under Rule 102(e) of its Rules of Practice and also under the
Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 against the “big four” PRC-based accounting firms (including our former auditor). The Rule 102(e)
proceedings initiated by the SEC relate to these firms’ inability to produce documents, including audit work papers, in response to the
request of the SEC pursuant to Section 106 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as the auditors located in China are not in a position
lawfully to produce documents directly to the SEC because of restrictions under PRC laws and specific directives issued by the China
Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC. The issues raised by the proceedings are not specific to our auditors or to us, but affect
equally all audit firms based in China and all China-based businesses with securities listed in the United States.
In January 2014, the administrative judge reached an initial decision that each of these firms should be barred from practicing before
the SEC for six months. Thereafter, the accounting firms filed a petition for review of the initial decision, prompting the SEC
commissioners to review the initial decision, determine whether there had been any violation and, if so, determine the appropriate
remedy to be placed on these audit firms.
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In February 2015, “big four” PRC-based accounting firms (including our former auditor) each agreed to censure and pay a fine to
the SEC to settle the dispute and avoid suspension of their ability to practice before the SEC and audit U.S. listed companies. The
settlement requires the firms to follow detailed procedures and to seek to provide the SEC with access to the Chinese firms’ audit
documents via the CSRC. Under the terms of the settlement, the underlying proceeding against the four China-based accounting firms
was deemed dismissed with prejudice four years after entry of the settlement. The four-year mark occurred on February 6, 2019.
While we cannot predict if the SEC will further challenge the four China-based accounting firms’ compliance with U.S. law in
connection with U.S. regulatory requests for audit work papers or if the results of such a challenge would result in the SEC imposing
penalties such as suspensions, if the accounting firms are subject to additional remedial measures, our ability to file our financial
statements in compliance with SEC requirements could be impacted. A determination that we have not timely filed financial statements
in compliance with SEC requirements could ultimately lead to the delisting of our ADSs or the termination of the registration of our
ADSs under the Exchange Act, or both, which would substantially reduce or effectively terminate the trading of our ADSs in the United
States.
In the event that the SEC restarts the administrative proceedings, depending upon the final outcome, listed companies in the United
States with major PRC operations may find it difficult or impossible to retain auditors in respect of their operations in China, which
could result in financial statements being determined to not be in compliance with the requirements of the Exchange Act, and could
result in delisting. Moreover, any negative news about the proceedings against these audit firms may cause investor uncertainty regarding
China-based, United States-listed companies and the market price of our shares may be adversely affected.
It may be difficult for overseas regulators to conduct investigations or collect evidence within China.
Shareholder claims or regulatory investigation that are common in the United States generally are difficult to pursue as a matter of
law or practicality in China. For example, in China, there are significant legal and other obstacles to providing information needed for
regulatory investigations or litigation initiated outside China. Although the authorities in China may establish a regulatory cooperation
mechanism with the securities regulatory authorities of another country or region to implement cross-border supervision and
administration, such cooperation with the securities regulatory authorities in the Unities States may not be efficient in the absence of
mutual and practical cooperation mechanisms. Furthermore, according to Article 177 of the PRC Securities Law, or Article 177, which
became effective in March 2020, no overseas securities regulator is allowed to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection
activities within the territory of the PRC. While detailed interpretations of or implementation rules under Article 177 are yet to be
promulgated, the inability for an overseas securities regulator to directly conduct investigation or evidence collection activities within
China may further increase difficulties you may face in protecting your interests.
Risks Related to The ADSs
The market price movement of the ADSs may be volatile.
The trading prices of the ADSs are likely to be volatile and could fluctuate widely due to factors beyond our control. This may
happen because of broad market and industry factors, like the performance and fluctuation in the market prices or the underperformance
or deteriorating financial results of other listed companies based in China. The securities of some of these companies have experienced
significant volatility since their initial public offerings, including, in some cases, substantial price declines in the trading prices of their
securities. The trading performances of other Chinese companies’ securities after their offerings, including Internet companies, online
retail and mobile commerce platforms and consumer finance service providers, may affect the attitudes of investors toward Chinese
companies listed in the United States, which consequently may impact the trading performance of the ADSs, regardless of our actual
operating performance. In addition, any negative news or perceptions about inadequate corporate governance practices or fraudulent
accounting, corporate structure or matters of other Chinese companies may also negatively affect the attitudes of investors towards
Chinese companies in general, including us, regardless of whether we have conducted any inappropriate activities. Furthermore,
securities markets may from time to time experience significant price and volume fluctuations that are not related to our operating
performance, such as the large decline in share prices in the United States, China and other jurisdictions in late 2008, early 2009, the
second half of 2011, 2015, 2021 and 2022, which may have a material and adverse effect on the trading price of the ADSs.
In addition to the above factors, the price and trading volume of the ADSs may be highly volatile due to multiple factors, including
the following:
● regulatory developments affecting us or our industry;
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● announcements of studies and reports relating to the quality of our service offerings or those of our competitors;
● changes in the economic performance or market valuations of other real estate service providers;
● actual or anticipated fluctuations in our quarterly results of operations and changes or revisions of our expected results;
● changes in financial estimates by securities research analysts;
● conditions in the market for real estate services;
● announcements by us or our competitors of new product and service offerings, acquisitions, strategic relationships, joint
ventures, capital raisings or capital commitments;
● additions to or departures of our senior management;
● fluctuations of exchange rates between the Renminbi and the U.S. dollar; and
● release or expiry of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding shares or ADSs, and sales or perceived potential
sales of additional ordinary shares or ADSs.
We may be unable to comply with the applicable continued listing requirements of Nasdaq.
ADSs representing our Class A ordinary shares are currently listed on Nasdaq. In order to maintain this listing, we must satisfy
minimum financial and other continued listing requirements and standards. On January 4, 2022, we received a notice from the Nasdaq
Stock Market LLC, notifying that we were not in compliance with the minimum bid price requirement set forth under Nasdaq Listing
Rule 5450(a)(1) because the bid price of our ADSs closed below US$1.00 per ADS for the 30 consecutive business days from November
19, 2021 to January 3, 2022. We were granted a grace period of 180 calendar days, expiring on July 5, 2022, in which to regain
compliance. In order to regain compliance with the minimum bid price requirement, we changed the ratio of our ADSs representing
Class A ordinary shares from one (1) ADS representing twenty five (25) Class A ordinary shares to one (1) ADS representing three
hundred seventy-five (375) Class A ordinary shares. The change became effective on June 7, 2022. On June 22, 2022, Nasdaq confirmed
in a compliance notice that for the ten consecutive business days, from June 7 through June 21, 2022, the closing bid price of our ADSs
had been at $1.00 per share or greater. Accordingly, we regained compliance with Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(a)(1), and the matter was
closed.
On October 20, 2022, we received another notice from Nasdaq, stating that we were not in compliance with the Nasdaq listing
requirement to maintain a minimum market value of publicly held shares, or MVPHS, of at least US$5 million for a period of 30
consecutive business days, as required under Nasdaq Listing Rule 5450(b)(1)(C). We were provided 180 calendar days, or until April 18,
2023, to regain compliance with the MVPHS requirement. On March 24, 2023, based on our company’s MVPHS for a period of 11
consecutive business days, from March 9 to March 23, 2023, Nasdaq confirmed that our company’s MVPHS had been greater than US$5
million. Accordingly, we regained compliance with the MVPHS requirement and this matter was closed. In the future, if we were unable
to comply with any applicable listing requirements of Nasdaq, our ADSs would be subject to delisting. In the event that our ADSs are
delisted from Nasdaq and are not eligible for quotation or listing on another market or exchange, trading of our ADSs could be conducted
only in the over-the-counter market established for unlisted securities such as OTC Markets. In such event, it could become more
difficult to dispose of, or obtain accurate price quotations for our ADSs, which could cause the price of our ADSs to decline further.
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The sale or availability for sale of substantial amounts of the ADSs or ordinary shares could adversely affect their market price.
Sales of substantial amounts of the ADSs or ordinary shares in the public market, or the perception that these sales could occur,
could adversely affect the market price of the ADSs. As of March 31, 2023, we had 21,351,086,319 ordinary shares outstanding,
comprising of 20,854,967,959 Class A ordinary shares, 490,418,360 Class B ordinary shares outstanding and 5,700,000 Class C ordinary
shares outstanding, including 1,792,471,025 Class A ordinary shares represented by approximately 4,779,923 ADSs, which are freely
transferable without restriction or additional registration under the Securities Act. The remaining Class A ordinary shares outstanding
and Class A ordinary shares converted from the Class B ordinary shares or the Class C ordinary shares will be available for sale, subject
to volume and other restrictions as applicable under Rules 144 and 701 under the Securities Act. Certain holders of our ordinary shares
may cause us to register under the Securities Act the sale of their shares. Sales of these registered shares in the form of ADSs in the
public market could adversely affect the market price of the ADSs.
Our triple-class voting structure will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any
change of control transactions that holders of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may view as beneficial.
Our ordinary share capital consists of Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares. Holders of
Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares shall vote together as one class on all resolutions submitted
to a vote by the shareholders. In respect of matters requiring the votes of shareholders, holders of Class A ordinary shares are entitled to
one vote per share, while (i) holders of Class B ordinary shares are entitled to ten votes per share and (ii) holders of Class C ordinary
shares are entitled to 10,000 votes per share, except that we shall only amend, alter, modify or change the rights, restrictions, preferences
or privileges of Class C ordinary shares with the written consent of the holders holding a majority of the issued and outstanding Class C
ordinary shares or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the issued and outstanding Class
C ordinary shares.
Each Class B ordinary share or Class C ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time at the option of the
holder thereof, or subject to automatic and immediate conversion into one Class A ordinary share once certain conditions are met, while
neither Class A ordinary shares nor Class C ordinary shares are convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances, neither
Class A ordinary shares nor Class B ordinary shares are convertible into Class C ordinary shares under any circumstances.
Due to the disparate voting powers attached to these three classes, holders of our Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary
shares have significant voting power over matters requiring shareholders’ approval. This concentrated control will limit your ability to
influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any potential merger, takeover or other change of control
transactions that holders of Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may view as beneficial.
If securities or industry analysts cease to publish research or reports about our business, or if they adversely change their
recommendations regarding the ADSs, the market price for the ADSs and trading volume could decline.
The trading market for the ADSs will depend in part on the research and reports that securities or industry analysts publish about us
or our business. If research analysts do not establish and maintain adequate research coverage or if one or more of the analysts who
covers us downgrades the ADSs or publishes inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market price for the ADSs would
likely decline. If one or more of these analysts cease coverage of our company or fail to publish reports on us regularly, we could lose
visibility in the financial markets, which, in turn, could cause the market price or trading volume for the ADSs to decline.
Because we do not expect to pay dividends in the foreseeable future, you must rely on price appreciation of the ADSs for return on
your investment.
We currently intend to retain most, if not all, of our available funds and any future earnings to fund the development and growth of
our business. As a result, we do not expect to pay any cash dividends in the foreseeable future. Therefore, you should not rely on an
investment in the ADSs as a source for any future dividend income.
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Our board of directors has complete discretion as to whether to distribute dividends, subject to certain restrictions under Cayman
Islands law, namely that our company may only pay dividends out of profits or share premium, and provided always that in no
circumstances may a dividend be paid if this would result in our company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary
course of business. In addition, our shareholders may by ordinary resolution declare a dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount
recommended by our board of directors. Even if our board of directors decides to declare and pay dividends, the timing, amount and
form of future dividends, if any, will depend on, among other things, our future results of operations and cash flow, our capital
requirements and surplus, the amount of distributions, if any, received by us from our subsidiaries, our financial condition, contractual
restrictions and other factors deemed relevant by our board of directors. Accordingly, the return on your investment in the ADSs will
likely depend entirely upon any future price appreciation of the ADSs. There is no guarantee that the ADSs will appreciate in value or
even maintain the price at which you purchased the ADSs. You may not realize a return on your investment in the ADSs and you may
even lose your entire investment in the ADSs.
We may need additional capital, and the sale of additional ADSs or other equity securities could result in additional dilution to our
shareholders, while the incurrence of debt may impose restrictions on our operations.
We believe that our current cash, cash equivalents, restricted cash and anticipated cash flow from operations will be sufficient to
meet our anticipated cash needs for the foreseeable future. We may, however, require additional cash resources due to changed business
conditions or other future developments, including any investments or acquisitions we may decide to pursue. If these resources are
insufficient to satisfy our cash requirements, we may seek to sell equity or debt securities or obtain a credit facility. The sale of equity
securities would result in dilution to our shareholders. The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased debt service obligations
and could require us to agree to operating and financing covenants that would restrict our operations. We cannot assure you that
financing will be available in amounts or on terms acceptable to us, if at all.
Our memorandum and articles of association contain anti-takeover provisions that could adversely affect the rights of holders of our
ordinary shares and ADSs.
Our current memorandum and articles of association contain provisions to limit the ability of others to acquire control of our
company or cause us to engage in change-of-control transactions, including a provision that grants authority to our board of directors to
establish and issue from time to time one or more series of preferred shares without action by our shareholders and to determine, with
respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series, any or all which may be greater than the rights associated
with our Class A ordinary shares, in the form of ADSs. These provisions could have the effect of depriving our shareholders of an
opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of
our company in a tender offer or similar transaction. For example, our board of directors has the authority, without further action by our
shareholders, to issue preferred shares in one or more series and to fix their designations, powers, preferences, privileges, and relative
participating, optional or special rights and the qualifications, limitations or restrictions, including dividend rights, conversion rights,
voting rights, terms of redemption and liquidation preferences, any or all of which may be greater than the rights associated with our
Class A ordinary shares, in the form of ADS, or otherwise. Preferred shares could be issued quickly with terms calculated to delay or
prevent a change in control of our company or make removal of management more difficult. If our board of directors decides to issue
preferred shares, the price of the ADSs may fall and the voting and other rights of the holders of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs
may be materially and adversely affected.
We qualify as a foreign private issuer and, as a result, we are not subject to U.S. proxy rules and are subject to Exchange Act
reporting obligations that permit less detailed and frequent reporting than that of a U.S. domestic public company.
We report under the Exchange Act as a non-U.S. company with foreign private issuer status. Because we qualify as a foreign private
issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain provisions of the Exchange Act that are applicable to U.S. domestic public
companies, including (i) the sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents or authorizations in respect of a
security registered under the Exchange Act; (ii) the sections of the Exchange Act requiring insiders to file public reports of their stock
ownership and trading activities and liability for insiders who profit from trades made in a short period of time; and (iii) the rules under
the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q containing unaudited financial and other specified
information, or current reports on Form 8-K upon the occurrence of specified significant events. In addition, foreign private issuers are
not required to file their annual report on Form 20-F until 120 days after the end of each fiscal year, while U.S. domestic issuers that are
accelerated filers are required to file their annual report on Form 10-K within 75 days after the end of each fiscal year. Foreign private
issuers are also exempt from Regulation FD, aimed at preventing issuers from making selective disclosures of material information. As a
result of the above, you may not have the same protections afforded to shareholders of companies that are not foreign private issuers.
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If we lose our status as a foreign private issuer, we would be required to comply with the Exchange Act reporting and other
requirements applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, which are more detailed and extensive than the requirements for foreign private issuers.
We may also be required to make changes in our corporate governance practices in accordance with various SEC and Nasdaq rules. The
regulatory and compliance costs to us under U.S. securities laws if we are required to comply with the reporting requirements applicable
to a U.S. domestic issuer may be significantly higher than the cost we would incur as a foreign private issuer. As a result, we expect that
a loss of foreign private issuer status would increase our legal and financial compliance costs and would make some activities highly
time-consuming and costly. We also expect that if we were required to comply with the rules and regulations applicable to U.S. domestic
issuers, it would make it more difficult and expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and we may be required to
accept reduced coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain coverage. These rules and regulations could also make it more
difficult for us to attract and retain qualified members of our board of directors.
As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted to, and we have elected to, rely on exemptions from certain Nasdaq corporate
governance standards applicable to U.S. issuers, including the requirement that a majority of an issuer’s directors consist of
independent directors. This may afford less protection to holders of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs.
As a Cayman Islands exempted company listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, we are subject to the Nasdaq corporate governance
listing standards. For example, Rule 5605 of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules requires listed companies to have, among other things, a
majority of its board members to be independent, and to have independent director oversight of executive compensation and nomination
of directors.
However, Nasdaq rules permit a foreign private issuer like us to follow the corporate governance practices of its home country.
Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, may differ significantly from the Nasdaq
corporate governance listing standards. For example, under Cayman Islands law we are not required to (i) have a majority of independent
directors serve on our board of directors, (ii) have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors, (iii) have a
nominating committee composed entirely of independent directors, and (iv) hold annual meeting of shareholders within one year after the
end of a fiscal year. With respect to the foregoing corporate governance requirements, we have elected to follow home country practice.
See “Item 16G. Corporate Governance.” As a majority of our board of directors are currently not independent directors, fewer board
members will be exercising independent judgment and the level of board oversight on the management of our Company may decrease as
a result. Since we have chosen to follow certain home country practice, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they
otherwise would enjoy under the Nasdaq corporate governance listing standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers.
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The concentration of our share ownership among our directors and executive officers will likely limit your ability to influence
corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change of control transaction that holders of our Class A ordinary
shares and ADSs may view as beneficial.
As of March 31, 2023, our directors and executive officers and their affiliated entities together beneficially own approximately 2.6%
of our total issued and outstanding ordinary shares, representing 74.9% of our total voting rights. As a result of the concentration of
voting power, these directors and executive officers will have considerable influence over matters such as decisions regarding mergers,
consolidations and the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, election of directors and other significant corporate actions. This
concentration of ownership may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company, which could have the effect of
depriving our other shareholders of the opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of a sale of our company and may
reduce the price of the ADSs. This concentrated control will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others
from pursuing any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transactions that holders of Class A ordinary shares and ADSs
may view as beneficial.
There can be no assurance that we were not a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for 2022 or that we will not be a PFIC
for 2023 or any other taxable year, which could result in adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences to U.S. investors in the ADSs
or ordinary shares.
A non-United States corporation will be a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for any taxable year if either (i) at least 75% of
its gross income for such year is passive income or (ii) at least 50% of the value of its assets (based on a weighted quarterly average)
during such year is attributable to assets that produce or are held for the production of passive income. A separate determination must be
made after the close of each taxable year as to whether a non-United States corporation is a PFIC for that year. Although the law in this
regard is unclear, we intend to treat the VIE (and its subsidiaries) as being owned by us for U.S. federal income tax purposes, not only
because we direct the activities of the VIE (and its subsidiaries) that most significantly impact the economic performance of such entities
but also because we are entitled to substantially all of their economic benefits, and, as a result, we consolidate their results of operations
in our consolidated financial statements. Assuming that we are treated as the owner of the VIE (and its subsidiaries) for U.S. federal
income tax purposes, and based upon our current and expected income and assets, including goodwill and other unbooked intangibles,
and the market value of the ADSs), we do not believe we were a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes for the taxable year ended
December 31, 2022.
The determination of our PFIC status is a fact-intensive determination made on an annual basis and the applicable law is subject to
varying interpretation. The value of our assets for purposes of the asset test may be determined by reference to the market price of the
ADSs, fluctuations in the market price of the ADSs may cause us to become a PFIC for the current or subsequent taxable years. In
addition, the composition of our income and assets will also be affected by how, and how quickly, we use our liquid assets and the cash
raised in our initial public offering. If we determine not to deploy significant amounts of cash for active purposes or if it were determined
that we do not own the stock of the VIE for U.S. federal income tax purposes, our risk of being a PFIC may substantially increase. In
light of the foregoing, there can be no assurance that we were not, or will not be, a PFIC for any taxable year, and our U.S. counsel
expresses no opinion with respect to our PFIC status for any prior, current or future taxable year.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder (as defined in “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—
U.S. Federal Income Taxation) holds the ADSs or ordinary shares, certain adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences could apply to
such U.S. Holder. See “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Taxation—Passive Foreign Investment
Company Rules.”
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Since shareholder rights under Cayman Islands law differ from those under U.S. law, you may have difficulty protecting your
shareholder rights.
We are an exempted company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Our corporate affairs are
governed by our memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands and the common law
of the Cayman Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors, actions by our minority shareholders and the
fiduciary responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the
Cayman Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman
Islands as well as from the common law of England, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a
court in the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law
are not as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular,
the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States. Some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more
fully developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may
not have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the United States.
Shareholders of Cayman Islands exempted companies like us have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect corporate
records (other than the Memorandum and Articles of Association, the Register of Mortgages and Charges and special resolutions of our
shareholders) or to obtain copies of lists of shareholders of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our currently effective
memorandum and articles of association to determine whether or not, and under what conditions, our corporate records may be inspected
by our shareholders, but are not obliged to make them available to our shareholders. This may make it more difficult for you to obtain the
information needed to establish any facts necessary for a shareholder motion or to solicit proxies from other shareholders in connection
with a proxy contest.
Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, differ significantly from requirements for
companies incorporated in other jurisdictions such as the United States. Since we have chosen to follow certain home country practice,
our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would enjoy under the Nasdaq corporate governance listing
standards applicable to U.S. domestic issuers. See “—As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted to, and we have elected to, rely on
exemptions from certain Nasdaq corporate governance standards applicable to U.S. issuers, including the requirement that a majority of
an issuer’s directors consist of independent directors. This may afford less protection to holders of our Class A ordinary shares and
ADSs.”
As a result of all of the above, public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken
by our management, members of our board of directors or our controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a
company incorporated in the United States.
You may experience difficulties in effecting service of legal process, enforcing foreign judgments or bringing original actions based
on United States or other foreign laws against us or our management.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. Our corporate affairs are governed by our
memorandum and articles of association, the Companies Act of the Cayman Islands (As Revised) and the common law of the Cayman
Islands. The rights of shareholders to take action against our directors, actions by our minority shareholders and the fiduciary
responsibilities of our directors to us under Cayman Islands law are to a large extent governed by the common law of the Cayman
Islands. The common law of the Cayman Islands is derived in part from comparatively limited judicial precedent in the Cayman Islands
as well as from the common law of England, the decisions of whose courts are of persuasive authority, but are not binding, on a court in
the Cayman Islands. The rights of our shareholders and the fiduciary responsibilities of our directors under Cayman Islands law are not
as clearly established as they would be under statutes or judicial precedent in some jurisdictions in the United States. In particular, the
Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws than the United States. Some U.S. states, such as Delaware, have more fully
developed and judicially interpreted bodies of corporate law than the Cayman Islands. In addition, Cayman Islands companies may not
have standing to initiate a shareholder derivative action in a federal court of the United States.
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Judgments obtained against us by our shareholders may not be enforceable in our home jurisdiction.
We are an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands, we conduct substantially all of our operations in
China and substantially all of our assets are located in China. In addition, all our senior executive officers reside within China for a
significant portion of the time and most are PRC nationals. As a result, it may be difficult for our shareholders to effect service of process
upon us or those persons inside mainland China. In addition, China does not have treaties providing for the reciprocal recognition and
enforcement of judgments of courts with the Cayman Islands and many other countries and regions. Therefore, recognition and
enforcement in China of judgments of a court in any of these non-PRC jurisdictions in relation to any matter not subject to a binding
arbitration provision may be difficult or impossible.
The voting rights of holders of ADSs are limited by the terms of the deposit agreement, and you may not be able to exercise your right
to direct how the Class A ordinary shares which are represented by your ADSs are voted.
Holders of ADSs do not have the same rights as our registered shareholders. As a holder of the ADSs, you will not have any direct
right to attend general meetings of our shareholders or to cast any votes at such meetings. You will only be able to exercise the voting
rights which are carried by the underlying Class A ordinary shares represented by your ADSs indirectly by giving voting instructions to
the depositary in accordance with the provisions of the deposit agreement. Under the deposit agreement, you may vote only by giving
voting instructions to the depositary. If we instruct the depositary to ask for your instructions, then upon receipt of your voting
instructions, the depositary will try, as far as practicable, to vote the underlying Class A ordinary shares which are represented by your
ADSs, in accordance with your instructions. If we do not instruct the depositary to ask for your instructions, the depositary may still vote
in accordance with instructions you give, but it is not required to do so. You will not be able to directly exercise your right to vote with
respect to the underlying Class A ordinary shares represented by your ADSs unless you cancel and withdraw such shares and become the
registered holder of such shares prior to the record date for the general meeting. Under our currently effective memorandum and articles
of association, the minimum notice period required for convening a general meeting is ten calendar days. When a general meeting is
convened, you may not receive sufficient advance notice of the meeting to withdraw the underlying Class A ordinary shares represented
by your ADSs and to vote directly with respect to any specific matter or resolution to be considered and voted upon at the general
meeting. In addition, under our currently effective memorandum and articles of association, for the purposes of determining those
shareholders who are entitled to attend and vote at any general meeting, our directors may close our register of members and/or fix in
advance a record date for such meeting, and such closure of our register of members or the setting of such a record date may prevent you
from withdrawing the underlying Class A ordinary shares represented by your ADSs and becoming the registered holder of such shares
prior to the record date, so that you would not be able to attend the general meeting or to vote directly. If we ask for your instructions, the
depositary will notify you of the upcoming vote and will arrange to deliver our voting materials to you. We have agreed to give the
depositary prior notice of shareholder meetings. Nevertheless, we cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to
ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote the underlying Class A Ordinary shares represented by your ADSs. In addition, the
depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions or for their manner of carrying out your voting
instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise your right to direct how the underlying Class A ordinary shares represented
by your ADSs are voted and you may have no legal remedy if the underlying Class A ordinary shares represented by your ADSs are not
voted as you requested.
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We are entitled to amend the deposit agreement and to change the rights of ADS holders under the terms of such agreement, or to
terminate the deposit agreement, without the prior consent of the ADS holders.
We are entitled to amend the deposit agreement and to change the rights of the ADS holders under the terms of such agreement,
without the prior consent of the ADS holders. We and the depositary may agree to amend the deposit agreement in any way we decide is
necessary or advantageous to us. Amendments may reflect, among other things, operational changes in the ADS program, legal
developments affecting ADSs or changes in the terms of our business relationship with the depositary. In the event that the terms of an
amendment may prejudice a substantial existing right of ADS holders, ADS holders will only receive 30 days’ advance notice of the
amendment, and no prior consent of the ADS holders is required under the deposit agreement. At the time an amendment becomes
effective, ADS holders are considered, by continuing to hold their ADSs, to have agreed to the amendment and to be bound by the
amended deposit agreement. Furthermore, we may decide to terminate the ADS facility at any time for any reason. For example,
terminations may occur when we decide to list our shares on a non-U.S. securities exchange and determine not to continue to sponsor an
ADS facility, when we become the subject of a takeover or a going-private transaction, or when we incur the insolvency event. If the
ADS facility terminates, ADS holders will receive at least 90 days’ prior notice, but no prior consent is required from them. The
depositary may also terminate the deposit agreement if the depositary has told us that it would like to resign and we have not appointed a
new depositary within 60 days. Under the circumstances that we decide to make an amendment to the deposit agreement that may
prejudice a substantial existing right of ADS holders or terminate the deposit agreement, the ADS holders’ choices will be limited to
selling their ADSs or surrendering their ADSs and becoming direct holders of the underlying Class A ordinary shares, but will have no
right to any compensation whatsoever. No assurance can be given that a sale of ADSs could be made at a price satisfactory to the holder
in such circumstances.
You may not be able to participate in rights offerings and may experience dilution of your holdings.
We may, from time to time, distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire securities. Under the deposit agreement,
the depositary will not distribute rights to holders of ADSs unless the distribution and sale of rights and the securities to which these
rights relate are either exempt from registration under the Securities Act with respect to all holders of ADSs, or are registered under the
provisions of the Securities Act. The depositary may, but is not required to, attempt to sell these undistributed rights to third parties, and
may allow the rights to lapse. We may be unable to establish an exemption from registration under the Securities Act, and we are under
no obligation to file a registration statement with respect to these rights or underlying securities or to endeavor to have a registration
statement declared effective. Accordingly, holders of ADSs may be unable to participate in our rights offerings and may experience
dilution of their holdings as a result.
The depositary for the ADSs will give us a discretionary proxy to vote our Class A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs if you do
not vote at shareholders’ meetings, except in limited circumstances, which could adversely affect your interests.
Under the deposit agreement for the ADSs, if you do not vote, the depositary will give us a discretionary proxy to vote our Class A
ordinary shares underlying your ADSs at shareholders’ meetings if:
● we have timely provided the depositary with notice of meeting and related voting materials; and
● we confirm to the depositary that we reasonably do not know of any substantial shareholder opposition to a particular question
and the particular question is not materially adverse to the interests of shareholders.
The effect of this discretionary proxy is that if you do not vote at shareholders’ meetings, you cannot prevent our Class A ordinary
shares underlying your ADSs from being voted, except under the circumstances described above. This may make it more difficult for
shareholders to influence the management of our company. Holders of our ordinary shares are not subject to this discretionary proxy.
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You may not receive distributions on ordinary shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical to make them available to you.
The depositary of the ADSs has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on Class A
ordinary shares or other deposited securities underlying the ADSs, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these
distributions in proportion to the number of the underlying Class A ordinary shares represented by your ADSs. However, the depositary
is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any holders of ADSs. For example, it
would be unlawful to make a distribution to a holder of ADSs if it consists of securities that require registration under the Securities Act
but that are not properly registered or distributed under an applicable exemption from registration. The depositary may also determine
that it is not feasible to distribute certain property through the mail. Additionally, the value of certain distributions may be less than the
cost of mailing them. In these cases, the depositary may determine not to distribute such property. We have no obligation to register
under U.S. securities laws any ADSs, ordinary shares, rights or other securities received through such distributions. We also have no
obligation to take any other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, ordinary shares, rights or anything else to holders of ADSs. This
means that you may not receive distributions we make on our ordinary shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to
make them available to you. These restrictions may cause a material decline in the value of the ADSs.
You may be subject to limitations on transfer of your ADSs.
Your ADSs are transferable on the books of the depositary. However, the depositary may close its books at any time or from time to
time when it deems it expedient in connection with the performance of its duties. The depositary may close its books from time to time
for a number of reasons, including in connection with corporate events such as a rights offering, during which time the depositary needs
to maintain an exact number of ADS holders on its books for a specified period. The depositary may also close its books in emergencies,
and on weekends and public holidays. The depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer or register transfers of the ADSs generally when our
share register or the books of the depositary are closed, or at any time if we or the depositary thinks it is advisable to do so because of
any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body, or under any provision of the deposit agreement, or for any other
reason.
ADSs holders may not be entitled to a jury trial with respect to claims arising under the deposit agreement, which could result in less
favorable outcomes to the plaintiffs in any such action.
The deposit agreement governing the ADSs representing our Class A ordinary shares provides that, to the fullest extent permitted by
law, ADS holders waive the right to a jury trial of any claim they may have against us or the depositary arising out of or relating to our
shares, the ADSs or the deposit agreement, including any claim under the U.S. federal securities laws.
If we or the depositary opposed a jury trial demand based on the waiver, the court would determine whether the waiver was
enforceable based on the facts and circumstances of that case in accordance with the applicable state and federal law. To our knowledge,
the enforceability of a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver in connection with claims arising under the federal securities laws has not
been finally adjudicated by the United States Supreme Court. However, we believe that a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver
provision is generally enforceable, including under the laws of the State of New York, which govern the deposit agreement, by a federal
or state court in the City of New York, which has non-exclusive jurisdiction over matters arising under the deposit agreement. In
determining whether to enforce a contractual pre-dispute jury trial waiver provision, courts will generally consider whether a party
knowingly, intelligently and voluntarily waived the right to a jury trial. We believe that this is the case with respect to the deposit
agreement and the ADSs. It is advisable that you consult legal counsel regarding the jury waiver provision before entering into the
deposit agreement.
If you or any other holders or beneficial owners of ADSs bring a claim against us or the depositary in connection with matters
arising under the deposit agreement or the ADSs, including claims under federal securities laws, you or such other holder or beneficial
owner may not be entitled to a jury trial with respect to such claims, which may have the effect of limiting and discouraging lawsuits
against us and the depositary. If a lawsuit is brought against either or both of us and the depositary under the deposit agreement, it may be
heard only by a judge or justice of the applicable trial court, which would be conducted according to different civil procedures and may
result in different outcomes than a trial by jury would have, including results that could be less favorable to the plaintiffs in any such
action.
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Nevertheless, if this jury trial waiver provision is not permitted by applicable law, an action could proceed under the terms of the
deposit agreement with a jury trial. No condition, stipulation or provision of the deposit agreement or ADSs serves as a waiver by any
holder or beneficial owner of ADSs or by us or the depositary of compliance with any substantive provision of the U.S. federal securities
laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
We will incur increased costs as a result of being a public company, particularly after we cease to qualify as an “emerging growth
company.”
Our independent registered public accounting firm has not conducted an audit of our internal control over financial reporting. It is
possible that, had our independent registered public accounting firm conducted an audit of our internal control over financial reporting,
such firm might have identified additional material weaknesses and deficiencies. We are subject to the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as
well as rules subsequently implemented by the SEC and Nasdaq, which impose various requirements on the corporate governance
practices of public companies. As a company with less than US$1.235 billion in revenues for our last fiscal year, we qualify as an
“emerging growth company” pursuant to the JOBS Act. An emerging growth company may take advantage of specified reduced
reporting and other requirements that are otherwise applicable generally to public companies. These provisions include exemption from
the auditor attestation requirement under Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, or Section 404, in the assessment of the
emerging growth company’s internal control over financial reporting. The JOBS Act also permits an emerging growth company to delay
adopting new or revised accounting standards until such time as those standards apply to private companies.
We expect these rules and regulations to increase our legal and financial compliance costs and to make some corporate activities
more time-consuming and costly. After we are no longer an “emerging growth company,” we expect to incur significant expenses and
devote substantial management effort toward ensuring compliance with the requirements of Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of
2002 and the other rules and regulations of the SEC. For example, as a public company, we will need to increase the number of
independent directors and adopt policies regarding internal controls and disclosure controls and procedures. We also expect that
operating as a public company will make it more difficult and more expensive for us to obtain director and officer liability insurance, and
we may be required to accept reduced policy limits and coverage or incur substantially higher costs to obtain the same or similar
coverage. In addition, we will incur additional costs associated with our public company reporting requirements. It may also be more
difficult for us to find qualified persons to serve on our board of directors or as executive officers. We are currently evaluating and
monitoring developments with respect to these rules and regulations, and we cannot predict or estimate with any degree of certainty the
amount of additional costs we may incur or the timing of such costs.
ITEM 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY
A.
History and Development of the Company.
We commenced operations in October 2011 through Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., or Fangdd Network, a
company incorporated in China. Since its inception, Fangdd Network has focused on providing online real estate services. In
September 2013, we incorporated Fangdd Cayman, in the Cayman Islands as our holding company. In October 2013, Fangdd Cayman
established a wholly owned subsidiary, Fangdd BVI, in the British Virgin Islands, which in turn established Fangdd HK, a wholly owned
subsidiary in Hong Kong in November 2013. In March 2014, Shenzhen Fangdd, was incorporated as a PRC subsidiary wholly owned by
Fangdd HK.
Due to restrictions imposed by PRC laws and regulations on foreign ownership of companies engaged in value-added
telecommunication services and certain other businesses, Shenzhen Fangdd entered into a series of contractual arrangements, as amended
and restated, with Fangdd Network and its shareholders, through which we obtained control over Fangdd Network and its subsidiaries.
As a result, we are regarded as the primary beneficiary of Fangdd Network and its subsidiaries. We treat them as our consolidated
affiliated entities under U.S. GAAP, and have consolidated the financial results of these entities in our consolidated financial statements
in accordance with U.S. GAAP. We refer to Shenzhen Fangdd as our WFOE, and to Fangdd Network as the VIE in this annual report. We
depend on these contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders to conduct most aspects of our operation. For more details
and risks related to the VIE, please see “—C. Organizational Structure—Contractual Agreements with the VIE and its Shareholders” and
“Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure.”
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On November 1, 2019, ADSs representing our Class A ordinary shares commenced trading on the Nasdaq Global Market under the
symbol “DUO.” We raised approximately US$71.6 million in net proceeds from the issuance of new shares from our initial public
offering after deducting underwriting commissions and the offering expenses payable by us. In November 2019, the underwriters
exercised their over-allotment option and we raised approximately US$6.1 million in net proceeds from the issuance of new shares after
deducting underwriting discounts and offering expenses payable by us.
In December 2022, we sold and issued 1,000,000 ADSs at a price of US$0.6976 per ADS in a registered direct offering and raised
approximately US$470,708 in net proceeds after deducting the placement agent fees and offering expenses. We intend to use the net
proceeds from this offering for general corporate purposes.
On February 12, 2023, we issued a convertible promissory note due on August 12, 2023 in a principal amount of US$21 million
pursuant to a convertible note purchase agreement dated January 13, 2023. The note bore an interest rate of 8% per annum, payable on
the maturity date. At any time before the maturity date, the note was convertible in whole into Class A ordinary shares at the option of
the noteholder. On March 9, 2023, the noteholder elected to convert the note into an aggregate of 18,750,000,000 Class A ordinary shares
at an amended conversion price of US$0.00112 per share. After the issuance of the conversion shares, the note was cancelled and no
amount of the note remains outstanding.
On March 3 2023, we sold and issued 322,164 ADSs at a price of US$0.6208 per ADS in a registered direct offering and raised
approximately US$82,460 in net proceeds after deducting the offering expenses. We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for
general corporate purposes.
Our board of directors approved the creation of Class C ordinary shares in November 2022 for the purpose of enhancing our ability
to execute long-term business strategies and enabling new equity financing while maintaining a stable corporate structure and senior
management team. Holders of Class C ordinary shares have certain special voting rights and conversion rights. In particular, each Class
C ordinary share entitles the holder thereof to 10,000 votes on all matters subject to a shareholder vote and is convertible into one Class
A ordinary share at the option of the holder thereof. Please refer to “Item 10. Additional Information—B. Memorandum and Articles of
Association” in this annual report on Form 20-F for a summary of the rights of Class C ordinary shares. As of March 31, 2023, we had
issued 5,700,000 Class C ordinary shares to ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD, a company controlled by Mr. Xi Zeng, our chairman of the
board of directors and chief executive officer. See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party
Transactions—Share Issuance to ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD and Mr. Xi Zeng” for more information.
Our principal executive offices are located at Room 602, Unit B4, Kexing Science Park, 15 Keyuan Road, Technology Park,
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China. Our telephone number at this address is +86 755 2699 8968. Our registered
office is situated at Maples Corporate Services Limited, PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104, Cayman Islands. Our
agent for service of process in the United States is Puglisi & Associates, located at 850 Library Avenue, Suite 204, Newark, Delaware
19711.
SEC maintains an internet site that contains reports, proxy and information statements, and other information regarding issuers that
file electronically with the SEC on www.sec.gov. You can also find information on our website www.fangdd.com. The information on
our website should not be deemed a part of this annual report.
B.
Business Overview.
We are a customer-oriented PropTech company in China, focusing on providing real estate transaction digitalization services. We
operate a real estate-focused online marketplace for real estate transactions and related services in China. Our marketplace connects real
estate sellers, agents, buyers, financial institutions and other service providers as part of a vibrant ecosystem and a self-reinforcing
network, enabling marketplace participants to transact real estate assets with efficiency at lowered costs. We provide all participants with
one-stop digital real estate transaction services and seamless transaction experience through our reliable and extensive property listings,
SaaS solutions and intelligent matching algorithms.
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We started by providing agencies and agents with innovative products and SaaS solutions to improve the way they conduct business
and manage their day-to-day operations, making them increasingly reliant on our tools and services. This enables us to build a huge agent
network, thereby accumulating the service resources of real estate transactions on our marketplace. By providing real estate sellers with
innovative and diversified digital marketing solutions as well as access to our extensive agent network, we help real estate sellers to
move their traditional offline business online and improve transaction efficiency, thereby gathering the property resources of real estate
transactions on our marketplace. In addition, we continue to attract real estate buyers and other participants to our marketplace by
leveraging the service resources and property resources we have and continually improve the efficiency of transactions on our
marketplace with unique market insights, underpinned by our proprietary artificial intelligence, algorithms and data. In 2022, the gross
merchandise value, or the GMV, of closed-loop transactions facilitated in our marketplace was RMB22.5 billion (US$3.3 billion).
Our Online Marketplace
We build an open online marketplace for real estate transactions and related services. Our marketplace connects real estate sellers,
agents, buyers, financial institutions and other service providers as part of a vibrant ecosystem and a self-reinforcing network. We
provide all participants with one-stop digital real estate transaction services and seamless transaction experience through our reliable and
extensive property listings, SaaS solutions and intelligent matching algorithms.
The foundation of our marketplace is transaction digitalization. Through our diversified SaaS products and solutions, we help real
estate sellers and agents to identify effective sales leads and potential home buyers, achieve efficient online interactions and improve
marketing efficiency while providing superior customer experience and better quality at lower customer acquisition costs. By building
the rules and tools required for transactions, we move the components of real estate transactions online, including, among other things,
communication, commission settlement. Based on the rich data generated by our marketplace and our big data analysis capabilities, we
improve the transparency and efficiency of real estate transactions on our marketplace by, among others, monitoring transactions on the
marketplace, matching property listings to the most suitable agents, recommending agents to real estate developers and filtering out
inaccurate property information. We provide all marketplace participants with basic management systems and tools for online operations,
encompassing SaaS solutions for agents, real estate sellers and real estate buyers, respectively, as well as financial solutions, agent and
developer services, to name a few.
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Our marketplace is driven by the following core attributes:
● Technological Expertise. We have built a real-time data warehouse, utilizing data analysis and cloud computing to provide
visualized data services. We provide targeted recommendations to marketplace participants through artificial intelligence
algorithms. We also offer customized products to all participants in the real estate industry, enabling them to boost operational
efficiency.
● A Strong and Trustworthy Brand. We have been deeply involved in the real estate industry for over a decade, during which we
have developed favorable brand recognition. As real estate sellers in China tend to partner with companies with a long
operating history, extensive agent resources and diversified product and service offerings, we gain competitive advantages in
attracting real estate sellers to post listings on our marketplace. As such, our brand name as well as product and service
capabilities facilitate effective online transactions.
● Amicable relationship among platform participants. All participants on our marketplace are indispensable in successful real
estate transactions. As an online marketplace that facilitates these transactions, we understand the importance of building and
maintaining amicable relationships among all marketplace participants, especially real estate buyers and agents, which
contributes to our ability to obtain sufficient property resources and service resources and grow our business.
● Profound industry insights. With our focus on China’s real estate industry, we draw on our extensive knowledge of this industry,
in-depth understanding of real estate transaction services and digital operations, and profound insights into industry trends. We
are therefore well-positioned to provide value-added services and products catering to the diverse and ever-changing needs of
marketplace participants, and seize market opportunities.
Marketplace Participants
Real Estate Sellers
Real estate sellers who put their assets, such as new properties, existing parking spaces and apartments on our marketplace can
utilize our digital marketing services and vast agent network to expand their potential customer base in order to boost sales. Our massive
agent database, comprehensive agent profiles and advanced matching capabilities allow us to recommend the most suitable agents to real
estate sellers based on their specific experience, expertise and client bases. We have established robust business relationships with high-
quality real estate developers in China. Our cooperation with developers covers various of their properties and we receive from them
preferable terms from time to time, such as above-market commission rates. Our typical commission rates before paying the agents for
their services range from 2% to 4% and there were 1,613 new property projects on our marketplace in 2022.
Real Estate Agents
We have developed a rigorous set of rules to effectively regulate and manage agent activities in our marketplace. Our onboarding
procedures ensure that we engage with capable and trustworthy agents. After agents set up their online shops in our marketplace, we
continuously guide them and monitor the quality of their services. For example, we customarily sign a strategic cooperation agreement
with agencies and require agencies and their agents to follow our guidance in their sales and commission process. We also develop
specific sales strategies based on our research and data analysis results, and closely follow agents’ performance in serving real estate
buyers. If agents are found to be non-compliant with our policies and instructions, we provide further guidance and issue warnings or
take punitive measures for significant violations in certain cases. Agents are also required to report the status of each transaction so that
we can offer in-time and customized strategies, such as asking them to follow up with real estate buyers at regular intervals. In 2022, we
had over 143.7thousand active agents on our marketplace.
Real Estate Buyers
We attract real estate buyers to our marketplace mainly through our reliable and extensive property listings, transparent agent
information and online transaction experience in our marketplace. We provide a verified and continuously updated database with our
core management system to help real estate agents serve real estate buyers efficiently and effectively. In 2022, our marketplace facilitated
total closed-loop transactions of RMB22.5 billion (US$3.3 billion) in GMV, due to the continued downturn status of China’s real estate
market, the impact of COVID-19 restrictive measures, and the heightened credit risks of developers.
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Other Service Providers
We also expand our partnership with other service providers to further enhance our ecosystem. Our marketplace assists financial
institutions in making informed lending decisions by providing them with analysis based on agents’ historical transactions and
operational data to complement their traditional credit-assessing models. We also connect real estate service providers through our
marketplace with real estate buyers, tenants and landlords who have formulated needs for other home services such as decorations and
maintenance, facilitating home service providers’ promotion efforts on relevant services.
Our Product and Service Offerings
Building on the real estate transaction digitalization capabilities integrated into our marketplace, we offer innovative value-added
products and services including access to extensive listings and rich property-related data tailoring to the needs of different marketplace
participants. For example, we have rolled out a suite of SaaS solutions to facilitate the digitalization of real estate transactions for real
estate sellers, agents and real estate buyers, respectively. With these comprehensive SaaS solutions, together with our easy-to-use
website, advanced data analysis capabilities, diversified financial solutions as well as agent-oriented training and guidance, our
marketplace have changed the traditional way of transacting, thereby increasing real estate transactions transparency, efficiency and
experience.
Products and Services for Real Estate Sellers
The products and services we provide to real estate sellers mainly include:
● Property Cloud
We launched Property Cloud, a SaaS solution for real estate sellers, in December 2020. By interfacing with Duoduo Sales, Property
Cloud connects real estate sellers with agents directly. Developers can list properties, publish commission rates and set other terms in
connection with sales on Property Cloud. Once posted on Property Cloud, all of such information will be automatically pushed to agents
and those who are interested can directly contact developers through Duoduo Sales. As such, developers could access a large number of
agents online at low costs, while agents can conduct commission settlement online. At the same time, developers have access to a variety
of functionalities on Property Cloud, including online sales office management, online customer management, online channel
management, online cost control, thereby breaking the traditional barriers of channel marketing, reducing marketing costs, improving
transaction matching efficiency and achieving the transformation to digital marketing.
● Marketplace services
We partner with real estate sellers to list their properties on our marketplace. Upon receiving the property information, we create
digital portraits for the properties by labeling the price, location, public facilities and other information of the properties, and uploading
them to our marketplace. We then match the properties based on their property portraits to the most suitable agents, facilitating
transaction efficiency of transactions on our marketplace.
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Products and Services for Real Estate Agents
The products and services we provide to real estate agents mainly include:
● Duoduo Sales. Duoduo Sales provides real estate agents with instant access to our marketplace functionalities and allows them
to conduct transactions on the go. Agents can access our extensive new and other property listings, large real estate buyer base
and marketplace products and services such as shared listings, data analytic tools, premium marketplace functions and AI-based
marketplace assistance. It also helps individual agents evaluate online business performances by showing the number and
sources of real estate buyers who have visited the agent’s profile, listings posted, shared and sold by the agent as well as the
number of postings that share the agents’ listings, profile or other content in the marketplace. Moreover, Duoduo Sales works
seamlessly with our WeChat-based applications, allowing agents to reach their real estate buyer base directly through WeChat
postings and other targeted content-sharing activities.
● Duoduo Cloud Sales. Duoduo Cloud Sales connects agents to our comprehensive property database and large buyer base,
allowing them to source, manage and complete transactions online. In addition, by tracking agents’ activities and aggregating
business data, Duoduo Boss provides agency managers with a real-time overview of all the ongoing business activities within
the organization, while Business Intelligence Reports enables them to run multidimensional analysis and visualize such
analytical results in a variety of ways.
● Financial solutions. By cooperating with third-party financial institutions, we provide real estate agents with supply-chain
financial products and support transactions facilitated through our marketplace.
● Training and guidance. We provide both online and offline training and guidance to agents, helping them better understand and
use our marketplace functions and improve their operational efficiency. We also provide project-specific training sessions that
introduce property features, sales targets and strategies, and commission settlement process.
Products and Services for Real Estate Buyers
The products and services we provide to real estate buyers mainly include:
● Fangduoduo. Our buyer-side application Fangduoduo provides personalized services to potential real estate buyers in more
than 111 cities in China as of December 31, 2022. Real estate buyers can preview new and resale property information filtered
by neighborhood, price range and size, contact real estate agents, and keep themselves updated with housing market trends.
They will also see a list of recommended properties selected by our data analytics algorithms based on their behavioral patterns.
● Information matching service. Our marketplace provides a verified and continuously updated database as well as
comprehensive and high-quality housing listings and information in various forms of media so that real estate buyers can easily
search and find properties. In addition, we fully present property information leveraging technological tools such as AI and
virtual reality, or VR, providing a useful reference in the customers’ decision-making process.
● Real estate agency services. Our marketplace attracts real estate buyers through the service provided by experienced agents. In
particular, we help agents better serve real estate buyers through precise matching based on agents’ profiles and transaction data
and increase transaction efficiency with our core management system.
Services for Other Service Providers
The services we provide to other service providers include:
● Financial services. Our marketplace assists financial institutions in making informed lending decisions by providing them with
analysis based on agents’ historical transactions and operational data to complement their traditional credit-assessing models.
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● Channel services. We also connect real estate service providers through our marketplace with real estate buyers, tenants and
landlords who have formulated needs for other home services such as decorations and maintenance, facilitating home service
providers’ promotion efforts on relevant services. By including financial institutions and other real estate service providers in
our ecosystem, we further enhance our marketplace’s capability to provide one-stop services to all the marketplace participants.
Our Sources of Monetarization
Through our digitalization capabilities, we have built the necessary infrastructure and rules on our marketplace, and provided
digitalization products and services to real estate sellers, agents, real estate buyers and other related service providers on the marketplace
to facilitate efficient online transactions across different business scenarios and achieve positive interactions with marketplace
participants.
Our primary sources of revenue are (i) property transaction services and (ii) innovation initiatives and other value-added services.
For property transaction services, we earn base commission revenue by charging commission fees when real estate buyers and sellers
close transactions through the marketplace. Our innovation initiatives and other value-added services include SaaS solutions and other
value-added services which are provided based on our deep understanding of marketplace participants’ problems and needs, such as
financial services, to help enhance user transaction experience. For our SaaS solutions, we charge marketplace participants software
subscription fees.
Technology Systems and Infrastructure
We are a data and technology-driven online marketplace. Our marketplace is built on infrastructure with comprehensive
functionalities that support the entire lifecycle of real estate transactions from initial users acquisition and leads generation to listing
management and transaction workflow management, and further to payment and closing management. Empowered by our marketplace
infrastructure, we have developed our database, AI and big data-driven technologies specifically for our marketplace participants, to
support our transaction-focused business model. Our marketplace provides participants with access to extensive data and powerful data
analytics tools and is designed to be highly scalable while maintaining a high level of data security.
For example, our marketplace maintained a verified and continuously updated database that covers 157 million properties in China
as of December 31, 2022. When we receive new listing information, we label the prices, locations, public facilities and other information
of these assets, upload them to our marketplace and form asset portraits, which will be recommended to the most suitable agents and
sellers to facilitate transactions. Meanwhile, when new property information is submitted to our marketplace, we compare this
information with existing data in our database to filter out those that are inconsistent. We have also developed and strictly follow a
verification procedure, including automatic data analytics algorithms, owner interviews and cross-agent verification to ensure the
reliability and authenticity of any new listing information. After recording the properties into our database, we continue to update and
expand our database through automated data scanning as well as through agents and property owners who contribute information to our
marketplace.
Data Processing and Analytics
We generate extensive data from marketplace activities and our proprietary data processing system is the foundation of our business.
Once the original property data and marketplace behavioral data are collected, we store, cleanse, structure and encrypt data for modeling
exercises in an aggregated and anonymized fashion. Our system delivers speed and scalability, providing data and analytics support
across our product and service offerings. Our big data analytics engines can perform real-time analytics as well as utilize offline
algorithms to make relevant and targeted content and service recommendation to marketplace users.
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We have optimized our database structure to make it more suitable for AI and machine learning processes. We have developed
comprehensive profile systems of agents and real estate buyers on our marketplace based on their viewing and transaction histories and
other marketplace activities. We also use artificial intelligence-powered algorithms such as content-based collaborative filtering to
predict a marketplace participant’s interests based on analyzing the preferences of multiple participants and to construct big data
recommendation engines. Our big data analytic capabilities enable us to achieve data fusion across business scenarios upon our core
database and provide our marketplace participants with highly efficient, intelligent and tailored data analytics services. Our team of data
scientists and engineers works continually to optimize our proprietary analytical models and improve our analytic capabilities. For
example, to ensure the authenticity of our listings, we improved traditional deep learning algorithms by using the machine learning
technique of deep neural network model to identify inaccurate or fraudulent listing information. We also use machine learning to value
properties, order listing displays and generate relevant real estate headlines for marketplace users.
Data Security and Privacy
We consider the protection of the personal privacy of each of our marketplace users to be of paramount importance. To ensure the
confidentiality and integrity of our data, we maintain a comprehensive and rigorous data protection program. We gain access to vast
amounts of behavioral data through real estate transactions completed in our marketplace and products and services used by our
marketplace participants, and we encrypt and store the data on our own and third-party cloud servers, which are protected by firewalls.
We connect real estate buyers with suitable agents and, other than basic contact information, we do not provide individual real estate
buyers’ information to any agent, or vice versa, in our marketplace.
We employ a variety of technical solutions to prevent and detect risks and vulnerabilities in user privacy and data security, such as
encryption, firewall, vulnerability scanning and log audit. For instance, we store and transmit all user data in an encrypted format and
have a team of professionals who participate in new product and feature development and are dedicated to the ongoing review and
monitoring of data security practices. In addition, our core data can only be accessed through computers designated for authorized use.
We maintain data access logs that record all attempted and successful access to our data and conduct automated monitoring and routine
manual verification of large data requests. We also have clear and strict authorization and authentication procedures and policies in place.
Our employees only have access to data that are directly relevant and necessary to their job responsibilities and for limited purposes and
are required to verify authorization upon every access attempt. See also “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to
Our Business and Industry—Historically there have been occurrences of unexpected network interruptions and security breaches,
including “hacking” or computer virus attacks. Such disruptions in the future would cause delays or interruptions of service, damage our
reputation and result in a loss of users of our products, which could harm our business, operating results, and financial condition.”
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Research and Product Development
We invest substantial resources in research and product development to improve our technology, develop new products that are
complementary to existing ones and find ways to better support real estate professionals and other marketplace participants. As of
December 31, 2022, we had 61 software and product development personnel, constituting more than 28.8% of all company employees.
Our research and product development teams are primarily organized into five groups: (1) software engineers that develop and
implement products and services and our operations support personnel, (2) big data engineers that monitor and build our database and
data processing platform, (3) data scientists that conduct data modeling and algorithm researches, (4) product and user experience
developers that research into, create and manage new products, and (5) site reliability engineers that ensure the availability, stability,
reliability and security of our entire technology platform.
Sales and Marketing
We rely on our marketplace and digitalization service capabilities for real estate buyer-side marketing and have not relied heavily on
advertising. Our marketing team is responsible for engaging with real estate agents and marketing our products and services. We have
built a marketing team that is experienced in the internet, real estate and finance industries. As of December 31, 2022, our marketing
team consists of 131 persons located in 15 cities across China.
Intellectual Property
Our copyrights, trademarks, trade secrets, domain names and other intellectual property are important to our business. We rely on
intellectual property laws and contractual arrangements with our key employees and others to protect our intellectual property rights.
Despite these measures, we cannot assure you that we will be able to prevent unauthorized use of our intellectual property, which would
adversely affect our business.
As of the date of the annual report, we own 252 registered trademarks in China and Hong Kong, 32 registered patents, 62 registered
software copyrights in China and 5 registered domain names, which are material to our business. Our patents and copyrights form the
core of our technology infrastructure and allow us to develop innovative products and services to drive our competitive advantages. Our
trademarks and domains are crucial for our reputation, brand recognition and marketing activities.
Competition
The business of providing online real estate services in China is becoming increasingly competitive. As the online real estate
services industry in China is relatively new and constantly evolving, our current or future competitors may be able to better position
themselves to compete as the industry matures. As our marketplace is transaction-oriented, our main competitors primarily focus on
providing real estate listings, transaction services and home renovation services. To a lesser extent, we also compete with traffic-oriented
platforms, which primarily focus on attracting online traffic and providing listing and advertising services.
Our other competitors at the national level include traditional real estate brokerage companies. We have also faced, and may
continue to face, competition from regionally focused players providing regional real estate listings together with localized services. In
addition, we compete with other companies that offer e-commerce, listing and similar services. Facing ever-increasing competition, we
will continue to focus on enhancing our transaction-oriented business model, enriching immense and verified property database and
maintaining extensive geographic coverage. On the other hand, with our newly developed SaaS solutions that offer a new business model
for various participants, we aim to diversify future revenue streams and to work towards a sustainable growth.
Seasonality
Our revenue and operating results have fluctuated in the past from quarter to quarter due in part to seasonal fluctuations in the real
estate market. Typically, our revenue is lowest in the first quarter of each year, primarily due to the reduced number of transactions
during the Chinese New Year holiday. Our revenue is typically higher during the fourth quarter of a year. However, due to our limited
operating history, the seasonal trends that we have experienced in the past may not apply to, or be indicative of, our future operating
results.
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Regulation
This section sets forth a summary of the most significant rules and regulations that affect our business activities in China.
Regulations on Offshore Offering
On December 28, 2021, the CAC and 12 other PRC regulatory authorities jointly issued the Cyber Security Review Measures. The
Cyber Security Review Measures provide, among others, (i) the purchase of cyber products and services by critical information
infrastructure operators that affects or may affect national security and the data processing activities engaged in by network platform
operators that affect or may affect national security shall be subject to the cybersecurity review by the Cybersecurity Review Office, the
department which is responsible for the implementation of cybersecurity review under the CAC; and (ii) the network platform operators
with personal information data of more than one million users that seek for listing in a foreign country are obliged to apply for a
cybersecurity review by the Cybersecurity Review Office. However, the Cyber Security Review Measures do not provide any
explanation or interpretation of “affect or may affect national security”, and Chinese government may have broad discretion in
interpreting and enforcing these laws and regulations. As the Cyber Security Review Measures were recently released thus its
interpretation and implementation remain substantially uncertain, we cannot predict the impact of the review measures, if any, at this
stage, and we will closely monitor and assess the statutory developments in this regard. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors
—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The approval of and the filing with the CSRC, CAC or other PRC governmental
authorities may be required in connection with our future offshore offerings under PRC law and if required, we cannot predict whether or
how soon we will be able to obtain such approval or complete such filing.”
On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated a set of new regulations, including the Trial Administrative Measures of Overseas
Securities Offerings and Listings by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, and five supporting guidelines. The regulations came
into effect on March 31, 2023. The Trial Measures refine the regulatory system by subjecting both direct and indirect overseas offering
and listing activities to the CSRC filing-based administration. Requirements for filing entities, time points and procedures are specified.
Where a PRC domestic company indirectly offers and lists securities in overseas markets, the issuer shall designate a major domestic
operating entity to file with the CSRC. Companies that are already listed overseas as of March 31, 2023 are not required to make an
immediate filing with the CSRC until a subsequent offering, in which case a filing should be made with the CSRC within three business
days after the offering is completed. Failure to complete the filing required by the Trial Measures may result in a warning and a fine
between RMB1 million and RMB10 million. However, uncertainty remains as to the interpretation and implementation of these
regulations upon promulgation.
On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the draft Regulations for the Administration of Cyber Data Security, or the Draft Data
Security Regulations, for public comments until December 13, 2021. The Draft Data Security Regulations require that a data processor
who processes personal information of more than 1 million individuals shall (i) go through the cyber security review if it intends to be
listed in a foreign country; (ii) report to the local CAC within 15 working days once identifying any important data. Where data
processors conduct merger, reorganization separation, or otherwise, the data recipient shall continue to perform its data security
protection obligations, and the data processor shall report to the local competent department if personal information of more than one
million people is involved. The Draft Data Security Regulations also require a data processor processing important data or being listed
outside China shall carry out data security assessment annually by itself or through a third-party data security service provider and
submit assessment report to local agency of the CAC. As no detailed rules or implementation of the Draft Data Security Regulations
have been issued, the CAC and the PRC governmental authorities may have wide discretion in the interpretation and enforcement of
these regulations. It also remains uncertain whether the future regulatory changes would impose additional restrictions on companies like
us. We cannot predict the impact of the Draft Data Security Regulations, if any, at this stage, and we will closely monitor and assess any
development in the rulemaking process. If the enacted version of the Draft Data Security Regulations requires any clearance of
cybersecurity review and other specific actions to be completed by companies like us, we face uncertainties as to whether such clearance
can be timely obtained, or at all. If we are not able to comply with the cybersecurity and data privacy requirements in a timely manner, or
at all, we may be subject to government enforcement actions and investigations, fines, penalties, or suspension of our non-compliant
operations, among other sanctions, which could materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
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On July 6, 2021, the relevant PRC governmental authorities made public the Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down Illegal Securities
Activities in Accordance with the Law. These opinions emphasized the need to strengthen the administration over illegal securities
activities and the supervision on overseas listings by China-based companies and proposed to take effective measures, such as promoting
the construction of relevant regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents faced by China-based overseas-listed companies. As
these opinions are recently issued, official guidance and related implementation rules have not been issued yet and the interpretation of
these opinions remains unclear at this stage. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China
—The approval of and the filing with the CSRC, CAC or other PRC governmental authorities may be required in connection with our
future offshore offerings under PRC law and if required, we cannot predict whether or how soon we will be able to obtain such approval
or complete such filing.” As of the date of this annual report, we have not received any inquiry, notice, warning, or sanctions regarding
offshore offering from the CSRC or any other PRC governmental authorities.
Regulations on Company Establishment and Foreign Investment
The establishment, operation and management of companies in China is governed by the PRC Company Law, as amended in 2005,
2013 and 2018. According to the PRC Company Law, companies established in the PRC are either limited liability companies or joint
stock limited liability companies. The PRC Company Law applies to both PRC domestic companies and foreign-invested companies.
Prior to the effectiveness of the Foreign Investment Law (2019), the establishment procedures, approval procedures, registered capital
requirements, foreign exchange matters, accounting practices, taxation and labor matters of a wholly foreign-owned enterprise were
regulated by the Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise Law of the PRC, as amended on September 3, 2016, and the Implementation
Regulation of the Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise Law, as amended on February 19, 2014. In September 2016, the National People’s
Congress Standing Committee published the Decision on Revising Four Laws including the Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise Law of
the People’s Republic of China, which changes the previous “filing or approval” procedure for foreign investments in China. Pursuant to
the Provisional Administrative Measures on Establishment and Modifications (Filing) for Foreign Investment Enterprises promulgated
by MOFCOM on October 8, 2016 and amended on July 30, 2017 and on June 29, 2018, establishment and changes of foreign investment
enterprises not subject to the approval under the special entry management measures shall be filed with the relevant commerce
authorities.
On March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress promulgated the Foreign Investment Law, or the Foreign Investment Law
(2019), which became effective on January 1, 2020 and replaced the Sino-Foreign Equity Joint Venture Enterprise Law, the Sino-Foreign
Cooperative Joint Venture Enterprise Law and the Wholly Foreign-owned Enterprise Law to become the legal foundation for foreign
investment in the PRC. The Foreign Investment Law (2019) implements the administrative system of pre-entry national treatment plus
negative list to foreign investment. Pursuant to the Foreign Investment Law (2019), national treatment shall be applied to the foreign
investment beyond to the negative list to be promulgated by the State Council. The Foreign Investment Law (2019) mainly focuses on
the foreign investment promotion, foreign investment protection and foreign investment management.
The Foreign Investment Law (2019) defines “foreign investment” as any investment activity directly or indirectly carried out in the
PRC by foreign individuals, enterprises or other entities (the “Foreign Investors”), and specifically stipulates four forms of investment
activities as foreign investments, namely, (i) establishment of a foreign-invested enterprise in the PRC by a Foreign Investor, either
individually or collectively with any other investor; (ii) obtaining shares, equities, property shares or any other similar rights or interests
of an enterprise in the PRC by a Foreign Investor; (iii) investment in any new construction project in the PRC by a Foreign Investor,
either individually or collectively with any other investor; and (iv) investment in any other means stipulated under laws, administrative
regulations or provisions prescribed by the State Council.
On December 26, 2019, the State Council promulgated the Implementation Regulations of Foreign Investment Law which became
effective on January 1, 2020. The Implementation Regulations of Foreign Investment Law provides detailed implementation rules for the
principles of investment protection, investment promotion and investment management in the Foreign Investment Law (2019).
On January 1, 2020, MOFCOM and the State Administration for Market Regulation of the PRC promulgated the Measures for the
Reporting of Foreign Investment Information, repealing the Provisional Administrative Measures on Establishment and Modifications
(Filing) for Foreign Investment Enterprises. Where foreign investors carry out investment activities directly or indirectly within China,
foreign investors or foreign-funded enterprises shall report investment information to commerce departments.
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Pursuant to the Provisions for Guiding the Foreign Investment Direction promulgated by the State Council on February 11, 2002 and
effective on April 1, 2002, projects with foreign investment fall into four categories, namely encouraged, permitted, restricted and
prohibited. Projects with foreign investment that are encouraged, restricted and prohibited shall be listed in the Catalog of Guidance on
Industries for Foreign Investment, or the Catalog. Projects with foreign investment that do not fall into the categories of encouraged,
restricted or prohibited projects shall be the permitted projects with foreign investment. The permitted projects with foreign investment
shall not be listed in the Catalog. On July 28, 2018, the Negative List replaces the special administrative measures for the access of
foreign investment specified in the Catalog. On December 27, 2020, MOFCOM and NDRC promulgated the Catalog of Industries for
Encouraging Foreign Investment (2020 version), or the Catalog (2020). On December 27, 2021, MOFCOM and NDRC promulgated the
Special Administrative Measures (Negative List) for Foreign Investment Access (Edition 2021), or the Negative List (2021), which
became effective on January 1, 2022. Pursuant to the Negative List (2021), foreign investors should refrain from investing in any of
prohibited sectors specified in the Negative List (2021), and foreign investors are required to obtain the permit for access to other sectors
that are listed in the Negative List (2021) but not classified as “prohibited”. The Negative List (2021) covers 12 industries. Fields not
included in the Negative List (2021) shall be managed according to the principle of equal treatment of domestic and foreign investment.
Fields not listed in the Negative List (2021) and Catalog (2020) are generally open for foreign investments unless specifically restricted
by other PRC laws.
Current PRC laws and regulations place certain restrictions and conditions on foreign ownership of certain areas of businesses. For
example, pursuant to the Negative List (2021), the proportion of foreign investment in a value-added telecommunications business
(excluding e-commerce business, domestic multi-party communications, store-and-forward and call centers) shall not exceed 50%. The
Administrative Provisions on Foreign- Invested Telecommunications Enterprises (Revised in 2022), promulgated by the State Council,
among others, no longer requires the main foreign investor who invests in a value-added telecommunications business in the PRC to
possess prior experience in operating value-added telecommunications businesses and a proven track record of business operations.
Accordingly, none of our subsidiaries is eligible to provide commercial internet content or other value-added telecommunication service,
which wholly foreign-owned companies are restricted from conducting in China. To comply with PRC laws and regulations, we conduct
such business activities through the VIE in China.
There are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of PRC laws and regulations, including, but not
limited to, the laws and regulations governing our and the VIE’s business, or the enforcement and performance of our contractual
arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders. These laws and regulations may be subject to change, and their official interpretation
and enforcement may involve substantial uncertainty. New laws and regulations that affect existing and proposed future businesses may
also be applied retroactively. Due to the uncertainty and complexity of the regulatory environment, we cannot assure you that we and the
VIE would always be in full compliance with applicable laws and regulations, the violation of which may have an adverse effect on our
and the VIE’s business and our reputation. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—
If the PRC government deems that our contractual arrangements with the VIE do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on foreign
investment in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future, we could be
subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations.”
Regulation on Value-Added Telecommunications Services
On September 25, 2000, the Telecommunications Regulations of the People’s Republic of China, or the Telecom Regulation, was
issued by the PRC State Council, which was amended and became effective on February 6, 2016, as the primary governing law on
telecommunication services by PRC companies. The Telecom Regulation draws a distinction between “basic telecommunication
services” and “value-added telecommunication services.” The Catalog of Telecommunications Business (2015 Edition), or the
Telecommunication Catalog, which was amended and became effective on June 6, 2019, was issued as an appendix to the Telecom
Regulations to categorize telecommunications services as basic or value-added, and information services via public communication
networks such as fixed networks, mobile networks and Internet are classified as value-added telecommunications services. According to
the Telecommunication Catalog, value-added telecommunication services include online data processing and transaction processing
business, internet information services business and other value-added telecommunication services.
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On March 1, 2009, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, or the MIIT, issued the Administrative Measures for
Telecommunications Business Operating Permit, or the Telecom Permit Measures, which took effect on April 10, 2009. The Telecom
Permit Measures were later amended on July 3, 2017 and the amendment took effect on September 1, 2017. The Telecom Permit
Measures confirm that there are two types of telecom operating licenses for operators in China, namely, licenses for basic
telecommunications services and licenses for value-added telecommunications services, or the value-added telecommunications license.
The license granted will set out the operation scope of the enterprise which details the permitted activities of such enterprise. An
approved telecommunication services operator shall conduct its business in accordance with the specifications listed in its value-added
telecommunications license. In addition, a value-added telecommunications license holder is required to obtain approval from the
original permit-issuing authority in respect of any change to its shareholders.
According to the Administrative Regulations on Foreign-Invested Telecommunications Enterprises, as most recently amended in
2022, foreign-invested value-added telecommunications enterprises must be in the form of a Sino-foreign equity joint venture. The
regulations
in a foreign-invested value-added
telecommunications enterprise to 50% or less.
the ultimate capital contribution percentage by foreign
investor(s)
limit
In 2006, the predecessor to the MIIT issued the Circular of the Ministry of Information Industry on Strengthening the Administration
of Foreign Investment in Value-added Telecommunications Business, according to which a foreign investor in the telecommunications
service industry of China must establish a foreign-invested enterprise and apply for a telecommunications businesses operation license.
This circular further requires that: (i)PRC domestic telecommunications business enterprises must not lease, transfer or sell a
telecommunications businesses operation license to a foreign investor through any form of transaction or provide resources, offices and
working places, facilities or other assistance to support the illegal telecommunications services operations of a foreign investor; (ii)
value-added telecommunications enterprises or their shareholders must directly own the domain names and trademarks used by such
enterprises in their daily operations; (iii) each value-added telecommunications enterprise must have the necessary facilities for its
approved business operations and maintain such facilities in the regions covered by its license; and (iv) all value-added
telecommunications enterprises are required to maintain network and internet security in accordance with the standards set forth in
relevant PRC regulations. If a license holder fails to comply with the requirements in the circular and cure such non-compliance, the
MIIT or its local counterparts have the discretion to take measures against such license holder, including revoking its license for value-
added telecommunications business.
Regulations on Internet Information Services
On September 25, 2000, the State Council promulgated the Administrative Measures on Internet Information Services, or the
Internet Measures, which were later amended on January 8, 2011. Under the Internet Measures, a value-added telecommunications
license shall be obtained before conducting profitable internet information services in the PRC, and a filing requirement shall be satisfied
before conducting non-profitable internet information service. The provision of information services through mobile apps is subject to
the PRC laws and regulations governing Internet information services.
The content of the internet information is highly regulated in China and pursuant to the Internet Measures, the PRC government may
shut down the websites of internet information providers and revoke their value-added telecommunications licenses (for profitable
Internet information services) if they produce, reproduce, disseminate or broadcast internet content that contains content that is
prohibited by law or administrative regulations. Internet information services operators are also required to monitor their websites. They
may not post or disseminate any content that falls within the prohibited categories, and must remove any such content from their
websites, save the relevant records and make a report to the relevant governmental authorities. In addition, as the internet information
service providers, under the Civil Code of the PRC they shall bear tortious liabilities in the event they infringe upon other person’s rights
and interests through the internet. Where an internet service provider conducts tortious acts through internet services, the infringed
person has the right to request the internet service provider take necessary actions such as deleting contents, screening and de-linking.
Failing to take necessary actions after being informed, the internet service provider will be subject to its liabilities with regard to the
additional damages incurred. Where an internet service provider knows that an internet user is infringing upon other persons’ rights and
interests through its internet service but fails to take necessary actions, it is jointly and severally liable with the internet user.
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Regulations on Mobile Internet Applications
In June 2016, the State Internet Information Office promulgated the Administrative Provisions on Mobile Internet Application
Information Services, or the Mobile Application Administrative Provisions, which was last amended in June 2022 and became effective
on August 1, 2022. Pursuant to the Mobile Application Administrative Provisions, a mobile internet app refers to an app software that
runs on mobile smart devices providing information services. Mobile internet app providers refer to the owners or operators of mobile
internet apps providing information services.
The Mobile Application Administrative Provisions set forth the relevant requirements on the app information service providers and
the app store service providers. The CAC and its local branches shall be responsible for the supervision and administration of nationwide
and local app information respectively. App providers shall strictly fulfill their responsibilities of information security management, and
perform the following duties: (i) conduct real identity information authentication based on mobile phone numbers, identity document
numbers or unified social credit codes for users who apply for registration; (ii) be responsible for the results of the presentation of
information content, shall not produce or disseminate illegal information, and shall consciously prevent and resist harmful information;
(iii) not induce users to download apps by means of false advertisement, bundled downloads, or other acts, or via machine or manual
click farming and comment control, or by using illegal and harmful information; (iv) immediately take remedial measures, promptly
notify users and report the same to the relevant competent authorities in accordance with regulations when an app has risks such as
security defects and vulnerabilities; (v) perform the obligation of ensuring data security, establish a sound whole-process data security
management system, take technical measures to ensure data security and other security measures, strengthen risk monitoring, and shall
not endanger national security or public interests, or damage the legitimate rights and interests of others when carrying out app data
processing activities; and (vi) formulate and disclose management rules, and sign service agreements with registered users to clarify the
relevant rights and obligations of both parties.
Regulation on Information Security and Privacy Protection
Internet information in China is regulated from a national security standpoint. The National People’s Congress, or the NPC,
promulgated the Decisions on Preserving Internet Security in December 2000 and amended in August 2009, which subject violators to
potential criminal punishment in China for any effort to: (i) gain improper entry into a computer or system of strategic importance; (ii)
disseminate politically disruptive information; (iii) leak state secrets; (iv) spread false commercial information; or (v) infringe intellectual
property rights. The Ministry of Public Security has promulgated measures that prohibit use of the internet in ways which, among other
things, result in a leak of state secrets or a spread of socially destabilizing content. If an internet information service provider violates
these measures, competent authorities may revoke its operating license and shut down its websites.
In recent years, PRC government authorities have enacted laws and regulations on internet use to protect personal information from
any unauthorized disclosure. Under the Several Provisions on Regulating the Market Order of Internet Information Services,
promulgated by the MIIT in December 2011 and effective March 2012, an internet information service provider may not collect any user
personal information or provide any such information to third parties without the consent of the user. An internet information service
provider must expressly inform the users of the method, content and purpose of the collection and processing of such user personal
information and may only collect such information necessary for the provision of its services. An internet information service provider is
also required to properly maintain the user’s personal information, and in case of any leak or likely leak of the user’s personal
information, the internet information service provider must take immediate remedial measures and, in severe circumstances, immediately
report to the telecommunications authority. Moreover, pursuant to the PRC Criminal Law lastly amended in November 2020, any
individual or entity that (i) sells or discloses any citizen’s personal information to others in a way violating the applicable law, or (ii)
steals or illegally obtains any citizen’s personal information, shall be subject to criminal penalty in severe situation. Any internet service
provider that fails to fulfill the obligations related to internet information security administration as required by applicable laws and
refuses to rectify upon orders, shall be subject to criminal penalty for the result of (i) any dissemination of illegal information in large
scale; (ii) any severe effect due to the leakage of the client’s information; (iii) any serious loss of criminal evidence; or (iv) other severe
situation. In addition, the Interpretations of the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate of the PRC on Several
Issues Concerning the Application of Law in Handling Criminal Cases of Infringing Personal Information, promulgated in May 2017 and
effective June 2017, clarified certain standards for the conviction and sentencing of the criminals in relation to personal information
infringement. Further, the NPC promulgated a new National Security Law, effective July 2015, to replace the former National Security
Law and covers various types of national security including technology security and information security.
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The PRC Cyber Security Law, promulgated on November 7, 2016 and effective on June 1, 2017, prohibits individuals or entities
from obtaining personal information through theft or other illegal ways or selling or otherwise illegally disclosing personal information.
The PRC Cyber Security Law requires a network operator, including internet information service providers among others, to adopt
technical measures and other necessary measures in accordance with applicable laws and regulations as well as compulsory national and
industrial standards to safeguard the safety and stability of network operations, effectively respond to network security incidents, prevent
illegal and criminal activities, and maintain the integrity, confidentiality and availability of network data. The PRC Cyber Security Law
emphasizes that any individuals and organizations that use networks must not endanger network security or use networks to engage in
unlawful activities such as those endangering national security, economic order and the social order or infringing the reputation, privacy,
intellectual property rights and other lawful rights and interests of others. Any violation of the provisions and requirements under the
PRC Cyber Security Law may subject an internet service provider to warnings, fines, confiscation of illegal gains, revocation of licenses,
cancellation of filings, closedown of websites or even criminal liabilities. Furthermore, MIIT’s Rules on Protection of Personal
Information of Telecommunications and Internet Users promulgated in July 2013, effective September 2013, contain detailed
requirements on the use and collection of personal information as well as security measures required to be taken by telecommunications
business operators and internet information service providers.
On June 10, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China, or the SCNPC, promulgated the Data
Security Law, which took effect in September 2021. The Data Security Law sets forth data security and privacy related compliance
obligations on entities and individuals carrying out data related activities. The Data Security Law also introduces a data classification and
layered protection system based on the importance of data and the degree of impact on national security, public interests or legitimate
rights and interests of individuals or organizations when such data is tampered with, destroyed, leaked or illegally acquired or used. In
addition, the Data Security Law provides a national security review procedure for those data activities that may affect national security,
and imposes export restrictions on certain data and information. According to the PRC National Security Law, the State shall establish
institutions and mechanisms for national security review and regulation, and conduct national security review on certain matters that
affect or may affect PRC national security, such as key technologies and IT products and services. According to the effective
Cybersecurity Review Measures, online platform/website operators of certain industries may be identified as critical information
infrastructure operators by the Cyberspace Administration of China, once they meet standard as stated in the National Cybersecurity
Inspection Operation Guide, and such operators may be subject to cybersecurity review. In early July 2021, regulatory authorities in
China launched cybersecurity investigations with regard to several China-based companies that are listed in the United States.
On August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China promulgated the Personal Information
Protection Law of the PRC, or the Personal Information Protection Law, which took effect in November 2021. As the first systematic and
comprehensive law specifically for the protection of personal information in the PRC, the Personal Information Protection Law provides,
among others, that (i) an individual’s separate consent shall be obtained before operation of such individual’s sensitive personal
information, e.g., biometric characteristics and individual location tracking, (ii) personal information operators operating sensitive
personal information shall notify individuals of the necessity of such operations and the influence on the individuals’ rights, (iii) if
personal information operators reject individuals’ requests to exercise their rights, individuals may file a lawsuit with a People’s Court.
The VIE, as an internet information service provider, is therefore subject to the regulations related to information security. The VIE
has adopted data security, data recovery and backup measures to comply with these regulations. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk
Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry—Actual or alleged failure to comply with data privacy and protection laws and
regulations could have a serious adverse effect on our reputation, and discourage current and potential clients from doing business with
us.”
Regulation Relating to Real Estate Brokerage and Agency
According to the Law of the PRC on Administration of Urban Real Estate, which is promulgated by the Standing Committee of the
National People’s Congress, or the SCNPC, on July 5, 1994 and lastly amended on August 26, 2019 and became effective on January 1,
2020, the real-estate intermediary agencies include real-estate brokerage agencies. Real-estate intermediary agencies are required to
have: (a) their own names and entities; (b) fixed premises to offer services; (c) necessary property and fund; (d) adequate number of
professionals; and (e) other conditions stipulated by laws and administrative regulations.
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In April 2001, the Ministry of Construction promulgated the Management Methods on the Sale of Commercial Houses. When real-
estate developers entrust intermediary agencies to sell commercial houses, the entrustee agencies shall be those legally incorporated and
granted industrial and commercial business licenses. The real-estate developers shall sign written commissioning contract with the
intermediary agencies to specify the commissioning period, commissioning rights, and rights and obligations of the client and entrustee.
The entrusted intermediary agencies shall present the buyer relevant certificates and selling commissioning letter of the commercial
houses. When selling commercial houses, the entrusted intermediary agencies shall introduce to the buyer authentic housing information.
The entrusted intermediary agencies shall never sell non-conforming commercial houses. The entrusted intermediary agencies are never
allowed for any charges beyond the commission when selling the commercial houses. Only those salespersons that have undergone
professional training are allowed to engage in the commercial house selling business.
According to the Administrative Measures for Real Estate Brokerage, promulgated on January 20, 2011 and amended on March 1,
2016 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development, NDRC and Ministry of Human Resources and Social Securities, the
real-estate brokerage agencies and their branches shall file with the construction (real-estate) supervising department of the local
municipality/city/county within 30 days after obtaining the business license. The construction (real-estate) supervising department of the
local municipality/city/county shall publish the name, residence, legal representative (executive partner) or responsible person, registered
capital and real-estate agents of the agencies and their branches. The real-estate brokerage services shall be uniformly undertaken by real-
estate brokerage agencies, with the service remunerations collected by the agencies collectively. Branches shall undertake businesses in
the name of the parental real-estate agencies. Real-estate agents are never allowed to undertake agent services on his/her own behalf.
Real-estate agencies and agents are never allowed to: (a) counterfeit and disseminate the price-up information, or gang up with real-
estate developers or operators to reserve premises for higher price and manipulate the market price; (b) conceal the real housing
transaction information from the interested parties, and earn price discrepancies between lower buy-in price and higher sell-out (rent)
price; (c) solicit business through improper means such as concealing, fraud, coercing or bribing, or lure/force real estate buyers into
transaction; (d) disclose or improperly use the personal information/business secret of real estate buyers to seek unjust profits; (e) for
illegal purposes such as evasion of property transaction tax, sign contracts of different prices for the same house; (f) change the internal
structure of the house and divide them for rental; (g) embezzle and misappropriate the property transaction capital; (h) buy or rent his/her
own agented house; (i) offer brokerage services to non-conforming indemnificatory houses or prohibited-for-sales houses; and (j)
conduct other behaviors prohibited by laws and regulations.
According to the Opinions on Strengthening the Management over Real-Estate Agencies to Promote Healthier Development of the
Industry as jointly promulgated and implemented on July 29, 2016 by the Ministry of Housing and Urban-rural Development, NDRC,
MIIT, People’s Bank of China, SAT, State Administration for Industry and Commerce and China Banking Regulatory Commission,
governmental departments impose stricter supervision upon real-estate sales agencies. Such agencies are required to check the ownership
information of the property and the identification for the client before publication of the property information. Upon approval of the
client, the agency shall verify the ownership information in the real-estate competent department and prepare specifications of the house
conditions. The property information published shall be authentic, comprehensive and accurate. The agency shall not publish the
information of the properties without the prior written authorization of owner and shall not conceal the mortgage status of the property or
conceal other relevant information of the transaction. The real estate agency shall not in any form force client to take service of any
financial institution it appointed. Property information shall be removed within 2 working days upon its sale or rent.
Regulations on Small Loan Business
Pursuant to the Guiding Opinions on the Pilot Operation of Small Loan Companies promulgated by the CBRC and the PBOC on
May 4, 2008, to apply for setting up a small loan company, the applicant shall file an application in due form with the competent
department of the provincial government, and, upon approval, it shall apply to the local administrative department for industry and
commerce for handling the registration formalities and get the business license. The Guiding Opinions on the Pilot Operation of Small
loan Companies and other relevant regulations impose various requirements on the small loan company and its business, such as the
requirements with respect to the corporate structure, the major sources of funds of a small loan company, the loan interest ceiling, the
floor interest rate and the percentage of the balance of the capital borrowed from banking financial institutions.
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Pursuant to the Notice on Implementation Plan for Specific Rectification for Risks in Small Loan Companies Conducting the Online
Small Loan Business issued by relevant authority in December 2017, local branches of the P2P Online Lending Working Group
conducted examination and inspection of online small loan companies that concluded by the end of January 2018. Depending on the
inspection results these local regulatory authorities may require the online small loan companies they inspected to take rectification
measures within specified periods, may revoke the operation approvals of non-compliant companies and may order non-compliant
companies to cease business operations.
On September 7, 2020, China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission issued Notice of Strengthening the Supervision and
Administration of Small Loans Companies in order to strengthen the administration, regulate the business operation, mitigate risks, and
advance the development of small loan business.
Regulations on Intellectual Property Rights
Copyright
On September 7, 1990, the SCNPC promulgated the PRC Copyright Law, which was amended in 2001, 2010 and 2020. The
implementing regulations of the PRC Copyright Law was promulgated in 2002 and amended in 2013. The PRC Copyright Law and its
implementation regulations are the principal laws and regulations governing the copyright related matters. Pursuant to the amended PRC
Copyright Law, products disseminated over the internet and software products, among others, are entitled to copyright protections.
Registration of copyright is voluntary, and it is administrated by the China Copyright Protection Center.
The State Council and National Copyright Administration, or the NCA, have promulgated various rules and regulations related to
protection of software in China, including the Regulations on Protection of Computer Software promulgated by State Council on January
30, 2013 and effective since March 1, 2013, and the Measures for Registration of Copyright of Computer Software promulgated by NCA
on February 20, 2002 and effective since the same date. According to these rules and regulations, software owners, licensees and
transferees may register their rights in software with the NCA or its local branches and obtain software copyright registration certificates.
Although such registration is not mandatory under PRC law, software owners, licensees and transferees are encouraged to go through the
registration process and registered software rights may be entitled to better protections.
Domain Name
On August 24, 2017, MIIT promulgated Administrative Measures for Internet Domain Names, repealing the Domain Name
Measures since November 1, 2017. The efforts to undertake internet domain name services as well as the operation, maintenance,
supervision and administration thereof and other relevant activities within the territory of the PRC shall thereafter be made in compliance
with Administrative Measures for Internet Domain Names. In accordance with the Measures on the Regulation of Domain Name
Disputes promulgated by the CNNIC, which became effective on September 1, 2014, domain name dispute can be resolved by a domain
name dispute resolution institution recognized by the CNNIC.
Trademark
The PRC Trademark Law, adopted in 1982 and last amended in 2019, with its implementation rules adopted in 2002 and amended in
2014, protects registered trademarks. The Trademark Office of the State Administration for Industry and Commerce handles trademark
registrations and grants a protection term of ten years to registered trademarks. Trademark license agreements must be filed with the
Trademark Office for record.
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Patent
The Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress adopted the PRC Patent Law in 1984 and amended it in 1992, 2000,
2008 and 2020, respectively, and the latest version of which became effective on June 1, 2021. A patentable invention or utility model
must meet three conditions: novelty, inventiveness and practical applicability. Patents cannot be granted for scientific discoveries, rules
and methods for intellectual activities, methods used to diagnose or treat diseases, animal and plant breeds or substances obtained by
means of nuclear transformation. The Patent Office under the State Intellectual Property Office is responsible for receiving, examining
and approving patent applications. A patent is valid for a twenty-year term for an invention and a ten-year term for a utility model and a
design under the currently effective PRC Patent Law, starting from the application date. The protection period has been amended in the
recent amendment which will become effective on June 1, 2021. The terms of protection for an invention and a utility patent will still be
twenty years and ten years, respectively. The term of protection for a design patent will be extended from ten years to fifteen years.
Except under certain specific circumstances provided by law, any third-party user must obtain consent or a proper license from the patent
owner to use the patent, or else the use will constitute an infringement of the rights of the patent holder.
Regulations on Internet Infringement
According to the Civil Code of the PRC, which was promulgated by NPC on May 28, 2020 and came into effect on January 1, 2021,
an internet user or an internet service provider that infringes upon the civil rights or interests of others through using the internet assumes
tort liability. If an internet user infringes upon the civil rights or interests of another through using the internet, the person being infringed
upon has the right to notify and request the internet service provider whose internet services are facilitating the infringement to take
necessary measures including the deletion, blocking or disconnection of an internet link. If, after being notified, the internet service
provider fails to take necessary measures in a timely manner to end the infringement, it will be jointly and severally liable for any
additional harm caused by its failure to act.
Regulations Related to Employment
Labor Law and Labor Contracts
According to the Labor Law of the PRC promulgated on July 5, 1994 and amended on August 27, 2009 and December 29, 2018,
enterprises shall establish and perfect their system of workplace safety and sanitation, strictly abide by state rules and standards on
workplace safety, and educate employees in labor safety and sanitation in the PRC. Labor safety and sanitation facilities shall comply
with statutory standards. Enterprises and institutions shall provide employees with a safe workplace and sanitation conditions that are in
compliance with relevant laws and regulations of labor protection.
The Labor Contract Law of the PRC promulgated on June 29, 2007 and amended on December 28, 2012, and the Implementation
Rules of the Labor Contract Law of the PRC promulgated on September 18, 2008 set out specific provisions in relation to the execution,
the terms and the termination of a labor contract and the rights and obligations of the employees and employers. At the time of hiring, the
employer shall truthfully inform the employee as to the scope of work, working conditions, working place, occupational hazards, work
safety, salary and other matters which the employee requests to be informed about.
Dispatched Employees
According to the Interim Provisions on Labor Dispatch issued on January 24, 2014 and implemented on March 1, 2014 by the
Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security, the employers should strictly control the number of labor dispatch workers, and the
number of the dispatched workers shall not exceed 10% of the total amount of their employees.
Pursuant to the Interim Provision on Labor Dispatch, the Labor Contract Law of the PRC and the Implementation Regulations for
the Labor Contract, the employers who fail to comply with the relevant requirements on labor dispatch shall be ordered by the labor
administrative authorities to make corrections within a stipulated period; where correction is not made within the stipulated period, the
employers may be subject to a penalty ranging from RMB5,000 to RMB10,000 per dispatched worker exceeding the 10% threshold.
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Social Insurance and Housing Fund
Employers in the PRC are required to contribute, for and on behalf of their employees, to a number of social insurance funds,
including funds for pension, for unemployment insurance, for medical insurance, for work-related injury insurance, for maternity
insurance and for housing fund. These payments are made to local administrative authorities and the employer who fails to contribute
may be fined and be ordered to make up for the outstanding contributions. The various laws and regulations that govern the employers’
obligations to contribute to the social insurance funds include the Social Insurance Law of the PRC promulgated by the SCNPC on
October 28, 2010 and amended on December 29, 2018; the Interim Regulations on the Collection and Payment of Social Insurance
Premiums, which was promulgated by the State Council on January 22, 1999 and amended on March 24, 2019; the Interim Measures for
the Maternity Insurance of Enterprises Employees which was promulgated by the Ministry of Labor on December 14, 1994 and became
effective on January 1, 1995; the Regulations on Work-related Injury Insurance, which was promulgated by the State Council on
April 27, 2003 and amended on December 20, 2010; and the Regulations on Management of the Housing Fund, which was promulgated
and became effective on April 3, 1999 and was amended on March 24, 2002 and on March 24, 2019.
Regulations Related to Foreign Exchange
Regulation on Foreign Currency Exchange
Pursuant to the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulations, as amended on August 5, 2008, Renminbi is freely convertible for
current account items, including the distribution of dividends, interest payments, trade and service-related foreign exchange transactions,
but not for capital account items, such as direct investments, loans, repatriation of investments and investments in securities outside of
China, unless prior approval is obtained from State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or the SAFE, and prior registration with SAFE
is made.
SAFE promulgated the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming the Administration of Foreign
Exchange Settlement of Capital of Foreign Invested Enterprises, or the SAFE Circular 19, in replacement of the Circular on the Relevant
Operating Issues Concerning the Improvement of the Administration of the Payment and Settlement of Foreign Currency Capital of
Foreign-Invested Enterprises, or SAFE Circular 142. SAFE further promulgated the Notice of the State Administration of Foreign
Exchange on Reforming and Standardizing the Foreign Exchange Settlement Management Policy of Capital Account, or the SAFE
Circular 16, effective on June 9, 2016, which, among other things, amend certain provisions of Circular 19. According to SAFE Circular
19 and SAFE Circular 16, the flow and use of the Renminbi capital converted from foreign currency denominated registered capital of a
foreign-invested company is regulated such that Renminbi capital may not be used for business beyond its business scope or to provide
loans to persons other than affiliates unless otherwise permitted under its business scope. Violations of SAFE Circular 19 or SAFE
Circular 16 could result in administrative penalties.
From 2012, SAFE has promulgated several circulars to substantially amend and simplify the current foreign exchange procedure.
Pursuant to these circulars, the opening of various special purpose foreign exchange accounts, the reinvestment of RMB proceeds by
foreign investors in the PRC and remittance of foreign exchange profits and dividends by a foreign-invested enterprise to its foreign
shareholders no longer require the approval or verification of SAFE. In addition, domestic companies are allowed to provide cross-
border loans not only to their offshore subsidiaries, but also to their offshore parents and affiliates. SAFE also promulgated the Circular
on Printing and Distributing the Provisions on Foreign Exchange Administration over Domestic Direct Investment by Foreign Investors
and the Supporting Documents in May 2013, amended on December 30, 2019, which specifies that the administration by SAFE or its
local branches over direct investment by foreign investors in the PRC shall be conducted by way of registration and banks shall process
foreign exchange business relating to the direct investment in the PRC based on the registration information provided by SAFE and its
branches. In February 2015, SAFE promulgated the Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving the Foreign Exchange Management
Policies for Direct Investment, or the SAFE Circular 13, which took effect on June 1, 2015 and was amended on December 30, 2019.
SAFE Circular 13 delegates the power to enforce the foreign exchange registration in connection with inbound and outbound direct
investments under relevant SAFE rules from local branches of SAFE to banks, thereby further simplifying the foreign exchange
registration procedures for inbound and outbound direct investments. On October 23, 2019, SAFE issued the Circular to Further Promote
Cross-border Trade and Investment to further ease cross-border trade and investment, according to which foreign non-investment
enterprises are allowed to carry out domestic equity investment provided that such investment will not violate applicable special
administrative measures (negative list) for foreign investment access and the investment projects shall be authentic and legitimate.
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On January 26, 2017, SAFE issued the Circular on Further Advancing Foreign Exchange Administration Reform to Enhance
Authenticity and Compliance Reviews, or the SAFE Circular 3, which stipulates several capital control measures with respect to the
outbound remittance of profit from domestic entities to offshore entities, including (i) under the principle of genuine transaction, banks
shall check board resolutions regarding profit distribution, the original version of tax filing records and audited financial statements; and
(ii) domestic entities shall hold income to account for previous years’ losses before remitting the profits.
Regulations on Foreign Exchange Registration of Overseas Investment by PRC Residents
In October 2005, SAFE issued the Circular Concerning the Regulation of Foreign Exchange in Equity Finance and Return
Investments by Domestic Residents through Offshore Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 75. The notice requires PRC residents
or entities to register or file with the local SAFE branch in the following circumstances: (i) before establishing or controlling any
company outside the PRC for the purpose of capital financing, (ii) after contributing their assets or shares of a domestic enterprise into
overseas special purpose vehicles, or raising funds overseas after such contributions, and (iii) after any major change in the share capital
of the special purpose vehicles without any round-trip investment being made.
In 2014, SAFE issued the SAFE Circular on Relevant Issues Relating to Domestic Resident’s Investment and Financing and
Roundtrip Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, replacing the SAFE Circular 75. SAFE Circular 37
regulates foreign exchange matters in relation to the use of special purpose vehicles by PRC residents or entities to seek offshore
investment and financing or conduct round trip investment in China. Under SAFE Circular 37, a “special purpose vehicle” refers to an
offshore entity established or controlled, directly or indirectly, by PRC residents or entities for the purpose of seeking offshore financing
or making offshore investment, using legitimate onshore or offshore assets or interests, while “round trip investment” refers to direct
investment in China by PRC residents or entities through special purpose vehicles, namely, establishing foreign-invested enterprises to
obtain ownership, control rights and management rights. SAFE Circular 37 provides that, before making a contribution to a special
purpose vehicle, PRC residents or entities are required to complete foreign exchange registration with SAFE or its local branch.
In 2015, SAFE promulgated the Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving the Administration of the Foreign Exchange
Concerning Direct Investment. This notice has amended SAFE Circular 37 by requiring PRC residents or entities to register with
qualified banks rather than SAFE or its local branch in connection with their establishment or control of an offshore entity established for
the purpose of overseas investment or financing. PRC residents or entities who had contributed legitimate onshore or offshore interests or
assets to special purpose vehicles but had not registered as required before the implementation of the SAFE Circular 37 must register
their ownership interests or control in the special purpose vehicles with qualified banks. An amendment to the registration is required if
there is a material change with respect to the special purpose vehicle registered, such as any change of basic information (including
change of the PRC residents, name and operation term), increases or decreases in investment amount, transfers or exchanges of shares,
and mergers or divisions. Failure to comply with the registration procedures set forth in SAFE Circular 37 and the subsequent notice, or
making misrepresentations or failing to disclose the control of the foreign-invested enterprise that is established through round-trip
investment, may result in restrictions being imposed on the foreign exchange activities of the relevant foreign-invested enterprise,
including payment of dividends and other distributions, such as proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation, to its
offshore parent or affiliate, and the capital inflow from the offshore parent, and may also subject relevant PRC residents or entities to
penalties under PRC foreign exchange administration regulations.
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Regulations Related to Stock Incentive Plans
SAFE promulgated the Circular of the SAFE on Issues concerning the Administration of Foreign Exchange Used for Domestic
Individuals’ Participation in Equity Incentive Plans of Companies Listed Overseas, or the Stock Option Rules, in February 2012,
replacing the previous rules issued by SAFE in March 2007. Under the Stock Option Rules and other relevant rules and regulations, PRC
residents who participate in a stock incentive plan in an overseas publicly listed company are required to register with SAFE or its local
branches and complete certain other procedures. Participants in a stock incentive plan who are PRC residents must retain a qualified PRC
agent, which could be a PRC subsidiary of the overseas publicly listed company or another qualified institution selected by the PRC
subsidiary, to conduct the SAFE registration and other procedures with respect to the stock incentive plan on behalf of the participants. In
addition, the PRC agent is required to amend the SAFE registration with respect to the stock incentive plan if there is any material
change to the stock incentive plan or the PRC agent or any other material changes. The PRC agent must apply to SAFE or its local
branches on behalf of the PRC residents who have the right to exercise the employee share options for an annual quota for the payment
of foreign currencies in connection with the PRC residents’ exercise of the employee share options. The foreign exchange proceeds
received by the PRC residents from the sale of shares under the stock incentive plans granted and dividends distributed by the overseas
listed companies must be remitted into the bank accounts in the PRC opened by the PRC agents before distribution to such PRC
residents.
See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Failure to comply with PRC
regulations regarding the registration requirements for employee stock ownership plans or share option plans may subject the PRC plan
participants or us to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions.”
Regulations Related to Dividend Distribution
Foreign investment enterprises in China may pay dividends only out of their accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance
with the PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, foreign investment enterprises in the PRC are required to allocate at least
10% of their accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds unless these reserves have reached 50% of the registered
capital of the enterprises. These reserves are not distributable as cash dividends. Furthermore, under the Enterprise Income Tax Law,
which was amended on February 24, 2017 and on December 29, 2018, the maximum tax rate for the withholding tax imposed on
dividend payments from PRC foreign-invested companies to their overseas investors that are not regarded as “resident” for tax purposes
is 20%. The rate was reduced to 10% under the Implementing Regulations for the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law issued by the State
Council. However, a lower withholding tax rate of 5% might be applied if there is a tax treaty between China and the jurisdiction of the
foreign holding companies, such as is the case with Hong Kong, and certain requirements specified by PRC tax authorities are satisfied.
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C.
Organizational Structure.
The following diagram illustrates our corporate structure as of the date of this annual report.
(1) Shareholders of Fangdd Network are Yi Duan, Jiancheng Li, Xi Zeng, Wei Zhang, Li Zhou, Jingjing Huang, Jiaorong Pan, Wentao
Bai and Ying Lu, holding 31.95%, 19.75%, 16.87%, 9.0%, 8.87%, 8.0%, 2.66%, 2.0% and 0.9%, respectively, of the equity interest
in Fangdd Network. Yi Duan is our director. Xi Zeng is our chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer. Jiaorong
Pan is our director and chief operating officer.
(2) As of the date of this annual report, Fangdd Network had 24 wholly owned subsidiaries.
Contractual Agreements with the VIE and Its Shareholders
The following is a summary of the currently effective contractual arrangements by and among Shenzhen Fangdd, Fangdd Network
and its shareholders.
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Agreements That Enable Us to Direct Activities of the VIE
Business Operation Agreement. The WFOE, the VIE and the VIE’s shareholders have entered into a business operation agreement,
pursuant to which the VIE and its shareholders undertake that without the WFOE’s prior written consent, the VIE shall not enter into any
transactions that may have material effects on the VIE’s assets, obligations, rights or business operations. Additionally, the VIE’s
shareholders undertake that without the WFOE’s prior written consent, they shall not (i) sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of any
rights associated with their equity interest in the VIE, (ii) approve any merger or acquisition of the VIE, (iii) take any actions that may
have a material adverse effect on the VIE’s assets, businesses and liabilities, or sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose or impose other
encumbrances of any assets, businesses or income of the VIE, (iv) request the VIE to declare dividend or make other distribution,
(v) amend the VIE’s articles of association, (vi) increase, decrease or otherwise change the VIE’s registered capital. The WFOE may
request the VIE to transfer at any time all the intellectual property rights held by the VIE to the WFOE or any person designated by the
WFOE. The VIE and certain of its shareholders, including Yi Duan, Jiancheng Li and Xi Zeng, shall be jointly and severally responsible
for the performance of their obligations under this agreement. This agreement has a term of ten years, which may be extended upon the
WFOE’s unilateral written confirmation prior to the expiry. The VIE has no right of transfer or right of early termination without
WFOE’s written confirmation while the WFOE may unilaterally transfer its rights and obligations under this agreement to third parties at
any time through written notification and may early terminate this agreement via a 30-day prior written notice.
Powers of Attorney. Each shareholder of the VIE has issued a power of attorney, irrevocably appointing Mr. Jiancheng Li, the
director of Shenzhen Fangdd, as such shareholder’s attorney-in-fact to exercise all shareholder rights, including, but not limited to, the
right to call shareholders’ meeting, the right to vote on all matters of the VIE that require shareholder approval, and the right to dispose
of all or part of the shareholder’s equity interest in the VIE, on behalf of such shareholder. The foregoing authorization is conditioned
upon Mr. Jiancheng Li’s continuing directorship at the WFOE and the WFOE’s written consent to such authorization. In the event that
Mr. Jiancheng Li ceases to serve as a director of the WFOE or that the WFOE requests the shareholders to terminate the authorization in
writing, the power of attorney will terminate immediately and the shareholder shall then appoint any person designated by the WFOE as
his or her attorney-in-fact to exercise all shareholder rights. Other than the foregoing circumstances, the power of attorney will remain in
force until the termination of the business operation agreement and during its effective term, shall not be amended or terminated without
the consent of the WFOE.
Equity Interest Pledge Agreements. Each shareholder of the VIE has entered into an equity interest pledge agreement with the
WFOE and the VIE, pursuant to which, the shareholder has pledged all of his or her equity interest in the VIE to the WFOE to guarantee
the performance by the VIE and its shareholders of their obligations under the master agreements, which include technology
development and application service agreement, the operation maintenance service agreement, the business operation agreement and the
option agreements. Each shareholder of the VIE agrees that, during the term of the equity interest pledge agreement, he or she will not
dispose of the pledged equity interest or create or allow any encumbrance on the pledged equity interest without the prior written consent
of the WFOE. The equity interest pledge agreements remain effective until the VIE and its shareholders discharge all of their obligations
under the master agreements. We have registered the equity pledge with the local branches of the Administration for Industry and
Commerce in accordance with the PRC Property Rights Law.
Agreements That Allow Us to Receive Economic Benefits from the VIE
Technology Development and Application Service Agreement. The WFOE and the VIE have entered into a technology
development and application service agreement, pursuant to which, the WFOE has the exclusive right to provide the VIE with
technology development and application services. Without the WFOE’s written consent, the VIE shall not accept any technology
development and application services covered by this agreement from any third party. The VIE agrees to pay service fees on an annual
basis and at an amount determined by the WFOE after taking into account multiple factors, such as the labor and time consumed for
provision of the service, the type and complexity of the services provided, the difficulties in providing the service, the commercial value
of services provided and the market price of comparable services. Unless otherwise agreed by the parties, this agreement will remain
effective until the WFOE ceases business operations.
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Operation Maintenance Service Agreement. The WFOE and the VIE have entered into an operation maintenance service
agreement, pursuant to which the WFOE has the exclusive right to provide the VIE with operation maintenance services and marketing
services. Without the WFOE’s written consent, the VIE shall not engage any third party to provide the services covered by this
agreement. The VIE agrees to pay service fees on an annual basis and at an amount determined by the WFOE after taking into account
factors such as the labor cost, facility cost and marketing expenses incurred by the WFOE in providing the services. Unless otherwise
agreed by both parties, this agreement will remain effective until the WFOE ceases business operations.
Agreements That Provide Us with the Option to Purchase the Equity Interest in the VIE
Option Agreements. The WFOE, the VIE and each of the VIE’s shareholders have entered into an option agreement, pursuant to
which the VIE’s shareholder has irrevocably granted the WFOE an exclusive option, to the extent permitted by PRC law, to purchase, or
have its designated person or persons to purchase, at its discretion all or part of the shareholder’s equity interest in the VIE or all or part
of the VIE’s assets. The purchase price shall be a nominal price unless where PRC laws and regulations require valuation of the equity
interest or the assets, or promulgate other restrictions on the purchase price, or otherwise prohibit purchasing the equity interest or the
assets at a nominal price. If the PRC laws and regulations prohibit purchasing the equity interest or the assets at a nominal price, the
purchase price shall be equal to the original investment of the equity interest made by such shareholders or the book value of the assets.
Where PRC laws and regulations require valuation of the equity interest or the assets or promulgates other restrictions on the purchase
price, the purchase price shall be the minimum price permitted under PRC laws and regulations. However, if the minimum price
permitted under PRC laws and regulations exceed the original investment of the equity interest or the book value of the assets, the VIE
shall reimburse the WFOE the exceed amount after deducting all taxes and fees paid under PRC laws and regulations. The shareholders
of the VIE undertake, among other things, that without the WFOE’s prior written consent, they shall not take any actions that may have
material effects on the VIE’s assets, businesses and liabilities, nor shall they appoint or replace any directors, supervisors and officers of
the VIE. These agreements have terms of ten years, which may be extended upon the WFOE’s written confirmation prior to the expiry.
In the opinion of Global Law Office, our PRC legal counsel:
● the ownership structures of the VIE in China and our WFOE do not result in any violation of PRC laws or regulations currently
in effect; and
● the contractual arrangements among our WFOE, the VIE and the shareholders of the VIE governed by PRC law are valid,
binding and enforceable.
However, we have been advised by our PRC legal counsel that there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and
application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules, and there can be of no assurance that the PRC government will
ultimately take a view that is consistent with the above opinions of our PRC legal counsel. Since the Foreign Investment Law (2019) is
relatively new, uncertainties still exist in relation to its interpretation and implementation. There is no assurance that foreign investment
via contractual arrangements would not be interpreted as a type of indirect foreign investment activities in the future. In addition, the
definition of foreign investment contains a catch-all provision which includes investments made by foreign investors through other
means stipulated in laws, administrative regulations or provisions of the State Council. Therefore, it still leaves leeway for future laws,
administrative regulations or provisions promulgated by the State Council to provide for contractual arrangements as a form of foreign
investment. In any of these cases, it will be uncertain whether our contractual arrangements will be deemed to be in violation of the
market access requirements for foreign investment under the PRC laws and regulations. Accordingly, the PRC regulatory authorities may
in the future take a view that is contrary to the above opinion of our PRC counsel. If the PRC government finds that the agreements that
establish the structure for operating our online businesses do not comply with PRC government restrictions on foreign investment in
value-added telecommunications services businesses, such as internet content provision services and online data processing and
transaction processing businesses (operating e-commerce business), we could be subject to penalties, including being prohibited from
continuing operations. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—If the PRC
government deems that our contractual arrangements with the VIE do not comply with PRC regulatory restrictions on foreign investment
in the relevant industries, or if these regulations or the interpretation of existing regulations change in the future, we could be subject to
severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations,” “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related
to Our Corporate Structure—Substantial uncertainties exist with respect to the interpretation and implementation of the Foreign
Investment Law (2019) and how they may impact the viability of our current corporate structure, corporate governance and operations,”
“Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry —If we fail to obtain or keep licenses, permits
or approvals applicable to the various real estate services provided by us, we may incur significant financial penalties and other
government sanctions” and “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC legal
system contains uncertainties, which could limit the legal protections available to you and us.”
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D.
Property, Plants and Equipment.
Our principal executive offices are located at Shenzhen with approximately 341 square meters of office space. Our headquarter has
been at this location since 2022. We believe our existing leased premises are adequate for our current business operations and that
additional space can be obtained on commercially reasonably terms to meet our future requirements.
ITEM 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
Not applicable.
ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS
The following discussion of our financial condition and results of operations is based upon, and should be read in conjunction with,
our audited consolidated financial statements and the related notes included in this annual report on Form 20-F. This report contains
forward-looking statements. See “Special Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements.” In evaluating our business, you should
carefully consider the information provided under the caption “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors” in this annual report on Form
20-F. We caution you that our businesses and financial performance are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties.
A.
Operating Results.
Overview
We are a customer-oriented PropTech company in China, focusing on providing real estate transaction digitalization services. We
operate a real estate-focused online marketplace for real estate transactions and related services in China. Our marketplace connects real
estate sellers, agents, buyers, financial institutions and other service providers as part of a vibrant ecosystem and a self-reinforcing
network, enabling marketplace participants to transact real estate assets with efficiency at lowered costs. We provide all participants with
one-stop digital real estate transaction services and seamless transaction experience through our reliable and extensive property listings,
SaaS solutions and intelligent matching algorithms. In 2022, we had over 143.7 thousand active agents on our marketplace. By providing
real estate sellers with innovative and diversified digital marketing solutions as well as access to our extensive agent network, we help
real estate sellers to move their traditional offline business online and improve transaction efficiency, thereby gathering the property
resources of real estate transactions on our marketplace. In 2022, there were 1,613 new property projects on our marketplace.
Our primary sources of revenue are (i) property transaction services and (ii) innovation initiatives and other value-added services.
We earn base commission revenue by charging commission fees when real estate buyers and sellers close transactions through the
marketplace. Our innovation initiatives and other value-added services include SaaS solutions and other value-added services which are
provided based on our deep understanding of marketplace participants’ problems and needs, such as financial services, to help enhance
user transaction experience. For our SaaS solutions, we charge marketplace participants software subscription fees.
Our revenue decreased by 61.6% from RMB2.5 billion in 2020 to RMB942.4 million in 2021 and further decreased by 73.9% from
RMB942.4 million in 2021 to RMB245.9 million (US$35.7 million) in 2022 due to various factors, including the continued property
market downturn, the resurgence of COVID-19 outbreaks in China and the measures we took to minimize our exposure to the systematic
risk of real estate industry in the continued downturn, such as our actions to cease business cooperation with high credit risk developers
and to reduce our business scale of new property and resale property transaction service business. Despite the current challenges, we
have continued to optimize our revenue mix and prioritized the value-added services and new business initiatives, including our SaaS
solutions for various platform participants. We had a net loss of RMB221.4 million, RMB1.2 billion and RMB239.6 million (US$34.7
million) in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
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Factors Affecting Our Results of Operations
The PRC real estate industry
Our business and results of operations are affected by our ability to adapt to the fluctuation in the PRC real estate industry. The
general factors affecting the industry include:
● China’s overall economic growth and level of per capita disposable income;
● regulations and policies affecting the real estate industry and housing finance industry;
● urbanization trend;
● changes in the supply and demand in different areas of the housing market; and
● the acceptance of completing real estate transactions online.
In the past, we were able to innovate new products and services in time to adapt to market changes. Our ability to adapt our business
to market fluctuations will continue to have a significant effect on our results of operation.
Our ability to attract and retain real estate agents
We derive a substantial portion of revenue from property transactions facilitated through our marketplace by agents. Therefore, our
revenue is affected by the number of active agents who have established online shops in our marketplace and effectively conduct
property transactions. Our ability to expand our agent base mainly depends on our ability to continue to provide comprehensive resources
and effective products and services that help agents access business opportunities and complete transactions efficiently.
We attract and retain agents through our strong online service capabilities. For example, we offer innovative technology-based
products and services and leverage social media and other internet-based platforms to promote products and services to agents. We had
over 143.7 thousand active agents on our marketplace in 2022. We aim to continue to build our incentive and guidance system, provide
comprehensive training and support agents’ operations in order to empower them to conduct business more effectively and increase their
revenue.
Our ability to increase cooperation with real estate sellers
The participation of real estate sellers is of critical importance to our marketplace. We place great emphasis on our relationship with
real estate developers and strive to provide efficient and effective property transaction solutions to promote their success. For example, in
December 2020, we launched Property Cloud, a SaaS solution for real estate sellers. Property Cloud connects real-estate sellers with
agents directly, which largely increases the matching efficiency. Through Property Cloud, real estate sellers may list information
including properties details, commission rates and other terms in connection with the sale, all of which will automatically become
available to agents using Duoduo Sales. Interested agents may then contact the developer directly through Duoduo Sales.
By leveraging the digitalization capabilities, data analysis capabilities and customer base, our marketplace is capable of providing
premium services to real estate sellers, which is in line with the development of the real estate industry in China. This helps our
marketplace to broaden the source of property listings, enrich the number and types of properties available on our marketplace, attract
more agents and real estate buyers to our marketplace, and further increase the success rate of transactions.
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Our ability to improve our real estate transaction digitalization capabilities
We are a PropTech company, and our operational success depends on our real estate transaction digitalization capabilities. We have
built a suite of modular software products and solutions powered by technology that simplify traditionally cumbersome processes in real
estate transactions and allow agents and agencies to effectively grow their businesses. We connect agents with essential business
resources through a smart matching system and provide them with both insights and direct access to business intelligence tools to
analyze data, and optimize their businesses operation and management. Through our digital platform, real estate sellers can post their
listings, access a wide real estate buyer base, search for the most suitable agents and conduct transactions efficiently on our marketplace.
We also extended our product and service offerings to other industry participants, to facilitate their digital transformation and meet their
various needs during this process. Our ability to continue to attract real estate sellers and buyers, the key component of a vibrant
transaction marketplace, is associated with the transaction efficiency achieved in our marketplace through digitalization, which will
remain one of our primary business objectives as we continue to grow.
Our ability to innovate product and service offerings
To further attract and better serve marketplace participants, we have developed diverse products and services to meet marketplace
participants’ business needs and help them conduct transactions in our marketplace more efficiently. As we facilitate more transactions,
our marketplace attracts more market participants, who in turn contribute to our resources and ability to further innovate products and
services. These innovative services and products enhance the level of engagement and loyalty of our marketplace participants, and
improve agents’ operational efficiency and rate of returns. We aim to continue to innovate new products and services by leveraging our
data analysis and deep understanding of market participants. Our ability to innovate product and service offerings has, and will continue
to have, a significant impact on our results of operations.
Our ability to achieve profitability
Our ability to achieve profitability is dependent on whether we can leverage our marketplace model to maintain and improve
operational efficiency. We continue to standardize our business and management processes, which allow us to reduce our headcounts and
achieve high operational efficiency. For example, we have been able to substantially reduce labor costs since 2017 as we established the
property database that can be updated and renewed automatically using AI and big data analytic tools. We further helped improve our
employees’ operational efficiency by offering comprehensive training both online and offline. However, the continued downturn status of
China’s real estate market, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and the heightened credit risks of developers, combined together, have
materially and adversely affected our results of operations and financial condition. Our closed-loop GMV per employee decreased from
RMB113.7 million in 2020 to RMB83.5 million in 2021 and further decreased to RMB67.1 million (US$9.7 million) in 2022, and our
revenue per employee decreased from RMB1.5 million in 2020 to RMB1.0 million in 2021 and further decreased to RMB732.0 thousand
(US$106.1 thousand) in 2022. In response, we have taken risk control measures to strategically reduce the scale of our property
transaction services and actively explore opportunities from other real estate transaction digitalization services. As a result of these
measures, the average number of active agents served per employee grew from 363 in 2020 to 384 in 2021 and further grew to 428 in
2022.
Revenue
The following table sets forth our total revenue for the years presented:
For the Year Ended December 31,
2022
2020
RMB
2021
RMB
RMB
US$
Revenue
(in thousands, except for percentages)
2,451,287
942,380
245,948
35,659
We generate our revenue from (i) commissions paid by real estate sellers and buyers in connection with property transactions, and
(ii) innovation initiatives and other value-added services, such as SaaS solutions for various marketplace participants, sales services,
franchise license, financial services, loans facilitation services, and parking space transaction facilitation services.
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Cost of Revenue
The following table sets forth our cost of revenue in absolute amount and as a percentage of our total revenue for the years
presented:
Cost of Revenue
For the Year Ended December 31,
2020
2021
2022
RMB
2,036,821
% RMB % RMB US$
(in thousands, except for percentages)
221,213
835,873
83.1
88.7
32,073
%
89.9
Our cost of revenue consists primarily of the commission fees we pay to agents for their services rendered in completing the real
estate transactions, project-based promotion and operational expenses, salaries and benefits expenses that are incurred for property
transactions and the sharing of sales incentive income with funding partners in connection with our exclusive sales projects.
Operating Expenses
Our operating expenses consist of sales and marketing expenses, product development expenses, and general and administrative
expenses. The following table sets forth our operating expenses in absolute amount and as a percentage of our total revenue for the years
presented:
Operating expenses
Sales and marketing expenses
Product development expenses
General and administrative expenses
Total operating expenses
Sales and marketing expenses
For the Year Ended December 31,
2020
RMB %
2021
2022
% RMB US$
RMB
%
(in thousands, except for percentages)
38,020
301,401
301,065
640,486
1.6
12.3
12.3
26.1
64,914
167,530
831,358
1,063,802
6.9
17.8
88.2
112.9
13,195
65,971
194,962
274,128
1,913
9,565
28,267
39,745
5.4
26.8
79.3
111.5
Our sales and marketing expenses mainly consist of salaries of sales personnel and costs of online and offline advertisements that are
placed to raise our brand recognition and attract listings from real estate sellers to our marketplace. We expect our sales and marketing
expenses to increase in the long term as we continue to grow our business while fluctuating from quarter to quarter depending on our
advertising and marketing plans and seasonality.
Product development expenses
Our product development expenses primarily consist of salaries and benefits expenses, office expenses and depreciation of
equipment relating to the development of new products or upgrading of existing products and other expenses for our product activity.
General and administrative expenses
Our general and administrative expenses mainly consist of provision of allowance for doubtful accounts, payroll and related staff
costs for corporate functions, as well as other general corporate expenses such as rental expenses and depreciation expenses for offices
and equipment that are used by these corporate functions.
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Taxation
Cayman Islands
The Cayman Islands currently levies no taxes on individuals or corporations based upon profits, income, gains or appreciation and
there is no taxation in the nature of inheritance tax or estate duty. There are no other taxes likely to be material to us levied by the
government of the Cayman Islands except for stamp duties which may be applicable on instruments executed in, or brought within the
jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands. In addition, the Cayman Islands does not impose withholding tax on dividend payments.
Hong Kong
Fangdd HK in Hong Kong, our subsidiary incorporated in Hong Kong, is subject to Hong Kong profit tax at a rate of 16.5% on its
taxable income generated from operations in Hong Kong. A two-tiered profits tax rates regime has been introduced since year 2018
where the first HK$2 million of assessable profits earned by a company will be taxed at half the current tax rate (8.25%) whilst the
remaining profits will continue to be taxed at 16.5%. There is an anti-fragmentation measure where each group will have to nominate
only one company in the group to benefit from the progressive rates. Under the Hong Kong tax law, Fangdd Network Holding Limited is
exempted from the Hong Kong income tax on its foreign-derived income. Hong Kong does not impose a withholding tax on dividends.
China
Our PRC subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries are subject to the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law and are taxed at the statutory
income tax rate of 25%, except for the VIE Fangdd Network, which is currently qualified as a “high and new technology enterprise” and
is entitled to a preferential income tax rate of 15% from January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2022. In addition, Fangdd Network and its
subsidiaries are subject to value added taxes, or VAT, at a rate of 6% on the commissions earned from developers and other real estate
sellers as well as revenue from other services we provide to our marketplace participants, less any deductible VAT we have already paid
or borne. We are also subject to surcharges on VAT payments in accordance with PRC law.
Dividends paid by our wholly owned subsidiaries in China to our intermediary holding company in Hong Kong will be subject to a
withholding tax rate of 10%, unless they qualify for a special exemption. If Fangdd Network Holding Limited, our subsidiary in Hong
Kong, satisfies all the requirements under the Arrangement between the Mainland China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative
Region for the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Tax Evasion on Income and the Notice on Certain Issues with Respect to the
Enforcement of Dividend Provisions in Tax Treaties, then dividends paid by our wholly owned subsidiaries in China will be subject to a
withholding tax rate of 5% instead. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—
Dividends we receive from our subsidiaries located in the PRC may be subject to PRC withholding tax, which could materially and
adversely affect the amount of dividends, if any, we may pay our shareholders.”
If our holding company in the Cayman Islands or any of our subsidiaries outside of China were deemed to be a “resident enterprise”
under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, it would be subject to enterprise income tax on its worldwide income at a rate of 25%. See
“Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—If we are classified as a “resident enterprise”
of China under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, we and our non-PRC shareholders could be subject to unfavorable tax
consequences, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.”
Inflation
To date, inflation in China has not materially impacted our results of operations. According to the National Bureau of Statistics of
China, the year-over-year percent changes in the consumer price index for December 2020, 2021 and 2022 were increases of 0.2%, 1.5%
and 1.8%, respectively. Although we have not been materially affected by inflation in the past, we can provide no assurance that we will
not be affected by higher inflation rates in China in the future.
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Results of Operations
The following table sets forth a summary of our consolidated results of operations for the years presented in absolute amount and as
a percentage of our total revenue. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and related notes
included elsewhere in this annual report. The operating results in any period are not necessarily indicative of the results that may be
expected for any future period.
For the Year Ended December 31,
Revenue
Cost of revenue
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing expenses
Product development expenses
General and administrative expenses
Total operating expenses
Loss from operations
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense, net
Foreign currency exchange gain (loss), net
Gain on short-term investments
Impairment loss for long-term equity investment
Impairment loss for equity method investment
Impairment loss for non-current assets
Goodwill impairment
Government grants
Other income, net
Share of profit from equity method investees, net of income tax
Loss before income tax
Income tax expense
Net loss
Net loss attributable to noncontrolling interests
Net loss attributable to Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
Accretion to Redeemable Convertible Preferred Shares
Deemed dividend to preferred shareholders
Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders
Net loss
RMB
2020
2021
2022
% RMB % RMB US$
(in thousands, except for percentages)
245,948
(221,213)
24,735
942,380
(835,873)
106,507
100.0
(83.1)
16.9
100.0
(88.7)
11.3
35,659
(32,073)
3,586
2,451,287
(2,036,821)
414,466
%
(38,020)
(301,401)
(301,065)
(640,486)
(226,020)
(12,989)
(4,084)
321
—
—
—
—
22,885
9,207
3,970
(206,710)
(14,665)
(221,375)
1,087
(220,288)
—
—
(220,288)
(221,375)
(1.6)
(12.3)
(12.3)
(26.1)
(9.2)
(64,914)
(167,530)
(831,358)
(1,063,802)
(957,295)
(0.5)
(0.2)
0.0
—
—
—
—
0.9
0.4
0.2
(8.4)
(0.6)
(9.0)
(0.0)
(9.0)
—
—
(9.0)
(9.0)
(8,317)
(394)
112
(26,000)
(187,329)
(11,543)
(31,188)
22,293
5,618
(47)
(1,194,090)
(8,907)
(1,202,997)
31,832
(1,171,165)
—
—
(1,171,165)
(1,202,997)
(6.9)
(17.8)
(88.2)
(112.9)
(101.6)
(0.9)
0.0
0.0
(2.8)
(19.9)
(1.2)
(3.3)
2.4
0.6
0.0
(126.7)
(0.9)
(127.7)
3.4
(124.3)
—
—
(124.3)
(127.7)
(13,195)
(65,971)
(194,962)
(274,128)
(249,393)
(5,140)
375
363
(8,000)
(62,623)
(7,642)
—
14,938
87,041
(2,020)
(232,101)
(7,487)
(239,588)
(4,450)
(244,038)
—
—
(244,038)
(239,588)
(1,913)
(9,565)
(28,267)
(39,745)
(36,159)
(745)
54
53
(1,160)
(9,079)
(1,108)
—
2,166
12,620
(293)
(33,651)
(1,086)
(34,737)
(645)
(35,382)
—
—
(35,382)
(34,737)
100.0
(89.9)
10.1
(5.4)
(26.8)
(79.3)
(111.5)
(101.4)
(2.1)
0.2
0.1
(3.3)
(25.5)
(3.1)
—
6.1
35.4
(0.8)
(94.4)
(3.0)
(97.4)
(1.8)
(99.2)
—
—
(99.2)
(97.4)
Year Ended December 31, 2022 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2021
Revenue
Our revenue in 2022 decreased by 73.9% to RMB245.9 million (US$35.7 million) from RMB942.4 million in 2021. The decrease
was mainly due to the decrease in total closed-loop GMV facilitated on our platform by 72.6% to RMB22.5 billion (US$2.3 billion) in
2022 from RMB82.2 billion in 2021, which in turn resulted from (i) the continued property market downturn and our actions to cease
business cooperation with high credit risk developers to avoid further losses caused by developer credit risk, (ii) the resurgence of
COVID-19 outbreaks in China, which caused control measures adopted to prevent the spread of the virus, which significantly affected
our business development, and (iii) the measures that we took to reduce our business scale of new property and resale property
transaction service business to minimize our exposure to the systematic risk of real estate industry in the continued downturn.
Cost of revenue
Our cost of revenue in 2022 decreased by 73.5% to RMB221.2 million (US$32.1 million) from RMB835.9 million in 2021. The
decrease was primarily due to the significant drop in revenue for both new property and resale property transaction services, which
resulted in a decrease in the commission fees payable to agents for their services.
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Gross profit
Our gross profit in 2022 decreased by 76.8% to RMB24.7 million (US$3.6 million) from RMB106.5 million in 2021. Our gross
profit margin in 2022 decreased to 10.1% from 11.3% in 2021. The decrease was mainly because (i) we strategically adjusted our new
property business scale and resale property to avoid further losses due to continuous downturn of real estate transactions market, and (ii)
the development of other value-added services offered to various platform participants with higher gross profit margins has yet reached a
scale, so its contribution to our gross profit is currently limited.
Operating expenses
Our operating expenses in 2022, which included share-based compensation expenses of RMB16.7 million (US$2.4 million),
decreased by 74.2% to RMB274.1 million (US$39.7 million) from RMB1.1 billion in 2021, which included share-based compensation
expenses of RMB47.1 million.
Sales and marketing expenses. Our sales and marketing expenses in 2022 decreased to RMB13.2 million (US$1.9 million) from
RMB64.9 million in 2021. The decrease was primarily due to the optimization of the sales department composition, the reduced
spending on marketing activities related to new property transaction services, and reduced scale of the resale property transactions.
Product development expenses. Our product development expenses in 2022 decreased to RMB66.0 million (US$9.6 million) from
RMB167.5 million in 2021. The decrease was attributable to the decreases in personnel-related expenses following our decision to
significantly cut investments in research and development for resale property business.
General and administrative expenses. Our general and administrative expenses in 2022 decreased to RMB195.0 million (US$28.3
million) from RMB831.4 million in 2021. The decrease was mainly due to (i) the decrease in provision of impairment of certain assets,
such as accounts receivable due from developers, other accounts receivable of project deposits and short-term investments, and (ii) the
actions that we have taken to improve operating efficiency, including the action to reduce redundant positions, due to the expected
continuation of the current market condition in the foreseeable future.
Loss from operations
We had a net loss from operations of RMB249.4 million (US$36.2 million) in 2022, compared to a net loss from operations of
RMB957.3 million in 2021.
Other income (expenses)
Our total other expenses were RMB17.3 million (US$2.5 million) in 2022, compared to total other expenses of RMB236.8 million
in 2021. The change was primarily due to our record of (i) RMB62.6 million (US$9.1 million) in impairment loss for equity method
investment in 2022, compared to an impairment loss for equity method investment of RMB187.3 million in 2021, (ii) RMB8.0 million
(US$1.2 million) in impairment loss for long-term equity investment in 2022, compared to an impairment loss for long-term equity
investment of RMB26.0 million in 2021, (iii) RMB7.6 million (US$1.1 million) in impairment loss for non-current assets in 2022,
compared to an impairment loss for goodwill of RMB11.5 million in 2021, mainly resulting from the continued downturn status of the
real estate market in China, and (iv) the impairment loss for goodwill of nil in 2022, compared to an impairment loss for goodwill of
RMB31.2 million in 2021.
Income tax expense
Our income tax expense was RMB7.5 million (US$1.1 million) in 2022, compared to RMB8.9 million in 2021.
Net loss
As a result of the foregoing, our net loss in 2022 was RMB239.6 million (US$34.7 million), compared to a net loss of RMB1.2
billion in 2021.
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Year Ended December 31, 2021 Compared to Year Ended December 31, 2020
Revenue
Our revenue decreased by 61.6% from RMB2.5 billion in 2020 to RMB942.4 million in 2021, due to a decrease in our revenue from
transaction-related base commission by 63.0% from RMB2.2 billion in 2020 to RMB821.9 million in 2021 and a decrease in our revenue
from innovation initiatives and other value-added services by 47.1% from RMB227.6 million in 2020 to RMB120.5 million in 2021. The
decreases were mainly due to (i) the real estate market’s continued downturn status primarily as a result of a series of government
policies to regulate the real estate market, including policies to tighten bank borrowing for homebuyers, restrict debt financing to real
estate developers and other price control measures, and (ii) the impact of COVID-19 and the corresponding restrictive measures taken by
the Chinese government. As a result, the credit risks of developers have intensified and we have strategically reduced the business scale
of our new property transaction services to avoid the systematic risk of real estate industry. Specifically, we ceased the cooperation with
developers of higher credit risks to avoid potential further losses, resulting in a decrease in the number of new property projects on our
marketplace to 3,118 in 2021 from 5,825 in 2020. Because of the macroeconomic contributors and our corresponding measures, the total
closed-loop GMV facilitated on our marketplace decreased by 54.6% from RMB181.1 billion in 2020 to RMB82.2 billion in 2021.
Cost of revenue
Our cost of revenue decreased by 59.0% from RMB2.0 billion in 2020 to RMB0.8 billion in 2021, which was proportionate to
decrease in our revenue. The decrease was primarily due to (i) a 63.5% decrease in the commission fees payable to agents for the
services they rendered from RMB1.8 billion in 2020 to RMB0.7 billion in 2021, and (ii) a slight decrease in costs relating to our various
business initiatives, including our new SaaS solutions offered to marketplace participants as an attempt to diversify our income streams
in 2021, from RMB5.6 million in 2020 to RMB5.3 million in 2021.
Gross profit
As a result of the foregoing, our gross profit decreased by 74.3% from RMB414.5 million in 2020 to RMB106.5 million in 2021.
Gross margin in 2021 was 11.3%, compared to 16.9% in 2020.
Operating expenses
Our operating expenses increased by 66.1% from RMB640.5 million in 2020 to RMB1.1 billion in 2021, primarily due to the
following reasons.
Sales and marketing expenses. Our sales and marketing expenses increased by 70.7% from RMB38.0 million in 2020 to RMB64.9
million in 2021, primarily due to our increased personnel costs related to marketing activities associated with the new SaaS solutions
offered to various marketplace participants and attracting listings from real estate sellers to our marketplace in the first three quarters of
2021, partially offset by the lowered marketing personnel costs as a result of our efforts to reduce the scale of our property transaction
services in the fourth quarter of 2021.
Product development expenses. Our product development expenses decreased by 44.4% from RMB301.4 million in 2020 to
RMB167.5 million in 2021, primarily attributable to the decreases in personnel-related expenses following our decision to adjust our
business scales. To optimize our cost structure and maintain sufficient investment in product development to secure growth opportunities,
we reduced investments in research and development for certain products and heightened our focus on the research and development of
our SaaS solutions and other value-added services.
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General and administrative expenses. Our general and administrative expenses increased by 176.1% from RMB301.1 million in
2020 to RMB831.4 million in 2021, primarily due to the increase in allowance for doubtful accounts to RMB612.7 million in 2021 from
RMB68.6 million in 2020. The general and administrative expenses, excluding allowance for doubtful accounts, were RMB218.7 million
in 2021, compared to RMB232.5 million in 2020. We increased our allowance for doubtful accounts as a result of longer turnover
periods for and lower collectability of our accounts receivable from real estate developers who experienced or expected tighter cash
flows under the pressures of lower sales, tightened financing and multiple maturing outstanding debts because of (i) a series of
government-issued policies to regulate the real estate market, including policies to tighten bank borrowing for homebuyers, restrict debt
financing to real estate developers and other price control measures and (ii) the impact of COVID-19. We expect that allowance for
doubtful accounts will continue to increase as the financial conditions of many real estate developers may further deteriorate with the
continuation of China’s real estate regulatory measures, which may result in their difficulties in repaying debts when they become due.
Loss from operations
We had a net loss from operations of RMB957.3 million in 2021, compared to a net loss from operations of RMB226.0 million in
2020. The loss from operations, excluding the provision of allowance for doubtful accounts was RMB344.6 million in 2021, compared to
RMB157.4 million in 2020.
Other income (expenses)
Our total other expenses were RMB236.8 million in 2021, compared to a total other income of RMB19.3 million in 2020. The
change was primarily due to our record of RMB187.3 million in impairment loss for equity method investment, RMB31.2 million in
goodwill impairment, RMB26.0 million in impairment loss for long-term equity investment, and RMB11.5 million in impairment loss
for non-current assets in 2021, mainly resulting from the continued downturn status of the real estate market in China.
Income tax expense
Our income tax expense was RMB8.9 million in 2021, compared to RMB14.7 million in 2020. The change was primarily because (i)
certain operating entities in the PRC had taxable net income in 2021, and (ii) we recognized an allowance for the entire deferred tax
assets at the beginning of 2021 considering the increased uncertainty in certain operating entities’ ability to achieve profitability in the
near future amid the continued downturn status of the real estate market in China.
Net loss
As a result of the foregoing, we had a net loss of RMB1.2 billion in 2021, compared to a net loss of RMB221.4 million in 2020. The
net loss, excluding the provision of allowance for doubtful accounts, impairment loss for long-term equity investment, impairment loss
for equity method investment, impairment loss for non-current assets, and goodwill impairment, was RMB334.3 million in 2021,
compared to RMB152.8 million in 2020.
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B.
Liquidity and Capital Resources.
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that we will continue as a going concern, which
contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. We have experienced recurring
losses from operations. As of December 31, 2022, we had an accumulated deficit of RMB4.6 billion (US$660.8 million). For the year
ended December 31, 2022, we recorded a significant decline in our revenue, resulting in a net loss of RMB239.6 million (US$34.7
million) and had negative cash flows from operating activities of RMB127.0 million (US$18.4 million). As of December 31, 2022, our
cash and cash equivalents balance were RMB143.9 million (US$20.9 million). Our ability to continue as a going concern is dependent
on, among other things, our ability to generate cash flows from operations and our ability to arrange adequate financing. We have
prepared a future cash flow forecasts and believe that we will have sufficient unrestricted liquidity for at least the next 12 months from
the date of this annual report. We expected that we will continue to reduce our operating expenditure by reducing headcounts and office
space, if needed. We have taken measures to speed up the collection of accounts receivable, such as litigation, strict developer credit
rating management, but the effects of these actions may be limited where the developers have already been in severe finance distress. We
also intend to obtain additional equity and/or debt financing arrangements; however, the availability and amount of such funding are not
certain. Additionally, the strict macroeconomic regulation on real estate market and the tightening of mortgage lending activities have
negatively impacted the real estate market and heightened the credit risks associated with developers. The new and resale property
transactions are expected to remain vulnerable to macro challenges for an extended period, which may adversely impact our ability to
raise the financing needed.
As of December 31, 2022, we had RMB182.7 million (US$26.5 million) in cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash. Our cash
and cash equivalents primarily consist of demand deposits placed with banks or other financial institutions, which are unrestricted as to
withdrawal or use. As of December 31, 2022, we had RMB38.8 million (US$5.6 million) restricted cash, which consists of bank deposits
frozen for lawsuits undergoing. As of December 31, 2022, we had RMB2.0 million (US$290 thousand) in short-term investments. Our
short-term investments consisted of investments in wealth management products which are redeemable by us at any time.
Our total current liabilities were RMB949.7 million (US$137.7 million) as of December 31, 2022, which primarily included
RMB659.2 million (US$95.6 million) in accounts payable, RMB181.1 million (US$26.3 million) accrued expenses and other payables,
RMB72.5 million (US$10.5 million) in short-term bank borrowings and RMB30.7 million (US$4.5 million) in customers’ refundable
fees. Most of our current liabilities are accounts payable, which are typically settled upon our collection of accounts receivable. We
believe that our current cash and cash equivalents will be sufficient to meet our anticipated working capital requirements and capital
expenditures for the next 12 months. We may, however, need additional capital in the future to fund our continued operations. The
issuance and sale of additional equity would result in further dilution to our shareholders. The incurrence of indebtedness may result in
increased fixed obligations and could result in operating covenants that would restrict our operations. As we will continue to invest in
technology to support our business, we may not be able to maintain a surplus or improve our working capital position beyond the next 12
months. In the future, should we require additional liquidity and capital resources to fund our business and operations, we may need to
obtain additional financing, including financing from new and/or existing shareholders, financing generated through capital market
transactions and borrowing from commercial banks. We cannot assure you that financing will be available in amounts or on terms
acceptable to us, if at all.
Although we consolidate the results of the VIE and its subsidiaries, we only have access to the assets or earnings of the VIE and its
subsidiaries through our contractual arrangements with the VIE and its shareholders. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—C.
Organizational Structure—Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and its Shareholders.” For restrictions and limitations on liquidity and
capital resources as a result of our corporate structure, see “Item 5. Operating and Financial Review and Prospects—B. Liquidity and
Capital Resources—Holding Company Structure.”
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A majority of our future revenues are likely to continue to be denominated in Renminbi. Under existing PRC foreign exchange
regulations, Renminbi may be converted into foreign exchange for current account items, including profit distributions, interest payments
and trade-and service related foreign exchange transactions. Our PRC subsidiaries may convert Renminbi amounts that they generate in
their own business activities, including fees associated with the technology development and application services, operation maintenance
services and marketing services pursuant to the contracts with the VIE, into foreign exchange and pay them to its non-PRC parent
company in the form of dividends. However, current PRC regulations permit our PRC subsidiaries to pay dividends to us only out of its
accumulated profits, if any, determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. Our PRC subsidiaries are required
to set aside at least 10% of their after-tax profits after making up previous years’ accumulated losses each year, if any, to fund certain
reserve funds until the total amount set aside reaches 50% of their registered capital. These reserves are not distributable as cash
dividends. Historically, our PRC subsidiaries have not paid dividends to us, and they will not be able to pay dividends until they generate
accumulated profits. Furthermore, capital account transactions, which include foreign direct investment and loans, must be approved by
and/or registered with SAFE, its local branches and certain local banks.
As a Cayman Islands exempted company and offshore holding company, we are permitted under PRC laws and regulations to
provide funding to our PRC subsidiaries only through loans or capital contributions, subject to the approval of government authorities
and limits on the amount of capital contributions and loans. This may delay us from using the proceeds from our offshore financings to
make loans or capital contribution to our PRC subsidiaries. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing
Business in China—PRC regulation of loans and direct investment by offshore holding companies to PRC entities may delay or prevent
us from making loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC operating subsidiaries.”
Cash Flows
The following table sets forth our cash flows for the years presented:
Net cash used in operating activities
Net cash (used in) provided by investing activities
Net cash used in financing activities
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the year
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the year
Operating Activities
For the Year Ended December 31
2020
RMB
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
US$
(in thousands, except for share data)
(324,995)
5,848
(46,557)
(397,842)
1,333,872
936,030
(60,618)
(43,725)
(307,129)
(419,792)
936,030
516,238
(126,983)
(159,268)
(58,654)
(333,493)
516,238
182,745
(18,410)
(23,091)
(8,503)
(48,349)
74,847
26,496
Net cash used in operating activities in 2022 was RMB127.0 million (US$18.4 million). The principal items accounting for the
difference between our net cash used in operating activities and our net loss of RMB239.6 million (US$34.7 million) were an RMB497.6
million (US$72.1 million) decrease in accounts receivable, and some non-cash expenses, such as RMB149.4 million (US$21.7 million)
in impairment on short-term investments and RMB62.6 million (US$9.1 million) in impairment loss for equity method investment,
which were partially offset by an RMB516.7 million (US$74.9 million) decrease in accounts payables, an RMB59.5 million (US$8.6
million) decrease in accrued expenses and other payables, and some non-cash expenses, such as RMB67.6 million (US$9.8 million)
reversal in allowances for doubtful accounts. The decrease in accounts receivable was primarily because the collection of accounts
receivable was higher than the newly recorded accounts receivable in 2022. The impairment loss on short-term investment was primarily
due to impairment of our short-term investments that suffered an un-temporarily decline on its value. The impairment loss for equity
method investment was primarily due to impairment of our equity method investment in certain limited partnerships that faced increasing
uncertainties in collecting the repayment of deposits from certain developers due to their tighter financial conditions. The decrease in
accounts payables was because we made payments to agents when the accounts receivable due from developers were received. The
decrease in accrued expenses and other payables was due to the normal operation of our business. The reversal in allowances for
doubtful accounts was primarily due to the estimation of increased collectability of our accounts receivable from real estate developers
who experienced or expected tighter cash flows in previous years.
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Net cash used in operating activities in 2021 was RMB60.6 million. The principal items accounting for the difference between our
net cash used in operating activities and our net loss of RMB1.2 billion were an RMB867.0 million decrease in accounts receivable, and
some non-cash expenses, such as RMB612.7 million in allowance for doubtful accounts and RMB187.3 million in impairment loss for
equity method investment, which were partially offset by an RMB620.4 million decrease in accounts payables, and an RMB126.6
million decrease in accrued expenses and other payables. The decrease in accounts receivable was primarily because the collection of
accounts receivable was higher than the newly recorded accounts receivable in 2021. The allowance for doubtful accounts were primarily
due to impairment of accounts receivable due from developers because of their tighter financial conditions. The impairment loss for
equity method investment was primarily due to impairment of our equity method investment in certain limited partnerships that faced
increasing uncertainties in collecting the repayment of deposits from certain developers due to their tighter financial conditions. The
decrease in accounts payables was because we made payments to agents when the accounts receivable due from developers were
received. The decrease in accrued expenses and other payables was due to the normal operation of our business.
Net cash used in operating activities in 2020 was RMB325.0 million. The principal items accounting for the difference between our
net cash used in operating activities and our net loss of RMB221.4 million were an RMB130.0 million increase in accounts receivable
and an RMB101.3 million decrease in accounts payables, partially offset by an RMB8.6 million decrease in prepayments and other
assets. The increases in accounts receivable and decrease in prepayments and other assets were both due to the normal operation of our
business. The decrease in accounts payables was because we made payments to agents to support their operation during the pandemic.
We incurred share-based compensation expenses of RMB102.8 million relating to awards granted under the 2018 Plan.
Investing Activities
Net cash used in investing activities in 2022 was RMB159.3 million (US$23.1 million), mainly comprising RMB464.9 million
(US$67.4 million) paid for short-term investments and RMB33.2 million (US$4.8 million) for investment in equity method investments,
which were partially offset by RMB320.1 million (US$46.4 million) proceeds from disposal of short-term investments and RMB19.5
million (US$2.8 million) in return of capital from equity method investees.
Net cash used in investing activities in 2021 was RMB43.7 million, mainly comprising RMB104.1 million paid for short-term
investments, RMB84.6 million for investment in equity method investments and RMB12.5 million for purchase of property, equipment
and software, which were partially offset by RMB107.1 million proceeds from disposal of short-term investments and RMB50.1 million
in return of capital from equity method investees.
Net cash provided by investing activities in 2020 was RMB5.8 million, mainly comprising RMB1.3 billion in cash proceeds from
disposal of short-term investments and RMB115.4 million in return of capital from equity method investees, which were partially offset
by RMB1.3 billion paid for short-term investments, RMB10.2 million for purchase of property, equipment and software, RMB92.1
million for loans to equity method investees and RMB8.7 million for business combination.
Financing Activities
Net cash used in financing activities in 2022 was RMB58.7 million (US$8.5 million), primarily comprising RMB134.8 million
(US$19.5 million) in repayment for short-term bank borrowings, which was partially offset by RMB72.5 million (US$10.5 million) in
cash proceeds from short-term bank borrowings and RMB3.1 million (US$455.0 thousand) in cash proceeds from public offering, net of
offering cost.
Net cash used in financing activities in 2021 was RMB307.1 million, primarily comprising RMB462.8 million in repayment for
short-term bank borrowings, which was partially offset by RMB154.2 million in cash proceeds from short-term bank borrowings.
Net cash used in financing activities in 2020 was RMB46.6 million, comprising RMB587.5 million in repayment for short-term
bank borrowings, which was partially offset by RMB540.9 million in cash proceeds from short term bank borrowings.
Material Cash Requirements
Our material cash requirements as of December 31, 2022 and any subsequent interim period primarily include our short-term debt
obligations, long-term debt obligations, operating lease commitments and capital commitment obligations. The following table sets forth
our contractual obligations by specified categories as of December 31, 2022:
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Short-term debt obligations
Long-term debt obligations
Operating lease commitments
Capital commitment obligations
Total
Payment Due by Period
Total
Less than
1 year
1-3 years 3-5 years Thereafter
(in RMB thousands)
912,855
30,772
2,693
300,019
1,246,339
912,855
—
1,890
NA
914,745
—
—
803
NA
803
—
—
—
NA
—
—
30,772
—
NA
30,772
Our short-term debt obligations primarily consist of accounts payable, short-term bank borrowings, accrued expenses and other
payables. As of December 31, 2022, we had RMB659.2 million (US$95.6 million) in accounts payable, most of which were due to real
estate agencies and payable as long as we have collected payments of corresponding accounts receivable from developers.
Our long-term debt obligations primarily consist of the non-current portion of income tax payables.
Our operating lease commitments represent the commitments made under the lease agreements for our office premises in China. We
lease our office facilities under non-cancelable operating leases with various expiration dates. Our leasing expense was RMB14.8
million, RMB26.3 million and RMB8.5 million (US$1.2 million) in 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
As a limited partner of certain limited partnerships disclosed in note 11 to our consolidated financial statements included elsewhere
in this annual report, we are committed to make further capital injection into the limited partnership in accordance with the respective
partnership deeds. Such capital commitment obligations do not have contractual maturity date. The capital commitment obligations
amounted to RMB327.6 million, RMB301.4 million and RMB300.0 million (US$43.5 million) as of December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022,
respectively.
We intend to fund our existing and future material cash requirements primarily with anticipated cash flows from operations, our
existing cash balance and proceeds from equity and/or debt financing.
Our capital expenditures primarily consist of the purchase of servers, office furniture, office improvement and other equipment. Our
capital expenditures were RMB10.2 million in 2020, RMB12.5 million in 2021 and RMB194.5 thousand (US$28.0 thousand) in 2022.
We will continue to make capital expenditures to meet our business needs. In the near future, we expect that we will continue to reduce
our operating expenditure by reducing headcounts and office space, if needed.
We have not entered into any financial guarantees or other commitments to guarantee the payment obligations of any third parties.
We have not entered into any off-balance sheet derivative instruments. Furthermore, we do not have any retained or contingent interest in
assets transferred to an unconsolidated entity that serves as credit, liquidity or market risk support to such entity. We do not have any
variable interest in any unconsolidated entity that provides financing, liquidity, market risk or credit support to us or engages in leasing,
hedging or research and development services with us.
Other than as discussed above, we did not have any significant capital and other commitments, long-term obligations or guarantees
as of December 31, 2022.
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Holding Company Structure
Fangdd Cayman is a holding company with no material operations of its own. We conduct our operations primarily through our PRC
subsidiaries, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China. As a result, Fangdd Cayman’s ability to pay dividends depends upon dividends paid
by our PRC subsidiaries. If our existing PRC subsidiaries or any newly formed ones incur debts on their own behalf in the future, the
instruments governing their debts may restrict their ability to pay dividends to us. In addition, our wholly owned subsidiaries in China are
permitted to pay dividends to us only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards
and regulations. Under PRC laws, each of our PRC subsidiaries, the VIE and its subsidiaries in China is required to set aside at least 10%
of its after-tax profits each year, if any, to fund certain statutory reserve funds until such reserve funds reach 50% of its registered capital.
In addition, our wholly owned subsidiaries in China may allocate a portion of their after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards
to enterprise expansion funds and staff bonus and welfare funds at their discretion, and the VIE may allocate a portion of its after-tax
profits based on PRC accounting standards to a discretionary surplus fund at its discretion. The statutory reserve funds and the
discretionary funds are not distributable as cash dividends. Remittance of dividends by a wholly owned subsidiary out of China is subject
to examination by the banks designated by SAFE. Our PRC subsidiaries have not paid dividends and will not be able to pay dividends
until they generate accumulated profits and meet the requirements for statutory reserve funds.
C.
Research and Development, Patents and Licenses, etc.
See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Technology Systems and Infrastructure” and “—Intellectual
Property.”
D.
Trend Information.
Other than as described elsewhere in this annual report, we are not aware of any trends, uncertainties, demands, commitments or
events that are reasonably likely to have a material effect on our revenue, income from continuing operations, profitability, liquidity or
capital resources, or that would cause our reported financial information not necessarily to be indicative of future operating results or
financial condition.
E.
Critical Accounting Estimates
The preparation of the consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and
assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities as of the
balance sheet date, and the reported revenues and expenses during the reported period in the consolidated financial statements and
accompanying notes. Significant accounting estimates include, but not limited to, allowance for doubtful accounts and loan losses,
recognition of goodwill, impairment loss of long-term equity investment and share-based compensation. As of December 31, 2022, our
management considered the economic implications of the COVID-19 pandemic while making estimates and assumptions. Given the
impact and other unforeseen effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the global economy, these estimates involved an increased level of
judgment, and actual results could differ materially from these estimates.
Allowance for Doubtful Accounts
Accounts receivable mainly represent amounts due from the real estate developers for new property business and from individual
customers for resale property business upon the completion of services to them. Accounts receivable are recorded net of allowance for
doubtful accounts. We consider many factors in assessing the collectability of its accounts receivable, such as the age of the amounts due,
the payment history, credit-worthiness and the financial condition of the debtor. An allowance for doubtful accounts is recorded in the
period in which a loss is determined to be probable. In addition, with respect to the accounts receivable due from developers having
higher credit risks, we also record a special allowance if there is strong evidence indicating that a certain amount of account receivable is
likely to be unrecoverable. Accounts receivable are charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted
and the potential for recovery is considered remote. Allowance of RMB557.1 million (US$80.8 million) was provided as of December
31, 2022, which included RMB120.1 million (US$17.4 million) special allowance for the accounts receivable have strong evidence
indicating that is likely to be unrecoverable.
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Allowance for Loan Losses
Loans receivable represents loan originated or purchased by us. We have the intent and the ability to hold such loans for the
foreseeable future or until maturity or payoff. Loans receivable are recorded at unpaid principal balances, net of allowance for loan losses
that reflect our best estimate of the amounts that will not be collected. The loans receivable portfolio consists of loans with term period
ranging from 30 days to 5 years. The allowance for loan losses is determined at a level believed to be reasonable to absorb probable
losses inherent in the portfolio as of each balance sheet date. The allowance is provided based on an assessment performed on a portfolio
basis. All loans are assessed collectively depending on factors such as delinquency rate, size, and other risk characteristics of the
portfolio. We write off loans receivable and the related allowance when management determines that full repayment of such loan is not
probable. The primary factor in making such determination is the estimated recoverable amounts from the delinquent debtor. As of
December 31, 2022, the balance of allowance for loans losses was RMB7.6 million (US$1.1 million).
Impairment of Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase consideration over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets
acquired and liabilities assumed from the acquired entity as a result of our acquisitions of interests in its subsidiaries. Goodwill is not
amortized but is tested for impairment on an annual basis, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that it might
be impaired.
On October 30, 2020, we completed the subscription for newly issued ordinary shares of Shanghai Yuancui Information Technology
Co., Ltd (“Yuancui”) for a cash consideration of RMB20 million and acquired equity interest from the shareholders of Yuancui for a cash
consideration of RMB10 million. Upon the completion of the transactions, we held 51% equity interest in Yuancui and it became a
consolidated subsidiary of our company.
Yuancui mainly engages in the provision of comprehensive operational solution for real estate agencies including application
software to manage their businesses, brand authorization and operation training to real estate agencies. The excess of total consideration
over net assets and identifiable intangible assets acquired were recorded as goodwill which amounted to RMB31.2 million at the
acquisition date. We estimated the fair value of acquired assets and liabilities with the assistance of an independent valuation firm.
Goodwill arising from this acquisition was attributable to the synergies expected from the combined operations of Yuancui and us, the
assembled workforce and its knowledge and experience in managing real estate agencies in China.
Considering the real estate market conditions and the operating performance of Yuancui, we ceased all businesses of Yuancui in
2021 and the goodwill recognized from the acquisition was fully impaired as of December 31, 2021.
Impairment of Equity Method Investment
In connection with the Sales Commitment Arrangements as described in notes 1 and 2(v) to the consolidated financial statements,
we invested in certain limited partnerships (the “Limited Partnerships”). We were the limited partner and had invested less than 50% of
interests in the Limited Partnerships as of December 31, 2022. We have determined that given the design of these Limited Partnerships,
they are considered to be unconsolidated VIEs and we are not considered to be the primary beneficiary, as we do not have the power to
direct the activities of Limited Partnerships that most significantly impact their economic performance. We determined that we have
significant influence over these Limited Partnerships and therefore have accounted for our investments under the equity method.
Considering current real estate market conditions and the operating performance of the Limited Partnerships, we recognized other-
than-temporary impairment loss of RMB62.6 million (US$9.1 million) to the investment in certain Limited Partnerships in 2022.
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Valuation and Recognition of Share-based Compensation Arrangements
Compensation expense is recognized for all grants of share options and restricted share units. Determining the appropriate valuation
model and estimating the fair values of share option grants requires the input of subjective assumptions, including risk-free interest rate,
expected stock price volatility, dividend yields, expected term, and forfeiture rates. The expected volatility assumption is based partially
upon the historical volatility of our ordinary shares, which may or may not be a true indicator of future volatility. The assumptions used
in calculating the fair values of share option grants represent management’s best estimates, but these estimates involve inherent
uncertainties and the application of judgment. As a result, if factors change and different assumptions are used, share-based
compensation expense could be significantly different from what we recorded in the current period.
ITEM 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES
A.
Directors and Senior Management.
The following table sets forth certain information relating to our directors and executive officers as of the date of this annual report.
Directors and Executive Officers
Xi Zeng
Jiaorong Pan
Li Xiao
Yi Duan
Yang Li
Senlin Peng
Zhen Xie
Shuiying Chen
Age
41
43
59
46
48
51
47
38
Co-Founder, Chairman of the Board of Directors and
Position/Title
Chief Executive Officer
Director and Chief Operating Officer
Director and Vice President
Co-Founder, Director
Independent Director
Independent Director
Independent Director
Financial Controller
Mr. Xi Zeng is our co-founder, chairman of our board of directors and chief executive officer. Before co-founding our company, Mr.
Zeng was the manager at Suzhou Best Team Real Estate Cooperation Service Co., Ltd. from 2002 to 2010. He received a bachelor’s
degree from Suzhou University of Science and Technology and an EMBA degree from China Europe International Business School.
Ms. Jiaorong Pan has served as our director since March 2020 and chief operating officer since August 2022. Ms. Pan joined us in
October 2011 and served as our senior vice president from October 2011 to March 2020 and our chief financial officer until August 2022.
Prior to joining us, Ms. Pan was a general manager at Suzhou Huamei Enterprise Marketing Planning Co., Ltd. Between September 2003
and October 2009, Ms. Pan served as a manager for the consulting department of Best Team Real Estate Comprehension Services Co.,
Ltd. During her tenure, she chaired all market research and project development efforts. Ms. Pan holds a bachelor’s degree in
construction engineering from Suzhou University of Science and Technology and an EMBA degree from the Cheung Kong Graduate
School of Business.
Ms. Li Xiao has served as our vice president since November 2014 and as our director since July 2015. Ms. Xiao has more than
20 years of experience in China’s real estate industry. From 1994 to 2014, Ms. Xiao worked at China Vanke Co., Ltd. (HKEX: 2202),
where she held multiple positions consecutively, including director, vice president, the head of general manager office, the head of the
board office, and the secretary of the board. From 1990 to 1994, Ms. Xiao worked at Mitsubishi Corporation’s Shenzhen office. Ms. Xiao
currently serves as an independent director of Kinco Automation (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (SSE: 688160). Ms. Xiao received a bachelor’s
degree from Wuhan University and an EMBA degree from China Europe International Business School.
Mr. Yi Duan is our co-founder and director. Before co-founding our company, Mr. Duan was the managing director at Suzhou Best
Team Real Estate Cooperation Service Co., Ltd. from 2000 to 2011. Mr. Duan received a bachelor’s degree in real estate management
from Suzhou Urban Construction and Environmental Protection Institute and an EMBA degree from China Europe International
Business School. Mr. Duan also completed the China CEO program at Cheung Kong Graduate School of Business in 2016.
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Mr. Yang Li has served as our director since July 2022. Mr. Li has over 24 years of experience in a wide range of financial and
accounting fields, including external and internal auditing, financial planning and analysis and financial due diligence. Mr. Li is currently
the managing partner of ThinkBridge CPAs, a professional accounting firm providing assurance, business management and financial
consulting services. Prior to joining ThinkBridge CPAs in December 2012, Mr. Li was a partner at Shanghai NuoDe Certified Public
Accounts Co., Ltd. from August 2004 to November 2012, where he advised clients in China on finance, management and risk
management issues. Prior to that, Mr. Li worked at multiple auditing and consulting firms, including Ernst & Young, Arthur Andersen,
PricewaterhouseCoopers and Shanghai De’An Certified Public Accountants, where he was responsible for auditing and financial
consulting. Mr. Li has served as an independent director of Shanghai Kaytune Industrial Co., Ltd. (SSE: 301001) since 2019. Mr. Li
received a bachelor’s degree from Shanghai International Studies University and a master’s degree at China Europe International
Business School. Mr. Li is a member of the Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Association of International
Accountants.
Mr. Senlin Peng has served as our director since August 2022. Mr. Senlin Peng has rich operational and financial experience. Since
he joined ColorLife Group in 2000, a renowned children furniture manufacturer in China, Mr. Peng has served multiple positions,
including a member of the company’s board of directors since 2011, the Chief Executive Officer of the company from 2005 to 2010 in
charge of overall business operations, and a Vice President from 2000 to 2004 in charge of financial and operational divisions. In
addition, Mr. Peng holds several directorships. Since 2018, Mr. Peng has served as the chairman of the board of directors of Morgan-
Casa Furniture Co., Ltd., a furniture designer and manufacturer in China, and since 2014, Mr. Peng has served as a director at Shenzhen
Forbest Photoelectric Technology Co., Ltd., a leading Chinese optical product manufacturer. Mr. Peng graduated from Jimei University
(formerly known as Jimei Finance College) in 1992 and received an MBA degree from China Europe International Business School in
2007.
Mr. Zhen Xie has served as our director since November 2022. Mr. Xie is the founder and currently the chief executive officer of
Shanghai MaiQin Information Technology Co., Ltd., or MaiTao, a family-tour platform focusing on children extracurricular activities
and traveling experience. Prior to founding MaiTao in 2014, Mr. Xie worked at eLong Inc., a leading Chinese mobile and online travel
agency, as the chief operation officer from 2011 to 2014 and as a vice president of business development from 2008 to 2011. Previously,
Mr. Xie served as a sales director at FedEx Kinko’s from 2004 to 2007, a wealth management manager at Citibank (China) Co., Ltd.
from 2002 to 2004, and a regional manager at Procter & Gamble (China) Ltd., a Chinese subsidiary of The Procter & Gamble Company
from 1997 to 2000. Mr. Xie received a bachelor’s degree in economy from Nanjing University International Business School in 1997 and
an MBA degree from China Europe International Business School in 2001.
Mr. Shuiying Chen is our financial controller. Joined us in 2019, Mr. Chen had previously held a variety of financial management
positions with our Company, including our financial executive manager, financial deputy manager and financial director. In these roles,
Mr. Chen was responsible for our financial reporting, planning and budgeting, financial compliance and internal controls. Prior to joining
us, Mr. Chen worked at Shenzhen Fantasia Cultural Tourism Management Co., Ltd. as the financial manager from 2017 to 2019, at
Country Garden Group (HKSE: 02007) as a listing reporting and financial analysis manager from 2016 to 2017, and at China Southern
Airlines (SSE: 600029; HKSE: 01055; NYSE: ZHN) as a financial analyst from 2009 to 2016. Mr. Chen holds a bachelor’s degree in
management from Jinan University in 2009.
B.
Compensation.
Compensation of Directors and Executive Officers
For the year ended December 31, 2022, we paid an aggregate of approximately RMB2.9 million (US$426.0 thousand) in cash and
benefits to our executive officers. We do not pay our non-employee directors. For share incentive grants to our officers and directors, see
“—2018 Plan.” We have not set aside or accrued any amount to provide pension, retirement or other similar benefits to our executive
officers and directors. Our PRC subsidiaries are required by law to make contributions equal to certain percentages of each employee’s
salary for his or her pension insurance, medical insurance, unemployment insurance and other statutory benefits and a housing provident
fund.
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Employment Agreements and Indemnification Agreements
We have entered into employment agreements with each of our executive officers. Under these agreements, each of our executive
officers is employed for a specified time period. We may terminate employment for cause, at any time, without advance notice or
remuneration, for certain acts of the executive officer, such as conviction or plea of guilty to a felony or any crime involving moral
turpitude, negligent or dishonest acts to our detriment, or misconduct or a failure to perform agreed duties. We may also terminate an
executive officer’s employment without cause upon three-month advance written notice. In such case of termination by us, we will
provide severance payments to the executive officer as expressly required by applicable law of the jurisdiction where the executive
officer is based.
Each executive officer has agreed to hold, both during and after the termination or expiry of his or her employment agreement, in
strict confidence and not to use, except as required in the performance of his or her duties in connection with the employment or pursuant
to applicable law, any of our confidential information or trade secrets, any confidential information or trade secrets of our clients or
prospective clients, or the confidential or proprietary information of any third party received by us and for which we have confidential
obligations. The executive officers have also agreed to disclose in confidence to us all inventions, designs and trade secrets which they
conceive, develop or reduce to practice during the executive officer’s employment with us and to assign all right, title and interest in
them to us, and assist us in obtaining and enforcing patents, copyrights and other legal rights for these inventions, designs and trade
secrets.
In addition, each executive officer has agreed to be bound by non-competition and non-solicitation restrictions during the term of his
or her employment and typically for one year following the last date of employment. Specifically, each executive officer has agreed not
to (i) approach agents, developers, real estate buyers or other persons or entities introduced to the executive officer in his or her capacity
as a representative of us for the purpose of doing business with such persons or entities that will harm our business relationships with
these persons or entities; (ii) assume employment with or provide services to any of our competitors, or engage, whether as principal,
partner, licensor or otherwise, any of our competitors, without our express consent; or (iii) seek directly or indirectly, to solicit the
services of any of our employees who is employed by us on or after the date of the executive officer’s termination, or in the year
preceding such termination, without our express consent.
We have also entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. Under these agreements, we
agree to indemnify our directors and executive officers against certain liabilities and expenses incurred by such persons in connection
with claims made by reason of their being a director or officer of our company.
2018 Plan
In December 2018, our board of directors approved the 2018 Plan to attract and retain the best available personnel, provide
additional incentives to employees, directors and consultants and promote the success of our business. As of the date of this annual
report, the maximum aggregate number of ordinary shares which may be issued pursuant to all awards under the 2018 Plan, as amended,
is 356,514,660 ordinary shares. As of March 31, 2023, awards to purchase 69,094,125 ordinary shares were granted and outstanding
under the 2018 Plan, excluding awards that were forfeited or cancelled after the relevant grant dates.
The following paragraphs describe the principal terms of the 2018 Plan.
Types of Awards. Our 2018 Plan permits awards of options, restricted shares and restricted share units.
Plan Administration. Our 2018 Plan will be administered by our board of directors or by a committee of one or more members
designated by our board of directors. Subject to the terms of the 2018 Plan and in the case of the committee, the specific duties delegated
by our board of directors to the committee, the plan administrator has the authority to determine the participants to receive awards, the
type and number of awards to be granted to each participant, and the terms and conditions of each award, among others.
Award Agreement. Awards granted under our 2018 Plan will be evidenced by an award agreement that sets forth terms, conditions
and limitations for each grant.
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Term of the Awards. The term of each share award granted under the 2018 Plan may not exceed ten years after the date of grant.
Vesting Schedule. In general, the plan administrator determines the vesting schedule, which is set forth in the relevant award
agreement.
Exercise of Options. The plan administrator determines the exercise price for each award, which is stated in the award agreement.
The vested portion of option will expire if not exercised prior to the time as the plan administrator determines at the time of its grant.
However, the maximum exercisable term is ten years from the date of a grant.
Transfer Restrictions. Awards may not be transferred in any manner by the recipient other than in accordance with the exceptions
provided in the 2018 Plan, such as transfers by will or the laws of descent and distribution, or as otherwise provided in the relevant award
agreements or determined by the plan administrator.
Termination. Our 2018 Plan will terminate ten years after its adoption, provided that our board of directors has the authority to
terminate, amend or modify the plan. No termination, amendment, or modification of the 2018 Plan may affect, in any materially adverse
manner to the participant, the applicable awards previously granted pursuant to the 2018 Plan, unless agreed by the participant in writing.
The following table summarizes, as of the date of this annual report, the options granted and outstanding under the 2018 Plan,
excluding awards that were forfeited or cancelled after the relevant grant dates.
Class A Ordinary Shares Exercise
Name
Li Xiao
Jiaorong Pan
Shuiying Chen
Other grantees
underlying Options
Awarded
*
*
*
65,706,250
Date of Grant
Price
(US$/share)
Date of Expiration
0.0000001 December 21, 2018 December 21, 2023
0.0000001 December 21, 2018 December 21, 2023
0.0000001 November 15, 2021 November 14, 2026
December 21, 2023
0.0000001 December 21, 2018
through
November 15, 2021
through
November 15, 2026
*
Less than 1% of our total outstanding ordinary shares on an as-converted basis.
C.
Board Practices.
Board of Directors
Our board of directors consists of seven directors. A director is not required to hold any shares in our company by way of
qualification. A director may vote with respect to any contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction in which he or she is
interested, whether directly or indirectly, provided (a) such director has declared the nature of his interest at a meeting of the board at
which such contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction shall come before the meeting for consideration, either specifically
or by way of a general notice given to the directors to the effect that he or she is a member of any specified company or firm and is to be
regarded as interested, and (b) if such contract or arrangement is a transaction with a related party, such transaction has been approved by
the audit committee. Our directors may exercise all the powers of the company to raise or borrow money, mortgage or charge its
undertaking, property and assets (present and future) and uncalled capital or any party thereof, and issue debentures, debenture stock,
bonds and other securities, whether outright or as collateral security for any debt, liability or obligation of the company or of any third
party. None of our non-executive directors has a service contract with us that provides for benefits upon termination of service.
Committees of the Board of Directors
We have established three committees under the board of directors: an audit committee, a compensation committee and a nominating
and corporate governance committee. We have adopted a charter for each of the three committees. Each committee’s members and
functions are described below.
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Audit Committee. Our audit committee consists of Yang Li, Senlin Peng and Zhen Xie. Yang Li is the chairman of our audit
committee. We have determined that Yang Li, Senlin Peng and Zhen Xie, each satisfies the “independence” requirements of Rule 5605(c)
(2) of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act. We have determined that Yang Li qualifies as an “audit
committee financial expert.” The audit committee oversees our accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the
financial statements of our company. The audit committee is responsible for, among other things:
● appointing the independent auditors and pre-approving all auditing and non-auditing services permitted to be performed by the
independent auditors;
● reviewing with the independent auditors any audit problems or difficulties and management’s responses;
● discussing the annual audited financial statements with management and the independent auditors;
● reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our accounting and internal control policies and procedures and any steps taken to
monitor and control major financial risk exposures;
● reviewing and approving all proposed related party transaction;
● meeting separately and periodically with management and the independent auditors; and
● monitoring compliance with our code of business conduct and ethics, including reviewing the adequacy and effectiveness of our
procedures to ensure proper compliance.
Compensation Committee. Our compensation committee consists of Yang Li, Xi Zeng and Zhen Xie. Yang Li is the chairman of our
compensation committee. We have determined that Yang Li and Zhen Xie, each satisfies the “independence” requirements of Rule
5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules. The compensation committee assists the board in reviewing and approving the
compensation structure, including all forms of compensation, relating to our directors and executive officers. Our chief executive officer
may not be present at any committee meeting during which his compensation is deliberated. The compensation committee is responsible
for, among other things:
● reviewing and approving, or recommending to the board for its approval, the compensation for our chief executive officer and
other executive officers;
● reviewing and recommending to the board for determination with respect to the compensation of our non-employee directors;
● reviewing periodically and approving any incentive compensation or equity plans, programs or similar arrangements; and
● selecting compensation consultant, legal counsel or other adviser only after taking into consideration all factors relevant to that
person’s independence from management.
Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee. Our nominating and corporate governance committee consists of Zhen Xie, Xi
Zeng and Yang Li. Zhen Xie is the chairman of our nominating and corporate governance committee. We have determined that Zhen Xie
and Yang Li, each satisfies the “independence” requirements of Rule 5605(a)(2) of the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules. The nominating and
corporate governance committee assists the board of directors in selecting individuals qualified to become our directors and in
determining the composition of the board and its committees. The nominating and corporate governance committee is responsible for,
among other things:
● selecting and recommending to the board nominees for election by the shareholders or appointment by the board;
● reviewing annually with the board the current composition of the board with regards to characteristics such as independence,
knowledge, skills, experience and diversity;
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● making recommendations on the frequency and structure of board meetings and monitoring the functioning of the committees
of the board; and
● advising the board periodically with regards to significant developments in the law and practice of corporate governance as well
as our compliance with applicable laws and regulations, and making recommendations to the board on all matters of corporate
governance and on any remedial action to be taken.
Duties of Directors
Under Cayman Islands law, our directors owe fiduciary duties to our company, including a duty of loyalty, a duty to act honestly and
a duty to act in what they consider in good faith to be in our best interests. Our directors must also exercise their powers only for a proper
purpose. Our directors also have a duty to exercise skills they actually possess and such care and diligence that a reasonably prudent
person would exercise in comparable circumstances. It was previously considered that a director need not exhibit in the performance of
his duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected form a person of his knowledge and experience. However, English
and Commonwealth courts have moved towards an objective standard with regard to the required skill and care and these authorities are
likely to be followed in the Cayman Islands. In fulfilling their duty of care to us, our directors must ensure compliance with our
memorandum and articles of association, as amended and restated from time to time. Our company has the right to seek damages if a
duty owed by our directors is breached. In certain limited exceptional circumstances, a shareholder may have the right to seek damages
in our name if a duty owed by our directors is breached.
Our board of directors has all the powers necessary for managing, and for directing and supervising, our business affairs. The
functions and powers of our board of directors include, among others:
● convening shareholders’ annual and extraordinary general meetings and reporting its work to shareholders at such meetings;
● declaring dividends and distributions;
● appointing officers and determining the term of office of the officers;
● exercising the borrowing powers of our company and mortgaging the property of our company; and
● approving the transfer of shares in our company, including the registration of such shares in our share register.
Terms of Directors and Officers
Our directors may be appointed by a resolution of our board of directors, or by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders. Our
directors are not subject to a term of office and hold office until such time as they are removed from office by an ordinary resolution of
the shareholders or if their office is otherwise vacated. A director will cease to be a director if, among other things, the director (i)
becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with his creditors; (ii) dies or is found by our company to be or becomes of
unsound mind; (iii) resigns his office by notice in writing to the company; (iv) without special leave of absence from our board, is absent
from three consecutive board meetings; or (v) is removed from office pursuant to any other provision of our articles of association.
Our officers are elected by and serve at the discretion of the board of directors.
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Board Diversity
Country of Principal Executive Offices:
Foreign Private Issuer
Disclosure Prohibited Under Home Country Law
Total Number of Directors
Board Diversity Matrix (As of March 31, 2023)
Part I: Gender Identity
Directors
Part II: Demographic Background
Underrepresented Individual in Home Country Jurisdiction
LGBTQ+
D.
Employees.
People’s Republic of China
Yes
No
7
Female Male
Non-
Binary
Did Not
Disclose
Gender
5
0
0
2
0
0
As of December 31, 2022, we had 212 employees, including 61 software and product development personnel and 131 sales and
marketing personnel in our corporate offices in 15 cities and headquarters in two cities. As of December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, we
had 1,725, 604 and 212 employees, respectively.
We believe we offer our employees competitive compensation packages and an environment that encourages initiative and
meritocracy. We design and implement in-house training programs tailored to each job function to enhance performance. We strongly
emphasize training programs designed to improve the sales and marketing skills of our sales staff. Specific training is also provided to
new employees at orientation to familiarize them with our working environment and operational procedures.
As required by laws and regulations in China, we participate in various employee social security schemes that are organized by
municipal and provincial governments, including housing, pension, medical insurance and unemployment insurance. We are required
under Chinese law to make contributions to employee benefit plans at specified percentages of the salaries, bonuses and certain
allowances of our employees, up to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time.
We enter into standard confidentiality and employment agreements with our employees. The contracts with our key personnel
typically include a standard non-compete covenant that prohibits the employee from competing with us, directly or indirectly, during his
or her employment and for a period between nine months and two years after the termination of his or her employment, provided that we
pay, during the restriction period, compensation that equals to 30% of such personnel’s average salary in the 12 months preceding the
termination.
We believe that we maintain a good working relationship with our employees, and we have not experienced any material disputes
with our employees in our history.
E.
Share Ownership.
The following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership, within the meaning of Rule 13d-3 under the
Exchange Act, of our ordinary shares as of March 31, 2023 by:
● each of our directors and executive officers; and
● each person known to us to own beneficially more than 5% of our ordinary shares.
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Beneficial ownership is determined in accordance with the rules of the SEC and generally includes voting power or investment
power with respect to securities. The number of ordinary shares beneficially owned includes ordinary shares such person has the right to
acquire within 60 days after March 31, 2023. Such shares, however, are not deemed to be outstanding and beneficially owned for the
purpose of computing the percentage ownership of any other shareholder. The total number of ordinary shares outstanding as of March
31, 2023 was 21,351,086,319, comprising of 20,854,967,959 Class A ordinary shares (excluding 109,094,250 Class A ordinary shares
issued to the depositary bank for bulk issuance of ADSs reserved for future issuances upon the exercise or vesting of awards granted
under our share incentive plans), 490,418,360 Class B ordinary shares and 5,700,000 Class C ordinary shares.
Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned as of March 31, 2023
Class A
Ordinary
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
Class B
Ordinary
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
Class C
Ordinary
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
Total
Ordinary
Shares
Beneficially
Owned
% of
Total
Ordinary
Shares†
% of
Aggregate
Voting
Power††
—
*
*
—
—
—
—
*
48,412,680
161,396,567
—
—
329,021,793
—
—
—
—
490,418,360
5,700,000
167,096,567
—
*
*
—
— 329,021,793
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
*
544,531,040
5,700,000
0.8
*
*
1.5
—
—
—
*
2.6
70.8
*
*
4.0
—
—
—
*
74.9
—
161,396,567
5,700,000
167,096,567
0.8
70.8
Directors and Executive Officers:**
Xi Zeng(1)
Jiaorong Pan(2)
Li Xiao
Yi Duan(3)
Yang Li
Senlin Peng
Zhen Xie
Shuiying Chen
All Directors and Executive Officers as a Group
Principal Shareholders:
ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD(1)
Less than 1% of our total outstanding shares.
**
†
††
Except as indicated otherwise below, the business address of our directors and executive officers is Room 602, Unit B4, Kexing Science Park, 15 Keyuan Road,
Technology Park, Nanshan District, Shenzhen, People’s Republic of China. Yang Li’s business address is Unit 03-06, 9th Floor, Baohua Center, No. 355 Guangzhong
West Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China. Senlin Peng’s business address is ColorLife Group, Pingdi Street, Longgang District, Shenzhen,
People’s Republic of China. Zhen Xie’s business address is F9, Multimedia Building, No. 757, Guangzhong West Road, Jing’an District, Shanghai, People’s Republic
of China.
For each person and group included in this column, percentage ownership is calculated by dividing the number of ordinary shares beneficiary owned by such person
or group, including Class A ordinary shares that such person or group has the right to acquire within 60 days after March 31, 2023, by the sum of the total number of
issued and outstanding ordinary shares as of March 31, 2023 and the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the options held by such person or group that are
exercisable within 60 days after March 31, 2023.
For each person or group included in this column, percentage of total voting power is calculated by dividing the voting power beneficially owned by such person or
group by the voting power of all of our outstanding Class A, Class B and Class C ordinary shares as a single class. Each holder of Class A ordinary shares is entitled
to one vote per Class A ordinary share. Each holder of Class B ordinary shares is entitled to ten votes per Class B ordinary share. Each holder of Class C ordinary
shares is entitled to 10,000 votes per Class C ordinary share. Our Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares are convertible at any time by the holders
thereof into Class A ordinary shares on a share-for-share basis. Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares or Class C ordinary shares at
any time.
(1) Represents 161,396,567 Class B ordinary shares and 5,700,000 Class C ordinary shares held by ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD, a company incorporated in the British
Virgin Islands. The registered address of ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD is Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, Road Town, Tortola, VG 1110 British Virgin Islands. ZX
INTERNATIONAL LTD is owned by Mr. Xi Zeng.
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(2) Represents 29,249,399 Class A ordinary shares held by XUANYU NETWORK INTERNATIONAL LTD, a British Virgin Islands company controlled by Jiaorong
Pan. The registered address of XUANYU NETWORK INTERNATIONAL LTD is Ritter House, Wickhams Cay II, Road Town, Tortola VG1110, British Virgin.
Islands. XUANYU NETWORK INTERNATIONAL LTD is owned by Ms. Jiaorong Pan.
(3) Represents 329,021,793 Class B ordinary shares held by CC NETWORK INTERNATIONAL LTD, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. The
registered address of CC NETWORK INTERNATIONAL LTD is Vistra Corporate Service Centre, Wickhams Cay II, Road Town, Tortola, VG 1110, British Virgin
Islands. CC NETWORK INTERNATIONAL LTD is controlled by CC Network Holding Ltd, a company incorporated under the laws of British Virgin Islands. CC
Network Holding Ltd is controlled by CC Trust, a trust established under the laws of the British Virgin Islands and managed by Cantrust (Far East) Limited as the
trustee. Mr. Yi Duan is the settlor of CC Trust and Mr. Duan and his family members are the trust’s beneficiaries. Under the terms of this trust, Mr. Duan has the
power to direct the trustee with respect to the retention or disposal of, and the exercise of any voting and other rights attached to, the share held by CC NETWORK
INTERNATIONAL LTD in our company.
To our knowledge, as of March 31, 2023, a total of 1,792,471,025 Class A ordinary shares, representing approximately 8.4% of our
total outstanding ordinary shares, were held by one recorded shareholder in the United States, which is The Bank of New York Mellon,
the depositary of our ADS program. The number of beneficial owners of our ADSs in the United States is likely much larger than the one
record holder of our ordinary shares in the United States.
We are not aware of any arrangement that may, at a subsequent date, result in a change of control of our company.
F.
Disclosure of a Registrant’s Action to Recover Erroneously Awarded Compensation.
Not Applicable.
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ITEM 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
A.
Major Shareholders.
Please refer to “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—E. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—Share
Ownership.”
B.
Related Party Transactions.
Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and Its Respective Shareholders
Please refer to “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure.”
Shareholders Agreement and Registration Rights
Shareholders Agreement
We have entered into the amended and restated shareholders agreement on June 30, 2015 with our shareholders, which consist of
holders of ordinary shares and preferred shares. The shareholders agreement provides for certain preferential rights, including
redemption right, right of first refusal, co-sale rights, preemptive rights and provisions governing the board of directors and other
corporate governance matters. In June 2019, holders of Series A-2 preferred shares and Series B preferred shares confirmed to us in
writing that they will not exercise their redemption right under the shareholders agreement at any time prior to June 30, 2020. The
foregoing preferential rights automatically terminated upon the completion of our initial public offering.
Registration Rights
Pursuant to the amended and restated shareholders agreement on June 30, 2015, we have granted certain registration rights to our
shareholders. Set forth below is a description of the registration rights to be granted.
Demand Registration Rights
● Registration other than on Form F-3 or Form S-3. Holder(s) holding 10% or more of outstanding registrable securities held by
all holders may request us in writing to effect a registration for their shares. Upon receipt of such a request, we shall promptly
give written notice of the proposed registration to all holders of registrable securities and use our best efforts to register the
shares requested to be registered within fifteen days. We have the right to defer filing of a registration statement for a period of
not more than 90 days if our board of directors determines in the good faith judgment that filing of a registration statement in
the near future will be materially detrimental to us or our shareholders, but we cannot exercise the deferral right for more than
90 days on any one occasion or more than once during any 12-month period and cannot register any other securities during such
period. We shall be obligated to effect no more than three registrations that have been declared and ordered effective. Further, if
the registrable securities are offered by means of an underwritten offering, and the managing underwriter advises us that
marketing factors require a limitation of the number of registrable securities to be underwritten in a registration, the
underwriters may (i) in the event of our initial public offering, exclude from the underwritten offering all of the registrable
securities (so long as the only securities included in such offering are those sold for the account of our company), or
(ii) otherwise exclude up to 75% of the registrable securities requested to be registered but only after first excluding all other
equity securities from the registration and underwritten offering and so long as the number of registrable securities to be
included in the registration is allocated (a) first, among holders of ordinary shares issued or issuable upon conversion of series
A-2 preferred shares, series B preferred shares and series C preferred shares in proportion, as nearly as practicable, to the
respective amounts of registrable securities requested by such holders to be included, and (b) second, if there are any available
registrable securities remaining to be allocated, among holders of other registrable securities in proportion, as nearly as
practicable, to the respective amounts of registrable securities requested by such holders to be included.
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● Registration on Form F-3 or Form S-3. Any holders of registrable securities may request us to file registration statements on
Form F-3 or Form S-3 if we qualify for registration on Form F-3 and Form S-3. We should promptly give a written notice to all
other holders of registrable securities, and make best efforts to effect the registration of the securities on Form F-3 or Form S-3
within 15 days after we delivered such written notice. We have the right to defer filing of a registration statement for a period of
not more than 90 days if our board of directors determines in the good faith judgment that filing of a registration statement in
the near future will be materially detrimental to us or our shareholders, but we cannot exercise the deferral right for more than
90 days on any one occasion or more than once during any 12-month period and cannot register any other securities during such
period. We shall be obligated to effect no more than two registrations that have been declared and ordered effective within any
12-month period.
Piggyback Registration Rights
If we propose to register for our own account any of our equity securities, or for the account of any holder, other than current
shareholders, of such equity securities, in connection with the public offering, we shall offer holders of our registrable securities an
opportunity to be included in such registration. If a holder decides not to include all or any of its registrable securities in such
registration, such holder will continue to have the right to include any registrable securities in any subsequent registration statement as
may be filed by us, subject to certain limitations.
Expenses of Registration
We will pay all expenses, other than the underwriting discounts and selling commissions applicable to the sale of registrable
securities pursuant to the registration rights (which will be borne by the holders requesting registration on a pro rata basis in proportion to
their respective numbers of registrable securities sold in such registration), incurred in connection with registrations, filings or
qualifications pursuant to the registration rights, including all registration, filing and qualification fees, printers’ and accounting fees, fees
and disbursements of counsel for us, reasonable fees and disbursement of one counsel for all selling holders and all fees charged by our
depositary agent of in connection with our conversion of the shares into depositary shares. However, we are not obligated to pay any
expenses of any registration proceeding if the registration request is subsequently withdrawn at the request of a majority-in-interest of the
holders requesting such registration (in which case all participating holders will bear such expenses pro rata based upon the number of
registrable securities that were to be thereby registered in the withdrawn registration).
Termination of Obligations
The registration rights set forth above will terminate on the earlier of (i) the date that is five years after the date of closing of a
qualified initial public offering and (ii) with respect to any holder, the date on which such holder has sold all of such holder’s registrable
securities under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.
Share Issuance to ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD and Mr. Xi Zeng
In November 2022, our board of directors approved the creation of Class C ordinary shares for the purpose of enhancing our ability
to execute long-term business strategies and enabling new equity financing while maintaining a stable corporate structure and senior
management team. Holders of Class C ordinary shares have certain special voting rights and conversion rights. In particular, each Class
C ordinary share entitles the holder thereof to 10,000 votes on all matters subject to a shareholder vote. Each Class C ordinary share is
convertible into one Class A ordinary share at the option of the holder thereof. For a summary of the rights of Class C ordinary shares,
please refer to “Item 10. Additional Information—B. Memorandum and Articles of Association” in this annual report on Form 20-F.
On November 30, 2022, we entered into a share subscription agreement with ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD, a company controlled by
Mr. Xi Zeng, our chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer. Pursuant to this agreement, we issued 75,000 newly
created Class C ordinary shares of par value US$0.0000001 each to ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD at a per share price of US$1.193, equal
to the average closing price of the ADSs for the 30 trading days up to and including November 28, 2022, adjusted by the ADS-to-share
ratio.
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On January 13, 2023, concurrently with our entry into a note purchase agreement for a convertible note, we entered into another
share subscription agreement, under which we agreed to sell and issue up to 7,875,000 newly created Class C ordinary shares of par
value US$0.0000001 each to ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD in connection with the conversion of the convertible note. On March 9, 2023,
we issued 5,625,000 newly issued Class C ordinary shares to ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD at a per share price of US$0.00271.
The abovementioned share issuances received prior approval by our audit committee and board of directors.
Employment Agreements and Indemnification Agreements
Please refer to “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—B. Compensation—Employment Agreements and
Indemnification Agreements.”
Share Incentives
Please refer to “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—B. Compensation—2018 Plan.”
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Transactions with Gefei Chengyun, Jiushen, Jiufeng, Jiusheng, Jiuchuan, Decheng, Longshu Tianye, Longshu Qianli, Yunde,
Jiuyi, Detong, Derong, Jiuzhen, Deyan, Jiushi, Qixing, Longshu Tianlin, Chongkai, Deyu, Honggeng, Muju, Fangjin, Chenji
Zhaozhao and Tinghaozhu Space
We are a limited partner of Shanghai Gefei Chengyun Investment Limited Partnership (“Gefei Chengyun”), Ningbo Meishan
Bonded Port Area Jiushen Investment Partnership (“Jiushen”), Ningbo Meishan Bonded Port Area JiuFeng Investment Partnership
(“Jiufeng”), Ningbo Meishan Bonded Port Area JiuSheng Investment Partnership (“Jiusheng”), Ningbo Meishan Jiuchuan Investment
Limited Partnership (“Jiuchuan”), Ningbo Meishan Decheng Investment Limited Partnership (“Decheng”), Yiwu Longshu Tianye
Investment Management Limited Partnership (“Longshu Tianye”), Yiwu Longshu Qianli Equity Investment Limited Partnership
(“Longshu Qianli), Ningbo Meishan Yunde Investment Limited Partnership (“Yunde”), Ningbo Meishan Jiuyi Investment Limited
Partnership (“Jiuyi”), Ningbo Meishan Detong Investment Limited Partnership (“Detong”) and Ningbo Meishan Derong Investment
Limited Partnership (“Derong”), Ningbo Meishan Jiuzhen Investment Limited Partnership (“Jiuzhen”), Ningbo Meishan Deyan
Investment Limited Partnership (“Deyan”), Ningbo Meishan Jiushi Investment Limited Partnership (“Jiushi”), Ningbo Meishan Qixing
Management Limited Partnership (“Qixing”),Yiwu Longshu Tianlin Investment Management Limited Partnership (“Longshu Tianlin”),
Shanghai Chongkai Enterprise Management (LLP) (“Chongkai”), Ningbo Meishan Deyu Investment Limited Partnership (“Deyu”),
Hangzhou Honggeng Investment Limited Partnership (“Honggeng”), Ningbo Meishan Muju Investment Limited Partnership (“Muju”)
and Shanghai Fangjin Management Limited Partnership (“Fangjin”), all of which are also our funding partners in connection with some
of our exclusive selling cooperation agreements with real estate developers. We have entered into separate collaborative agreements with
these funding partners under the sales arrangements, and we share a portion of the base commission income and sales incentive income
with them, based on the agreed profit sharing terms as set out in the collaborative agreements. In 2022, we made equity investments in
Shenzhen Chenji Zhaozhao Technology Co., Ltd (“Chenji Zhaozhao”) and Shanghai Tinghaozhu Space Design Co., Ltd (“Tinghaozhu
Space”).
The following table sets forth the base commission income and sales incentive income shared to each funding partner under the
exclusive sales arrangements (whether with or without sales commitment) for the years presented:
For the Year Ended December 31,
2022
2020
RMB
2021
RMB
RMB
US$
Jiufeng
Jiushen
Jiusheng
Jiuchuan
Decheng
Longshu Tianye
Longshu Qianli
Jiuyi
Yunde
Detong
Derong
Qixing
Jiuzhen
Deyan
Jiushi
Muju
Chongkai
Total
—
1,196
2,734
1,825
532
1,922
—
8,578
734
117
945
—
2,640
—
—
—
—
21,223
(in thousands)
95
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
179
251
4
31
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
4,022
—
—
875
69
4,997
—
100
629
4
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
583
—
—
127
10
724
In 2022, other income shared with Chenji Zhaozhao and Tinghaozhu Space were RMB183.7 thousand (US$26.6 thousand) and
RMB1.3 million (US$186.3 thousand), respectively.
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The following table sets forth the amounts payable for income shared to our funding partners as of the dates presented:
Gefei Chengyun
Jiushen
Jiufeng
Jiuchuan
Longshu Tianye
Jiuyi
Yunde
Detong
Qixing
Jiuzhen
Jiushi
Derong
Total
2020
RMB
10,759
29
240
9,175
11,207
7,341
9,794
3,274
—
3,792
—
9,733
65,344
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
RMB
(in thousands)
2022
10,759
29
706
6,828
10,140
—
9,383
3,274
964
—
65
9,733
51,881
10,759
29
736
9,403
10,140
—
9,383
3,274
964
—
65
9,733
54,486
US$
1,560
4
107
1,363
1,470
—
1,360
475
140
—
9
1,411
7,899
As of December 31, 2022, other amounts payable to Jiushen, Chongkai, Jiufeng, Muju, Jiuzhen and Chenji Zhaozhao were
RMB789.8 thousand (US$114.5 thousand), RMB3.7 million (534.8 thousand), RMB149.3 thousand (US$21.6 thousand), RMB5.6
million (US$806.3 thousand), RMB4.0 million (US$577.2 thousand) and RMB191.3 thousand (US$27.7 thousand), respectively.
In 2021 and 2022, Jiushi and a company owned by the spouse of Mr. Xi Zeng, our co-founder, director and chief executive officer,
pledged their real estate properties as a collateral for bank borrowings of us.
Transactions with Shanghai Lianlian
Certain of our directors and officers are principal shareholders of Shanghai Lianlian Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai
Lianlian”, previously known as Shenzhen Jinyiyun Supply Chain Technology Co., Ltd.), a company engaged in blockchain-based
parking space sales. In 2019, we started to cooperate with Shanghai Lianlian where we leverage the real estate agents on our platform to
provide parking space transaction services for Shanghai Lianlian. Our service fees are chargeable to the relevant real estate agents. In
2020, 2021 and 2022, we recognized revenue of RMB184.3 million, nil and nil in service fees from transactions with Shanghai Lianlian,
respectively.
C.
Interests of Experts and Counsel.
Not applicable.
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
A.
Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information.
Please refer to Item 18 “Financial Statements” for our audited consolidated financial statements filed as part of this annual report.
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Legal Proceedings
We have been, and may from time to time in the future, be subject to various legal and administrative proceedings arising in the
ordinary course of our business. As we routinely enter into business contracts with real estate developers, agencies and agents, housing
customers, and other marketplace participants, we have been and may continue to be involved in legal proceedings arising from contract
disputes. In response to the heightened credit risks of real estate developers amid the downturn status of China’s real estate market in
2021 and 2022, we have initiated an increased number of lawsuits against real estate developers to protect our accounts receivable. In the
meantime, as commissions are payable to real estate agencies by us after we have collected payments from real estate developers, we
have also seen an increased number of lawsuits initiated by real estate agencies against us. We believe these lawsuits are immaterial to
our company on an individual basis or a collective basis. Regardless of the outcome, litigations or other legal or administrative
proceedings may result in substantial costs and diversion of management resources and attention. See “Item 3. Key Information—D.
Risk Factors—Risk Related to Our Business and Industry—We have been and may continue to be subject to legal and administrative
proceedings from time to time. If the outcomes of these proceedings are adverse to us, it could have a material adverse effect on our
business, results of operations and financial condition.”
Dividend Policy
Our board of directors has discretion on whether to distribute dividends, subject to certain requirements of Cayman Islands law. In
addition, our shareholders may by an ordinary resolution declare a dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by
our board of directors. In either case, all dividends are subject to certain restrictions under Cayman Islands law, namely that our company
may only pay dividends out of profits or share premium, and provided always that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid if this
would result in our company being unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. Even if we decide to pay
dividends, the form, frequency and amount will depend upon our future operations and earnings, capital requirements and surplus,
general financial condition, contractual restrictions and other factors that the board of directors may deem relevant.
We do not have any present plan to pay any cash dividends on our ordinary shares in the foreseeable future. We currently intend to
retain most, if not all, of our available funds and any future earnings to operate and expand our business.
We are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. We rely on dividends from our subsidiaries in China for our cash
requirements, including any payment of dividends to our shareholders. PRC regulations may restrict the ability of our PRC subsidiaries
to pay dividends to us. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulation—Regulations Related to
Dividend Distribution.”
If we pay any dividends on our ordinary shares, we will pay those dividends which are payable in respect of the Class A ordinary
shares underlying the ADSs to the depositary, as the registered holder of such Class A ordinary shares, and the depositary then will pay
such amounts to our ADS holders in proportion to the Class A ordinary shares underlying the ADSs held by such ADS holders, subject
to the terms of the deposit agreement, including the fees and expenses payable thereunder. Cash dividends on our ordinary shares, if any,
will be paid in U.S. dollars.
B.
Significant Changes.
Except as disclosed elsewhere in this annual report, we have not experienced any significant changes since the date of our audited
consolidated financial statements included in this annual report.
ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING.
A.
Offer and Listing Details.
See “—C. Markets.”
B.
Plan of Distribution.
Not applicable.
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C.
Markets.
Our ADSs, each represents 375 Class A ordinary shares, have been listed on the Nasdaq Global Market since November 1, 2019,
under the symbol “DUO.”
D.
Selling Shareholders.
Not applicable.
E.
Dilution.
Not applicable.
F.
Expenses of the Issue.
Not applicable.
ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION.
A.
Share Capital.
Not applicable.
B.
Memorandum and Articles of Association.
The following are summaries of material provisions of our currently effective fifth amended and restated memorandum and articles
of association, or our memorandum and articles of association, as well as the Companies Act (As Revised) insofar as they relate to the
material terms of our ordinary shares.
Exempted Company
We are an exempted company incorporated with limited liability under the Companies Act. The Companies Act distinguishes
between ordinary resident companies and exempted companies. Any company that is registered in the Cayman Islands but conducts
business mainly outside of the Cayman Islands may apply to be registered as an exempted company. The requirements for an exempted
company are essentially the same as for an ordinary resident company except for the exemptions and privileges listed below:
● an exempted company does not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies;
● an exempted company is not required to open its register of members for inspection;
● an exempted company does not have to hold an annual general meeting;
● an exempted company may issue no par value shares;
● an exempted company may obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually
given for 20 years in the first instance);
● an exempted company may register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands;
● an exempted company may register as an exempted limited duration company; and
● an exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company.
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Ordinary Shares
General
Our ordinary shares are issued in registered form and are issued when registered in our Register of Members. We may not issue
shares to bearer. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their ordinary shares. Our
ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares. Holders of our Class A
ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares shall have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights.
Each Class A Ordinary Share shall, on a poll, entitle the holder thereof to one vote on all matters subject to vote at our general meetings,
each Class B ordinary share shall, on a poll, entitle the holder thereof to ten votes on all matters subject to vote at our general meetings,
and each Class C ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to 10,000 votes on matters subject to vote at general meetings of our
Company.
Conversion
Each Class B ordinary share or Class C ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time at the option of the
holder thereof. Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares or Class C ordinary shares in any event.
Upon any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of any Class B ordinary shares by a holder thereof to any person other than our
founders or an affiliate controlled by one or more of our founders, or upon a change of ultimate beneficial ownership of any Class B
ordinary shares to any person who is not one of our founders or an affiliate controlled by one or more of our founders, each such Class B
ordinary share shall be automatically and immediately converted into one of Class A ordinary share.
Upon (i) any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of Class C ordinary shares by a holder thereof or the direct or indirect transfer
or assignment of the voting power attached to such number of Class C ordinary shares through a voting proxy or otherwise to any person
that is not an affiliate of such holder, (ii) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of a majority of the issued and
outstanding voting securities of, or the direct or indirect transfer or assignment of the voting power attached to such voting securities
through voting proxy or otherwise, or the direct or indirect sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets
of, a holder of Class C ordinary shares that is an entity to any person other than an affiliate of such holder, (iii) Mr. Xi Zeng, our
chairman of board of director and chief executive officer, ceasing to be the ultimate beneficial owner of at least 80,698,283 Class A
ordinary shares (on an as-if-converted basis) at any time, or (iv) Mr. Xi Zeng being permanently unable to attend board meetings and
manage the business affairs of our company as a result of incapacity solely due to his then physical and/or mental condition, Class C
ordinary shares held by a holder thereof will be automatically and immediately converted into the same number of Class A ordinary
shares.
Dividends
The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to receive such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors subject to our
memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Act. In addition, our shareholders may by an ordinary resolution declare a
dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our directors. Under Cayman Islands law, dividends may be paid
either out of profits or out of share premium, provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid of this would result in our
company being unable to pay its debts as they become due in the ordinary course of business.
Register of Members
Under Cayman Islands law, we must keep a register of members and there must be entered therein:
● the names and addresses of the members, together with a statement of the shares held by each member, and such statement shall
confirm (i) the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid, on the shares of each member, (ii) the number and category of
shares held by each member, and (iii) whether each relevant category of shares held by a member carries voting rights under the
articles of association of the company, and if so, whether such voting rights are conditional;
● the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and
● the date on which any person ceased to be a member.
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Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members of our company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (i.e., the
register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted). The shareholders recorded in the
register of members will be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their names.
If the name of any person is, without sufficient cause, entered in or omitted from the register of members, or if default is made or
unnecessary delay takes place in entering on the register the fact of any person having ceased to be a member, the person or member
aggrieved or any member or the company itself may apply to the Cayman Islands Grand Court for an order that the register be rectified,
and the Court may either refuse such application or it may, if satisfied of the justice of the case, make an order for the rectification of the
register.
Voting Rights
Holders of our ordinary shares have the right to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at general meetings of our company.
Holders of our Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares shall, at all times, vote together as one class
on all matters submitted to a vote by our shareholders at any general meeting of our company. Each Class A ordinary share shall be
entitled to one vote, each Class B ordinary share shall be entitled to ten votes, and each Class C ordinary share shall be entitled to 10,000
votes, on all matters subject to a vote at general meetings of our company. At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the
meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands) demanded
by the chairman of the meeting or any shareholder holding not less than ten percent (10%) of the votes attaching to the shares present in
person or by proxy. An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the
votes attaching to the ordinary shares cast in a general meeting, which can be an annual general meeting or a special meeting of
shareholders. A special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of the votes attaching to the ordinary shares cast
in a general meeting. Both ordinary resolutions and special resolutions may also be passed by a unanimous written resolution signed by
all the shareholders of our company, as permitted by the Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association. A special
resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name or making changes to our memorandum and articles of
association. Our shareholders may, among other things, divide or combine their shares by ordinary resolutions.
General Meetings and Shareholder Proposals
As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Companies Act to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.
Our memorandum and articles of association provide that we may (but are not obliged to) in each year hold a general meeting as our
annual general meeting in which case we will specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it, and the annual general meeting will be
held at such time and place as may be determined by our directors. We, however, will hold an annual shareholders’ meeting during each
fiscal year, as required by rules of Nasdaq.
Cayman Islands law provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide
shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles
of association. Our memorandum and articles of association allow any one or more of our shareholders who together hold shares that
carry not less than one-third of the total number of votes attaching to all of our issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote at general
meetings to require an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders, in which case the directors are obliged to call such meeting and
to put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting; however, our memorandum and articles of association do not provide our
shareholders with any right to put any proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by such
shareholders.
A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of one or more shareholders holding not less than one-third of all votes
attaching to all our shares in issue and entitled to vote present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its
duly authorized representative. Advance notice of at least ten calendar days is required for the convening of any shareholders meetings.
Transfer of Ordinary Shares
Subject to the restrictions in our memorandum and articles of association as set out below, any of our shareholders may transfer all
or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or any other form approved by our board.
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Our board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share which is not fully paid-up
or on which we have a lien. Our directors may also decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share unless:
● the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the ordinary shares to which it relates and such
other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;
● the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of shares;
● the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required;
● in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the ordinary share is to be transferred does not
exceed four; or
● a fee of such maximum sum as Nasdaq may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as the directors may from time to time
require, is paid to the company thereof.
If our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within three calendar months after the date on which the instrument of transfer
was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.
The registration of transfers may, on ten calendar days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers, by
electronic means or by any other means in accordance with the rules of Nasdaq, be suspended and the register closed at such times and
for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not
be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 calendar days in any calendar year as our board of directors may determine.
Liquidation
On the winding up of our company, if the assets available for distribution amongst our shareholders shall be more than sufficient to
repay the whole of the share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst our shareholders in
proportion to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up, subject to a deduction from those shares
in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to our company for unpaid calls or otherwise. If our assets available for
distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that, as nearly as possible, the losses are
borne by our shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up.
Calls on Ordinary Shares and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares
Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a
notice served to such shareholders at least 14 calendar days prior to the specified time and place of payment. The ordinary shares that
have been called upon and remain unpaid on the specified time are subject to forfeiture.
Redemption, Repurchase and Surrender of Ordinary Shares
We may issue shares on terms that such shares are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders thereof, on
such terms and in such manner as may be determined, before the issue of such shares, by our board of directors or by a special resolution
of our shareholders. Our company may also repurchase any of our shares (including any redeemable shares) provided that the manner
and terms of such purchase have been approved by our board of directors or by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders, or are
otherwise authorized by our memorandum and articles of association. Under the Companies Act, the redemption or repurchase of any
share may be paid out of a company’s profits or share premium account, or out of the proceeds of a fresh issue of shares made for the
purpose of such redemption or repurchase, or, if so authorized by its articles of association, out of capital if the company can,
immediately following such payment, pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Companies
Act no such share may be redeemed or repurchased (a) unless it is fully paid-up, (b) if such redemption or repurchase would result in
there being no shares issued and outstanding, or (c) if the company has commenced liquidation. In addition, our company may accept the
surrender of any fully paid share for no consideration.
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Variations of Rights of Shares
If at any time the share capital is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to any class of shares, subject to any
rights or restrictions for time being attached to any class, only be materially adversely varied with the consent in writing of the holders of
two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the
shares of the class. In addition, we may only amend, alter, modify or change the rights, restrictions, preferences or privileges of Class C
ordinary shares with the written consent of the holders holding a majority of the issued and outstanding Class C ordinary shares or with
the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the issued and outstanding Class C ordinary shares. The
rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued shall not, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being
attached to the shares of that class, be deemed to be materially adversely varied by the creation, allotment or issue of further shares
ranking pari passu with or subsequent to them or the redemption or purchase of any shares of any class by our company. The rights of the
holders of any shares shall not be deemed to be materially adversely varied by the creation or issue of shares with preferred or other
rights including, without limitation, the creation of shares with enhanced or weighted voting rights.
Inspection of Books and Records
Holders of our ordinary shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of
shareholders or our corporate records (except for our memorandum and articles of association, register of mortgages and charges and
special resolutions of our shareholders).
Changes in Capital
Our shareholders may from time to time by ordinary resolutions:
● increase the share capital by new shares of such amount as it thinks expedient;
● consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of a larger amount than our existing shares;
● sub-divide our existing shares, or any of them into shares of a smaller amount than that fixed by our memorandum of
association; provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each
reduced share will be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced share is derived; or
● cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person
and diminish the amount of our share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled.
Subject to the Companies Act, our shareholders may by special resolutions reduce our share capital and any capital redemption
reserve in any manner authorized by law.
Differences in Corporate Law
The Companies Act is modeled after that of the English companies legislation but does not follow recent English law statutory
enactments, and accordingly there are significant differences between the Companies Act and the current Companies Act of England. In
addition, the Companies Act differs from laws applicable to Delaware corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary
of the significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to Delaware
corporations and their shareholders.
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Mergers and Similar Arrangements
The Companies Act permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands
companies and non-Cayman Islands companies. For these purposes, (a) ”merger” means the merging of two or more constituent
companies and the vesting of their undertakings, property and liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company and (b) a
“consolidation” means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a consolidated company and the vesting of the
undertakings, property and liabilities of such companies to the consolidated company. In order to effect such a merger or consolidation,
the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must then be authorized by (a) a
special resolution of the shareholders of each constituent company, and (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such
constituent company’s articles of association. The written plan of merger or consolidation must be filed with the Registrar of Companies
together with a declaration as to the solvency of the consolidated or surviving company, a declaration as to the assets and liabilities of
each constituent company and an undertaking that a copy of the certificate of merger or consolidation will be given to the members and
creditors of each constituent company and that notification of the merger or consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands
Gazette. Dissenting shareholders have the right to be paid the fair value of their shares (which, if not agreed between the parties, will be
determined by the Cayman Islands court) if they follow the required procedures, subject to certain exceptions. Court approval is not
required for a merger or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.
A merger between a Cayman parent company and its Cayman subsidiary or subsidiaries does not require authorization by a
resolution of shareholders of that Cayman subsidiary if a copy of the plan of merger is given to every member of that Cayman subsidiary
to be merged unless that member agrees otherwise. For this purpose a company is a “parent” of a subsidiary if it holds issued shares that
together represent at least ninety percent (90%) of the votes at a general meeting of the subsidiary.
The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest over a constituent company is required unless this requirement is
waived by a court in the Cayman Islands.
In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the
arrangement is approved by (a) 75% in value of shareholders or class of shareholders, as the case may be, or (b) a majority in number of
representing 75% in value of creditors or each class of creditors, as the case may be, with whom the arrangement is to be made, that are,
in each case, present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the
meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting
shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to
approve the arrangement if it determines that:
● the statutory provisions as to the due majority vote have been met;
● the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question and the statutory majority are acting bona fide without
coercion of the minority to promote interests adverse to those of the class;
● the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of his
interest; and
● the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act.
The Companies Act also contains a statutory power of compulsory acquisition which may facilitate the “squeeze out” of dissentient
minority shareholder upon a tender offer. When a tender offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares affected (within
four months), the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such four-month period, require the holders
of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman
Islands, but this is unlikely to succeed in the case of an offer which has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or
collusion.
If the arrangement and reconstruction by way of a scheme of arrangement is thus approved and sanctioned, or if a tender offer is
made and accepted in accordance with the foregoing statutory procedures, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to
appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to
receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.
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Shareholders’ Suits
In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff to sue for a wrong done to us and as a general rule a derivative action may not
be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in
the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands courts can be expected to follow and apply the common law principles (namely the rule in Foss
v. Harbottle and the exceptions thereto) so that a minority shareholder may be permitted to commence a class action against or derivative
actions in our name to challenge an act which:
● is ultra vires or illegal and is therefore incapable of ratification by the shareholders;
● requires a resolution with a qualified (or special) majority (i.e. more than a simple majority) which has not been obtained; and
● constitutes a “fraud on the majority,” where the wrongdoer are themselves in control of the company.
Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability
Cayman 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 such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be
contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our
memorandum and articles of association provide that that we shall indemnify our officers and directors against all actions, proceedings,
costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such directors or officer, other than by reason of such
person’s dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of our company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any
mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his 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 proceedings concerning our company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or
elsewhere. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware
corporation.
In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide such persons
with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our memorandum and articles of association.
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 informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Directors’ Fiduciary Duties
Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This
duty has two components, the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care
that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and
disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires
that a director must act in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. A director must not use his
or her corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interests
of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder not
shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith
and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by
evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director
must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.
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As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director of a Cayman Islands company is in the position of a fiduciary with respect to the
company, and therefore it is considered that he or she owes the following duties to the company including a duty to act bona fide in the
best interests of the company, a duty not to make a personal profit out of his or her position as director (unless the company permits him
or her to do so), a duty not to put himself or herself in a position where the interests of the company conflict with his or her personal
interests or his or her duty to a third party and a duty to exercise powers for the purpose for which such powers were intended. A director
of a Cayman Islands company owes to the company a duty to act with skill and care. It was previously considered that a director need not
exhibit in the performance of his or her duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her
knowledge and experience. However, there are indications that the English and commonwealth courts are moving towards an objective
standard with regard to the required skill and care and these authorities are likely to be followed in the Cayman Islands.
Under our memorandum and articles of association, directors who are in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a
contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction with our company must declare the nature of their interest at a meeting of the
board of directors. Following such declaration, a director may vote in respect of any contract or transaction or proposed contract or
transaction notwithstanding that he or she may be interested therein and if he or she does so his or her vote shall be counted and he or she
may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the board of directors at which such contract or transaction or proposed contract or
transaction shall come before the meeting for consideration.
Shareholder Action by Written Resolution
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by
amendment to its certificate of incorporation. The Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association provide that our
shareholders may approve corporate matters by way of a unanimous written resolution signed by or on behalf of each shareholder who
would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting without a meeting being held.
Shareholder Proposals
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of
shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board
of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special
meetings.
The Companies Act provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide
shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles
of association. Our memorandum and articles of association allow any one or more of our shareholders who together hold shares which
carry in aggregate not less than one-third of the total number of votes attaching to all issued and outstanding shares of our company
entitled to vote at general meetings to requisition an extraordinary general meeting of our shareholders, in which case our board is
obliged to convene an extraordinary general meeting and to put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting. Other than this
right to requisition a shareholders’ meeting, our memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any other
right to put proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings. As an exempted Cayman Islands company, we
are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.
Cumulative Voting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s
certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority
shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled for
a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohibitions in
relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the Cayman Islands but our memorandum and articles of association do not provide for
cumulative voting. As a result, our shareholders are not afforded any less protections or rights on this issue than shareholders of a
Delaware corporation.
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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 may be removed with or without cause, by an ordinary resolution of our
shareholders. In addition, a director’s office shall be vacated if the director (i) becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or
composition with his creditors; (ii) is found to be or becomes of unsound mind or dies; (iii) resigns his office by notice in writing to the
company; (iv) without special leave of absence from our board of directors, is absent from three consecutive meetings of the board and
the board resolves that his office be vacated or; (v) is removed from office pursuant to any other provisions of our memorandum and
articles of association.
Transactions with Interested Shareholders
The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations
whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of
incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following
the date on which such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is one which owns or owned 15%
or more of the target’s outstanding voting shares within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential
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 that 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.
Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the
Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and
its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions entered into must be bona fide in the best interests of the company, for
a proper corporate purpose and not with the effect of perpetrating a fraud on the minority shareholders.
Restructuring
A company may present a petition to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands for the appointment of a restructuring officer on the
grounds that the company:
(a)
is or is likely to become unable to pay its debts; and
(b) intends to present a compromise or arrangement to its creditors (or classes thereof) either pursuant to the Companies Act, the
law of a foreign country or by way of a consensual restructuring.
The Grand Court may, among other things, make an order appointing a restructuring officer upon hearing of such petition, with such
powers and to carry out such functions as the court may order. At any time (i) after the presentation of a petition for the appointment of a
restructuring officer but before an order for the appointment of a restructuring officer has been made, and (ii) when an order for the
appointment of a restructuring officer is made, until such order has been discharged, no suit, action or other proceedings (other than
criminal proceedings) shall be proceeded with or commenced against the company, no resolution to wind up the company shall be
passed, and no winding up petition may be presented against the company, except with the leave of the court. However, notwithstanding
the presentation of a petition for the appointment of a restructuring officer or the appointment of a restructuring officer, a creditor who
has security over the whole or part of the assets of the company is entitled to enforce the security without the leave of the court and
without reference to the restructuring officer appointed.
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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. The Delaware General Corporation Law
allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with
dissolutions initiated by the board of directors. Under Cayman Islands law, a company may be wound up by either an order of the courts
of the Cayman Islands or by a special resolution of its members or, if the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an
ordinary resolution of its members. The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where
it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so.
Variation of Rights of Shares
If at any time, our share capital is divided into different classes of shares, under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a
corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the
certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our memorandum and articles of association and as permitted by the Companies
Act, if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, we may materially adversely vary the rights attached to any class
with the consent in writing of two-thirds of the holders of the issued shares of that class or series or with the sanction of a special
resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of the 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. Under the Companies Act,
our memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution of our shareholders.
Inspection of Books and Records
Holders of our ordinary shares will have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of
shareholders or our corporate records (except for our memorandum and articles of association, our register of mortgages and charges and
special resolutions of our shareholders).
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Anti-takeover Provisions
Some provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our
company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including a provision that authorizes our board of directors to issue
preferred shares in one or more series and to designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preferred shares
without any further vote or action by our shareholders.
However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our memorandum
and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.
Rights of Non-Resident or Foreign Shareholders
There are no limitations imposed by foreign law or by our memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or
foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our ordinary shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our memorandum and
articles of association that require our company to disclose shareholder ownership above any particular ownership threshold.
Staggered Board of Directors
The Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association do not contain provisions that require staggered board
arrangements for a Cayman Islands company.
C.
Material Contracts.
We have not entered into any material contracts other than in the ordinary course of business and other than those described in
“Item 4. Information on the Company,” “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions” or
elsewhere in this annual report on Form 20-F.
D.
Exchange Controls.
See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations—Regulations Related to Foreign Exchange.”
E.
Taxation.
The following summary of the material Cayman Islands, PRC and U.S. federal income tax consequences of an investment in the
ADSs or Class A ordinary shares is based upon laws and relevant interpretations thereof in effect as of the date of this annual report, all
of which are subject to change. This summary does not deal with all possible tax consequences relating to an investment in the ADSs or
Class A ordinary shares, such as the tax consequences under U.S. state and local tax laws or under the tax laws of jurisdictions other than
the Cayman Islands, the PRC and the United States.
Cayman Islands Taxation
The Cayman Islands currently levies no taxes on individuals or corporations based upon profits, income, gains or appreciation and
there is no taxation in the nature of inheritance tax or estate duty. There are no other taxes likely to be material to us levied by the
government of the Cayman Islands except for stamp duties which may be applicable on instruments executed in, or, after execution,
brought within the jurisdiction of the Cayman Islands. The Cayman Islands is not party to any double tax treaties that are applicable to
any payments made to or by our company. There are no exchange control regulations or currency restrictions in the Cayman Islands.
Payments of dividends and capital in respect of our ordinary shares or ADSs will not be subject to taxation in the Cayman Islands
and no withholding will be required on the payment of a dividend or capital to any holder of our ordinary shares or ADSs, nor will gains
derived from the disposal of our ordinary shares or ADSs be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporation tax.
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People’s Republic of China Taxation
Although we are incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we may be treated as a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes under
the Enterprise Income Tax Law. The Enterprise Income Tax Law provides that an enterprise established under the laws of a foreign
country or region but whose “de facto management body” is located in the PRC is treated as a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax
purposes. The implementing rules of the Enterprise Income Tax Law merely define the term “de facto management body” as the “body
that exercises full and substantial control over and overall management of the business, productions, personnel, accounts and properties
of an enterprise.” Based on a review of the facts and circumstances, we do not believe that Fangdd Cayman or Fangdd Network Holding
Ltd. should be considered a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes. However, there is limited guidance and implementation
history of the Enterprise Income Tax Law. If Fangdd Cayman were to be considered a PRC resident enterprise, any gain realized on the
sale or other disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares by investors that are non-PRC enterprises and any interest or dividends payable
by us to such investors is subject to PRC income tax at a rate of 10%. In case of investors that are non-PRC individuals, the applicable
PRC income tax rate is 20%. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—If we are
classified as a “resident enterprise” of China under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, we and our non-PRC shareholders could be
subject to unfavorable tax consequences, and our business, financial condition and results of operations could be materially and
adversely affected.”
U.S. Federal Income Taxation
The following discussion is a summary of U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to the ownership and
disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares by a U.S. Holder (as defined below) that holds the ADSs or ordinary shares as “capital assets”
(generally, property held for investment) under the U.S. Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or the Code. This discussion is
based upon existing U.S. federal tax law, which is subject to differing interpretations or change, possibly with retroactive effect. No
ruling has been sought from the Internal Revenue Service, or the IRS, with respect to any U.S. federal income tax consequences
described below, and there can be no assurance that the IRS or a court will not take a contrary position. This discussion, moreover, does
not address the U.S. federal estate, gift, Medicare, and alternative minimum tax considerations, special tax accounting rules under
Section 451(b) of the Code, or any state, local or non-U.S. tax considerations relating to the ownership or disposition of the ADSs or
ordinary shares. The following summary also does not address all aspects of U.S. federal income taxation that may be important to
particular investors in light of their individual circumstances or to persons in special tax situations such as:
● banks and other financial institutions;
● insurance companies;
● pension plans;
● cooperatives;
● regulated investment companies;
● real estate investment trusts;
● broker-dealers;
● dealers or traders that elect to use a mark-to-market method of tax accounting;
● certain former U.S. citizens or long-term residents;
● tax-exempt entities (including private foundations);
● governmental organizations;
● investors who acquire their ADSs or ordinary shares pursuant to any employee share option or otherwise as compensation;
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● investors that will hold their ADSs or ordinary shares as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion, constructive sale or other
integrated transaction for U.S. federal income tax purposes;
● investors that have a functional currency other than the U.S. dollar;
● investors that actually or constructively own 10% or more of our stock (by vote or value);or
● partnerships or other entities taxable as partnerships for U.S. federal income tax purposes, or persons holding ADSs or ordinary
shares through such entities,
● all of whom may be subject to tax rules that differ significantly from those discussed below.
EACH U.S. HOLDER IS URGED TO CONSULT ITS TAX ADVISOR REGARDING THE APPLICATION OF U.S. FEDERAL
TAXATION TO ITS PARTICULAR CIRCUMSTANCES, AND THE STATE, LOCAL, NON-U.S. AND OTHER TAX
CONSIDERATIONS OF THE OWNERSHIP AND DISPOSITION OF THE ADSS OR ORDINARY SHARES.
General
For purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. Holder” is a beneficial owner of the ADSs or ordinary shares that is, for U.S. federal income
tax purposes:
● an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States;
● a corporation (or other entity treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes) created in, or organized under the
law of, the United States or any state thereof or the District of Columbia;
● an estate the income of which is includible in gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes regardless of its source; or
● a trust (A) the administration of which is subject to the primary supervision of a U.S. court and which has one or more U.S.
persons who have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (B) that has otherwise validly elected to be
treated as a U.S. person under the Code.
If a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes) is a beneficial owner of
the ADSs or ordinary shares, the tax treatment of a partner in the partnership will generally depend upon the status of the partner and the
activities of the partnership. Partnerships holding the ADSs or ordinary shares and their partners are urged to consult their tax advisors
regarding an investment in the ADSs or ordinary shares.
For U.S. federal income tax purposes, it is generally expected that a U.S. Holder of ADSs will be treated as the beneficial owner of
the underlying shares represented by the ADSs. The remainder of this discussion assumes that a U.S. Holder of the ADSs will be treated
in this manner. Accordingly, deposits or withdrawals of ordinary shares for ADSs will generally not be subject to U.S. federal income
tax.
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Dividends
Subject to the discussion under “—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules” below, distributions paid on the ADSs or ordinary
shares out of our current or accumulated earnings and profits, as determined under U.S. federal income tax principles, will generally be
includible in the gross income of a U.S. Holder as dividend income on the day actually or constructively received by the U.S. Holder, in
the case of ordinary shares, or by the depositary, in the case of ADSs. Because we do not intend to determine our earnings and profits on
the basis of U.S. federal income tax principles, any distribution we pay will generally be treated as a “dividend” for U.S. federal income
tax purposes. Dividends received on the ADSs or ordinary shares will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction allowed to
corporations in respect of dividends received from U.S. corporations. The amount of any dividend income paid in foreign currency will
be the U.S. dollar amount calculated by reference to the spot rate in effect on the date of receipt, regardless of whether the payment is in
fact converted into U.S. dollars on such date. If the dividend is converted into U.S. dollars on the date of receipt, a U.S. Holder generally
should not be required to recognize foreign currency gain or loss in respect of the amount received. A U.S. Holder may have foreign
currency gain or loss if the dividend is converted into U.S. dollars after the date of receipt. Subject to applicable limitations, dividends
paid to certain non-corporate U.S. Holders may be taxable at reduced rates. Non-corporate U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers
regarding the availability of these reduced tax rates in their particular circumstances.
Dividends will generally be treated as income from foreign sources for United States foreign tax credit purposes and will generally
constitute passive category income. In the event that we are deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income
Tax Law, a U.S. Holder may be subject to PRC withholding taxes on dividends paid on the ADSs or ordinary shares. See “Item 10.
Additional Information—Taxation—People’s Republic of China Taxation.” For U.S. federal income tax purposes, the amount of the
dividend income will include amounts withheld in respect of PRC withholding tax if any. Depending on the U.S. Holder’s individual
facts and circumstances, a U.S. Holder may be eligible, subject to a number of complex limitations, to claim a foreign tax credit not in
excess of any applicable treaty rate in respect of any foreign withholding taxes imposed on dividends received on the ADSs or ordinary
shares. A U.S. Holder who does not elect to claim a foreign tax credit for foreign tax withheld may instead claim a deduction, for U.S.
federal income tax purposes in respect of such withholding, but only for a year in which such holder elects to do so for all creditable
foreign income taxes. The rules governing the foreign tax credit are complex and their outcome depends in large part on the U.S.
Holder’s individual facts and circumstances. Accordingly, U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding the availability
of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.
Sale or Other Disposition
Subject to the discussion under “—Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules” below, a U.S. Holder will generally recognize gain
or loss upon the sale or other disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares in an amount equal to the difference between the amount
realized upon the disposition and the holder’s adjusted tax basis in such ADSs or ordinary shares. The gain or loss will generally be
capital gain or loss. Any capital gain or loss will be long term if the ADSs or ordinary shares have been held for more than one year. The
deductibility of a capital loss is subject to limitations.
Any such gain or loss that the U.S. Holder recognizes will generally be treated as U.S. source income or loss for foreign tax credit
limitation purposes, which will generally limit the availability of foreign tax credits. However, in the event we are deemed to be a PRC
resident enterprise under the PRC Enterprise Income Tax Law, we may be eligible for the benefits of the United States-PRC income tax
treaty. In such event, if PRC tax were to be imposed on any gain from the disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares, a U.S. Holder that
is eligible for the benefits of the United States-PRC income tax treaty may elect to treat such gain as PRC source income. If a U.S.
Holder is not eligible for the benefits of the United States-PRC income tax treaty or fails to make the election to treat any gain as foreign
source, then such U.S. Holder may not be able to use the foreign tax credit arising from any PRC tax imposed on the disposition of the
ADSs or ordinary shares unless such credit can be applied (subject to applicable limitations) against U.S. federal income tax due on other
income derived from foreign sources in the same income category (generally, the passive category). Each U.S. Holder is advised to
consult its tax advisor regarding the tax consequences if a foreign tax is imposed on a disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares,
including the availability of the foreign tax credit under its particular circumstances.
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Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules
A non-United States corporation, such as our company, will be classified as a PFIC if, in the case of any particular taxable year,
either (i) 75% or more of its gross income for such year consists of certain types of “passive” income or (ii) 50% or more of the value of
its assets (determined on the basis of a weighted quarterly average) during such year is attributable to assets that produce or are held for
the production of passive income (including cash). Passive income generally includes, among other things, dividends, interest, rents,
royalties, and gains from the disposition of passive assets. For purposes of these rules, we will be treated as owning a proportionate share
of the assets and earning a proportionate share of the income of any other corporation in which we own, directly or indirectly, at least
25% (by value) of the stock.
Based upon the nature of our business, the composition of our income and assets and the value of our assets, including goodwill
(which is based on the market price of our ADSs), we believe we were not a PFIC for 2022. However, our PFIC status for any taxable
year is a factual determination that can be made only after the end of such year, and will depend on the composition of our income and
assets and the value of our assets for such year. Moreover, because we hold, and may continue to hold, a significant amount of cash, our
PFIC status for any taxable year may depend on the value of our goodwill which may be determined, in part, by reference to the market
price of our ADSs, which may change from time to time. In addition, it is not entirely clear how the contractual arrangements between us
and the VIE will be treated for purposes of the PFIC rules. If it were determined that we are not the owner of the stock of the VIE for
U.S. federal income tax purposes, we could be treated as a PFIC. In light of the foregoing, there can be no assurance that we were not, or
will not be, a PFIC for any taxable year, and our U.S. counsel expresses no opinion with respect to our PFIC status for any prior, current
or future taxable year.
If we were a PFIC for 2022 or for any other taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds the ADSs or ordinary shares, and unless
the U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election (as described below), the U.S. Holder will generally be subject to special tax rules that
have a penalizing effect, regardless of whether we remain a PFIC, on (i) any excess distribution that we make to the U.S. Holder (which
generally means any distribution paid during a taxable year to a U.S. Holder that is greater than 125 percent of the average annual
distributions paid in the three preceding taxable years or, if shorter, the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ADSs or ordinary shares),
and (ii) any gain realized on the sale or other disposition of ADSs or ordinary shares. Under the PFIC rules:
● the excess distribution or gain will be allocated ratably over the U.S. Holder’s holding period for the ADSs or ordinary shares;
● the amount allocated to the current taxable year and any taxable years in the U.S. Holder’s holding period prior to the first
taxable year in which we are classified as a PFIC (each, a “pre-PFIC year”), will be taxable as ordinary income;
● the amount allocated to each prior taxable year, other than a pre-PFIC year, will be subject to tax at the highest tax rate in effect
for individuals or corporations, as appropriate, for that year; and
● the interest charge generally applicable to underpayments of tax will be imposed on the tax attributable to each prior
taxable year, other than a pre-PFIC year.
If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. Holder holds the ADSs or ordinary shares and any of our subsidiaries, the
VIE, or any of the subsidiaries of the VIE is also a PFIC, such U.S. Holder would be treated as owning a proportionate amount (by value)
of the shares of the lower-tier PFIC for purposes of the application of these rules. U.S. Holders are urged to consult their tax advisors
regarding the application of the PFIC rules to any of our subsidiaries, the VIE or any of the subsidiaries of the VIE.
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As an alternative to the foregoing rules, a U.S. Holder of “marketable stock” (as defined below) in a PFIC may make a mark-to-
market election with respect to such stock. If a U.S. Holder makes this election with respect to the ADSs, the holder will generally
(i) include as ordinary income for each taxable year that we are a PFIC the excess, if any, of the fair market value of ADSs held at the
end of the taxable year over the adjusted tax basis of such ADSs and (ii) deduct as an ordinary loss in each such taxable year the excess,
if any, of the adjusted tax basis of the ADSs over the fair market value of such ADSs held at the end of the taxable year, but such
deduction will only be allowed to the extent of the amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election. The
U.S. Holder’s adjusted tax basis in the ADSs would be adjusted to reflect any income or loss resulting from the mark-to-market election.
If a U.S. Holder makes a mark-to-market election in respect of the ADSs and we cease to be classified as a PFIC, the holder will not be
required to take into account the gain or loss described above during any period that we are not classified as a PFIC. If a U.S. Holder
makes a mark-to-market election, any gain such U.S. Holder recognizes upon the sale or other disposition of the ADSs in a year when we
are a PFIC will be treated as ordinary income and any loss will be treated as ordinary loss, but such loss will only be treated as ordinary
loss to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market election.
The mark-to-market election is available only for “marketable stock,” which is stock that is regularly traded on a qualified exchange
or other market as defined in applicable United States Treasury regulations. The ADSs will be treated as “regularly traded” for any
calendar year in which more than a de minimis quantity of the ADSs are traded on a qualified exchange on at least 15 days during each
calendar quarter. The Nasdaq Global Market, where our ADSs are listed, is a qualified exchange for this purpose.
Because a mark-to-market election cannot be made for any lower-tier PFICs that we may own, a U.S. Holder may continue to be
subject to the PFIC rules with respect to such U.S. Holder’s indirect interest in any investments held by us that are treated as an equity
interest in a PFIC for U.S. federal income tax purposes.
We do not intend to provide information necessary for U.S. Holders to make qualified electing fund elections which, if available,
would result in tax treatment different from (and generally less adverse than) the general tax treatment for PFICs described above.
If a U.S. Holder owns the ADSs or ordinary shares during any taxable year that we are a PFIC, the holder must generally file an
annual IRS Form 8621 or such other form as is required by the United States Treasury Department. Each U.S. Holder is advised to
consult its tax advisor regarding the potential tax consequences to such holder if we were, are or become a PFIC, including the possibility
of making a mark-to-market election.
Information Reporting and Backup Withholding
Payments of dividends and sales proceeds that are made within the United States or through certain U.S.-related financial
intermediaries may be subject to information reporting and backup withholding, unless (i) the U.S. Holder is a corporation or other
“exempt recipient” and (ii) in the case of backup withholding, the U.S. Holder provides a correct taxpayer identification number and
certifies that it is not subject to backup withholding. The amount of any backup withholding from a payment to a U.S. Holder will be
allowed as a credit against the U.S. Holder’s U.S. federal income tax liability and may entitle it to a refund, provided that the required
information is timely furnished to the IRS.
Certain U.S. Holders who are individuals (or certain specified entities) may be required to report information relating to their
ownership of ADSs or ordinary shares, unless the ADSs or ordinary shares are held in accounts at financial institutions (in which case the
accounts may be reportable if maintained by non-U.S. financial institutions). U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisers regarding
their reporting obligations with respect to the ADSs or ordinary shares.
F.
Dividends and Paying Agents.
Not applicable.
G.
Statement by Experts.
Not applicable.
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H.
Documents on Display
We are subject to periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the Exchange Act as applicable to foreign private
issuers. Accordingly, we are required to file reports, including annual reports on Form 20-F, and other information with the SEC. All
information that we have filed with the SEC can be accessed through the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. As a foreign private issuer, we
are exempt from the rules of the Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of proxy statements to shareholders, and our
executive officers, directors and principal shareholders are not subject to the insider short-swing profit disclosure and recovery provisions
of Section 16 of the Exchange Act.
We intend to furnish the depositary with our annual reports, which will include a review of operations and annual audited
consolidated financial statements prepared in conformity with U.S. GAAP, and all notices of shareholders’ meeting and other reports and
communications that are made generally available to our shareholders. The depositary will make such notices, reports and
communications available to holders of ADSs and, upon our written request, will mail to all record holders of ADSs the information
contained in any notice of a shareholders’ meeting received by the depositary from us.
In accordance with Nasdaq Stock Market Rule 5250(d), we will post this annual report on Form 20-F on our website at
ir.fangdd.com. In addition, we will provide hard copies of our annual report free of charge to shareholders and ADS holders upon
request.
I.
Subsidiary Information
Not applicable.
J.
Annual Report to Security Holders
Not Applicable.
ITEM 11. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK.
Foreign Exchange Risk
Substantially all of our revenues and expenses are denominated in Renminbi. Although our exposure to foreign exchange risks
should be limited in general, the value of your investment in the ADSs will be affected by the exchange rate between U.S. dollar and
Renminbi because the value of our business is effectively denominated in Renminbi, while the ADSs will be traded in U.S. dollars.
The conversion of Renminbi into foreign currencies, including U.S. dollars, is based on rates set by the People’s Bank of China. The
Renminbi has fluctuated against the U.S. dollar, at times significantly and unpredictably. The value of the Renminbi against the U.S.
dollar and other currencies is affected by changes in China’s political and economic conditions and by China’s foreign exchange policies,
among other things. It is difficult to predict how market forces or PRC or U.S. government policy may impact the exchange rate between
Renminbi and the U.S. dollar in the future.
To the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars into Renminbi for our operations, appreciation of the Renminbi against the U.S.
dollar would have an adverse effect on the Renminbi amount we receive from the conversion. Conversely, if we decide to convert
Renminbi into U.S. dollars for the purpose of making payments for dividends on our ordinary shares or ADSs or for other business
purposes, appreciation of the U.S. dollar against the Renminbi would have a negative effect on the U.S. dollar amounts available to us.
Interest Rate Risk
We have not been exposed to material risks due to changes in market interest rates, and we have not used any derivative financial
instruments to manage our interest risk exposure. We do not expect rising or falling interest rates to have a material impact on our
financial condition unless uncertainty about the direction and timing of interest rate changes materially affects the level of borrowing and
lending activity in the economy.
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ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES.
A.
Debt Securities.
Not applicable.
B.
Warrants and Rights
Not applicable.
C.
Other Securities.
Not applicable.
D.
American Depositary Shares.
Fees and Charges Our ADS Holders May Have to Pay
The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, registers and delivers ADSs. Each ADS represents 375 Class A ordinary shares
deposited with The Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, as custodian for the depositary in Hong Kong. Each ADS
will also represent any other securities, cash or other property that may be held by the depositary. The deposited Class A ordinary shares
together with any other securities, cash or other property held by the depositary are referred to as the deposited securities. The
depositary’s office at which the ADSs will be administered is located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, NY 10286.
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An ADS holder will be required to pay the following fees under the terms of the deposit agreement:
Persons depositing or withdrawing shares or ADS
holders must pay
$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)
For
Issuance of ADSs upon deposit of shares (excluding issuances as a
result of distributions of shares)
Cancellation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if
the deposit agreement terminates
$.05 (or less) per ADS
Any cash distribution to ADS holders
A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities
distributed to you had been shares and the shares had been
deposited for issuance of ADSs
Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited
securities (including rights) that are distributed by the depositary to
ADS holders
$.05 (or less) per ADS per calendar year
Depositary services
Registration or transfer fees
Expenses of the depositary
Transfer and registration of shares on our share register to or from
the name of the depositary or its agent when you deposit or
withdraw shares
Cable (including SWIFT) and facsimile transmissions (when
expressly provided in the deposit agreement)
Converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars
Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the
custodian have to pay on any ADSs or shares underlying ADSs,
such as stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes
As necessary
Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing
the deposited securities
As necessary
Fees and Other Payments Made by the Depositary to Us
From time to time, the depositary may waive fees and expenses for services provided to us by the depositary. In performing its duties
under the deposit agreement, the depositary may use brokers, dealers, foreign currency dealers or other service providers that are owned
by or affiliated with the depositary and that may earn fees, spreads or commissions. For the year ended December 31, 2022, we did not
receive any fees or other payments from the depositary.
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ITEM 13. DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES.
PART II
None.
ITEM 14. MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS.
See “Item 10. Additional Information—B. Memorandum and Articles of Association—Ordinary Shares” for a description of the
rights of securities holders, which remain unchanged.
Use of Proceeds
The following “Use of Proceeds” information relates to the Registration Statement on Form F-1, as amended (File number: 333-
234130) in relation to the initial public offering of 6,500,179 ADSs (reflecting the exercise of the over-allotment option by the
underwriters to purchase an additional 500,179 ADSs) representing 162,504,475 of our Class A ordinary shares, at a public offering price
of US$13.00 per ADS. Our initial public offering closed in November 2019. Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, UBS Securities LLC, China
International Capital Corporation Hong Kong Securities Limited and AMTD Global Markets Limited were the representatives of the
underwriters for our initial public offering. None of the transaction expenses included payments to directors or officers of our company
or their associates, persons owning more than 10% or more of our equity securities, or our affiliates. None of the net proceeds from the
initial public offering were paid, directly or indirectly, to any of our directors or officers or their associates, persons owning 10% or more
of our equity securities, or our affiliates.
We received net proceeds of approximately US$71.6 million from our initial public offering and exercise of over-allotment option.
For the period from November 1, 2019 to December 31, 2022, we used approximately US$66.0 million of the net proceeds from our
initial public offering to enhance our research and product development capabilities, invest in sales and marketing, fund working capital
and for general corporate purposes. We still intend to use the remainder of the proceeds from our initial public offering as disclosed in the
prospectus of our initial public offering to enhance our research and product development capabilities and invest in technology, sales,
marketing and branding, and for working capital and general corporate purposes, including funding potential investments and
acquisitions of complementary businesses, assets and technologies. We may also use a portion of the net proceeds for investing in, or
acquiring, complementary businesses, although we have not identified any near-term investment or acquisition targets.
ITEM 15. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.
Evaluation of Disclosure Controls and Procedures
Our management, with the participation of our chief executive officer and financial controller, has performed an evaluation of the
effectiveness of our disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) as of the end of the period
covered by this annual report.
Based upon that evaluation, our management has concluded that, due to the outstanding material weakness described below, as of
December 31, 2022, our disclosure controls and procedures were not effective in ensuring that the information required to be disclosed
by us in the reports that we file and furnish under the Exchange Act was recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time
periods specified in the SEC’s rules and forms, and that the information required to be disclosed by us in the reports that we file or
submit under the Exchange Act was accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer and
financial controller, to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
Management’s Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Our management is responsible for establishing and maintaining adequate internal control over financial reporting, as defined in
Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act.
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Our management evaluated the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting, as required by Rule 13a-15(c) of the
Exchange Act, based on criteria established in the framework in Internal Control-Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the Committee
of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, our management has concluded that our internal
control over financial reporting was ineffective as of December 31, 2022 due to one “material weakness” in our internal control over
financial reporting.
As defined in the standards established by the U.S. Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, a “material weakness” is a
deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a
material misstatement of the annual or interim consolidated financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.
The material weakness identified relates to the lack of sufficient financial reporting and accounting personnel with appropriate
understanding of U.S. GAAP to implement formal period-end financial reporting policies and procedures, to address complex U.S.
GAAP technical accounting issues, and to prepare and review our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in accordance
with U.S. GAAP and financial reporting requirements set forth by the SEC.
To remedy the identified material weakness, we have adopted and are in the process of implementing a number of measures to
improve our internal control over financial reporting, including: (i) hiring additional qualified personnel with U.S. GAAP expertise and
SEC reporting experience to further build an internal financial reporting team and a dedicated internal audit department; (ii) adopting
accounting and internal control guidance on U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting, (iii) upgrading our financial system to enhance its
effectiveness and enhance control of financial analysis, (iv) establishing effective oversight and clarifying reporting requirements for
non-recurring and complex transactions to ensure consolidated financial statements and related disclosures are accurate, complete and in
compliance with U.S. GAAP and SEC reporting requirements, and (v) continuing to conduct accounting and financial reporting training
for our employees.
We are fully committed to the implementation of these and other measures to remediate the material weakness in our internal control
over financial reporting. However, the implementation of these measures may not fully address the deficiencies in our internal control
over financial reporting. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry— We have
identified a material weakness in internal control over financial reporting, and we cannot assure you that additional material weaknesses
will not be identified in the future. Our failure to implement and maintain effective internal control over financial reporting could result
in failure to accurately report our financial results or prevent fraud, or result in material misstatements in our financial statements which
could cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information and have a negative effect on the price of the ADSs.”
Attestation Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
This annual report does not include an attestation report of our company’s independent registered public accounting firm due to the
transition periods established by rules of the SEC for an Emerging Growth Company.
Changes in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
Except for the measures to improve our internal control over financial reporting as described in this annual report, there were no
changes in our internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this annual report that have materially
affected, or are reasonably likely to materially affect, our internal control over financial reporting.
ITEM 16A. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.
Our board of directors has determined that Yang Li, an independent director and member of our audit committee, qualifies as an
“audit committee financial expert.”
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ITEM 16B. CODE OF ETHICS.
Our board of directors has adopted a code of ethics that applies to all of the directors, officers and employees of us and our
subsidiaries, whether they work for us on a full-time, part-time, consultative, or temporary basis. Certain provisions of the code apply
specifically to our chief executive officer, chief operating officer, senior finance officer, controller, senior vice presidents, vice presidents
and any other persons who perform similar functions for us. We have posted a copy of our code of business conduct and ethics on our
website at http://ir.fangdd.com.
ITEM 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.
The following table sets forth the aggregate fees by categories specified below in connection with certain professional services
rendered by our principal external accounting firms:
Audit fees(1)
Tax fees(2)
Total
For the Year Ended December 31,
2021
2022
(in RMB thousands)
5,000
208
5,208
4,120
—
4,120
(1) “Audit fees” means the aggregate fees billed in each of the fiscal years indicated for professional services rendered by our principal
external auditors for the audit of our annual consolidated financial statements and agreed-upon procedures performed in relation to
interim financial information.
(2) “Tax fee” means the aggregate fees billed in each of the fiscal years indicated for professional services rendered by our principal
auditors for tax advice.
The policy of our audit committee is to pre-approve all auditing and non-auditing services permitted to be performed by our
independent registered public accounting firm.
ITEM 16D. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES.
Not applicable.
ITEM 16E. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS.
See “Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions—Transactions with ZX
INTERNATIONAL LTD and Mr. Xi Zeng” for a description of the purchases of equity securities by affiliated purchasers.
ITEM 16F. CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT.
KPMG Huazhen LLP, or KPMG, was previously the principal accountants for us. On July 25, 2022, KPMG was dismissed. On July
29, 2022, Audit Alliance LLP, or Audit Alliance, was engaged as our principal accountants. The decision to change accountants was
approved by our audit committee of the board of directors.
During the two fiscal years ended December 31, 2021, and the subsequent interim period through July 25, 2022, there were no: (1)
disagreements with KPMG on any matter of accounting principles or practices, financial statement disclosure, or auditing scope or
procedures, which disagreements if not resolved to their satisfaction would have caused them to make reference in connection with their
opinion to the subject matter of the disagreement, or (2) reportable events, except that KPMG advised us of the following material
weakness:
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As of December 31, 2020 and 2021, we did not maintain effective internal control over financial reporting due to one material
weakness identified relating to the lack of sufficient financial reporting and accounting personnel with appropriate understanding of U.S.
GAAP to implement formal period-end financial reporting policies and procedures, to address complex U.S. GAAP technical accounting
issues, and to prepare and review our consolidated financial statements and related disclosures in accordance with U.S. GAAP and
financial reporting requirements set forth by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.
The audit reports of KPMG on our consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020 did
not contain any adverse opinion or disclaimer of opinion, nor were they qualified or modified as to uncertainty, audit scope, or
accounting principles, except as follows:
KPMG’s report on our consolidated financial statements as of and for the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2020, contained a
separate paragraph stating that “the Company has suffered recurring losses from operations and a significant decline in revenue during
the year ended December 31, 2021, that raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in
regard to these matters are also described in Note 2(b). The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might
result from the outcome of this uncertainty.”
A letter from KPMG is attached as Exhibit 16.1 to this annual report on Form 20-F.
During our two most recent fiscal years and through the subsequent interim period on or prior to July 25, 2022, neither we nor
anyone on our behalf has consulted with Audit Alliance on either (a) the application of accounting principles to a specified transaction,
either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on our financial statements, and neither a written report
nor oral advice was provided to us by Audit Alliance that Audit Alliance concluded was an important factor considered by us in reaching
a decision as to any accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (b) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement, as that
term is defined in Item 16F(a)(1)(iv) of Form 20-F (and the related instructions thereto) or a reportable event as set forth in Item 16F(a)
(1)(v) of Form 20-F.
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ITEM 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE.
As a Cayman Islands exempted company listed on the Nasdaq Global Market, we are subject to the Nasdaq corporate governance
listing standards. However, Nasdaq Stock Market Rules permit a foreign private issuer like us to follow the corporate governance
practices of its home country. Certain corporate governance practices in the Cayman Islands, which is our home country, may differ
significantly from the Nasdaq Stock Market Rules. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to the ADSs—Since
shareholder rights under Cayman Islands law differ from those under U.S. law, you may have difficulty protecting your shareholder
rights.”
We have elected to follow home country practice in lieu of the requirements that:
● the board of directors be comprised of a majority of independent directors under Nasdaq Rule 5605(b)(1);
● the compensation committee be comprised solely of independent directors under Nasdaq Rule 5605(d)(2)(A);
● director nominees be selected or recommended for the board’s selection by a nominating committee comprised solely of
independent directors under Nasdaq Rule 5605(e)(1);
● an annual meeting of shareholders be held no later than one year after the end of a fiscal year under Nasdaq Rule 5620(a); and
● shareholder approval be obtained for a 20% issuance at a price that is less than lower of: (i) the Nasdaq Official Closing Price
(as reflected on Nasdaq.com) immediately preceding the signing of the binding agreement; or (ii) the average Nasdaq Official Closing
Price of the stock (as reflected on Nasdaq.com) for the five trading days immediately preceding the signing of the binding agreement
under Nasdaq Rule 5635(d).
See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors— Risks Related to the ADSs—As a foreign private issuer, we are permitted to, and
we have elected to, rely on exemptions from certain Nasdaq corporate governance standards applicable to U.S. issuers, including the
requirement that a majority of an issuer’s directors consist of independent directors. This may afford less protection to holders of our
Class A ordinary shares and ADSs.” Other than the home country practices described above, we are not aware of any significant
differences between our corporate governance practices and those followed by U.S. domestic companies under Nasdaq Stock Market
Rules.
ITEM 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
Not applicable.
ITEM 16I. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
On December 16, 2021, the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or the PCAOB, issued a report to notify the SEC its
determinations that it was unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in Mainland
China and Hong Kong, and identified the registered public accounting firms that were subject to such determinations. Our former auditor
was identified by the PCAOB and was subject to the determination. On May 26, 2022, we were conclusively identified by the SEC as a
Commission-Identified Issuer under the Holdings Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCA Act, following the filing of our
annual report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2021. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB issued a report that
vacated its December 16, 2021 determination and removed Mainland China and Hong Kong from the list of jurisdictions where it was
unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms.
We have engaged our current auditor, a Singapore-based accounting firm that is registered with the PCAOB, as our independent
registered public accounting firm for the fiscal year ending December 31, 2022, and our current auditor can be inspected under the
PCAOB requirements.
144
Table of Contents
As of the date of this annual report, (i) no ordinary shares of our company are held by governmental entities in Mainland China,
Hong Kong, British Virgin Islands or Cayman Islands in which we are incorporated; (ii) no governmental entities in the jurisdiction of
our former auditor have a controlling financial interest with respect to us; (iii) no member of the board of directors of our company or our
variable interest entities is an official of the Chinese Communist Party; and (vi) our currently effective memorandum and articles of
associate do not contain charter or the text of charter of the Chinese Communist Party.
ITEM 16J.
INSIDER TRADING POLICIES
Not Applicable.
145
Table of Contents
PART III
ITEM 17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
We have elected to provide financial statements pursuant to Item 18.
ITEM 18. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
Our consolidated financial statements are included at the end of this annual report.
146
Table of Contents
ITEM 19. EXHIBITS.
Exhibit No.
1.1
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7*
4.1
4.2
4.3
4.4
4.5
4.6
4.7
4.8
4.9
4.10
4.11
Description of Exhibit
Fifth Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 3.2 to our registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8,
2019)
Registrant’s Specimen American Depositary Receipt (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.1 to our registration statement
on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Class A ordinary shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.2 to the registration
statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
Deposit Agreement among the Registrant, the depositary and the owners and holders of American Depositary Shares, dated as of
October 31, 2019 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-237506),
filed with the SEC on March 31, 2020)
Amended and Restated Shareholders’ Agreement, dated as of June 30, 2015, by and among the Registrant and the holders of the
Registrant’s ordinary and preferred shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.4 to the registration statement on Form F-1
(File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
Amendment to the Amended and Restated Shareholders Agreement, dated as of October 8, 2019, by and among the Registrant and
the holders of the Registrant’s ordinary and preferred shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.5 to the registration
statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
Letter Agreement, dated as of October 31, 2019, by and among the Registrant, certain shareholders of the Registrant and other
parties (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 2.6 from our annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-39109), initially filed with the
Commission on April 15, 2020)
Description of Securities
Amended and Restated 2018 Share Incentive Plan (incorporated by reference to Exhibit 10.1 to our S-8 registration statement (File
No. 333-237506) filed with the SEC on March 31, 2020)
Form of Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and its director and executive officers (incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 10.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on
October 8, 2019)
Form of Director Agreement between the Registrant and its directors (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the
registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
Form of Employment Agreement between the Registrant and its executive officers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4
to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
English translation of the Business Operation Agreement, dated as of June 8, 2017 entered by and among Shenzhen Fangdd
Information Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., and each shareholder of Shenzhen Fangdd
Network Technology Co., Ltd. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.5 to our registration statement on Form F-1 (File
No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
English translation of the Powers of Attorney, dated as of June 8, 2017, issued by each shareholder of Shenzhen Fangdd Network
Technology Co., Ltd. to irrevocably appoint Mr. Jiancheng Li as such shareholder’s attorney-in-fact to exercise all shareholder rights
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.6 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended,
initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
English translation of the Equity Interest Pledge Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2014 and December 20, 2017, respectively,
entered by and among Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., and
each shareholder of Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.7 to the
registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
English translation of the Supplementary Agreement to the Equity Interest Pledge Agreement, dated as of August 1, 2018, entered
by and among Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., and several
shareholders of Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.8 to the registration
statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
English translation of the Technology Development and Application Service Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2014, entered by and
among Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd. (incorporated
herein by reference to Exhibit 10.9 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with
the SEC on October 8, 2019)
English translation of the Operation Maintenance Service Agreement, dated as of March 21, 2014, entered by and among Shenzhen
Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd. and Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd. (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 10.10 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on
October 8, 2019)
English translation of the Option Agreements entered by and among Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen
Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., and each shareholder of Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd.
147
Table of Contents
4.12
4.13
4.14
4.15
4.16
4.17
4.18
8.1*
11.1
12.1*
12.2*
13.1**
13.2**
15.1*
15.2*
15.3*
15.4**
16.1*
101.INS*
101.SCH*
101.CAL*
101.DEF*
101.LAB*
101.PRE*
104*
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.11 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended,
initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
English translation of the Supplementary Agreement to the Option Agreement, dated August 1, 2018, entered by and among
Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd., Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., and several shareholders of
Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd. (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.12 to the registration statement on
Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
Share Subscription Agreement, dated as of November 30, 2022, between Fangdd Network Group Ltd. and ZX INTERNATIONAL
LTD (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the current report on Form 6-K (File No. 001-39109) furnished to the SEC
on November 30, 2022)
Form of Securities Purchase Agreement between Fangdd Network Group Ltd. and certain investors (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the current report on Form 6-K (File No. 001-39109) furnished to the SEC on December 8, 2022)
Form of Convertible Note Purchase Agreement between Fangdd Network Group Ltd. and the purchaser (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the current report on Form 6-K (File No. 001-39109) furnished to the SEC on January 13, 2023)
Share Subscription Agreement, dated as of January 13, 2023, between Fangdd Network Group Ltd. and ZX INTERNATIONAL
LTD (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99.3 to the current report on Form 6-K (File No. 001-39109) furnished to the SEC
on January 13, 2023)
Form of Securities Purchase Agreement between Fangdd Network Group Ltd. and certain investors (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the current report on Form 6-K (File No. 001-39109) furnished to the SEC on March 2, 2023)
Form of Note Conversion Agreement, dated as of March 9, 2023, between Fangdd Network Group Ltd. and the holder of the Note
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99.2 to the current report on Form 6-K (File No. 001-39109) furnished to the SEC on
March 9, 2023)
Principal Subsidiaries of the Registrant
Code of Business Conduct and Ethics of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 99.1 to the registration
statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-234130) filed with the SEC on October 8, 2019)
Certification by Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Certification by Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Certification by Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Certification by Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Consent of KPMG Huazhen LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consent of Audit Alliance LLP, Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Consent of Global Law Office
Submission under Item 16I(a) of Form 20-F in relation to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act
Letter from KPMG Huazhen LLP to the Securities and Exchange Commission
XBRL Instance Document
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)
*
Filed herewith
** Furnished herewith
148
Table of Contents
The registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused and authorized
the undersigned to sign this annual report on its behalf.
SIGNATURES
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
/s/ Xi Zeng
By:
Name:Xi Zeng
Title: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive
Officer
Date: April 19, 2023
149
Table of Contents
FANGDD NETWORK GROUP LTD.
INDEX TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
CONTENTS
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM -AUDIT ALLIANCE LLP (PCAOB
PAGE(S)
ID:3487)
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM -KPMG HUAZHEN LLP (PCAOB
ID:1186)
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2021 AND 2022
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31,
2020, 2021 AND 2022
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020,
2021 AND 2022
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS FOR THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2020, 2021
AND 2022
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
F-2
F-3
F-4 – F-5
F-6
F-7 – F-8
F-9 – F-10
F-11 – F-63
F-1
Table of Contents
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors of
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.:
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the “Company”) as of December 31,
2022, the related consolidated statements of comprehensive loss, changes in equity, and cash flows for the year ended December 31,
2022, and the related notes (collectively, the “consolidated financial statements”). In our opinion, the consolidated financial statements
present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2022, and the consolidated results of its
operations and its cash flows for the year ended December 31, 2022, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the
United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).
Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern.
As discussed in Note 2(b) to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has suffered recurring losses from operations, a
significant decline in revenue during the year ended December 31, 2022 and has net current liabilities as of December 31,2022, that raise
substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in
Note 2(b). The consolidated financial statements do not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion
on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance
with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the
PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error
or fraud.
The Company is not required to have, nor we engaged to perform, an audit of its internal control over financial reporting. As part of our
audits, we are required to obtain an understanding of internal control over financial reporting but not for the purpose of expressing an
opinion on the effectiveness of the Company’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether
due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis,
evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the
accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the
consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ Audit Alliance LLP
Singapore
April 19, 2023
PCAOB ID Number: 3487
We have served as the Company’s auditor since 2022.
F-2
Table of Contents
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
To the Shareholders and Board of Directors
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.:
Opinion on the Consolidated Financial Statements
We have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheet of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the Company) as of December 31, 2021,
the related consolidated statements of comprehensive loss, changes in (deficit) equity, and cash flows for each of the years in the two-
year period ended December 31, 2021, and the related notes (collectively, the consolidated financial statements). In our opinion, the
consolidated financial statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the Company as of December 31, 2021,
and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the years in the two-year period ended December 31, 2021, in conformity
with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles.
Going Concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going concern.
As discussed in Note 2(b) to the consolidated financial statements, the Company has suffered recurring losses from operations and a
significant decline in revenue during the year ended December 31, 2021, that raise substantial doubt about its ability to continue as a
going concern. Management’s plans in regard to these matters are also described in Note 2(b). The consolidated financial statements do
not include any adjustments that might result from the outcome of this uncertainty.
Basis for Opinion
These consolidated financial statements are the responsibility of the Company’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion
on these consolidated financial statements based on our audits. We are a public accounting firm registered with the Public Company
Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (PCAOB) and are required to be independent with respect to the Company in accordance
with the U.S. federal securities laws and the applicable rules and regulations of the Securities and Exchange Commission and the
PCAOB.
We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the PCAOB. Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to
obtain reasonable assurance about whether the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error
or fraud.
Our audits included performing procedures to assess the risks of material misstatement of the consolidated financial statements, whether
due to error or fraud, and performing procedures that respond to those risks. Such procedures included examining, on a test basis,
evidence regarding the amounts and disclosures in the consolidated financial statements. Our audits also included evaluating the
accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall presentation of the
consolidated financial statements. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
/s/ KPMG Huazhen LLP
We served as the Company’s auditor from 2016 to 2022.
Shenzhen, China
April 22, 2022
PCAOB ID Number: 1186
F-3
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Assets
Current assets
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash
Short-term investments
Accounts receivable, net
Prepayments and other assets, net
Inventories
Total current assets
Non-current assets
Property, equipment and software, net
Equity method investments, net
Long-term equity investment, net
Goodwill, net
Operating lease right-of-use assets
Total non-current assets
Total assets
Liabilities
Current liabilities
Short-term bank borrowings (including short-term bank borrowings of consolidated VIE without recourse to the
Company of RMB134,780 and RMB72,500 as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Note 1)
Accounts payable (including accounts payable of consolidated VIE without recourse to the Company of
RMB1,154,572 and RMB638,295 as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Note 1)
Customers’ refundable fees (including customers’ refundable fees of consolidated VIE without recourse to the
Company of RMB30,997 and RMB30,747 as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Note 1)
Accrued expenses and other payables (including accrued expenses and other payables of consolidated VIE without
recourse to the Company of RMB171,725 and RMB145,088 as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
Note 1)
Income tax payables (including income tax payables of consolidated VIE without recourse to the Company of
RMB813 and RMB2,468 as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Note 1)
Operating lease liabilities-current (including operating lease liabilities-current of consolidated VIE without recourse
to the Company of nil and RMB1,096 as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Note 1)
Total current liabilities
Non-current liabilities
Income tax payables (including income tax payables of consolidated VIE without recourse to the Company of
RMB27,171 and RMB27,429 as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Note 1)
Operating lease liabilities(including operating lease liabilities of consolidated VIE without recourse to the Company
of nil and RMB791 as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Note 1)
Total non-current liabilities
Total liabilities
Commitments and contingencies (Note 23)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
F-4
2021
RMB
As of December 31,
2022
RMB
US$
Unaudited
(Note 2(g))
492,107
24,131
6,150
884,740
220,171
—
1,627,299
14,562
257,122
14,000
—
—
285,684
1,912,983
134,780
1,175,943
30,997
143,934
38,811
2,000
470,997
191,996
11,157
858,895
3,037
206,086
6,000
454
2,207
217,784
1,076,679
72,500
659,215
30,747
238,198
181,140
813
—
1,580,731
28,575
—
28,575
1,609,306
4,876
1,243
949,721
30,772
792
31,564
981,285
20,868
5,627
290
68,288
27,837
1,618
124,528
440
29,880
870
66
320
31,576
156,104
10,512
95,577
4,458
26,263
707
180
137,697
4,461
115
4,576
142,273
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Equity:
Class A Ordinary shares (US$0.0000001 par value, 5,000,000,000 and 50,000,000,000 shares authorized including
Class A, Class B and Class C ordinary shares, as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively, 1,426,450,073 and
1,850,866,648 shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively)
Class B Ordinary shares (US$0.0000001 par value, 5,000,000,000 and 50,000,000,000 shares authorized including
Class A, Class B and Class C ordinary shares, as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively, 619,938,058 shares
issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2022)
Class C Ordinary shares (US$0.0000001 par value, 5,000,000,000 and 50,000,000,000 shares authorized including
Class A, Class B and Class C ordinary shares, as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively, nil and 75,000
shares issued and outstanding as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively)
Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Accumulated deficit
Total Fangdd Network Group Ltd. shareholders’ equity
Noncontrolling interests
Total equity
Total liabilities and equity
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
F-5
2021
RMB
As of December 31,
2022
RMB
1
—
1
—
—
5,031,772
(404,877)
(4,313,637)
313,259
(9,582)
303,677
1,912,983
—
5,051,631
(393,841)
(4,557,675)
100,116
(4,722)
95,394
1,076,679
US$
Unaudited
(Note 2(g))
—
—
—
732,418
(57,102)
(660,801)
14,515
(684)
13,831
156,104
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE LOSS
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Revenue
Cost of revenue
Gross profit
Operating expenses:
Sales and marketing expenses
Product development expenses
General and administrative expenses
Total operating expenses
Loss from operations
Other income (expenses):
Interest expense, net
Foreign currency exchange (loss) gain, net
Gain on short-term investments
Impairment loss for long-term equity investment
Impairment loss for equity method investments
Impairment loss for non-current assets
Goodwill impairment
Government grants
Other income, net
Share of profit (loss) from equity method investees, net of income tax
Loss before income tax
Income tax expense
Net loss
Net loss(income) attributable to noncontrolling interests
Net loss attributable to Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders
Net loss
Other comprehensive loss
Foreign currency translation adjustment, net of tax
Total comprehensive loss, net of tax
Total comprehensive loss(income) attributable to noncontrolling interests
Total comprehensive loss attributable to ordinary shareholders
Net loss per share attributable to ordinary shareholders -
Basic and diluted
For the Year End December 31,
2020
RMB
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
2,451,287
(2,036,821)
414,466
(38,020)
(301,401)
(301,065)
(640,486)
(226,020)
(12,989)
(4,084)
321
—
—
—
—
22,885
9,207
3,970
(206,710)
(14,665)
(221,375)
1,087
(220,288)
(220,288)
(221,375)
(28,054)
(249,429)
1,087
(248,342)
942,380
(835,873)
106,507
(64,914)
(167,530)
(831,358)
(1,063,802)
(957,295)
(8,317)
(394)
112
(26,000)
(187,329)
(11,543)
(31,188)
22,293
5,618
(47)
(1,194,090)
(8,907)
(1,202,997)
31,832
(1,171,165)
(1,171,165)
(1,202,997)
(7,926)
(1,210,923)
31,832
(1,179,091)
245,948
(221,213)
24,735
(13,195)
(65,971)
(194,962)
(274,128)
(249,393)
(5,140)
375
363
(8,000)
(62,623)
(7,642)
—
14,938
87,041
(2,020)
(232,101)
(7,487)
(239,588)
(4,450)
(244,038)
(244,038)
(239,588)
11,036
(228,552)
(4,450)
(233,002)
US$
Unaudited
(Note 2(g))
35,659
(32,073)
3,586
(1,913)
(9,565)
(28,267)
(39,745)
(36,159)
(745)
54
53
(1,160)
(9,079)
(1,108)
—
2,166
12,620
(293)
(33,651)
(1,086)
(34,737)
(645)
(35,382)
(35,382)
(34,737)
1,600
(33,137)
(645)
(33,782)
(0.11)
(0.58)
(0.12)
(0.02)
Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding used in computing net loss per share -
Basic and diluted
1,993,326,758
2,022,446,988
2,078,624,721
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
F-6
Table of Contents
Balance as of January 1, 2020
Net loss for the year
Exercise of share options by
preferred shareholder
Acquisition of a subsidiary
Share-based compensation
Foreign currency translation
adjustments, net of nil tax
Balance as of December 31, 2020
Balance as of January 1, 2021
Net loss for the year
Exercise of share options under
share- based compensation
Share-based compensation
Acquisition of additional interests
in subsidiaries
Capital contribution from
noncontrolling shareholder
Foreign currency translation
adjustments, net of nil tax
Balance as of December 31,
2021
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Accumulated
other
Total
shareholders’
equity attributable
to Fangdd
comprehensive Accumulated Network Group
Class A Ordinary
shares
Class B Ordinary
shares
Additional
paid-in
capital
RMB
RMB RMB
Shares
1,203,322,178
—
172,908,845
—
—
—
1,376,231,023
Shares
619,938,058
—
—
—
—
—
619,938,058
1
—
—
—
—
—
1
— 4,880,135
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
102,750
—
— 4,982,885
—
(28,054)
(396,951)
loss
RMB
(368,897)
—
deficit
RMB
(2,922,184)
(220,288)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
(3,142,472)
Limited
RMB
1,589,055
(220,288)
—
—
102,750
(28,054)
1,443,463
Total
shareholders’
equity attributable
to Fangdd
Network Group
Limited
RMB
Noncontrolling
interests
RMB
Total equity
RMB
—
(1,087)
1,589,055
(221,375)
—
23,622
—
—
22,535
—
23,622
102,750
(28,054)
1,465,998
Noncontrolling
interests
RMB
Total equity
RMB
Accumulated
other
comprehensive Accumulated
deficit
RMB
Class A Ordinary
shares
Class B Ordinary
shares
Additional
paid-in
capital
Shares
1,376,231,023
—
RMB
Shares
1 619,938,058
—
RMB RMB
— 4,982,885
—
—
—
50,219,050
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1,426,450,073
1
619,938,058
—
—
—
47,067
—
1,820
—
—
—
—
—
loss
RMB
(396,951)
—
—
—
—
—
(7,926)
(3,142,472)
(1,171,165)
1,443,463
(1,171,165)
22,535 1,465,998
(1,202,997)
(31,832)
—
—
—
—
—
—
47,067
—
—
—
47,067
1,820
—
(7,926)
313,259
(1,820)
1,535
—
1,535
—
(7,926)
(9,582)
303,677
5,031,772
(404,877)
(4,313,637)
F-7
Table of Contents
Class A Ordinary
shares
Balance as of
January 1,
2022
Net (loss) income
for the year
Exercise of share
options under
share-based
compensation
Share-based
compensation
Acquisition of a
subsidiary with
noncontrolling
interests (Note
22)
Capital
contribution
from
noncontrolling
shareholder
Disposal of a
subsidiary
Issuance of
Foreign
currency
translation
adjustments,
net of nil tax
Balance as of
December 31,
2022
US$ Unaudited
(Note 2(g))
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN EQUITY (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Shares
RMB
Shares
Class B Ordinary
shares
paid-in
Class C Ordinary
capital
shares
RMB Shares RMB RMB
comprehensive
loss
RMB
Additional Accumulated other
Total shareholders’
equity attributable
Accumulated to Fangdd Network Noncontrolling
Group Limited
RMB
interests
RMB
deficit
RMB
Total
equity
RMB
1,426,450,073
1
619,938,058
—
— —
— —
49,416,575
—
—
—
— —
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
16,724
— 5,031,772
(404,877)
(4,313,637)
313,259
(9,582)
303,677
—
—
—
(244,038)
(244,038)
4,450
(239,588)
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
16,724
—
—
—
16,724
—
(114)
(114)
—
—
3,135
490
34
—
490
34
3,135
11,036
—
11,036
100,116
14,515
(4,722)
95,394
(684)
13,831
— —
— —
—
—
—
— —
— —
— —
— —
—
—
—
—
—
—
ordinary shares
375,000,000
—
—
— 75,000
—
3,135
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
11,036
1,850,866,648
1
619,938,058
— 75,000
— 5,051,631
(393,841)
(4,557,675)
—
—
732,418
(57,102)
(660,801)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
F-8
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
For the Year Ended December 31,
2022
2020
RMB
2021
RMB
RMB
US$
Unaudited
(Note 2(g))
Cash flows from operating activities:
Net loss
Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash used in operating activities
Depreciation and amortization
Amortization of right-of-use assets
Share-based compensation expenses
Gain on short-term investments
Impairment loss for non-current assets
Goodwill impairment
Impairment loss for long-term equity investment
Impairment loss for equity method investments
Impairment on short-term investments
Share of (profit) loss from equity method investments, net of income tax
Dividend received from equity method investments
Allowance (Reversal of allowance) for doubtful accounts
Loss on disposal of property and equipment
Foreign currency exchange loss (gain), net
Deferred income tax expenses
Changes in operating assets and liabilities, net of effects of acquisition
Accounts receivable
Prepayments and other assets
Accounts payable
Customers’ refundable fees
Accrued expenses and other payables
Operating lease liabilities
Income tax payables
Net cash used in operating activities
Cash flows from investing activities:
Purchase of property, equipment and software
Proceeds from disposal of property, equipment and software
Investment in equity method investments
Return of capital from equity method investees
Cash paid for business combination, net of cash acquired
Loans to equity method investees
Cash paid for short-term investments
Proceeds from disposal of short-term investments
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
Cash flows from financing activities:
Proceeds from offering, net of offering cost
Contribution from noncontrolling shareholder
Cash proceeds from short-term bank borrowings
Repayment for short-term bank borrowings
Net cash used in financing activities
(221,375)
(1,202,997)
(239,588)
(34,737)
3,781
—
102,750
(321)
—
—
—
—
—
(3,970)
644
68,581
51
4,084
1,912
(130,045)
8,596
(101,264)
(8,842)
(62,010)
—
12,433
(324,995)
(10,248)
52
(1,458)
115,449
(8,652)
(92,116)
(1,266,273)
1,269,094
5,848
—
—
540,943
(587,500)
(46,557)
7,695
—
47,067
(112)
11,543
31,188
26,000
187,329
—
47
—
612,653
322
394
3,424
867,027
98,000
(620,361)
(8,286)
(126,563)
—
5,012
(60,618)
(12,461)
252
(84,566)
50,088
—
—
(104,139)
107,101
(43,725)
—
1,535
154,180
(462,844)
(307,129)
2,744
597
16,724
(363)
7,642
—
8,000
62,623
149,371
2,020
—
(67,605)
1,280
(375)
—
497,585
3,359
(516,728)
(250)
(59,509)
(769)
6,259
(126,983)
(194)
40
(33,154)
19,547
(648)
—
(464,914)
320,055
(159,268)
3,136
490
72,500
(134,780)
(58,654)
398
87
2,425
(53)
1,108
—
1,160
9,079
21,657
293
—
(9,802)
186
(54)
—
72,143
487
(74,919)
(36)
(8,628)
(111)
907
(18,410)
(28)
6
(4,807)
2,834
(94)
—
(67,406)
46,404
(23,091)
455
71
10,512
(19,541)
(8,503)
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
(32,138)
(397,842)
(8,320)
(419,792)
11,412
(333,493)
1,655
(48,349)
F-9
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASHFLOWS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
For the Year Ended December 31,
2022
2020
RMB
2021
RMB
RMB
US$
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the year
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the year
Supplemental information
Interest paid
Income tax paid
Cash paid for amounts include in operating lease liabilities
1,333,872
936,030
936,030
516,238
516,238
182,745
Unaudited
(Note 2(g))
74,847
26,498
(23,938)
(320)
—
(18,277)
(445)
—
(6,157)
(812)
(887)
(893)
(118)
(129)
The accompanying notes are an integral part of these Consolidated Financial Statements.
F-10
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
1. Organization and principal activities
Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the “Company”) was incorporated in the Cayman Islands on September 19, 2013 as an exempted
company with limited liability under the Companies Law (2011 Revision) (as consolidated and revised) of the Cayman Islands. The
registered office of the Company is at the offices of Appleby Trust (Cayman) Ltd., Clifton House, 75 Fort Street, P.O. Box 1350,
Grand Cayman KY1-1108, Cayman Islands.
The Company is an investment holding company. The Company, through its consolidated subsidiaries, variables interest entity and
variables interest entity’s subsidiaries (together, “the Group”) is principally engaged in the provision of real estate information
services through its online platform which also offers integrated marketing services for individual customers, real estate developers
and agents in the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC”).
The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the financial statements of the Company, its subsidiaries, variable
interest entity (“VIE”) and the VIE’s subsidiaries.
Variable interest entity
The Group conducts the business in the PRC through Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co. Ltd. (“Shenzhen Fangdd”), a
limited liability company established under the laws of the PRC on October 10, 2011. Shenzhen Fangdd holds the necessary PRC
operating licenses for the real estate agency and online business. The equity interests of Shenzhen Fangdd are legally held by
individuals who act as nominee equity holders of Shenzhen Fangdd on behalf of Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co. Ltd.
(“Fangdd Information”). Shenzhen Fangdd entered into a series of contractual agreements with its legal shareholders and Fangdd
Information, including the Business Operation Agreement, Powers of Attorney, Equity Interest Pledge Agreements, Exclusive
Option Agreements, Operation Maintenance Service Agreement and Technology Development and Application Service Agreement
(collectively, the “Shenzhen Fangdd VIE Agreements”) in March 2014 and were subsequently amended in 2017 to reflect the
registration of the Equity Interest Pledge Agreements with the relevant registration authority and amended when certain nominee
equity holders transferred their nominal shareholdings in Shenzhen Fangdd to other nominee equity holders.
Pursuant to the Shenzhen Fangdd VIE Agreements, the Group, through Fangdd Information, is able to exercise effective control
over, bears the risks of, enjoys substantially all of the economic benefits of Shenzhen Fangdd, and has an exclusive option to
purchase all or part of the equity interests in Shenzhen Fangdd when and to the extent permitted by PRC law at a nominal price. The
Company’s management concluded that Shenzhen Fangdd is a consolidated VIE of the Group and Fangdd Information is the
primary beneficiary of Shenzhen Fangdd. As such, the financial results of Shenzhen Fangdd and its subsidiaries are included in the
Consolidated Financial Statements of the Company.
The principal terms of the agreements entered into among Shenzhen Fangdd, the nominee equity holders and Fangdd Information
are further described below.
● Business Operation Agreement
Fangdd Information, Shenzhen Fangdd and Shenzhen Fangdd’s shareholders have entered into a business operation agreement,
pursuant to which Shenzhen Fangdd and its shareholders undertake not to enter into any transactions that may have material
effects on Shenzhen Fangdd’s assets, obligations, rights or business operations without Fangdd Information’s prior written
consent.
F-11
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Additionally, Shenzhen Fangdd’s shareholders undertake that, without the Fangdd Information’s prior written consent, they shall
not (a) sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose of any rights associated with their equity interests in Shenzhen Fangdd,
(b) approve any merger or acquisition of Shenzhen Fangdd, (c) take any actions that may have a material adverse effect on
Shenzhen Fangdd’s assets, businesses and liabilities, or sell, transfer, pledge or otherwise dispose or impose other encumbrances
of any assets, businesses or income of Shenzhen Fangdd, (d) request Shenzhen Fangdd to declare dividend or make other
distribution, (e) amend Shenzhen Fangdd’s articles of association, (f) increase, decrease or otherwise change Shenzhen Fangdd’s
registered capital. Fangdd Information may request Shenzhen Fangdd to transfer at any time all the intellectual property rights held by
Shenzhen Fangdd to Fangdd Information or any person designated by Fangdd Information. Shenzhen Fangdd and certain of its
shareholders, including Yi Duan, Jiancheng Li and Xi Zeng, shall be jointly and severally responsible for the performance of their
obligations under this agreement. This agreement has a term of ten years, which may be extended upon Fangdd Information’s
unilateral written confirmation prior to the expiry. Shenzhen Fangdd has no right of transfer without Fangdd information’s written
confirmation or right of early termination while Fangdd Information may unilaterally transfer its rights and obligations under this
agreement to third parties at any time through written notification and may early terminate this agreement via a 30-day prior written
notice.
● Powers of Attorney
Each of the shareholders of Shenzhen Fangdd has issued a power of attorney, irrevocably appointing Mr. Jiancheng Li, a
director of Fangdd Information, as such shareholder’s attorney-in-fact to exercise all shareholder rights, including, but not
limited to, the right to call shareholders’ meeting, the right to vote on all matters of Shenzhen Fangdd that require shareholders’
approval, and the right to dispose of all or part of the shareholder’s equity interest in Shenzhen Fangdd, on behalf of such
shareholder. The foregoing authorization is conditioned upon Mr. Jiancheng Li’s continuing directorship at Fangdd Information
and Fangdd Information’s written consent to such authorization. In the event that Mr. Jiancheng Li ceases to serve as a director
of Fangdd Information or that Fangdd Information requests the shareholders to terminate the authorization in writing, the power
of attorney will terminate immediately and the shareholder shall then appoint any person designated by Fangdd Information as
his or her attorney-in-fact to exercise all shareholder rights. Other than the foregoing circumstances, the power of attorney will
remain in force until the termination of the business operation agreement and during its effective term, shall not be amended or
terminated without consent of Fangdd Information.
● Equity Interest Pledge Agreements
Each of the shareholders of Shenzhen Fangdd has entered into an equity interest pledge agreement with Fangdd Information and
Shenzhen Fangdd, pursuant to which, the shareholders have pledged all of his or her equity interest in Shenzhen Fangdd to
Fangdd Information to guarantee the performance by Shenzhen Fangdd and its shareholders of their obligations under the main
contracts, which include technology development and application service agreement, the operation maintenance service
agreement, the business operation agreement and the exclusive option agreements. Each shareholder of Shenzhen Fangdd agrees
that, during the term of the equity interest pledge agreement, he or she will not dispose of the pledged equity interests or create
or allow any encumbrance on the pledged equity interests without the prior written consent of Fangdd Information. The equity
interest pledge agreements remain effective until Shenzhen Fangdd and its shareholders discharge all of their obligations under
the main contracts. The Company has registered the equity pledge with the local branches of the Administration for Industry and
Commerce in accordance with the PRC Property Rights Law.
F-12
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
● Exclusive Option Agreements
Fangdd Information, Shenzhen Fangdd and each of the Shenzhen Fangdd’s shareholders have entered into an exclusive option
agreement, pursuant to which each of the Shenzhen Fangdd’s shareholders has irrevocably granted Fangdd Information an
exclusive option, to the extent permitted by PRC law, to purchase, or have its designated person or persons to purchase, at its
discretion all or part of the shareholder’s equity interests in Shenzhen Fangdd or all or part of Shenzhen Fangdd’s assets. The
purchase price shall be a nominal price unless where PRC laws and regulations require valuation of the equity interests or the
assets, or promulgates other restrictions on the purchase price, or otherwise prohibits purchasing the equity interests or the
assets at a nominal price. If the PRC laws and regulations prohibit purchasing the equity interests or the assets at a nominal
price, the purchase price shall be equal to the original investment of the equity interests made by such shareholders or the book
value of the assets. Where PRC laws and regulations require valuation of the equity interests or the assets or promulgates other
restrictions on the purchase price, the purchase price shall be the minimum price permitted under PRC laws and regulations.
However, if the minimum price permitted under PRC laws and regulations exceed the original investment of the equity interests
or the book value of the assets, Shenzhen Fangdd’s shareholders shall reimburse Fangdd Information the exceeded amount after
deducting all taxes and fees paid under PRC laws and regulations. The shareholders of Shenzhen Fangdd undertake, among
other things, that they shall not take any actions that may have material effects on Shenzhen Fangdd’s assets, businesses and
liabilities, nor shall they appoint or replace any directors, supervisors and officers of Shenzhen Fangdd without Fangdd
Information’s prior written consent. These agreements have terms of ten years, which may be extended upon Fangdd
Information’s written confirmation prior to the expiry.
● Operation Maintenance Service Agreement
Fangdd Information and Shenzhen Fangdd have entered into an operation maintenance service agreement, pursuant to which
Fangdd Information has the exclusive right to provide Shenzhen Fangdd with operation maintenance services and marketing
services. Without Fangdd Information’s written consent, Shenzhen Fangdd shall not engage any third party to provide the
services covered by this agreement. Shenzhen Fangdd agrees to pay service fees on an annual basis and at an amount
determined by Fangdd Information after taking into account factors such as the labor cost, facility cost and marketing expenses
incurred by Fangdd Information in providing the services. Unless otherwise agreed by both parties, this agreement will remain
effective until Fangdd Information ceases business operations.
● Technology Development and Application Service Agreement
Fangdd Information and Shenzhen Fangdd have entered into a technology development and application service agreement,
pursuant to which, Fangdd Information has the exclusive right to provide Shenzhen Fangdd with technology development and
application services. Without Fangdd Information’s written consent, Shenzhen Fangdd shall not accept any technology
development and application services covered by this agreement from any third party. Shenzhen Fangdd agrees to pay service
fees on an annual basis and at an amount determined by Fangdd Information after taking into account multiple factors, such as
the labor and time consumed for provision of the service, the type and complexity of the services provided, the difficulties in
providing the service, the commercial value of services provided and the market price of comparable services. Unless otherwise
agreed by the parties, this agreement will remain effective until Fangdd Information ceases business operations.
F-13
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Risks in relation to Shenzhen Fangdd structure
In the opinion of the Company’s management, the contractual arrangements have resulted in Fangdd Information having the power
to direct activities that most significantly impact Shenzhen Fangdd and Shenzhen Fangdd’s subsidiaries, including appointing key
management, setting up operating policies, exerting financial controls and transferring profit or assets out of Shenzhen Fangdd and
Shenzhen Fangdd’s subsidiaries at its discretion. Fangdd Information considers that it has the right to receive all the benefits and
assets of Shenzhen Fangdd and Shenzhen Fangdd’ subsidiaries. As Shenzhen Fangdd and Shenzhen Fangdd’s subsidiaries were
established as limited liability companies under the PRC law, their creditors do not have recourse to the general credit of Fangdd
Information for the liabilities of Shenzhen Fangdd and VIE’s subsidiaries, and Fangdd Information does not have the obligation to
assume the liabilities of Shenzhen Fangdd and VIE’ subsidiaries.
The Group has determined that Shenzhen Fangdd VIE Agreements are in compliance with PRC laws and are legally enforceable.
However, uncertainties in the PRC legal system could limit the Group’s ability to enforce Shenzhen Fangdd VIE Agreements.
If the PRC government finds that these contractual arrangements do not comply with its restrictions on foreign investment in the
internet business, or if the PRC government otherwise finds that the Group, the VIE, or any of its subsidiaries is in violation of PRC
laws or regulations or lack the necessary permits or licenses to operate the business, the relevant PRC regulatory authorities,
including but not limited to the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology of the People’s Republic China (“MIIT”), which
regulates internet information service companies, would have broad discretion in dealing with such violations, including:
● revoking the business and operating licenses;
● discontinuing or restricting the operations;
● imposing fines or confiscating any of the income that they deem to have been obtained through illegal operations;
● imposing conditions or requirements with which the Group or the PRC subsidiaries and affiliates may not be able to
comply;
● requiring the Company or the PRC subsidiaries and affiliates to restructure the relevant ownership structure or operations;
● placing restrictions on the right to collect revenues;
● restricting or prohibiting the use of the proceeds from future offerings to finance the business and operations of the VIE;
and
● taking other regulatory or enforcement actions that could be harmful to the business.
The imposition of any of these penalties could have a material and adverse effect on the business, financial condition and results of
operations. If any of these penalties results in the inability to direct the activities of the VIE that most significantly impact its
economic performance, and/or failure to receive the economic benefits from the VIE, the Group may not be able to consolidate the
financial results of the VIE and its subsidiaries in Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted
accounting principles.
There is no VIE in which the Group has a variable interest but is not the primary beneficiary. Currently there is no contractual
arrangement that could require the Group to provide additional financial support to Shenzhen Fangdd.
F-14
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The following consolidated assets and liabilities information of the Group’s VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries as of December 31, 2021
and 2022, and consolidated operating results and cash flows information for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022,
have been included in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements:
Cash and cash equivalents
Restricted cash
Short-term investments
Accounts receivable, net
Amount due from related parties*
Prepayments and other current assets, net
Inventories
Total current assets
Property, equipment and software, net
Equity method investments, net
Long-term equity investment, net
Operating lease right-of-use assets
Total non-current assets
Total assets
Short-term bank borrowings
Accounts payable
Customers’ refundable fees
Current instalments of long-term loans from a related party**
Amounts due to related parties*
Accrued expenses and other payables
Income tax payables
Operating lease liabilities-current
Total current liabilities
Non-current liabilities
Income tax payables
Operating lease liabilities
Long-term loans from a related party excluding current instalments**
Total non-current liabilities
Total liabilities
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
227,742
24,131
6,150
879,103
627,140
206,689
—
1,970,955
14,562
256,062
14,000
—
284,624
2,255,579
134,780
1,154,572
30,997
234,000
207,400
171,725
813
—
1,934,287
27,171
—
1,128,000
1,155,171
3,089,458
2022
RMB
56,850
38,811
2,000
466,269
600,557
188,144
11,157
1,363,788
3,036
204,850
6,000
2,032
215,918
1,579,706
72,500
638,295
30,747
—
183,076
145,088
2,468
1,096
1,073,270
27,429
791
1,352,000
1,380,220
2,453,490
* Amounts due from and to related parties represent the amounts due from and to subsidiaries other than the Group’s VIE and
VIE’s subsidiaries, which are eliminated upon consolidation.
** Long-term loans from a related party represents entrusted loans with 3-year term at annual interest rate of 0.2-0.5% (2021: 0.2-
0.5)% from Fangdd Information via Bank of China in Shenzhen, which are eliminated upon consolidation.
F-15
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Total revenue
Net loss
Net cash used in operating activities
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
Net decrease in cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the beginning of the year
Cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash at the end of the year
Sales Commitment Arrangements
For the Year Ended December 31,
2021
RMB
905,284
(1,031,939)
(20,162)
(43,725)
(167,363)
(231,250)
483,123
251,873
2020
RMB
2,450,937
(83,285)
(312,630)
14,500
134,964
(163,166)
646,289
483,123
2022
RMB
239,879
(43,722)
(77,162)
(8,355)
(70,695)
(156,212)
251,873
95,661
Certain property sales contracts entered with real estate developers provide the Group with exclusive selling rights for the selected
properties for a specific period of time (the “Exclusive Sales Contracts”), which typically lasts for several months. Certain of these
Exclusive Sales Contracts requires the Group or, in case of tri-party agreements (see below), the Group’s equity method investees to
purchase any unsold units of properties at the end of the exclusive sales period (the “Sales Commitment Arrangements”). Under the
Sales Commitment Arrangements, the real estate developers either enter into project sales contracts with the Group directly (the
“Self-Commitment Arrangements”) or enter into tri-party agreements with the Group and its equity method investees (the “Non-
Group Commitment Arrangements”). The Group, or in case of tri-party agreements, its equity method investees is required to
advance real estate developer an initial deposit prior to the commencement of the exclusive sales period. The amount of initial
deposits required is generally determined at a percentage of the minimum transaction price, as pre-agreed with the real estate
developer, of the properties (the “Base Transaction Price”) to be sold to home purchasers in the market during the exclusive sales
period. The amount of deposits advanced by the Group, or its equity method investees are adjusted throughout the exclusive sales
period based on an agreed schedule such that 100% of the Base Transaction Price for the unsold properties, if any, is advanced to the
real estate developers at the end of the exclusive sales period. If all properties are sold during the exclusive sales period, any
outstanding deposits are immediately returned to the Group, or its equity method investees. Under all of these arrangements, the
Group is responsible to render the properties sales services as specified in the exclusive sales contracts.
For Self-Commitment Arrangements, the Group is required under the project sales contracts to advance the deposits and purchase
any unsold properties at the Base Transaction Price at the end of exclusive sales period. The Group would either finance the entire
deposits with its own fund or by entering into separate collaborative agreements with certain funds providers (the “Self-Commitment
Collaborative Agreements”) that, are either independent third parties or the Group’s equity method investees, to fully or partially
fund the deposits required. The funds providers provide the Group with the funds required and requested the funds to be designated
for use in a specific Self-Commitment Arrangement. Pursuant to the Self-Commitment Collaborative Agreements, the Group is
required to share with the funds provider a portion of the Base Commission Income (see note 2(v)) and any Sales Incentive Income
(see note 2(v)) earned, based on the agreed profit sharing arrangements. However, the Group does not commit or guarantee them any
minimum return. Also, there is no limit on the reward that accrues to either the Group or the funds providers. The amounts of profit
shared with the funds providers under the Self-Commitment Collaborative Agreements are recorded in “Cost of revenue” in the
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. The funds provided by these independent third parties or equity method investees
to the Company to fulfil the deposits requirement under the Self-Commitment Arrangements are recorded as “Amounts due to third
parties under collaborative agreements” or “Amounts due to equity method investees under collaborative agreements”. The deposits
advanced by the Group to the property developers, either using entirely its own funds or combining its own funds with funds
provided by funds providers, are recorded as “Security deposits with real estate developers” included in “Prepayments and other
assets, net” (see note 7(2)) on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
F-16
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
For Non-Group Commitment Arrangements, the equity method investees of the Group are obliged to pay the deposits required
directly to the real estate developers and subject to the commitment to purchase any unsold properties at the Base Transaction Price
at the end of exclusive sales period. No payable to the equity method investees or deposits with real estate developers were recorded
on the Consolidated Balance Sheets in respect of the deposits payments or refund transactions directly made by the funds providers
to property developers, as the Group is not the obligator for such deposit payments or the purchase commitment regarding the unsold
properties. The Group would enter into separate collaborative agreements (the “Non-Group Collaborative Agreements”) to set out
the basis of sharing of the Base Commission Income and any Sales Incentive Income earned, with the equity method investees under
the Non-Group Commitment Arrangements. And the Group does not commit or guarantee them any minimum return. Also, there is
no limit on the reward that accrues to either the Group or these equity method investees.
Under certain Non-Group Commitment Arrangements entered into amongst the Group, the equity method investees and real estate
developers in 2019 and 2020, the equity method investee (i.e. fund provider) has the option to withdraw from the arrangement by
paying a penalty to the real estate developer at any time during the term of the arrangement. The withdrawal penalty is based on
either not more than 10% of the total Based Transaction Price of all properties or not more than 10% of the Based Transaction Price
of the unsold properties at the withdrawal date. The Group is not responsible for the penalty payment. Upon the withdrawal by the
fund provider, the Non-Group Commitment Arrangement would be terminated, and the Group would cease to have the right of
exclusive sales. The Group did not enter into any such arrangement during 2021 and 2022.
Although the Group is responsible to design and execute the overall sales plan as well as managing and directing its Registered
Agents to facilitate the property transactions, the equity method investees do not simply provide financial resources but also
participate in these processes through joint evaluation with the Group about the marketability of the specified properties and their
pricing strategy. The Non-Group Collaborative Arrangements are accounted for under ASC 808 with costs incurred and revenue
generated by the Group and the equity method investees reported in their respective Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive
Loss. Revenue earned from the real estate developer for property sales contracts with Non-Group Collaborative Agreements
simultaneously entered with equity method investees are presented on a gross basis with the Base Commission Income and Sales
Incentive Income recognized as “Revenue” and the amounts of profit shared with equity method investees recorded in “Cost of
Revenue” in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss as the Group is deemed to be the principal under these
arrangements.
During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Group earned Sales Incentive Income of RMB2,861 for exclusive sales contracts
with Sales Commitment Arrangements pursuant to which the Group shared RMB388 with the funds providers (including the
Group’s equity method investees).
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Group earned Sales Incentive Income of RMB4,744 for exclusive sales contracts
with Sales Commitment Arrangements pursuant to which the Group shared RMB960 with the funds providers (including the
Group’s equity method investees).
The Group believes its key management has sufficient knowledge and experience in the relevant real estate markets and has in place
adequate process that guides its selection of projects, negotiation of terms and ongoing monitoring of risks.
F-17
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Prior to entering into a Sales Commitment Arrangement, the Group would assess the marketability of the specified properties, the
reasonableness of the Base Transaction Price and other relevant factors. The Group performs such assessment based on the results of
its research activities and other factors such as the availability of agents’ resources and has determined that the probability of all
properties under such arrangements not being sold within the exclusive sales period is low. The Group believes that the developers
enter into such Sales Commitment Arrangement largely due to liquidity consideration in that it could shorten the cash payback
period through the receipts of deposits under the arrangement. Also, such Sales Commitment Arrangement may provide higher
return to the developer when the properties are sold at a price in excess of the Base Transaction price. Therefore, the Group
determines that it is remote that the real estate developers will request the Group, or for Non-Group Commitment Arrangements, the
Group’s equity method investees to purchase the unsold properties at the end of exclusive sales period. Management has concluded
such assessment is supported by the historical experiences where developers agreed to an extended sales period for a few months in
those limited instances where certain properties remained unsold at the end of exclusive sales period.
The Group started entering into the above-mentioned Sales Commitment Arrangements in 2016. For the years ended December 31,
2020, 2021 and 2022, the Group did not enter into any property sales contracts with real estate developers under Self-Commitment
Arrangements, except for the parking space sale contracts described below. All new property sales contracts with Sales Commitment
Arrangement are entered with the property developers and equity method investees in tri-party agreements under the Non-Group
Commitment Arrangements, pursuant to which the Group’s equity method investees, rather than the Group, are required to pay the
deposits directly to the property developers and obliged to purchase any unsold units of properties at the end of exclusive sales
period. In 2021, the Group entered into certain contracts for the sale of parking spaces with real estate developers under Self-
Commitment Arrangements, pursuant to which the Group had advanced the deposits of RMB40,085 to the property developers as of
December 31, 2022.
The deposits made by the Group under all the Exclusive Sales Contracts including those under the Self-Commitment Arrangement
are recorded as security deposits with real estate developers, net of allowance for doubtful accounts, under current assets on the
Consolidated Balance Sheets. The Group assesses the recoverability of the deposits with real estate developers based on a
combination of factors, including the contractual terms, the developers’ intention in entering into such arrangements as described
above, the continuing assessment of the marketability of the properties during the exclusive sales period and the extended sales
period, if any, historical experiences and negotiation results of developers’ action at the end of exclusive sales period, and the market
price of similar properties. An allowance for doubtful accounts against the deposits is recorded when any portion of deposits is
considered not recoverable.
2. Summary of Significant Accounting Policies
(a) Basis of presentation
The Consolidated Financial Statements of the Group have been prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America (“U.S. GAAP”).
(b) Going concern
The accompanying consolidated financial statements have been prepared assuming that the Company will continue as a going
concern, which contemplates the realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business. The
realization of assets and the satisfaction of liabilities in the normal course of business are dependent on, among other things, the
Company’s ability to generate cash flows from operations, and the Company’s ability to arrange adequate financing arrangements.
The Company has experienced recurring losses from operations. As of December 31, 2022, the Company had an accumulated deficit
of RMB4,557,675 and net current liabilities of RMB 90,826. For the year ended December 31, 2022, the Company recorded a
significant decline in its revenue, resulted a net loss of RMB239,588 and had negative cash flows from operating activities of
RMB126,983. As of December 31, 2022, the cash and cash equivalents balance was RMB143,934.
F-18
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The Company has prepared a future cash flow forecasts and the management is of the opinion that the Company will have sufficient
unrestricted liquidity for at least the next 12 months from the date of approval of the Consolidated Financial Statements. Among the
assumptions made by the management, it is expected that the Company will continue to reduce its operating expenditure by reducing
headcounts and office space. Accordingly, management concludes that it is appropriate to prepare the financial statements on a going
concern basis.
The Company has taken positive actions to speed up the collection of accounts receivable, such as litigation, strict developer credit
rating management, but the effects of these actions may be limited where the developers have already been in severe finance
distress. The Company also intends to obtain additional equity or debt financing arrangements; however, the availability and amount
of such funding are not certain. Additionally, the strict macroeconomic regulation on real estate market and the tightening of
mortgage lending activities have negatively impacted the real estate market and heightened the credit risk associated with
developers. The new and resale property transactions are expected to remain vulnerable to macro challenges for an extended period,
which may adversely impact the Company’s ability to raise the financing needed. The accompanying financial statements do not
include any adjustments that might be necessary should the Company be unable to continue as a going concern. If the going concern
basis were not appropriate for these financial statements, adjustments would be necessary for the carrying value of assets and
liabilities, the reported expenses and the balance sheet classifications used.
(c) Principles of Consolidation
The accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements include the results of the Company, its subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s
subsidiaries.
Subsidiaries are those entities in which the Company, directly or indirectly, controls more than one half of the voting power or has
the power to govern the financial and operating policies, to appoint or remove the majority of the members of the board of directors,
or to cast a majority of votes at the meeting of directors. A VIE is an entity in which the Company, or its subsidiary, through
contractual arrangements, exercises effective control over the activities that most impact the economic performance, bears the risks
of, and enjoys the rewards normally associated with ownership of the entity, and therefore the Company or its subsidiary is the
primary beneficiary of the entity.
All intercompany transactions and balances among the Company, its subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries have been eliminated
upon consolidation.
(d) Use of Estimates
The preparation of the Consolidated Financial Statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates
and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities, related disclosures of contingent assets and liabilities at the
balance sheet date, and the reported revenues and expenses during the reported period in the Consolidated Financial Statements and
accompanying notes. Actual results could differ from those estimates. Significant accounting estimates include, but not limited to,
allowance for accounts, loans and other receivable, recognition of goodwill, realization of deferred income tax assets, impairment
loss for long-term equity investment and share-based compensation. Actual results may differ materially from those estimates, and
as such, differences may be material to the consolidated financial statements.
F-19
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(e) Business combinations and noncontrolling interests
The Company accounts for its business combinations using the acquisition method of accounting in accordance with Accounting
Standards Codification (“ASC”) 805 “Business Combinations.” The cost of an acquisition is measured as the aggregate of the
acquisition date fair value of the assets transferred to the sellers, liabilities incurred by the Company and equity instruments issued
by the Company. Transaction costs directly attributable to the acquisition are expensed as incurred. Identifiable assets acquired and
liabilities assumed are measured separately at their fair values as of the acquisition date, irrespective of the extent of any
noncontrolling interests. The excess of (i) the total costs of acquisition, fair value of the noncontrolling interests and acquisition date
fair value of any previously held equity interest in the acquiree over (ii) the fair value of the identifiable net assets of the acquiree is
recorded as goodwill. If the cost of acquisition is less than the fair value of the net assets of the subsidiary acquired, the difference is
recognized directly in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. During the measurement period, which can be up to one
year from the acquisition date, the Company may record adjustments to the assets acquired and liabilities assumed with the
corresponding offset to goodwill. Subsequent to the conclusion of the measurement period or final determination of the values of
assets acquired or liabilities assumed, whichever comes first, any further adjustments are recorded in the Consolidated Statements of
Comprehensive Loss.
For the Company’s non-wholly owned subsidiaries, a noncontrolling interest is recognized to reflect the portion of equity that is not
attributable, directly or indirectly, to the Company. Consolidated net loss in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss
includes net loss (income) attributable to noncontrolling interests when applicable.
(f) Foreign Currency
The Group’s reporting currency is Renminbi (‘‘RMB’’). The functional currency of the Company and the Group’s entities
incorporated in the Cayman Island, British Virgin Islands (‘‘BVI’’), and Hong Kong (‘‘HK’’) is the United States dollars (‘‘US$’’).
The functional currency of the Group’s PRC subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries is RMB.
Transactions denominated in currencies other than the functional currency are remeasured into the functional currency at the
exchange rates prevailing at the dates of the transactions. Monetary assets and liabilities denominated in a foreign currency are
remeasured into the functional currency using the applicable exchange rate at the balance sheet date. The resulting exchange
differences are recorded as foreign currency exchange (loss) gain in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss. Total
foreign currency exchange differences were a loss of RMB4,084, RMB394 and a gain of RMB375 for the years ended December 31,
2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
The financial statements of the Company and the Group’s entities incorporated at Cayman Island, BVI and Hong Kong are translated
from the functional currency into RMB. Assets and liabilities are translated into RMB using the applicable exchange rates at the
balance sheet date. Equity accounts other than earnings (deficit) generated in the current period are translated into RMB using the
appropriate historical rates. Revenues, expenses, gains and losses are translated into RMB using the average exchange rates for the
relevant period. The resulted foreign currency translation adjustments are recorded as a component of other comprehensive losses in
the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss, and the accumulated foreign currency translation adjustments are recorded as a
component of accumulated other comprehensive loss in the Consolidated Statements of Changes in Equity.
(g) Convenience Translation
Translations of certain balances in accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements from RMB into US$ as of and for the year
ended December 31, 2022 are solely for the convenience of the readers and were calculated at the rate of US$1.00=RMB6.8972
representing the noon buying rate in The City of New York for cable transfers of RMB as certified for customs purposes by the
Federal Reserve Bank of New York on December 30, 2022. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have been, or
could be, converted, realized or settled into US$ at that rate on December 31, 2022, or at any other rate. The US$ convenience
translation is not required under U.S. GAAP and all US$ convenience translation amounts in the accompanying Consolidated
Financial Statements are unaudited.
F-20
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(h) Commitments and Contingencies
In the normal course of business, the Group is subject to loss contingencies, such as legal proceedings and claims arising out of its
business, that cover a wide range of matters, including, among others, government investigations, shareholder lawsuits, and non-
income tax matters. An accrual for a loss contingency is recognized when it is probable that a liability has been incurred and the
amount of loss can be reasonably estimated. If a potential material loss contingency is not probable but is reasonably possible, or is
probable but cannot be estimated, then the nature of the contingent liability, together with an estimate of the range of possible loss if
determinable and material, is disclosed.
(i) Cash and Cash Equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents represent demand deposits placed with banks or other financial institutions, which are unrestricted as to
withdrawal or use, and which have original maturities of three months or less and are readily convertible to known amounts of cash.
(j) Restricted cash
Restricted cash represents:
Bank balances of RMB24,131 and RMB38,811 were frozen for lawsuits undergoing with suppliers and brokerage firms as of
December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Of the restricted bank balance as of December 31, 2022, RMB4,583 was released in
January 2023.
Cash deposits restricted for use over one year after the balance sheet date are classified as non-current assets in the Consolidated
Balance Sheets.
(k) Short-term investments
Short-term investments include investments in wealth management products issued by certain banks which are redeemable by the
Company at any time. The wealth management products are either unsecured with variable interest rates or fixed interest rate. The
Company measures the short-term investments at fair value using the quoted subscription or redemption prices published by these
banks, with unrealized holding gains or losses, net of the related tax effect, excluded from earnings and recorded as a separate
component of accumulated other comprehensive loss until realized. Realized gains or losses from the sale of short-term investments
are determined on a specific identification basis and are recorded as gain on short-term investments when earned in the Consolidated
Statements of Comprehensive Loss.
(l) Accounts Receivable
Accounts receivable mainly represent amounts due from the real estate developers for primary property business and individual
customers for secondary property business upon the completion of their services. Accounts receivables are recorded net of an
allowance for doubtful accounts, if any. The Group considers many factors in assessing the collectability of its accounts receivable,
such as the age of the amounts due, the payment history, credit-worthiness and the financial condition of the debtor. An allowance
for doubtful accounts is recorded in the period in which a loss is determined to be probable. The Group also makes a specific
allowance if there is strong evidence indicating that an accounts receivable is likely to be unrecoverable. Accounts receivable are
charged off against the allowance after all means of collection have been exhausted and the potential for recovery is considered
remote. The Group does not have any off-balance-sheet credit exposure. Allowance of RMB710,168 and RMB557,073 was
provided as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Approximately 6% of the Group’s accounts receivable represent output
VAT amounts, which are excluded from the Group’s revenues.
F-21
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(m) Loans receivable, net
Loans receivable represents loan originated or purchased by the Group (see note 7). The Group has the intent and the ability to hold
such loans for the foreseeable future or until maturity or payoff. Loans receivable are recorded at unpaid principal balances, net of
allowance for loan losses that reflects the Group’s best estimate of the amounts that will not be collected. The loans receivable
portfolio consists of personal loans with term period ranging from 30 days to 5 years. In the Consolidated Balance Sheets, loans
receivable that mature within the next twelve months from the balance sheet date are included in “Prepayment and other current
assets” while loans receivable that will mature one year after the balance sheet date are included in “Other non-current assets”.
The allowance for loan losses is determined at a level believed to be reasonable to absorb probable losses inherent in the portfolio as
of each balance sheet date. The allowance is provided based on an assessment performed on a portfolio basis. All loans are assessed
collectively depending on factors such as delinquency rate, size, and other risk characteristics of the portfolio.
The Group writes off loans receivable and the related allowance when management determines that full repayment of such loan is
not probable. The primary factor in making such determination is the estimated recoverable amounts from the delinquent debtor.
As of December 31, 2021 and 2022, loan receivables of RMB31,273 and RMB17,816 were due from the Group’s employees
respectively.
(n) Property, equipment and software
Property, equipment and software are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation, amortization and impairment. Property,
equipment and software are depreciated and amortized at rates sufficient to write off their costs less impairment and residual value if
any over their estimated useful lives on a straight-line basis. Leasehold improvements are depreciated on a straight-line basis over
the period of the lease or their estimated useful lives, if shorter.
The estimated useful lives are as follows:
Category
Buildings
Leasehold improvements
Furniture, office equipment
Motor vehicles
Software
Estimated
useful lives
20 years
2-3 years
3-5 years
3-4 years
2-10 years
Expenditures for repairs and maintenance are expensed as incurred, whereas the costs of renewals and betterment that extends the
useful lives of property and equipment are capitalized as additions to the related assets. Retirements, sales and disposals of assets are
recorded by removing the costs, accumulated depreciation and impairment with any resulting gain or loss recognized in the
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss.
F-22
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(o) Intangible assets
Intangible assets mainly include those intangible assets other than software acquired through business combination. Intangible assets
acquired through business combinations are recognized as assets separate from goodwill if they satisfy either the “contractual-legal”
or “separability” criterion. Intangible assets arising from business combinations are measured at fair value upon acquisition using
valuation techniques such as discounted cash flow analysis and ratio analysis with reference to comparable companies in similar
industries under the income approach. Major assumptions used in determining the fair value of these intangible assets include future
growth rates and weighted average cost of capital. Separately identifiable intangible assets that have determinable lives continue to
be amortized over their estimated useful lives using the straight-line method as follows:
Category
Non-competed agreements
Trademarks
Estimated useful lives
Over the contracted term of up to 6 years
10 years
(p) Goodwill
Goodwill represents the excess of the purchase consideration over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets
acquired and liabilities assumed from the acquired entity as a result of the Group’s acquisitions of interests in its subsidiaries. The
Group assesses goodwill for impairment in accordance with ASC 350-20 (“ASC 350-20”), “Intangibles–Goodwill and Other:
Goodwill”, which requires that goodwill to be tested for impairment at the reporting unit level at least annually and more frequently
upon the occurrence of certain events, as defined by ASC 350-20.
Prior to the adoption of ASU 2017-04, “Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment”, on January 1, 2022, the Group has the
option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform the two-step test in accordance with ASC
350-20. If the Group believes, as a result of the qualitative assessment, that it is more-likely-than-not that the fair value of the
reporting unit is less than its carrying amount, the two-step quantitative impairment test described above is required. Otherwise, no
further testing is required. In the qualitative assessment, the Group considers primary factors such as industry and market
considerations, overall financial performance of the reporting unit, and other specific information related to the operations. In
performing the two-step quantitative impairment test, the first step compares the carrying amount of the reporting unit to the fair
value of the reporting unit based on either quoted market prices of the ordinary shares or estimated fair value using a combination of
the income approach and the market approach. If the fair value of the reporting unit exceeds the carrying value of the reporting unit,
goodwill is not impaired and the Group is not required to perform further testing. If the carrying value of the reporting unit exceeds
the fair value of the reporting unit, then the Group must perform the second step of the impairment test in order to determine the
implied fair value of the reporting unit’s goodwill. The fair value of the reporting unit is allocated to its assets and liabilities in a
manner similar to a purchase price allocation in order to determine the implied fair value of the reporting unit goodwill. If the
carrying amount of the goodwill is greater than its implied fair value, the excess is recognized as an impairment loss.
In January 2017, the FASB issued Accounting Standards Update No. 2017-04(“ASU 2017-04”), “Intangibles – Goodwill and Other
(Topic 350): Simplifying the Test for Goodwill Impairment.” ASU 2017-04 eliminates the requirement to calculate the implied fair
value of goodwill to measure a goodwill impairment charge. Instead, entities will record an impairment charge based on the excess
of a reporting unit’s carrying amount over its fair value. The Group adopted the ASU 2017-04 on January 1, 2022.
As triggered by the cease of Yuancui business during the year ended December 31, 2021, the related goodwill of RMB31,188 was
fully impaired during the year ended December 31, 2021 in accordance with the two-step test of ASC 350-20(see note 10). On and
after January 1, 2022, the Group performed qualitative and quantitative assessment in accordance with ASU 2017-04, there was no
such goodwill impairment during the years ended December 31, 2022.
F-23
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(q) Equity method investments
The Group accounts for an equity method investment over which it has significant influence but does not own a majority of the
equity interest or otherwise controls and the investments are either common stock or in substance common stock using the equity
method. The Group’s share of the investee’s profit and loss is recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss.
The Group assesses its equity method investments for other-than-temporary impairment by considering factors as well as all relevant
and available information including, but not limited to, current economic and market conditions, the operating performance of the
companies including current earnings trends, and other Group-specific information such as financing rounds.
During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Group recognized an impairment loss of RMB62,623 for equity method investments
(see note 11).
(r) Long-term equity investments
Long-term equity investments, except those accounted for under the equity method or those that result in the consolidation of the
investee, that do not have readily determinable fair value are measured and recorded at cost, less impairment, with subsequent
adjustments for observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or similar equity investments of the issuer. Purchased
options on these equity investments that are not derivatives are accounted for in a manner consistent with the accounting for the
equity investments that do not have readily determinable fair value.
(s) Impairment loss of non-current assets
Property, plant and equipment and intangible assets are evaluated for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances
indicate that the carrying value of an asset may not be fully recoverable or that the useful life is shorter than the Group had originally
estimated. When these events occur, the Group evaluates the impairment for the non-current by comparing the carrying value of the
assets to an estimate of future undiscounted cash flows expected to be generated from the use of the assets and their eventual
disposition. If the sum of the expected future undiscounted cash flows is less than the carrying value of the assets, the Group
recognizes an impairment loss based on the excess of the carrying value of the assets over the fair value of the assets. An impairment
charge of non-current assets in the amount of RMB7,642 was recognized for the year ended December 31, 2022(see note 8 and 9).
(t) Value added taxes
The Company’s PRC subsidiaries are subject to value added tax (“VAT”). Revenue from sales of transaction and service is generally
subject to VAT at the rate of 6% and subsequently paid to PRC tax authorities after netting input VAT on purchase of service
received. The excess of output VAT over input VAT is reflected in accrued expenses and other payables, and the excess of input VAT
is reflected in Prepayments and other current assets in the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
(u) Fair Value
Fair value represents the price that would be received from selling an asset or paid to transfer a liability in an orderly transaction
between market participants at the measurement date. As such, fair value is a market-based measurement that should be determined
based on assumptions that market participants would use in pricing an asset or a liability.
F-24
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Accounting guidance defines fair value, establishes a framework for measuring fair value and expands disclosures about fair value
measurements. Accounting guidance establishes a three-level fair value hierarchy and requires an entity to maximize the use of
observable inputs and minimize the use of unobservable inputs when measuring fair value. A financial instrument’s categorization
within the fair value hierarchy is based upon the lowest level of input that is significant to the fair value measurement. The three
levels of inputs are:
Level 1—Observable inputs that reflect quoted prices (unadjusted) for identical assets or liabilities in active markets.
Level 2—Include other inputs that are directly or indirectly observable in the marketplace.
Level 3—Unobservable inputs which are supported by little or no market activity.
Accounting guidance also describes three main approaches to measuring the fair value of assets and liabilities: (1) market approach;
(2) income approach and (3) cost approach. The market approach uses prices and other relevant information generated from market
transactions involving identical or comparable assets or liabilities. The income approach uses valuation techniques to convert future
amounts to a single present value amount. The measurement is based on the value indicated by current market expectations about
those future amounts. The cost approach is based on the amount that would currently be required to replace an asset.
Financial assets and liabilities of the Group primarily consist of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term investments,
accounts receivable, loans receivable, short-term bank borrowings, accounts payable, customers’ refundable fees, operating lease
liabilities, accrued expenses and other payables. As of December 31, 2021 and 2022, the carrying values of these financial
instruments approximated to their fair values due to the short-term maturity of these instruments.
(v) Revenue
In accordance with ASC 606, Revenue from Contracts with Customers, an entity should recognize revenue to depict the transfer of
promised goods or services to customers in an amount that reflects the consideration to which the entity expects to be entitled in
exchange for those goods or services. To achieve that core principle, an entity should apply the following steps: (1) identify the
contract(s) with a customer; (2) identify the performance obligations in the contract; (3) determine the transaction price; (4) allocate
the transaction price to the performance obligations in the contract; (5) recognize revenue when (or as) the entity satisfies a
performance obligation.
Revenues are recorded net of value-added taxes.
Commission income
Through its platforms and services provided by real estate agents registered as a member in the Group’s platform (the “Registered
Agents”), the Group earns commission revenue from real estate developers for sales transactions of primary properties and to a
lesser extent from home owners for sales or rental transactions of secondary properties. For services rendered by the Registered
Agents in completing the transactions, the Group pays those the agents a commission fee. The real estate developers and home
owners are collectively referred as the property owners. For each of the property’s transactions, the Group enters into contracts with
the Registered Agents (the “Agents’ Contracts”) and properties owners (the “Properties Sales Contracts”) separately. As Registered
Agents are involved in providing the services to the property owners, the Group considers all the relevant facts and circumstances in
determining whether it acts as the principal or as an agent in these properties transactions in accordance with ASC 606-10.
F-25
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The Group has determined that it is a principal for the following reasons: (1) the Properties Sales Contract and the Agents’ Contract
are negotiated and entered into separately between the Group and the property owners and the Registered Agents, respectively, at the
discretion of the Group, and there is no contractual relationship between the property owners and the Registered Agents; (2) the
Group negotiates with the property owners the total commission fee to be paid by the properties owners. The Group also determines
the commission rate payable to the Registered Agents at its discretion without any involvement of the properties owners; (3)
pursuant to the Properties Sales Contracts, the Group is responsible for the sales or leasing of the properties. In particular, the Group
is responsible to undertake the sales and marketing activities it considers necessary to induce potential home purchasers to visit the
sales center of the property and complete the purchase of properties from the real estate developers. The Group is entitled to a pre-
determined commission income upon the signing of the sales agreements between the real estate developers and the home
purchasers pursuant to the Properties Sales Contracts. The Group’s project management team carries out a series of activities
including sales data analysis, development of project sales strategy, resources allocation, assignment of agents, sales and marketing
activities, and monitoring of the entire sales process; (4) the Group monitors Registered Agents’ services and provide them with
instructions and guidelines in approaching and serving the home purchasers.
Commission income for sales transactions of primary properties and rental transactions for secondary properties are recognized by
the Group upon the signing of the sales and purchase agreements or rental agreements and making the required down payment by
the home purchasers or tenants. Commission income for sales transactions of secondary properties are recognized when the transfer
over legal title of ownership of the properties between the home owners and home purchasers are complete.
The Group also enters into certain arrangements with real-estate developers pursuant to which potential home purchasers may pay
the Group a fixed amount in return for a discount for their purchases of specified properties from the real estate developers. The fees
paid by the home purchasers to the Group are fully refundable before the execution of the sales and purchase agreements between
the home purchasers and the real estate developers. For these transactions, except for the fees received from the home purchasers,
the Group is not entitled to any additional commission from the real estate developers. The Group recognizes commission income in
the amount of fees received from the home purchasers when the Group’s services are rendered upon the execution of the sales and
purchase agreements between the home purchasers and the real estate developers. Fees received from home purchasers in advance of
the revenue recognition are recorded as “Customers’ Refundable Fees” (see note 14) on the Consolidated Balance Sheets.
For primary properties transactions, the Group generally earns a fixed commission rate (“Base Commission”) of the pre-determined
properties transaction price (the “Base Transaction Price”) as stated in the Properties Sales Contracts. For certain primary properties
transactions, the Group obtains exclusive sales right from real estate developers to sell the properties for a limited period of time and
is required to advance certain amount of deposits. Not all of the Exclusive Sales Contracts contains Sales Commitment Arrangement
as disclosed in note 1. Pursuant to those Exclusive Sales Contracts with Sales Commitment Arrangement, the Group is permitted to
sell the properties in the market at a price above the Base Transaction Price. In addition to the Base Commission, the Group is
entitled to an additional income (the “Sales Incentive Income”), determined at a progressive rate on the excess of the actual
transaction price over the Base Transaction price. Same as Base Commission income, the Sales Incentive Income is also recognized
as revenue upon the signing of the sales and purchase agreements and making the down payment by the home purchasers.
Franchise Income
The Group enters into franchise agreements with certain third party real estate agency companies located in those cities where the
Group does not have an established sales office. Pursuant to these franchise agreements, the Group grants the franchisees with the
right to use the Group’s brands, access of listings in the Group’s platform and other resources in return for a franchise fee. For
franchise agreements entered from 2018 onward, franchise fee is determined at an agreed fixed amount over a period of time and are
recognized by the Group on a straight-line basis over the contractual period. During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and
2022, the Group recognized franchise income of RMB16,694, RMB14,208 and RMB773 respectively.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Financial service income
The Group provides lending financial services to home purchasers, Registered Agents and the Group’s employees who meet the
Group’s credit assessment requirements. Financial services income from loans receivable is recognized using the effective interest
rate method.
Other value-added services
Other value-added services are recognized as revenue on a straight-line basis over which the services are rendered, they mainly
represent subscription fee earned by offering Registered Agents with a suite of marketing and business technology products and
services for use in a specified period of time so as to assist them growing and managing their businesses.
Loans facilitation services
Loans facilitation services are recognized as revenue when the relevant loans agreements were signed and the related loans were
drawn down by the home purchasers. Loans facilitation services primarily consists of the services to facilitate the home purchasers,
Registered Agents and other market participants borrowing from the financial institutions in the property transactions.
Parking space transaction facilitating services
Parking space transaction facilitating services are recognized as revenue when services are rendered to facilitate the appointment of
real estate agents by Shanghai Lianlian Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai Lianlian”, known as Shenzhen Jinyiyun Supply
Chain Technology Co., Ltd. before (“Shenzhen Jinyiyun”)), a related party, as agents for Shanghai Lianlian’s parking space
transactions. Certain directors and management of the Company are principal shareholders of Shanghai Lianlian. The Company’s
services primarily consist of providing support and information to Shanghai Lianlian to identify real estate agents in the Company’s
platform and introduction of agents for Shanghai Lianlian’s parking space transactions. The service fee is chargeable to the real
estate agent and revenue is recognized upon signing of the relevant agency agreement. During the year ended December 31, 2020,
the Group recognized parking space transaction facilitating services income of RMB184,322. No such service income was
recognized in 2021 and 2022.
(w) Cost of Revenue
Cost of revenue primarily consists of agents’ commission, sharing of sales incentive income with fund providers, promotion and
operational expenses, and salaries and benefits expenses that incurred for properties transactions and parking space transaction
facilitating services.
(x) Sales and marketing expenses
Sales and marketing expenses mainly consist of salaries and advertising costs, which consist primarily of online and offline
advertisements, are expensed when the services are received.
(y) Product development expenses
Product development expenses primarily consist of salaries and benefits expenses, depreciation of equipment relating to the
development of new products or upgrading of existing products and other expenses for the product activity of the Group. The Group
expenses product development expenses as incurred.
F-27
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(z) General and administrative expenses
General and administrative expenses mainly consist of provision of allowance for doubtful accounts, payroll and related staff costs
for corporate functions, as well as other general corporate expenses such as rental expenses and depreciation expenses for offices
and equipment for use by these corporate functions of the Group.
(aa) Government grants
Government grants represent amounts granted by local government authorities as an incentive for companies to promote economic
development of the local technology industry. Government grants received by the Group were non-refundable and were for the
purpose of giving immediate incentive with no future costs or obligations are recognized in earnings in the Company’s Consolidated
Statements of Comprehensive Loss.
(bb) Share-based Compensation
Share-based awards granted to the employees and directors in the form of share options are subject to service and performance
conditions. They are measured at the grant date fair value of the awards, and are recognized as compensation expense using the
graded vesting method, net of estimated forfeitures, if and when the Company considers that it is probable that the performance
condition will be achieved.
For vested awards, the Group recognizes incremental compensation cost in the period the modification occurs. For awards not being
fully vested, the Group recognizes the sum of the incremental compensation cost and the remaining unrecognized compensation cost
for the original awards over the remaining requisite service period after modification.
Estimation of the fair market value of the Company’s ordinary shares involves significant assumptions that might not be observable
in the market, and a number of complex and subjective variables, including the expected share price volatility (approximated by the
volatility of comparable companies), discount rate, risk-free interest rate and subjective judgments regarding the Company’s
projected financial and operating results, its unique business risks, the liquidity of its ordinary shares and its operating history and
prospects at the time the grants are made. Share-based compensation in relation to the share options is estimated using the Binominal
Option Pricing Model. The determination of the fair value of share options is affected by the share price of the Company’s ordinary
shares as well as the assumptions regarding a number of complex and subjective variables, including the expected share price
volatility, risk-free interest rate, exercise multiple and expected dividend yield. The fair value of these awards was determined with
the assistance from a valuation report prepared by an independent valuation firm using management’s estimates and assumptions.
(cc) Employee Benefits
The Company’s subsidiaries, the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries in China participate in a government mandated, multi-employer,
defined contribution plan, pursuant to which certain retirement, medical, housing and other welfare benefits are provided to
employees. PRC labor laws require the entities incorporated in China to pay to the local labor bureau a monthly contribution
calculated at a stated contribution rate on the monthly basic compensation of qualified employees. The Group has no further
commitments beyond its monthly contribution. The fair value of the employee benefits liabilities approximates their carrying value
due to the short-term nature of these liabilities. Employee social insurance benefits included as expenses in the accompanying
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss amounted to RMB29,488, RMB39,173 and RMB15,607 for the years ended
December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
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(dd) Income Tax
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Income tax are accounted for under the asset and liability method. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are recognized for the future tax
consequences attributable to differences between the financial statement carrying amounts of existing assets and liabilities and their
respective tax bases and operating loss and tax credit carry forwards. Deferred tax assets and liabilities are measured using enacted
tax rates expected to apply to taxable income in the years in which those temporary differences are expected to be recovered or
settled. The effect on deferred tax assets and liabilities of a change in tax rates is recognized in income in the period that includes the
enactment date.
The Company reduces the carrying amounts of deferred tax assets by a valuation allowance, if based on the available evidence, it is
“more-likely-than-not” that such assets will not be realized. Accordingly, the need to establish valuation allowances for deferred tax
assets is assessed at each reporting period based on a “more-likely-than-not” realization threshold. This assessment considers, among
other matters, the nature, frequency and severity of current and cumulative losses, forecasts of futures profitability, the duration of
statutory carryforward periods, the Company’s experience with operating loss and tax credit carryforwards, if any, not expiring.
The Company recognizes the effect of income tax positions only if those positions are more likely than not of being sustained.
Recognized income tax positions are measured at the largest amount that is greater than 50% likely of being realized. Changes in
recognition or measurement are reflected in the period in which the change in judgment occurs. The Company records interest
related to unrecognized tax benefits in income tax expense and penalties in general and administrative expenses.
(ee) Leases
On January 1, 2022, the Group adopted FASB ASC Topic 842, “Leases,” (“ASC Topic 842”) which requires that a lessee recognize
in the consolidated balance sheet a lease liability and a corresponding right-of-use asset, including for those leases that the Group
currently classifies as operating leases. The right-of-use asset and the lease liability was initially measured using the present value of
the remaining lease payments. ASC Topic 842 was implemented using a modified retrospective approach which resulted in no
cumulative-effect adjustment in the opening balance of retained earnings as of January 1, 2022. As a result, the consolidated balance
sheet prior to January 1, 2022 was not restated and continues to be reported under FASB ASC Topic 840, “Leases,” (“ASC Topic
840”), which did not require the recognition of a right-of-use asset or lease liability for operating leases. As permitted under ASC
Topic 842, the Group adopted the following practical expedients: (1) not to reassess whether an expired or non-lease contract that
commenced before January 1, 2022 contained an embedded lease, (2) not to reassess the classification of existing leases, (3) not to
determine whether initial direct costs related to existing leases should be capitalized under ASC Topic 842, and (4) not to separate
lease and non-lease components.
The Group reviews all relevant contracts to determine if the contract contains a lease at its inception date. A contract contains a lease
if the contract conveys to the Group the right to control the use of an underlying asset for a period of time in exchange for
consideration. If the Group determines that a contract contains a lease, it recognizes, in the consolidated balance sheets, a lease
liability and a corresponding right-of-use asset on the commencement date of the lease. The lease liability is initially measured at the
present value of the future lease payments over the lease term using the rate implicit in the lease or, if not readily determinable, the
Group’s secured incremental borrowing rate. An operating lease right-of-use asset is initially measured at the value of the lease
liability minus any lease incentives and initial direct costs incurred plus any prepaid rent.
Each lease liability is measured using the Group’s secured incremental borrowing rate, which is based on an internally developed
yield curve using interest rates of debt issued with a similar risk profile as the Group and a duration similar to the lease term. The
Group’s leases have remaining terms of one to three years, and some of which include options to terminate the lease upon notice.
The Group considers these options when determining the lease term used to calculate the right-of-use asset and the lease liability
when the Group is reasonably certain it will exercise such option.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The Group’s operating leases contain both lease components and non-lease components. Non-lease components are distinct elements
of a contract that are not related to securing the use of the underlying assets, such as common area maintenance and other
management costs. The Company elected to measure the lease liability by combining the lease and non-lease components as a single
lease component. As such, the Company includes the fixed payments and any payments that depend on a rate or index that relate to
the lease and non-lease components in the measurement of the lease liability. Some of the non-lease components are variable in
nature and not based on an index or rate, and as a result, are not included in the measurement of the operating lease right-of-use
assets or operating lease liability.
Operating lease expense is recognized on a straight-line basis over the lease term and is included in rental and other related expenses
in the Group’s consolidated statements of comprehensive loss.
All of the Group’s leases are classified as operating leases and primarily consist of real estate leases for corporate offices. As a result
of the adoption, the Group recognized approximately RMB385 of operating lease right-of-use assets and corresponding operating
lease liabilities respectively on the consolidated balance sheets as of January 1, 2022. The adoption had no impact on the Group’s
opening balance of retained earnings as of January 1, 2022. As of December 31, 2022, the weighted-average remaining lease term on
these leases is approximately two years and the weighted-average discount rate used to measure the lease liabilities is approximately
3.76%. For the year ended December 31, 2022, right-of-use assets obtained under operating leases was RMB2,207 thousand. The
Group’s lease agreements do not contain any residual value guarantees, restrictions or covenants.
(ff) Loss per Share
Basic loss per share is computed by dividing net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders, considering the accretions to redemption
value and the deemed dividend of the preferred shares, by the weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding during
the year using the two-class method. Under the two-class method, any net income is allocated between ordinary shares and other
participating securities based on their participating rights. A net loss is not allocated to participating securities when the participating
securities does not have contractual obligation to share losses.
The Company’s preferred shares are participating securities as they participate in undistributed earnings on an as-if-converted basis.
The preferred shares has no contractual obligation to fund or otherwise absorb the Group’s losses. Accordingly, any undistributed net
income is allocated on a pro rata basis to the ordinary shares and preferred shares; whereas any undistributed net loss is allocated to
ordinary shares only.
Diluted loss per share is calculated by dividing net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders, as adjusted for the accretion and
allocation of net income related to the preferred shares, if any, by the weighted average number of ordinary and dilutive ordinary
equivalent shares outstanding during the period. Ordinary equivalent shares consist of shares issuable upon the conversion of the
preferred shares and convertible loan using the if-converted method, and ordinary shares issuable upon the vest of restricted ordinary
shares or exercise of outstanding share option (using the treasury stock method). Ordinary equivalent shares are calculated based on
the most advantageous conversion rate or exercise price from the standpoint of the security holder. Ordinary equivalent shares are
not included in the denominator of the diluted earnings per share calculation when inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive.
(gg) Segment Reporting
The Group’s chief operating decision maker has been identified as the Chief Executive Officer, who reviews consolidated results
when making decisions about allocating resources and assessing performance of the Group. For the purpose of internal reporting and
management’s operation review, the Group’s Chief Executive Officer and management personnel do not segregate the Group’s
business by service lines. All service categories are viewed as in one and the only operating segment.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(hh) Statutory Reserves
The Group’s subsidiaries, VIE, and VIE’s subsidiaries established in the PRC are required to make appropriations to certain non-
distributable reserve funds.
In accordance with the laws applicable to the Foreign Investment Enterprises established in the PRC, the Group’s subsidiaries
registered as wholly foreign owned enterprise have to make appropriations from their after-tax profits (as determined under
generally accepted accounting principles in the PRC (‘‘PRC GAAP’’)) to non-distributable reserve funds including general reserve
fund, enterprise expansion fund and staff bonus and welfare fund. The appropriation to the general reserve fund must be at least 10%
of the after-tax profits calculated in accordance with PRC GAAP. Appropriation is not required if the general reserve fund has
reached 50% of the registered capital of the Group.
In addition, in accordance with the PRC Company Laws, the Group’s VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries, registered as Chinese domestic
companies, must make appropriations from their after-tax profits as determined under the PRC GAAP to non-distributable reserve
funds including statutory surplus fund and discretionary surplus fund. The appropriation to the statutory surplus fund must be 10%
of the after-tax profits as determined under PRC GAAP. Appropriation is not required if the statutory surplus fund has reached 50%
of the registered capital of the Group. Appropriation to the discretionary surplus fund is made at the discretion of the Group.
The general reserve fund, enterprise expansion fund, statutory surplus fund and discretionary surplus fund are restricted for use.
They may only be applied to offset losses or increase the registered capital of the respective entity. The staff bonus and welfare fund
are liability in nature and is restricted to make payment of special bonuses to employees and for the collective welfare of employees.
None of these reserves is allowed to be transferred to the Group by way of cash dividends, loans or advances, nor can they be
distributed except under liquidation.
For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, no appropriation was made to the general reserve fund by the Group’s
wholly foreign owned PRC subsidiaries, and appropriation of RMB879, nil and nil were made to the statutory surplus fund by the
Group’s VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries, respectively. No appropriation has been made by these companies to discretionary funds.
(ii) Newly adopted accounting standard updates
In January,2022, the Group adopted FASB ASC Topic 842, “Leases,” (“ASC Topic 842”) which requires that a lessee recognize in
the consolidated balance sheet a lease liability and a corresponding right-of-use asset, including for those leases that the Company
currently classifies as operating leases. The right-of-use asset and the lease liability was initially measured using the present value of
the remaining lease payments. ASC Topic 842 was implemented using a modified retrospective approach which resulted in no
cumulative-effect adjustment in the opening balance of retained earnings as of January 1, 2022. As a result, the consolidated balance
sheet prior to January 1, 2022 was not restated and continues to be reported under FASB ASC Topic 840, “Leases,” (“ASC Topic
840”), which did not require the recognition of a right-of-use asset or lease liability for operating leases. As permitted under ASC
Topic 842, the Company adopted the following practical expedients: (1) not to reassess whether an expired or non-lease contract that
commenced before January 1, 2022 contained an embedded lease, (2) not to reassess the classification of existing leases, (3) not to
determine whether initial direct costs related to existing leases should be capitalized under ASC Topic 842, and (4) not to separate
lease and non-lease components.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(jj) Recent Accounting Pronouncements
In August 2020, the FASB issued ASU 2020-06, “Debt — Debt with Conversion and Other Options (Subtopic 470-20) and
Derivatives and Hedging — Contracts in Entity’s Own Equity (Subtopic 815-40): Accounting for Convertible Instruments and
Contracts in an Entity’s Own Equity”, which simplifies an issuer’s accounting for certain convertible instruments and the application
of derivatives scope exception for contracts in an entity’s own equity. This guidance also addresses how convertible instruments are
accounted for in the diluted earnings per share calculation and required enhanced disclosures about the terms of convertible
instruments and contracts in an entity’s own equity. The new guidance is required to be applied either retrospectively to financial
instruments outstanding as of the beginning of the first comparable reporting period for each prior reporting period presented or
retrospectively with the cumulative effect of the change to be recognized as an adjustment to the opening balance of retained
earnings at the date of adoption. This guidance is effective for the Company for the year ending March 31, 2023 and interim
reporting periods during the year ending March 31, 2023. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect the adoption of
this guidance will have a material impact on the financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
In October 2021, the FASB issued ASU No. 2021-08, Business Combinations (Topic 805): Accounting for Contract Assets and
Contract Liabilities from Contracts with Customers (ASU 2021-08), which clarifies that an acquirer of a business should recognize
and measure contract assets and contract liabilities in a business combination in accordance with Topic 606, Revenue from Contracts
with Customers. The new amendments are effective for fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2023, including interim periods
within those fiscal years. The amendments should be applied prospectively to business combinations occurring on or after the
effective date of the amendments, with early adoption permitted. The Group is currently evaluating the impact of the new guidance
on the consolidated financial statements.
In June 2022, the FASB issued ASU 2022-03, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Fair Value Measurement of Equity Securities
Subject to Contractual Sale Restrictions”, which clarifies that a contractual restriction on the sale of an equity security is not
considered part of the unit of account of the equity security and, therefore, is not considered in measuring fair value. The
amendments also clarify that an entity cannot, as a separate unit of account, recognize and measure a contractual sale restriction.
This guidance also requires certain disclosures for equity securities subject to contractual sale restrictions. The new guidance is
required to be applied prospectively with any adjustments from the adoption of the amendments recognized in earnings and
disclosed on the date of adoption. This guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after 15 December 2023, including interim
periods within those fiscal years. Early adoption is permitted. The Company does not expect that the adoption of this guidance will
have a material impact on the financial position, results of operations and cash flows.
3. Concentration and Risk
Concentration of customers
There are no customers from whom revenue individually represent more than 10% of the total revenue of the Group for the years
ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022.
Concentration of credit risk
Assets that potentially subject the Group to significant concentrations of credit risk primarily consist of cash and cash equivalents,
restricted cash, short-term investments, accounts receivable, loans receivable and security deposit with real estate developers
included under prepayments and other current assets.
As of December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, substantially all of the Group’s cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term
investments were held by reputable financial institutions, located in the PRC and Hong Kong, which management believes are of
high credit quality and financially sound based on public available information.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Accounts receivable are typically unsecured and are primarily derived from revenue earned from real estate developers. Security
deposits with real estate developers are also unsecured and are the advance payment to real estate developers to obtain the exclusive
selling right under Exclusive Sales Contracts without Sales Commitment Arrangements (see note 1). The risk with respect to
accounts receivable and security deposit with real estate developers are managed by credit evaluations the Group performs on its
customers and its ongoing monitoring of outstanding balances.
The Group is exposed to default risk on its loans receivable. The Group assesses the allowance for credit loss related to loans
receivable on a quarterly basis, either on an individual or collective basis. As of December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, no individual
loans receivable balance accounted for over 15% of the total loans receivable.
Cash concentration
Cash and cash equivalents and restricted cash mentioned below maintained at banks consist of the following:
RMB denominated bank deposits with:
Financial Institutions in the PRC
HKD denominated bank deposits with:
Financial Institutions in the Hong Kong
U.S. dollar denominated bank deposits with:
Financial Institutions in the Hong Kong
Financial Institutions in the PRC
As of December 31,
2022
2021
RMB
RMB
264,964
114,589
249
334
181,263
69,762
57,421
10,401
The bank deposits with financial institutions in the PRC are insured by the government authority for up to RMB500,000. The bank
deposits with financial institutions in Hong Kong are insured by the government authority for up to HK$500,000. The Company has
not experienced any losses in uninsured bank deposits and does not believe that it is exposed to any significant risks on cash held in
bank accounts. To limit exposure to credit risk, the Company primarily places bank deposits with large financial institutions in the
PRC and Hong Kong.
Currency risk
The Group’s operational transactions and its assets and liabilities are primarily denominated in RMB, which is not freely convertible
into foreign currencies. The value of RMB is subject to changes in central government policies and international economic and
political developments that affect the supply and demand of RMB in the foreign exchange market. In the PRC, certain foreign
exchange transactions are required by law to be transacted only by authorized financial institutions at exchange rates set by the
People’s Bank of China (the “PBOC”). Remittances from China in currencies other than RMB by the Group must be processed
through the PBOC or other China foreign exchange regulatory bodies and require certain supporting documentation in order to
execute the remittance.
Interest rate risk
The Group’s short-term bank borrowings bear interests at fixed rates. If the Group were to renew these loans upon maturity and the
related banks only agree to offer variable rate for such renewal, the Group might then be subject to interest rate risk.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
4. Fair value measurement
The following table sets forth the Group’s assets and liabilities that are measured at fair value on a recurring basis and are
categorized using the fair value hierarchy:
December 31, 2021
Assets
Short-term investments
-Wealth management products
Total Assets
December 31, 2022
Assets
Short-term investments
-Wealth management products
Total Assets
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Balance at
Fair Value
RMB
Inputs
RMB
Inputs
RMB
Inputs
RMB
—
—
6,150
6,150
—
—
6,150
6,150
Level 1 Level 2 Level 3 Balance at
Fair Value
RMB
Inputs
RMB
Inputs
RMB
Inputs
RMB
—
—
2,000
2,000
—
—
2,000
2,000
The Group values its investments in wealth management products issued by certain banks using quoted subscription or redemption
prices published by these banks, and accordingly, the Group classifies the valuation techniques that use these inputs as level 2.
The Group’s short-term investments as of December 31, 2021 and 2022 were acquired close to the year-end dates with maturity from
seven days to three months.
There have no transfers between level 1, level 2 and level 3 categories.
5. Lease
The following table presents balances reported in the consolidated balance sheets related to the Group’s leases:
Operating lease right-of-use assets
Operating lease liabilities
As of December 31,2022
RMB
2,207
2,035
The following table presents operating lease cost reported in the consolidated statements of comprehensive loss related to the
Group’s leases:
Operating lease cost
Short-term lease cost
Total
As of December 31,2022
RMB
714
7,821
8,535
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The following table reconciles the undiscounted cash flows of the Group’s leases as of December 31, 2022 to the present value of its
operating lease payments:
2023
2024
Total undiscounted operating lease payments
Less: imputed interest
Present value of operating lease liabilities
6. Accounts receivable, net
Accounts receivable consist of the following:
Accounts receivable from real estate developers
Accounts receivable from individual customers
Less: allowance for doubtful accounts
Accounts receivable, net
As of December 31, 2022
RMB
1,295
804
2,099
(64)
2,035
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
1,579,913
14,995
1,594,908
(710,168)
884,740
2022
RMB
1,023,787
4,283
1,028,070
(557,073)
470,997
As of December 31, 2021 and 2022, the Group pledged accounts receivable from real estate developers of RMB84,333 and
RMB44,889 as security for bank loans of RMB50,000 and RMB30,000 respectively (see note 13).
The following table presents the movement of allowance for doubtful accounts for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and
2022.
Balance at the beginning of the year
Provision (Reversal) for the year
Write-off
Balance at the end of the year
2020
RMB
142,256
67,967
(77)
210,146
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
210,146
500,336
(314)
710,168
2022
RMB
710,168
(82,825)
(70,270)
557,073
The provision of allowance for doubtful accounts was included in general and administrative expenses.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
7. Prepayments and other assets, net
Loans receivable, net
Security deposits with real estate developers, net
Rental and other deposits, net
Other receivables
Prepayments and other assets, net
Current Portion
Total prepayments and other assets, net
(1) Loans receivable, net
Secured loans
Unsecured loans
Less: allowance for doubtful loans
Loans receivable, net
Current Portion
Total loans
(1)
(2)
(3)
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
38,631
110,910
12,635
57,995
220,171
220,171
220,171
2022
RMB
25,988
66,978
5,672
93,358
191,996
191,996
191,996
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
12,746
57,579
70,325
(31,694)
38,631
38,631
38,631
2022
RMB
12,070
21,562
33,632
(7,644)
25,988
25,988
25,988
As of December 31, 2021 and 2022, loans receivable are primarily personal loans made to home purchasers, home owners,
Registered Agents and the Group’s employees. These loans have an original term from 30 days to 5 years and carry interest rates
between 3.6%~20% per annum.
On December 25, 2017, the Group entered into a one-year arrangement with an independent third party trust, under which the Group
would refer home owners on their platform to obtain personal loans from the trust. The Group is entitled to a loan facilitation fee
ranging from 0.8% to 4% of the amounts of completed loan transactions. The personal loans are secured by the homeowners’
properties. The Group provided guarantee on the principal and interest repayment of the loans to the trust and committed to purchase
all the unpaid loans principal and accrued interests due from the homeowners upon the end of the arrangement on December 25,
2018. On December 25, 2018, the Group purchased from the trust, pursuant to the arrangement, unpaid secured loans at a
consideration of RMB21,424, determined based on the outstanding principal and interest payable by the homeowners. These loans
have been recorded in secured loans receivable of RMB12,746 and RMB12,070 on the consolidated balance sheet as of December
31, 2021 and 2022, with an allowance for doubtful loans of RMB6,023 and RMB5,347, respectively.
In June 2021, the Group lent aggregately RMB45,000 to certain real estate agent companies in Shenzhen, Suzhou and Shanghai at
annual interest rate of 6.48% with repayment terms of 12 months. As of December 31, 2021, the Group determined the remaining
balance of the loans of RMB25,000 was not recoverable and full provision of allowance for doubtful accounts was made. As of
December 31, 2022, the remaining balance of the loans was fully collected and the Group reversed the previous provision of
allowance for doubtful accounts of RMB25,000.
F-36
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The following table sets forth the movement in the allowance for doubtful loans for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and
2022:
Balance at the beginning of the year
Provision (reversal) for the year
Written-offs
Balance at the end of the year
2020
RMB
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
4,255
614
128
4,997
4,997
26,697
—
31,694
2022
RMB
31,694
(20,179)
(3,871)
7,644
The allowance for loan losses is maintained at a level considered adequate to provide for losses that can be reasonably anticipated.
Management performs periodic evaluation of the adequacy of the allowance. The allowance is based on the Group’s loan loss
history, known and inherent risks in the portfolio, adverse situations that may affect the borrower’s ability to repay, composition of
the loan portfolio, current economic conditions and other relevant factors. The allowance is calculated at portfolio-level since the
loans portfolio is typically of smaller balance homogenous loans and is collectively evaluated for impairment. In estimating the
allowance of the loan portfolio, the Group also considers qualitative factors such as current economic conditions and/or events in
specific industries and geographical areas, including unemployment levels, trends in real estate values, peer comparisons, and other
pertinent factors such as regulatory guidance.
The following table sets forth the aging of loans receivable as of December 31, 2021 and 2022.
1-29 days past Due
30-89 days past Due
90-179 days past Due
Over 180 days past Due
Total past Due
Current
Total loans
(2) Security deposits with real estate developers, net
Security deposits with real estate developers under Exclusive Sales Contract
- Without Sales Commitment Arrangement
- With Sales Commitment Arrangement
Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts
Security deposits with real estate developers, net
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
200
106
3,690
20,407
24,403
45,922
70,325
2022
RMB
3,000
200
—
20,828
24,028
9,604
33,632
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
129,300
42,585
171,885
(60,975)
110,910
2022
RMB
98,066
40,085
138,151
(71,173)
66,978
The Group is required to advance certain deposits to obtain the exclusive selling right for a limited period of time under Exclusive Sales
Contracts (see note 1). The balance of deposits under Exclusive Sales Contract with Sales Commitment Arrangement is related to a parking
space sales project which was entered during the year ended December 31, 2021.
An allowance for doubtful accounts of RMB71,173 was made against the deposits under Exclusive Sales Contract without Sales
Commitment Arrangement which were considered not recoverable during the year ended December 31, 2022.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(3) Rental and other deposits, net
Rental and other deposits
Less: Allowance for doubtful accounts
Rental and other deposits, net
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
25,030
(12,395)
12,635
9,656
(3,984)
5,672
An allowance of doubtful accounts of RMB3,984 (2021: RMB12,395) was mainly recognized against rental and other deposits subsequent
to cease of Yuancui business during the year end December 31, 2021.
8. Property, equipment and software, net
Buildings
Leasehold improvements
Furniture and office equipment
Motor vehicles
Software
Total Property, equipment and software
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization
Impairment loss
Total Property, equipment and software, net
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
2,594
63,780
15,644
3,670
4,767
90,455
(70,002)
(5,891)
14,562
2022
RMB
2,594
57,162
2,738
1,633
4,699
68,826
(58,147)
(7,642)
3,037
Depreciation and amortization expenses were RMB3,389, RMB5,929 and RMB2,744 for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021
and 2022, respectively.
Impairment loss represents the carrying amounts of property, equipment and software relating to the business of Shanghai Yuancui
Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“Yuancui”) which was ceased during the year ended December 31, 2021 (see note 22).
9. Intangible assets, net
Non-competed agreements
Trademarks
Total intangible assets
Less: Accumulated amortization
Impairment loss
Total intangible assets, net
As of December 31,
2022
RMB
2021
RMB
6,740
1,070
7,810
(2,158)
(5,652)
—
6,740
1,070
7,810
(2,158)
(5,652)
—
During the year ended December 31, 2020, the Company acquired intangible assets amounting to RMB7,810 in connection with the
acquisition of Yuancui, which were measured at fair value upon acquisition. The amortization expenses were RMB392, RMB1,766
and nil, for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, respectively. Yuancui business ceased during the year ended
December 31, 2021 (see note 22), and the intangible assets were fully impaired accordingly.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
10. Goodwill, net
Balance as of January 1, 2021
Impairment loss
Balance as of December 31, 2021
Additions
Balance as of December 31, 2022
Amount
RMB
31,188
(31,188)
—
454
454
In October 2020, the Group acquired a 51% equity interest in Yuancui with total consideration of RMB30,000. The excess of total
consideration over net assets and identifiable intangible assets acquired was recorded as goodwill which amounted to RMB31,188 at
the acquisition date (See note 22). The Group estimated the fair value of acquired assets and liabilities with the assistance of an
independent valuation firm. Yuancui business was ceased during the year ended December 31, 2021 (see note 22) and the related
goodwill was fully impaired.
In March 2022, the Group acquired a 78% equity interest in Beijing Tuqiang Yunxia Technology Limited (“Tuqiang”). The excess of
total consideration over net assets was recorded as goodwill which amounted to RMB454 at the acquisition date (See note 22).
11. Equity method investment, net
Balance as of January 1, 2020
Additions
Share of results
Dividends received
Return of capital
Balance as of December 31, 2020
Additions
Share of results
Return of capital
Impairment losses
Disposal
Balance as of December 31, 2021
Additions
Share of results
Return of capital
Impairment losses
Balance as of December 31, 2022
579,263
1,458
3,970
(644)
(115,449)
468,598
84,566
(47)
(50,088)
(187,329)
(58,578)
257,122
33,154
(2,020)
(19,547)
(62,623)
206,086
During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Group made certain equity method investments. The Group does not
have controlling financial interests over these investees, but it has ability to exercise significant influence over their financial and
operating polices.
In connection with the Sales Commitment Arrangements as described in note 1, the Group invested into certain limited partnerships
as a limited partner. The Group has determined that given the design of these limited partnerships, they are considered to be
unconsolidated VIEs and the Group is not considered to be the primary beneficiary, as further described below.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the limited partnerships were either involved in or invested by the
Group for the purpose of the Sales Commitment Arrangements as a fund provider, details of which are disclosed in note 1. Under
these arrangements, an initial deposit is required to be paid to the real estate developers prior to the commencement of the exclusive
sales period. The limited partnerships are designed such that the investors (including the Group) would make their respective initial
equity capital payments based on the initial deposit requirements. The investors are committed to provide additional capital funding
in several tranches based on a funding schedule prepared considering of the forecast sale plan and actual progress of properties sales
throughout the exclusive sale period.
The Group has determined that the total equity investment at risk of these limited partnerships is limited to the capital injected in
these limited partnerships and does not include the commitments of the partners to contribute additional equity as the funding
commitments are not reported as equity in the balance sheet of the limited partnerships. Capital investments of the partners are the
only source of funding of these limited partnerships. In addition, the amount of paid-up capital at inception is limited to the funding
requirements for the initial stage of the project. The Group has determined that the limited partnerships are VIEs as their total equity
investments at risk are not considered to be sufficient to permit the limited partnerships to finance their activities without additional
subordinated financial support.
To determine whether the Group is the primary beneficiary of these limited partnerships, the Group has evaluated whether it has both
(i) the power to direct the activities of the limited partnerships that most significantly impact their economic performance; and
(ii) the obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the limited partnerships that could potentially be
significant to these entities.
The Group determined that the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the limited partnerships
include: (i) selecting real estate projects, (ii) negotiating the terms of sale commitment arrangement, (iii) monitoring the progress of
property sales and (iv) for the limited partnerships under Non-Group Commitment Arrangements as described in note 1, managing
the disposal of unsold properties, if any, at the end of the sales period that the limited partnerships are required to purchase from the
property developer.
Based on these activities that the Group considered to be most significant, the Group evaluated who has the power to direct them
beginning with an assessment of the parties involved in the ownership and governance structure of these limited partnerships. In this
regard, each of the limited partnerships is sponsored by an investor that is unrelated to the Group. The investments of the sponsoring
investor in the limited partnerships are generally in the form of both limited partnership interest and general partnership interest,
with these partnership interests being held by two or more of the sponsoring investor’s-controlled subsidiaries. Under the limited
partnership agreement, the general partner can make key management decisions for the limited partnership. In addition, the Group
does not have any kick-out right or the unilateral ability to exercise any substantive participating rights. Accordingly, the Group has
determined that the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance rests with the general
partner and the other limited partners that are all under the common control of the sponsoring investor.
The Group’s obligation to absorb losses of, or the right to receive benefits from, the limited partnerships are limited to its committed
capital investments or its rights to receive sharing of profit from the limited partnerships based on its proportionate share of the
capital contributions.
Based on the analysis above, as the Group does not have the power to direct the activities of limited partnerships that most
significantly impact their economic performance, the Group has concluded it is not the primary beneficiary of the limited
partnerships established in connection with the Sales Commitment Arrangements. The Group determined that it has significant
influence over these limited partnerships and therefore has accounted for its investments under the equity method.
F-40
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The Group considers, as a limited partner, that its maximum exposures to the losses from the limited partnerships are the maximum
loss that could potentially be recorded through earnings in future periods as a result of its investments and other variable interests in
the limited partnerships, regardless of the probability of the losses actually occurring. The Group’s maximum exposures to the losses
from the limited partnerships as of December 31, 2021 and 2022 are set out below, which represent the aggregated amounts of the
carrying amounts of the investments in limited partnerships and the maximum amount of additional capital commitments as
stipulated in the respective partnership deeds. The Group does not have any other obligation or commitment to provide any
guarantee, loan or other financial support to the limited partnerships.
Balance as of December 31, 2021
Balance as of December 31, 2022
Impairment loss
Aggregated
carrying amount
(before impairment loss)
of the limited partnerships
RMB
444,451
454,803
Maximum
amount of
additional
capital
commitment
(Note 23)
RMB
301,444
300,019
Maximum
exposures to the
losses of the
limited
partnerships
RMB
745,895
754,822
In considering current property market conditions and the operating performance of the limited partnerships, the Company
recognized other-than-temporary impairment loss of RMB62,623 to the investment in Ningbo Meishan Yunde Investment Limited
Partnership (“Yunde”) and Ningbo Meishan Muju Investment Limited Partnership (“Muju”) during the year ended December 31,
2022.
Disposal
During the year ended December 31, 2021, the other investors of Ningbo Meishan Deyu Investment Limited Partnership (“Deyu”)
and Ningbo Meishan Jiuyi Investment Limited Partnership (“Jiuyi”) withdrew all their capital invested after completing the
properties sales projects. The Group became the sole investor of Deyu and Jiuyi, which have been accounted for as consolidated
subsidiaries of the Group (see note 22). Deyu was cancelled in September, 2022.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The following equity method investees were either involved in or invested by the Group for the purpose of the Sales Commitment
Arrangements as a fund provider or other transactions, details of which are disclosed in note 1. The Group’s effective interests to the
equity method investees as of December 31, 2021 and 2022 are as below:
Name of the limited partnerships
Shanghai Gefei Chengyun Investment Center Limited Partnership (“Gefei Chengyun”)
Ningbo Meishan Jiushen Investment Limited Partnership (“Jiushen”)
Tibet Shiguan Business Management Limited Partnership (“Shiguan”)
Ningbo Meishan Jiuchuan Investment Limited Partnership (“Jiuchuan”)
Ningbo Meishan Decheng Investment Limited Partnership (“Decheng”)
Yiwu Longshu Tianye Investment Management Limited Partnership (“Longshutianye”)
Yiwu Longshu Qianli Investment Management Limited Partnership (“Longshuqianli”)
Jiuyi
Ningbo Meishan Jiuzhen Investment Limited Partnership (“Jiuzhen”)
Yunde
Ningbo Meishan Deyan Investment Limited Partnership (“Deyan”)
Ningbo Meishan Detong Investment Limited Partnership (“Detong”)
Ningbo Meishan Derong Investment Limited Partnership (“Derong”)
Ningbo Meishan Jiushi Investment Limited Partnership (“Jiushi”)
Ningbo Meishan Qixing Management Limited Partnership (“Qixing”)
Shanghai Ruokun Management Limited Partnership (“Ruokun”)
Deyu
Hangzhou Honggeng Investment Limited Partnership (“Honggeng”)
Shenzhen Jiaxinda No.3 Investment Limited Partnership(“Jiaxinda”)
Shanghai Fangjin Management Limited Partnership (“Fangjin”）
Muju
As of December 31,
2021
2022
20 %
12 %
27.6 %
10 %
2 %
26 %
16 %
— *
20 %
20 %
20 %
40 %
37 %
40 %
15.7 %
20 %
— *
20 %
10 %
49 %
30 %
20 %
12 %
27.6 %
10 %
2 %
26 %
16 %
— *
20 %
20 %
20 %
40 %
37 %
40 %
15.7 %
20 %
— *
20 %
10 %
49 %
30 %
Name of other equity method investees
Shenzhen Chenji Zhaozhao Technology Co., Ltd(“Chenji Zhaozhao”)
Shanghai Tinghaozhu Space Design Co., Ltd(“Tinghaozhu Space”)
—
—
30 %**
40 %**
* During the year ended December 31, 2021, the Group became the sole investor of Deyu and Jiuyi. Therefore, Deyu and Jiuyi
become consolidated subsidiaries of the Group (see note 22).
** During the year ended December 31, 2022, the Group invested the Chenji Zhaozhao and Tinghaozhu Space, both of which the
Group does not have controlling financial interests over these investees, but has ability to exercise significant influence over their
financial and operating polices accouting for 30% and 40% of their total equity, respectively.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
During the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Group made additional investments into these equity method
investments and received return of capital from these equity method investments, details of which are summarized below:
Name of the
limited partnerships
2020
Capital
Investments
RMB
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
1,000
—
458
—
—
For the Year Ended December 31,
2021
2022
Return of
capital
RMB
(1,513)
(9,397)
(4,290)
(463)
(3,003)
(26,312)
—
(4,800)
(3,500)
—
—
(38,220)
(8,750)
(5,000)
(4,000)
(2,201)
—
—
—
Capital
Investments
RMB
Return of
capital
RMB
Capital
Investments
RMB
Return of
capital
RMB
—
22,000
—
—
—
—
—
4,690
—
—
20,000
500
—
—
—
—
—
490
36,886
—
(3,455)
(2,800)
—
(1,666)
—
(1,826)
(6,862)
(1,300)
(48)
—
(31,371)
—
—
—
—
(458)
—
(302)
—
6,350
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
23,814
—
(18,500)
—
—
—
—
(414)
—
—
—
(1)
—
—
—
—
—
—
(234)
(398)
Gefei Chengyun
Jiushen
Jiuchuan
Decheng
Longshutianye
Jiuyi
Jiuzhen
Yunde
Deyan
Detong
Derong
Jiushi
Qixing
Ruokun
Deyu
Honggeng
Jiaxinda
Fangjin
Muju
Name of other equity method investees
Chenji Zhaozhao
Tinghaozhu Space
Total
—
—
1,458
—
—
(111,449)
—
—
84,566
—
—
(50,088)
2,190
800
33,154
—
—
(19,547)
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Summary of combined unaudited financial information for these equity method investees as of and for the years ended December
31, 2021 and 2022 are presented below:
Balance sheet data:
Current assets
Non-current assets
Total assets
Current liabilities
Total liabilities
Equity
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
Operating data:
Revenue
Operating income/(loss)
Net income/(loss)
12. Long-term equity investment, net
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
746,693
173,579
920,272
207,316
207,316
712,956
920,272
854,415
171,618
1,026,033
226,849
226,849
799,184
1,026,033
For the year ended December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
2020
RMB
56,545
22,009
22,431
4,094
(4,253)
(3,994)
5,569
(14,412)
(14,093)
In accordance with the Capital Injection and Share Transfer Agreement entered between the Group, Chengdu Haofangtong
Technology Corporation Limited (“Haofangtong”) and the existing shareholders of Haofangtong dated July 7, 2018, the Group
agreed to acquire 26% equity interests of Haofangtong by (1) subscribing 4,029,543 newly issued shares (the “New Share Issuing”),
which represents 7% equity interests of Haofangtong, with a consideration of RMB56,000 (2) an option to purchase 10,937,339
shares, representing 19% equity interests of Haofangtong after New Share Issuing, from the existing shareholders for RMB32,000 if
Haofangtong and the existing shareholders of Haofangtong fulfill certain conditions under the agreement. Haofangtong’s principle
activities are the development and sales of Enterprise Resource Planning (“ERP”) system for real estate agents.
On September 5, 2018, the Group completed the transaction of subscripting 4,029,543 newly issued shares of Haofangtong.
Management has determined that the consideration paid of RMB56,000 represents the cost of (i) 7% equity interests of Haofangtong
and (ii) a purchase option in respect of an additional 19% equity interests of Haofangtong from the existing shareholders for
RMB32,000. The total consideration paid is allocated to the 7% equity interest and the purchase option, based on the valuation
report prepared by an independent valuation firm.
The Group has determined that it does not have significant influence in Haofangtong and that there is no readily determinable fair
value of Haofangtong’s shares. The investments in the 7% equity interests and the purchase option on additional equity interests are
measured at their respective allocated costs, less impairment, with subsequent adjustments for observable price changes.
In December 2019, the Group determined that the decline in the fair value of the equity investments in Haofangtong, including the
purchase option of additional equity interests, was other than temporary and an impairment loss of RMB16,000 was recorded in the
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss for the year ended December 31, 2019. The fair value is based on the valuation
report prepared by an independent valuation firm.
No impairment or adjustment for observable price changes on such investments was recognized for the year ended December 31,
2020.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
In December 2021, the Group determined a further decline in the value of the equity investments in Haofangtong was other than
temporary and an impairment loss of RMB26,000 was recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss for the year
ended December 31, 2021, with the estimated fair value determined by management based on the valuation report prepared by an
independent valuation firm.
In December 2022, the Group determined a further decline in the value of the equity investments in Haofangtong was other than
temporary and an impairment loss of RMB8,000 was recorded in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss for the year
ended December 31, 2022, with the estimated fair value determined by management.
13. Short-term bank borrowings
Secured bank loans
Unsecured bank loans
Short-term borrowing
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
134,600
180
134,780
2022
RMB
72,500
—
72,500
The weighted average interest rates of bank loans as of December 31, 2021 and 2022 are 5.9% and 6.6%, respectively. The details of
security and guarantee of bank loans as of December 31, 2021 and 2022 are as below.
In June 2019, the Group borrowed a one-year loan of RMB50,000 from Bank of Shanghai in Shenzhen, at annual interest rate of
4.35%. Placement of cash deposits of US$7,750 (equivalent to RMB54,065) with the bank was provided by the Group as collateral
of the borrowings. This loan was renewed in June 2020, at annual interest rate of 3.85% with the same amount of pledged deposits
of US$7,750 (equivalent to RMB50,568) as collateral of the borrowings. The loan of RMB50,000 from Bank of Shanghai was fully
repaid in June 2021.
In March 2020, the Group borrowed a one-year loan of RMB30,000 from Agriculture Bank of China in Shenzhen, at annual interest
rate of 4.35%. Placement of cash deposits of US$5,000 (equivalent to RMB32,624) with the bank was provided by the Group as
collateral of the borrowings. The loan of RMB30,000 from Agriculture Bank of China was fully repaid in March 2021.
In April 2020, the Group borrowed a one-year loan of RMB30,000 from Bank of Shanghai, at annual interest rate of 6.05%. The
Group pledged the accounts receivable due from real estate developers with a balance of RMB54,926 as of December 31, 2020 for a
line of credit of RMB100,000 for the period from March 2020 to March 2021. The loan of RMB30,000 from Bank of Shanghai was
fully repaid in March 2021.
On May 19, 2020, the Group borrowed RMB3,944 from Shenzhen Zhongxiaodan Commercial Insurance Co., Ltd. with an annual
interest rate of 12%. It was fully repaid in February 2021.
In July 2020, the Group borrowed one-year loans of RMB100,000 from Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank at annual interest rate
ranging from 7.50% to 8.11%. The loans were secured by real estate owned by one of equity method investment of the Company,
Jiushi. (see note 23) and real estate owned by Suzhou Chaxiaobai Culture & Media Co., Ltd.(“ Suzhou Chaxiaobai”). The spouse of
a shareholder of the Company is the controlling shareholder of Suzhou Chaxiaobai (see note 23). The loans of RMB100,000 from
Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank borrowed in 2020 were fully repaid during year ended December 31, 2021.
F-45
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
In July 2021, the Group borrowed a one-year loan of RMB100,000 from Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank at annual interest
rate of 7.50%. The loan was secured by real estate owned by one of equity method investment of the Company, Jiushi (see note 23)
and real estate owned by Suzhou Chaxiaobai. The spouse of a shareholder of the Company is the controlling shareholder of Suzhou
Chaxiaobai (see note 23). In December 2021, the Group repaid RMB15,400 among the loan from Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial
Bank borrowed in 2021. In July 2022, the Group fully repaid the remaining balance of a one-year loan of RMB100,000 from
Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank of RMB84,600.
In September 2022, the Group borrowed a 11-month loan of RMB42,500 from Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank at annual
interest rate of 7.50%. The loan was secured by real estate owned by one of equity method investment of the Company, Jiushi (see
note 24) and real estate owned by Suzhou Chaxiaobai. The spouse of a shareholder of the Company is the controlling shareholder of
Suzhou Chaxiaobai (see note 24).
From July to December 2020, the Group borrowed 6-month loans of RMB20,000 from Bank of Hangzhou, at annual interest rate
ranging from 5.6% to 5.8%. The Group pledged the accounts receivable due from real estate developers with a balance of
RMB52,968 as of December 31, 2020. The loans of RMB20,000 from Bank of Hangzhou borrowed in 2020 were fully repaid in
January 2021 and June 2021. In January 2021, the Group borrowed 6-month loans of RMB4,000 from Bank of Hangzhou, at annual
interest rate of 5.6%. The loans of RMB4,000 from Bank of Hangzhou borrowed in 2021 were fully repaid during the year ended
December 31, 2021.
In August 2020, the Group borrowed a one-year loan of RMB30,000 from China Guangfa Bank, at annual interest rate of 4.20%.
The Group pledged the accounts receivable due from real estate developers with the balance of RMB22,571 as of December 31,
2020. The loan of RMB30,000 from China Guangfa Bank was fully repaid in August 2021.
From August to September 2020, the Group borrowed one-year loans of total RMB20,000 from Bank of Ningbo, at annual interest
rate of 6.50%. Those loans were fully repaid in July 2021.
From August to December 2020, the Group borrowed a 6-month loan of RMB50,000 and a one-year loan of RMB30,000 from Bank
of China, at annual interest rate of 5.66% and 4.35%. The Group pledged the accounts receivable due from real estate developers
with the balance of RMB141,528 as of December 31, 2020. The loan of RMB50,000 and the loan of RMB30,000 from Bank of
China were fully repaid in February 2021 and December 2021, respectively.
In March 2021, the Group borrowed a one-year loan of RMB50,000 from Bank of China, at annual interest rate of 4.35%. The
Group pledged the accounts receivable due from real estate developers with the balance of RMB84,333 as of December 31, 2021.
The loan of RMB50,000 from Bank of China was fully repaid in March 2022.
In August 2022, the Group borrowed a 6-month loan of RMB30,000 from Bank of China, at annual interest rate of 3.80%. The
Group pledged the accounts receivable due from real estate developers with the balance of RMB44,889 as of December 31, 2022.
In September 2020, Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Ltd. borrowed a one-year loan of RMB20,000 from China Construction
Bank, at an annual interest rate of 6.15%. It was fully repaid during the year ended December 31, 2021.
From September to November 2020, the Group borrowed one-year loans of RMB19,500 from China Everbright Bank, at annual
interest rate of 5.85%. The Group pledged the accounts receivable due from real estate developers with the balance of RMB84,396
as of December 31, 2020. The loans of RMB19,500 from China Everbright Bank were fully repaid during the year ended December
31, 2021.
In November 2020, the Group borrowed a one-year loan of RMB40,000 from Shanghai Pudong Development Bank, at annual
interest rate of 5.75%. The Group pledged the accounts receivable due from real estate developers with the balance of RMB54,013
as of December 31, 2020. The loan of RMB40,000 from Shanghai Pudong Development Bank was fully repaid in December 2021.
F-46
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
In June 2021, the Group borrowed a one-year loan of RMB180 from Bank of Nanjing, at annual interest rate of 5.00%. The loan of
RMB180 from Bank of Nanjing was fully repaid in June 2022.
The loan agreements with Bank of Shanghai, Bank of China, Agriculture Bank of China, Zhejiang Chouzhou Commercial Bank,
Bank of Hangzhou, China Guangfa Bank, Bank of Ningbo, China Construction Bank, China Everbright Bank, Bank of Nanjing and
Shanghai Pudong Development Bank contain certain financial and non-financial covenants. As of December 31, 2021 and 2022, the
Group was in compliance with the relevant covenants.
14. Customers’ refundable fees
Balance at the beginning of the year
Cash received from customers
Cash refunded to customers
Revenue (recognized) reversed
Balance at the end of the year
2020
RMB
44,916
55,403
(26,329)
(37,916)
36,074
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
36,074
43,527
(35,374)
(13,230)
30,997
2022
RMB
30,997
42,298
(46,554)
4,006
30,747
Customers’ refundable fees represent the commission income received in advance (see note 2(v)).
15. Accrued expenses and other payables
Accrual for salary and bonus
Other taxes and surcharge payable
Down payments collected on behalf of secondary property sellers
Amounts due to franchisees
Professional service fee
Amounts due to third parties under collaborative agreements
Accrued expenses
Receipt in advance
Others
Accrued expenses and other payables
(1)
(2)
(3)
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
18,184
31,000
—
2,252
4,158
48,133
24,670
37,037
72,764
238,198
2022
RMB
6,426
24,081
—
218
982
41,444
10,406
12,551
85,032
181,140
(1) These amounts were held on behalf of home purchasers in respect of their down payments made for secondary property
transactions for which legal title transfer from property sellers had not yet been completed.
(2) The Group entered into franchise agreements with certain real estate agency companies which are granted with the right to use
the Group’s brands, access of listings in the Group’s platform and other resources. These amounts as of December 31, 2021 and
2022 represent the commission received on behalf of the real estate agency companies and guarantee deposits.
(3) The amount represents funds provided by third parties under Collaborative Agreements (see note 1) for the parking space sales
projects.
F-47
Table of Contents
16. Taxation
a) Income tax
Cayman Islands
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Under the current laws of the Cayman Islands, the Company is not subject to tax on income or capital gain. Additionally, the
Cayman Islands does not impose a withholding tax on payments of dividends to shareholders.
Hong Kong
Under the current Hong Kong Inland Revenue Ordinance, the Company’s Hong Kong subsidiary is subject to Hong Kong profits tax
at the rate of 16.5% on its taxable income generated from the operations in Hong Kong. A two-tiered Profits Tax rates regime was
introduced since year 2018 where the first HK$2,000 of assessable profits earned by a company will be taxed at half the current tax
rate (8.25)% whilst the remaining profits will continue to be taxed at 16.5%. There is an anti-fragmentation measure where each
group will have to nominate only one company in the group to benefit from the progressive rates. Payments of dividends by the
subsidiary to the Company is not subject to withholding tax in Hong Kong.
PRC
Under the Enterprise Income Tax Law (“EIT Law”) in the PRC, domestic companies are subject to EIT at a uniform rate of 25%.
The Company’s PRC subsidiaries, VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries are subject to the statutory income tax rate at 25% unless otherwise
specified. On October 31, 2017, Shenzhen Fangdd obtained a certificate from the Guangdong provincial government for a High and
New Technology Enterprise (“HNTE”) qualification and the certificate was renewed on December 11, 2020. This renewed
certificate entitled Shenzhen Fangdd to enjoy a preferential income tax rate of 15% for a period of three years from 2020 to 2022 if
all the criteria for HNTE status could be satisfied in the relevant year.
Under the EIT Law and its implementation rules, an enterprise established outside China with a “place of effective management”
within China is considered a China resident enterprise for Chinese enterprise income tax purposes. A China resident enterprise is
generally subject to certain Chinese tax reporting obligations and a uniform 25% enterprise income tax rate on its worldwide
income. The implementation rules to the New EIT Law provide that non-resident legal entities are considered PRC residents if
substantial and overall management and control over the manufacturing and business operations, personnel, accounting, properties,
etc., occurs within the PRC. Despite the present uncertainties resulting from the limited PRC tax guidance on the issue, the Company
does not believe that the legal entities organized outside the PRC should be treated as residents for 2008 EIT law purposes. If the
PRC tax authorities subsequently determine that the Company and its subsidiaries registered outside the PRC are deemed resident
enterprises, the Company and its subsidiaries registered outside the PRC will be subject to the PRC income tax at a rate of 25%.
Dividends paid to non-PRC-resident corporate investor from profits earned by the PRC subsidiaries after January 1, 2008 would be
subject to a withholding tax. The EIT law and its relevant regulations impose a withholding tax at 10%, unless reduced by a tax
treaty or agreement, for dividends distributed by a PRC-resident enterprise to its non-PRC-resident corporate investor for earnings
generated beginning on January 1, 2008. As at December 31, 2021 and 2022, there was no retained earnings from consolidated level
of all the foreign subsidiaries. And thus, the Company has not provided for deferred tax liabilities on undistributed earnings.
F-48
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Loss before provision for income taxes is attributable to the following geographic locations for the years ended December 31, 2020,
2021 and 2022:
Cayman
Hong Kong SAR
BVI
PRC, excluding Hong Kong SAR
For the Year Ended December 31,
2021
RMB
(1,403)
(4,692)
(33)
(1,187,962)
(1,194,090)
2020
RMB
(11,322)
(2,804)
(1)
(192,583)
(206,710)
2022
RMB
(156,373)
(4,539)
(12)
(71,177)
(232,101)
The Group had minimal current income tax expense for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, as most of the
companies in the Group either made a loss or had tax loss carried forwards to net against taxable income in the respective years.
Income tax expense consists of the following:
Current income tax expense
Deferred income tax expense
For the Year Ended
December 31,
2021
RMB
5,483
3,424
8,907
2020
RMB
12,753
1,912
14,665
2022
RMB
7,487
—
7,487
The actual income tax expense reported in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss for each of the years ended
December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022 differs from the amount computed by applying the PRC statutory income tax rate of 25% to loss
before income taxes due to the following:
Loss before tax
Income tax computed at PRC statutory tax rate
Effect of preferential tax rate*
Tax rate differential not subject to PRC income tax
Non-deductible expense
Change in valuation allowance
Additional deduction for research and development expenses
Tax-exempted income
Late payment surcharge on uncertain tax position
Others**
For the Year Ended
December 31,
2021
RMB
(1,194,090)
(298,523)
68,988
758
47,393
188,892
(839)
(220)
2,661
(203)
8,907
2020
RMB
(206,710)
(51,678)
(4,654)
3,069
43,350
29,819
(6,128)
(1,054)
2,039
(98)
14,665
2022
RMB
(232,101)
(58,025)
(6,364)
39,482
44,424
59,700
(981)
(92)
2,197
(72,853)
7,487
Shenzhen Fangdd enjoys a preferential income tax rate of 15% from 2014 to 2022 if all the criteria for HNTE status could be
*
satisfied in the relevant years. Please refer to Note 16 – a) PRC section for details.
** It was expected that Shenzhen Fangdd would not satisfy all the criteria for HNTE status in the foreseeable future years since
2023, so its enacted future income tax rate was changed from 15% to 25% when considering the deferred income tax assets.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
b) Deferred tax assets and liabilities
The tax effects of temporary differences that give rise to the deferred income tax assets and liabilities as of December 31, 2021 and
2022 are as follows:
Net operating loss carry forward
Allowance for doubtful accounts
Payroll and accrued expenses
Deductible advertisement expenses
Long-term equity investment impairment
Intangible assets*
Gross deferred tax assets
Less: Valuation allowance
Net deferred tax assets
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
100,354
149,713
3,847
4,824
34,399
31,545
324,682
(324,682)
—
2022
RMB
103,285
172,898
4,157
1,024
74,988
28,031
384,382
(384,382)
—
*
In December 2020, Shenzhen Fangdd transferred certain internal developed software to another subsidiary of the Group at a
consideration of RMB141.5 million which resulted a difference between the financial statement carrying amounts of the
intangible asset and the respective tax base.
The movements of the valuation allowance are as follows:
Balance at the beginning of the year
Changes of valuation allowances
Balance at the end of the year
For the Year Ended
December 31,
2021
RMB
(135,790)
(188,892)
(324,682)
2020
RMB
(96,920)
(38,870)
(135,790)
2022
RMB
(324,682)
(59,700)
(384,382)
As of December 31, 2022, the valuation allowance of RMB384,382 was related to the deferred income tax asset of subsidiaries of
the Company. These entities were in a cumulative loss position, which is a significant negative indicator to overcome that sufficient
income will be generated over the periods in which the deferred income tax assets are deductible or utilized. The ultimate realization
of deferred income tax assets is dependent upon the generation of future taxable income during the periods in which those temporary
differences become deductible or utilized. Management considers the scheduled reversal of deferred income tax liabilities, projected
future taxable income and tax planning strategies in making this assessment.
The net operating losses carry forwards of the Company’s PRC subsidiaries amounted to RMB404,690 as of December 31, 2022, of
which RMB35,334, RMB22,543, RMB47,635, RMB133,994, RMB85,239 and RMB79,945 will expire if unused by December 31,
2023, 2024, 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2031, respectively.
F-50
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
A reconciliation of the beginning and ending amount of total unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2020,
2021 and 2022 is as follows:
Beginning balance
Additions
Ending balance
For the Year Ended
December 31,
2021
RMB
(23,840)
(4,735)
(28,575)
2020
RMB
(11,910)
(11,930)
(23,840)
2022
RMB
(28,575)
(2,197)
(30,772)
RMB28,575 and RMB30,772 of unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2021 and 2022 are related to uncertainty with regards
to the deductibility of certain business expenses incurred as well as recognition of certain income for tax purpose. Those, if
recognized, would affect the effective tax rate. The unrecognized tax benefits as of December 31, 2021 and 2022 were included in
other non-current liabilities. The Company is currently unable to provide an estimate of a range of total amount of unrecognized tax
benefits that is reasonably possible to change significantly within the next twelve months. The accrued interest and penalties were
recognized in the Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Loss as components of income tax expense.
According to the PRC Tax Administration and Collection Law, the statute of limitations is three years for tax underpayment due to
computational errors made by the taxpayer or the withholding agent. The statute of limitations is extended to five years under special
circumstances where the underpayment of taxes is more than RMB100. In the case of transfer pricing issues, the statute of
limitations is 10 years. There is no statute of limitations for tax evasions.
17. Redeemable Convertible Preferred Shares
All of the Redeemable Convertible Preferred Shares were converted to Class A ordinary shares immediately upon the completion of
the Company’s initial public offering on November 1, 2019.
Redeemable Convertible Preferred Shares consist of the following:
Balance as of January 1, 2019
Series A-2
Preferred
Shares
Series B
Preferred
Shares
Series C
Preferred
Shares
Total
102,743 446,889 2,193,512 2,743,144
Redemption value accretion
Foreign currency translation adjustment
Conversion of Redeemable Convertible Preferred Shares to Class A Ordinary
Shares
Balance as of December 31, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022
3,041
2,747
15,642
11,870
97,625
59,017
116,308
73,634
(108,531)
—
(474,401)
—
(2,350,154)
—
(2,933,086)
—
Since the date of incorporation, the Company has completed four rounds of financing by issuing preferred shares, namely, Series A-
1 and A-2 preferred shares issued in 2013 (the Series A-1 preferred shares and Series A-2 preferred shares are collectively referred
as “Series A preferred shares”), Series B preferred shares issued in 2014, and Series C preferred shares issued in 2015. Series A-1
preferred shares are non-redeemable convertible preferred shares while the other series preferred shares are redeemable and
convertible.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
On October 25, 2013, the Company entered into a share purchase agreement with the Series A Investors and pursuant to which, the
Company issued 259,257,900 shares of Series A preferred shares, of which 111,110,000 series A-1 preferred shares were issued at
par value and 148,147,900 series A-2 preferred shares were issued at a price of US$0.07 per share with total consideration of
US$9,830 (equivalent to approximately RMB58,980) (see note 17 for the detail of Series A-1 preferred shares). The issuance of the
Series A preferred shares was completed in 2013.
On June 12, 2014, the Company entered into a share purchase agreement with the Series B Investors and pursuant to which, the
Company issued 177,834,496 shares of Series B preferred shares at a price of US$0.25 per share with total consideration of
US$45,000 (equivalent to approximately RMB276,764). The issuance of the Series B preferred shares was completed in 2014.
On June 30, 2015, the Company entered into a share purchase agreement with the Series C Investors and pursuant to which, the
Company issued 286,959,017 shares of Series C preferred shares at a price of US$0.78 per share with total consideration of
US$223,000 (equivalent to approximately RMB1,364,046). The issuance of the Series C preferred shares was completed in 2015.
Pursuant to the agreement with Series C Investor, the Company repurchased on 29,596,670 ordinary shares with consideration of
US$23,000 (equivalent to approximately RMB140,612), and 9,007,682 Series A-1 preferred shares with consideration of US$7,000
(equivalent to approximately RMB42,000).
On October 8, 2019, the Company granted an option to acquire 172,908,894 Class A ordinary shares at par value to its Series C
preferred shareholder, Greyhound Investment Ltd., in exchange for, among other things, the shareholder’s consent to amend the
qualified IPO definition in the Company’s shareholders’ agreement and articles of association to authorize the offering the Company
then contemplated. The option granted to Greyhound Investment Ltd. is exercisable on the earlier of (i) 61 calendar days after the
completion of the offering, and (ii) February 14, 2021. During the year ended December 31, 2019, the fair value of the option
granted to Greyhound Investment Ltd. on October 8, 2019 of RMB642,174 was recorded as a deemed dividend. Greyhound
Investment Ltd. exercised the option on January 7, 2020.
The Company had classified the Series A-2 Preferred Shares, Series B Preferred Shares and Series C Preferred Shares as mezzanine
equity in the Consolidated Balance Sheets for periods prior to their conversion to Class A ordinary shares on November 1, 2019 as
they were contingently redeemable at the option of the holders after a specified time period.
The Company has determined that conversion and redemption features embedded in the Redeemable Preferred Shares are not
required to be bifurcated and accounted for as a derivative, as the economic characteristics and risks of the embedded conversion and
redemption features are clearly and closely related to that of the Preferred Shares. The Preferred Shares are not readily convertible
into cash as there is not a market mechanism in place for trading of the Company’s shares.
The Company has determined that there was no beneficial conversion feature attributable to any of the Preferred Shares because the
initial effective conversion prices of these Preferred Shares were higher than the fair value of the Company’s ordinary shares at the
relevant commitment dates.
In addition, the carrying values of the Preferred Shares are accreted from the share issuance dates to the redemption value on the
earliest redemption dates. The accretions are recorded against retained earnings, or in the absence of retained earnings, additional
charges are recorded by increasing the accumulated deficit.
The rights, preferences and privileges of the Preferred Shares are as follows:
Redemption Rights
At any time on or after June 12, 2019 if there is no Qualified Initial Public Offering (‘‘Qualified IPO’’), each of the holders of a
majority of the then outstanding Series A-2 Preferred Shares and Series B Preferred Shares may request a redemption of the
Preferred Shares of such series.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
At any time after the earlier of (a) the fifth anniversary of the commitment date of the series C preferred shares purchase agreement
(“Closing Date”) (if there is no Qualified IPO) or (b) any redemption initiated by the holders of Series A-2 Shares or Series B Shares
pursuant to above, each of the holders of a majority of the then outstanding Series C Preferred Shares may request a redemption of
the Preferred Shares of such series.
The price at which each Preferred Share shall be redeemed equal to 150% of its Original Issue Price, plus any dividend which have
been declared (but which remain unpaid) in respect of the Preferred Shares, as adjusted for share split, share dividends, combination,
recapitalizations and similar events with respect to each series.
The Company accretes changes in the redemption value over the period from the date of issuance to the earliest redemption date of
the Preferred Shares using effective interest method. Changes in the redemption value are considered to be changes in accounting
estimates.
Conversion Rights
Each Preferred Share is convertible, at the option of the holder, at any time after the date of issuance of such Preferred Shares
according to a conversion ratio, subject to adjustments for dilution, including but not limited to stock splits, stock dividends and
capitalization and certain other events. Each Preferred Share is convertible into a number of ordinary shares determined by dividing
the applicable original issuance price by the conversion price. The conversion price of each Preferred Share is the same as its
original issuance price and no adjustments to conversion price have occurred. At December 31, 2016, 2017 and 2018, each Preferred
Share is convertible into one ordinary share.
Each Preferred Share shall automatically be converted into ordinary shares, at the then applicable preferred share conversion price
upon (i) closing of a Qualified Initial Public Offering (‘‘Qualified IPO’’) or (ii) each Series B Preferred Share shall automatically be
converted into Ordinary Shares upon the affirmative written consent of the holders of 75% or more of then outstanding Series B
Preferred Shares.
Voting Rights
Each Preferred Share shall be entitled to that number of votes corresponding to the number of ordinary shares on an as-converted
basis. Preferred Shares shall vote together with the holders of Ordinary Shares, and not as a separate class or series with respect to
certain specified matters. Otherwise, the holders of Preferred Shares and ordinary shares shall vote together as a single class.
Dividend Rights
No dividends shall be declared or paid on the Ordinary Shares, Series A Preferred Shares and the Series B Shares unless and until a
dividend in like amount is paid at the same time on each outstanding Series C Preferred Share calculated on an as-converted basis.
No dividends shall be declared or paid on the Ordinary Shares and Series A Preferred Shares unless and until a dividend in like
amount is paid at the same time on each outstanding Series B Preferred Share (calculated on an as-converted basis).
Liquidation Preferences
In the event of any liquidation including deemed liquidation, dissolution or winding up of the Company, holders of the Preferred
Shares shall be entitled to receive a per share amount equal to 150% of the original preferred share issue price of the respective
series of Preferred Shares, as adjusted for share dividends, share splits, combinations, recapitalizations or similar events, plus all
accrued and declared but unpaid dividends thereon, in the sequence of Series C Preferred Shares, Series B Preferred Shares, Series
A-2 Preferred Shares and Series A-1 Preferred Shares. After such liquidation amounts have been paid in full, any remaining funds or
assets of the Company legally available for distribution to shareholders shall be distributed on a pro rata, pari passu basis among the
holders of the Preferred Shares, on an as-converted basis, together with the holders of the ordinary shares.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The modifications of the rights, preferences and privileges of the Preferred Shares are not considered substantial, and are thus
accounted for as a modification rather than an extinguishment of the Preferred Shares. Where there is a transfer of value between
ordinary shareholders and Preferred Shares holders as a result of such modifications, the transfer of value is accounted for as deemed
dividends, recorded as additions/reductions in accumulated deficit and reductions/additions in the Preferred Shares carrying
amounts.
18. Ordinary shares and Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Shares
Ordinary shares
Upon incorporation in 2013, the Company’s authorized ordinary shares were 2,000,000,000 shares with a par value of
US$0.0000001 each and issued 975,308,700 ordinary shares at par value. The number of authorized ordinary shares was increased
from 2,000,000,000 to 2,275,948,587 as of December 31, 2018 after the issuance of Series A-1, A-2, B and C Preferred Shares.
Immediately prior to the completion of Company’s initial public offering on November 1, 2019, its authorized share capital was
changed to US$500 divided into 5,000,000,000 shares of a par value of US$0.0000001 each, comprising of (i) 3,380,061,942 Class
A ordinary shares, (ii) 619,938,058 Class B ordinary shares of a par value, and (iii) 1,000,000,000 shares of such class or classes
(however designated) as the board of directors may determine in accordance with the amended and restated memorandum and
articles of association. 619,938,058 ordinary shares beneficially owned by the Company’s founders, Yi Duan, Xi Zeng and
Jiancheng Li were re-designated into Class B ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis and remaining 325,773,972 ordinary shares
were re-designated into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis. All outstanding preferred shares were converted into
715,043,731 Class A ordinary shares.
Upon the completion of Company’s initial public offering and exercise of the overallotment options, the Company issued
150,000,000 and 12,504,475 Class A ordinary shares at price of US$0.52 per Class A ordinary share, respectively. The total net
proceeds received were US$71,596 (equivalent to approximately RMB498,436).
On October 14, 2022, the Company’s authorized share capital was changed to US$5,000 divided into 50,000,000,000 shares of a par
value of US$0.0000001 each, comprising of (i) 30,000,000,000 Class A ordinary shares of a par value, (ii) 10,000,000,000 Class B
ordinary shares of a par value, and (iii) 10,000,000,000 shares of such class or classes (however designated) as the board of directors
may determine in accordance with the amended and restated memorandum and articles of association.
Upon the completion of Company’s the offering on December 8, 2022, the Company issued 375,000,000 Class A ordinary shares at
price of US$0.0017 per Class A ordinary share and 75,000 Class C ordinary shares at price of US$0.0036 per Class C ordinary
share, respectively. The total net proceeds received were US$450 (equivalent to approximately RMB3,136).
In respect of matters requiring the votes of shareholders, the holders of Class B ordinary shares is entitled to ten votes per share, the
holders of Class C ordinary shares is entitled to 10,000 votes per share, while the holders of Class A ordinary shares entitle to one
vote per share. Each Class B and each Class C ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time by the
holder thereof, while Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B or Class C ordinary shares under any circumstances.
Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Shares
Series A-1 Preferred Shares are not redeemable and are convertible to Ordinary Shares at a 1-to-1 initial conversion ratio at the
option of the holder at any time after the date of issuance. The liquidation preference of Series A-1 Preferred Shares is preferable to
Ordinary Shares but subordinated to redeemable convertible preferred shares as disclosed in Note 17.
On November 1, 2019, all Series A-1 Convertible Preferred Shares were converted to Class A ordinary shares upon the Company’s
completion of IPO.
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
19. Share-Based Compensation
On December 21, 2018, the Group adopted the 2018 Share Incentive Plan (“2018 Plan”).
Under the 2018 Plan, the Board of Directors has approved that a maximum aggregate number of shares that may be issued pursuant
to all awards granted under the 2018 Plan shall be 260,454,163 shares.
All stock options granted under the 2018 Plan are not exercisable until the consummation of the Group’s IPO and certain of the
option granted to employees are required to render service to the Group in accordance with a stipulated service schedule under
which an employee earns an entitlement to vest in 30% of his option grants at the end of each of the first two years and 40% at the
end of the third year of completed service.
Prior to the completion of the IPO, the stock options granted to the employees and directors shall be forfeited upon the termination
of employment of the employees and directors.
Options granted under the 2018 Plan during the year of 2021, grantees are entitled to vest the option at the end of the first year of
completed service.
The following table sets forth the stock options activities for the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022:
Outstanding as of January 1, 2020
-Forfeited
Outstanding as of December 31, 2020
-Grant to Employees
-Exercised
-Forfeited
Outstanding as of December 31, 2021
-Exercised
-Forfeited
Outstanding as of December 31, 2022
Exercisable as of December 31, 2022
Number of
shares
Weighted
average
exercise
price
US$
0.0000001
104,543,578
(11,079,090)
0.0000001
93,464,488 0.0000001
94,543,900
(50,219,050)
(7,633,050)
130,156,288
(49,409,787)
(6,615,475)
74,131,026
73,314,401
0.0000001
0.0000001
0.0000001
0.0000001
0.0000001
0.0000001
0.0000001
0.0000001
Weighted
average
remaining
contractual
term
3.98
Weighted
average
grant date
fair value
US$
1.38
4.02
0.44
2.69
2.68
0.59
0.59
Options granted to Grantees were measured at fair value on the dates of grant using the Binomial Option Pricing Model with the
following assumptions:
Expected volatility
Risk-free interest rate (per annum)
Exercise multiple
Expected dividend yield
Contractual term (in years)
2019
2021
60 %
2.8 %
2.2
0 %
5
48.56 %
1.25 %
2.2
0 %
5
F-55
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The expected volatility was estimated based on the historical volatility of the Company and comparable peer public companies with
a time horizon close to the expected term of the Group’s options. The risk-free interest rate was estimated based on the yield to
maturity of U.S. treasury bonds denominated in US$ for a term consistent with the expected term of the Group’s options in effect at
the option valuation date. The exercise multiple is estimated as the ratio of fair value of underlying shares over the exercise price as
of the time the option is exercised, based on a consideration of empirical studies on the actual exercise behavior of employees. The
expected dividend yield is zero as the Group has never declared or paid any cash dividends on its shares, and the Group does not
anticipate any dividend payments in the foreseeable future. The expected term is the contract life of the option.
For the years ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and 2022, the Company recognized RMB102,750, RMB47,067 and RMB16,724
share-based compensation expenses relating to the 2018 Plan.
On April 28, 2020, the Company and all Grantees entered into certain agreements pursuant to which Grantees agreed not to exercise
any stock option, in whole or in part, for a 12-month period commencing from April 28, 2020. There were no other changes to the
terms of the relevant stock option grants. The Company determined that the agreements between the Company and the Grantees
constitutes a modification to the terms of the option grants with no incremental fair value for the underlying awards. Accordingly,
there was no impact on the total compensation cost or the pattern for which the relevant compensation charges are recognized.
As of December 31, 2022, RMB115 of total unrecognized compensation expense related to non-vested share options is expected to
be recognized over a weighted average period of approximately 1 year.
20. Revenue information
Revenue consists of the following:
Base commission from transactions
Innovation initiatives and other value-added services
For the year ended December 31,
2021
RMB
821,899
120,481
942,380
2020
RMB
2,223,685
227,602
2,451,287
2022
RMB
201,907
44,041
245,948
As the Group generates substantially all of its revenues from customers domiciled in the PRC, no geographical segments are
presented. All of the Group’s long-lived assets are located in the PRC.
Innovation initiatives and other value-added services primarily consists of sales incentive income, franchise income, financial
services income, loan facilitation services, parking space transaction services, income from software as a service (“SaaS”) platform
participants and revenue from other value-added services rendered to the Registered Agents and market participants.
F-56
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21. Loss per share
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The following table sets forth the basic and diluted net loss per share computation and provides a reconciliation of the numerator and
denominator for the periods presented:
Numerator:
Net loss
Net loss(income) attributable to noncontrolling interests
Numerator for basic and diluted net loss per share calculation
Denominator:
Weighted average number of ordinary shares
Denominator for basic and diluted net loss per share calculation
Net loss per ordinary share
—Basic and diluted
For the year ended December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
2020
RMB
(221,375)
1,087
(220,288)
(1,202,997)
31,832
(1,171,165)
(239,588)
(4,450)
(244,038)
1,993,326,758
1,993,326,758
2,022,446,988 2,078,624,721
2,022,446,988 2,078,624,721
(0.11)
(0.58)
(0.12)
The potentially dilutive securities that have not been included in the calculation of diluted net loss per share as their inclusion would
be anti-dilutive are as follows:
Share options to employees
Total
22. Business combination
Acquisition of Yuancui
2020
As of December 31,
2021
2022
93,464,488 130,156,288 74,131,026
93,464,488 130,156,288 74,131,026
Yuancui mainly engages in the provision of comprehensive operational solution for real estate agencies including application
software to manage their businesses, brand authorization and operation training to real estate agencies. On October 30, 2020, the
Company completed the subscription for newly issued ordinary shares of Yuancui for a cash consideration of RMB20,000 and
acquired equity interest from the shareholders of Yuancui for a cash consideration of RMB10,000. Upon the completion of the
transactions, the Company held 51% equity interest in Yuancui and it became a consolidated subsidiary of the Company.
F-57
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
The allocation of the purchase price as of the date of acquisition is summarized as follows:
Net assets acquired (i)
Identifiable and amortizable intangible assets (note 8)
-Non-competed agreements
-Trademarks
Goodwill
Deferred tax liabilities
Noncontrolling interests (ii)
Total
Amount
RMB
16,408
6,740
1,070
31,188
(1,953)
(23,453)
30,000
i. Net assets acquired primarily included cash consideration from RMB20,000 from subscription of new shares.
ii. Fair value of the noncontrolling interests was estimated based on the equity value of Yuancui derived by the purchase
consideration, adjusted for a discount for control premium.
Goodwill arising from this acquisition was attributable to the synergies expected from the combined operations of Yuancui and the
Company, the assembled workforce and its knowledge and experience in the managing real estate agencies in China in the PRC. The
Company did not expect the goodwill recognized to be deductible for income tax purposes.
In June 2021, the Group injected further cash capital of RMB8,563 and the Group’s equity interest in Yuancui increased to 70.0%.
In considering property market conditions and the operating performance of Yuancui, the Group ceased all businesses of Yuancui
during 2021 and the goodwill recognized from the acquisition was fully impaired.
Acquisition of Deyu and Jiuyi
The Company invested in Jiuyi and Deyu as a limited partner during 2018 and 2019, respectively, in connection with certain
properties sales projects under the Sales Commitment Arrangements as described in note 1. During the year ended December 31,
2021, the other investors of Deyu and Jiuyi withdrew all their capital invested after completing the properties sales projects. The
Group became the sole investor of Deyu and Jiuyi, which have been accounted for as consolidated subsidiaries of the Group.
The acquisition of Deyu and Jiuyi that constitute business combinations are summarized as follows:
Net assets acquired (Note)
Note: Net assets acquired primarily included cash and deposits with real estate developers.
Amount
RMB
58,578
In relation to the revaluation of previously held interests, no material gain or loss was recognized by the Company recognized in the
consolidated income statements for the year ended December 31, 2022, for the other acquisitions that constitute business
combinations.
F-58
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
Acquisition of Tuqiang
Tuqiang mainly engages in the provision of internet information services for real estate developers and agencies. On March 31,
2022, the Company completed the acquirement 78% equity interest in Tuqiang. Upon the completion of the transactions, the
Company held 78% equity interest in Tuqiang and it became a consolidated subsidiary of the Company.
The allocation of the purchase price as of the date of acquisition is summarized as follows:
Net assets acquired(i)
Goodwill
Noncontrolling interests (ii)
Total
Amount
RMB
(968)
454
114
(400)
i.
ii.
Net assets acquired primarily included cash, accounts receivables from real estate developers and accrued expenses
undertaken.
Fair value of the noncontrolling interests was estimated based on the equity value of Tuqiang derived by the purchase
consideration.
Goodwill arising from this acquisition was attributable to the synergies expected from the combined operations of Tuqiang and the
Company, the assembled workforce and its knowledge and experience in the managing real estate agencies in China in the PRC. The
Company did not expect the goodwill recognized to be deductible for income tax purposes.
23. Commitments and Contingencies
Capital commitment
As a limited partner of those equity method investees disclosed in note 11, the Group is committed to make further capital injection
into the limited partnership in accordance with the respective partnership deeds. Such capital investment commitment amounted to
RMB301,444 and RMB300,019 as of December 31, 2021 and 2022, respectively.
F-59
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
24. Related Party Balance and Transactions
Transactions with related parties
(1) Base commission income and Sales incentive income shared with related parties under
Self-Commitment and Non-Group Collaborative Agreements (see note 1)
Jiufeng
Jiusheng
Jiuchuan
Jiuyi
Decheng
Longshutianye
Yunde
Detong
Jiuzhen
Deyan
Jiushi
Chongkai
Muju
For the year ended
December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
2020
RMB
—
2,734
1,825
67
532
1,922
734
117
2,640
—
—
—
—
10,571
95
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
179
251
4
100
—
629
31
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
4,022
—
—
69
875
4,997
Under the respective Non-Group Commitment Agreements, the equity method investees above are parties under tri-party agreements
pursuant to which they directly advanced the deposits to the real estate developers for the year ended December 31, 2020, 2021 and
2022.
For the year ended December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
2020
RMB
(2) Base commission income shared with related parties under Exclusive Sales Contracts
without Sales Commitment Arrangement
Derong
Jiushen
Jiuyi
945
1,196
8,511
10,652
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
For the year ended December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
2020
RMB
(3) Other income shared with related parties
Chenji Zhaozhao
Tinghaozhu Space
—
—
—
21,223
—
—
—
629
184
1,285
1,469
6,466
During the year ended December 31, 2022, these related parties entered an Exclusive Sales Contracts which is required to directly
advance deposit to the real estate developers while neither the Group nor these related parties is required to purchase any unsold unit
of properties at the end of the exclusive sales period.
F-60
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Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
During the years ended December 31, 2021 and 2022, the Company borrowed bank loans secured by real estate owned by one of
equity method investment of the Company, Jiushi and real estate owned by Suzhou Chaxiaobai Culture & Media Co., Ltd. (“ Suzhou
Chaxiaobai”). The spouse of a shareholder of the Company is the controlling shareholder of Suzhou Chaxiaobai (see note 13).
Amounts due to related parties
(1) Payables for income shared under Non-Group Collaborative Agreements (see note 1)
Gefei Chengyun
Jiufeng
Jiuchuan
Longshutianye
Yunde
Detong
Qixing
Jiushi
(2) Payables for Base Commission Income shared with related parties under Exclusive Sales Contracts
without Sales Commitment Arrangement
Derong
Jiushen
Jiufeng
(3) Other payables
Jiushen
Shanghai Chongkai Enterprise Management (LLP) (“Chongkai”)
Jiufeng
Muju
Jiuzhen
Chenji Zhaozhao
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
10,759
242
6,828
10,140
9,383
3,274
964
65
41,655
10,759
242
9,403
10,140
9,383
3,274
964
65
44,230
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
9,733
29
464
10,226
790
3,947
149
7,556
—
—
12,442
9,733
29
495
10,257
790
3,689
149
5,561
3,981
191
14,361
Total
64,323
68,848
Jiuchuan, Decheng, Longshutianye, Longshuqianli, Yunde, Gefei chengyun, Jiushen, Detong, Derong, Qixing, Jiuzhen, Deyan,
Jiushi , Muju, Chenji Zhaozhao and Tinghaozhu Space are equity method investees of the Group.
Jiusheng and Jiufeng are subsidiaries of Jiushen.
Chongkai is a company owned by two of the founders and certain management of the Group.
F-61
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
25. Parent only financial information
The following condensed parent company financial information of Fangdd Network Group Ltd., has been prepared using the same
accounting policies as set out in the accompanying Consolidated Financial Statements. As of December 31, 2022, there were no
material contingencies, significant provisions of long-term obligations, mandatory dividend or redemption requirements of
redeemable shares or guarantees of Fangdd Network Group Ltd., except for those, which have been separately disclosed in the
Consolidated Financial Statements.
(a) Condensed Balance Sheets
Assets
Current asset
Cash and cash equivalents
Total current asset
Non-current asset
Investments in and amounts due from subsidiaries, the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries
Total non-current asset
Total assets
Liabilities
Current liability
Accrued expenses and other current liabilities
Total current liability
Total liabilities
Equity
Class A ordinary shares
Additional paid-in capital
Accumulated other comprehensive loss
Accumulated deficit
Total equity
Total liabilities and equity
F-62
As of December 31,
2021
RMB
2022
RMB
162,974
162,974
22,710
22,710
1,764,671
1,764,671
1,927,645
1,533,937
1,533,937
1,556,647
28,207
28,207
28,207
27,225
27,225
27,225
1
5,031,772
(404,877)
(2,727,458)
1,899,438
1
5,051,631
(393,841)
(3,128,369)
1,529,422
1,927,645
1,556,647
Table of Contents
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
NOTES TO THE CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (Continued)
(All amounts in thousands, except for share and per share data)
(b) Condensed Statements of Results of Operations
General and administrative expenses
Total operating expenses
Loss from operations
Equity loss of subsidiaries and the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries
Other income:
Interest income, net
Other income, net
Loss before income tax
Net loss
Net loss attributable to ordinary shareholders
(c) Condensed statements of cash flows
Net cash used in operating activities
Cash flows used in investing activities:
Investments in and amounts due from subsidiaries, the VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries
Investment in short-term investments
Proceeds from redemption of short-term investments
Net cash used in investing activities
Cash flows provided by financing activities:
Proceeds from initial public offering, net of offering cost
Net cash provided by financing activities
Effect of exchange rate changes on cash and cash equivalents
Net decrease in cash and cash equivalents
Cash and cash equivalents at the beginning of the year
Cash and cash equivalents at the end of the year
F-63
For the Year Ended December 31,
2021
RMB
(13,058)
(13,058)
(13,058)
(626,570)
2020
RMB
(13,607)
(13,607)
(13,607)
(115,964)
2022
RMB
(167,076)
(167,076)
(167,076)
(244,039)
3,366
—
(126,205)
(126,205)
(126,205)
2,462
—
(637,166)
(637,166)
(637,166)
957
9,247
(400,911)
(400,911)
(400,911)
For the Year Ended December 31,
2021
RMB
(18,400)
2020
RMB
(5,894)
2022
RMB
(5,064)
(115,569)
(1,185,713)
1,185,713
(115,569)
—
—
—
(121,463)
431,029
309,566
(128,192)
—
—
(128,192)
—
—
—
(146,592)
309,566
162,974
—
(168,198)
18,826
(149,372)
3,136
3,136
11,036
(140,264)
162,974
22,710
Description of Rights of Securities Registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
American depositary shares (“ADSs”), each representing 375 Class A ordinary shares of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (“our
company”) are listed on the Nasdaq Global Market and the shares are registered under Section 12(b) of the Exchange Act. This exhibit
contains a description of the rights of (i) the holders of ordinary shares and (ii) ADS holders. Shares underlying the ADSs are held by
The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, and holders of ADSs will not be treated as holders of the ordinary shares.
Description of Ordinary Shares (Items 9.A.3, 9.A.5, 9.A.6, 9.A.7, 10.B.3, 10.B.4, 10.B.6, 10.B.7, 10.B.8, 10.B.9 and 10.B.10 of
Form 20-F)
Exhibit 2.7
Ordinary Shares
General
Our ordinary shares are issued in registered form and are issued when registered in our Register of Members. We may not issue
shares to bearer. Our shareholders who are non-residents of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their ordinary shares. Our
ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares. Holders of our Class A
ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares shall have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights.
Each Class A Ordinary Share shall, on a poll, entitle the holder thereof to one vote on all matters subject to vote at our general meetings,
each Class B ordinary share shall, on a poll, entitle the holder thereof to ten votes on all matters subject to vote at our general meetings,
and each Class C ordinary share shall entitle the holder thereof to 10,000 votes on matters subject to vote at general meetings of our
Company.
Conversion
Each Class C ordinary share and each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time at the option
of the holder thereof. Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares or Class C ordinary shares in any event.
Upon any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of any Class B ordinary shares by a holder thereof to any person other than our
founders or an affiliate controlled by one or more of our founders, or upon a change of ultimate beneficial ownership of any Class B
ordinary shares to any person who is not one of our founders or an affiliate controlled by one or more of our founders, each such Class B
ordinary share shall be automatically and immediately converted into one of Class A ordinary share.
Upon (i) any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of Class C ordinary shares by a holder thereof or the direct or indirect transfer
or assignment of the voting power attached to such number of Class C ordinary shares through a voting proxy or otherwise to any person
that is not an affiliate of such holder, (ii) the direct or indirect sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of a majority of the issued and
outstanding voting securities of, or the direct or indirect transfer or assignment of the voting power attached to such voting securities
through voting proxy or otherwise, or the direct or indirect sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of all or substantially all of the assets
of, a holder of Class C ordinary shares that is an entity to any person other than an affiliate of such holder, (iii) Mr. Xi Zeng, our
chairman of board of director and chief executive officer, ceasing to be the ultimate beneficial owner of at least 80,698,283 Class A
ordinary shares (on an as-if-converted basis) at any time, or (iv) Mr. Xi Zeng being permanently unable to attend board meetings and
manage the business affairs of our company as a result of incapacity solely due to his then physical and/or mental condition, Class C
ordinary shares held by a holder thereof will be automatically and immediately converted into the same number of Class A ordinary
shares.
Dividends
The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to receive such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors subject to our
memorandum and articles of association and the Companies Act. In addition, our shareholders may by an ordinary resolution declare a
dividend, but no dividend may exceed the amount recommended by our directors. Under Cayman Islands law, dividends may be paid
either out of profits or out of share premium, provided that in no circumstances may a dividend be paid of this would result in our
company being unable to pay its debts as they become due in the ordinary course of business.
Register of Members
Under Cayman Islands law, we must keep a register of members and there must be entered therein:
·
·
·
the names and addresses of the members, together with a statement of the shares held by each member, and such statement shall
confirm (i) the amount paid or agreed to be considered as paid, on the shares of each member, (ii) the number and category of
shares held by each member, and (iii) whether each relevant category of shares held by a member carries voting rights under the
articles of association of the company, and if so, whether such voting rights are conditional;
the date on which the name of any person was entered on the register as a member; and
the date on which any person ceased to be a member.
Under Cayman Islands law, the register of members of our company is prima facie evidence of the matters set out therein (i.e., the
register of members will raise a presumption of fact on the matters referred to above unless rebutted). The shareholders recorded in the
register of members will be deemed to have legal title to the shares set against their names.
If the name of any person is, without sufficient cause, entered in or omitted from the register of members, or if default is made or
unnecessary delay takes place in entering on the register the fact of any person having ceased to be a member, the person or member
aggrieved or any member or the company itself may apply to the Cayman Islands Grand Court for an order that the register be rectified,
and the Court may either refuse such application or it may, if satisfied of the justice of the case, make an order for the rectification of the
register.
Voting Rights
Holders of our ordinary shares have the right to receive notice of, attend, speak and vote at general meetings of our company.
Holders of our Class A ordinary shares, Class B ordinary shares and Class C ordinary shares shall, at all times, vote together as one class
on all matters submitted to a vote by our shareholders at any general meeting of our company. Each Class A ordinary share shall be
entitled to one vote, each Class B ordinary share shall be entitled to ten votes and each Class C ordinary share shall be entitled to 10,000
votes, on all matters subject to a vote at general meetings of our company. At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the
meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a poll is (before or on the declaration of the result of the show of hands) demanded
by the chairman of the meeting or any shareholder holding not less than ten percent (10%) of the votes attaching to the shares present in
person or by proxy. An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the
votes attaching to the ordinary shares cast in a general meeting, which can be an annual general meeting or a special meeting of
shareholders. A special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of the votes attaching to the ordinary shares cast
in a general meeting. Both ordinary resolutions and special resolutions may also be passed by a unanimous written resolution signed by
all the shareholders of our company, as permitted by the Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association. A special
resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name or making changes to our memorandum and articles of
association. Our shareholders may, among other things, divide or combine their shares by ordinary resolutions.
General Meetings and Shareholder Proposals
As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Companies Act to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.
Our memorandum and articles of association provide that we may (but are not obliged to) in each year hold a general meeting as our
annual general meeting in which case we will specify the meeting as such in the notices calling it, and the annual general meeting will be
held at such time and place as may be determined by our directors. We, however, will hold an annual shareholders’ meeting during each
fiscal year, as required by rules of Nasdaq.
Cayman Islands law provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide
shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles
of association. Our memorandum and articles of association allow any one or more of our shareholders who together hold shares that
carry not less than one-third of the total number of votes attaching to all of our issued and outstanding shares entitled to vote at general
meetings to require an extraordinary general meeting of the shareholders, in which case the directors are obliged to call such meeting and
to put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting; however, our memorandum and articles of association do not provide our
shareholders with any right to put any proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings not called by such
shareholders.
A quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of one or more shareholders holding not less than one-third of all votes
attaching to all our shares in issue and entitled to vote present in person or by proxy or, if a corporation or other non-natural person, by its
duly authorized representative. Advance notice of at least ten calendar days is required for the convening of any shareholders meetings.
Transfer of Ordinary Shares
Subject to the restrictions in our memorandum and articles of association as set out below, any of our shareholders may transfer all
or any of his or her ordinary shares by an instrument of transfer in the usual or common form or any other form approved by our board.
Our board of directors may, in its absolute discretion, decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share which is not fully paid-up
or on which we have a lien. Our directors may also decline to register any transfer of any ordinary share unless:
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the instrument of transfer is lodged with us, accompanied by the certificate for the ordinary shares to which it relates and such
other evidence as our board of directors may reasonably require to show the right of the transferor to make the transfer;
the instrument of transfer is in respect of only one class of shares;
the instrument of transfer is properly stamped, if required;
in the case of a transfer to joint holders, the number of joint holders to whom the ordinary share is to be transferred does not
exceed four; or
a fee of such maximum sum as Nasdaq may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as the directors may from time to time
require, is paid to the company thereof.
If our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within three calendar months after the date on which the instrument of transfer
was lodged, send to each of the transferor and the transferee notice of such refusal.
The registration of transfers may, on ten calendar days’ notice being given by advertisement in such one or more newspapers, by
electronic means or by any other means in accordance with the rules of Nasdaq, be suspended and the register closed at such times and
for such periods as our board of directors may from time to time determine, provided, however, that the registration of transfers shall not
be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 calendar days in any calendar year as our board of directors may determine.
Liquidation
On the winding up of our company, if the assets available for distribution amongst our shareholders shall be more than sufficient to
repay the whole of the share capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus shall be distributed amongst our shareholders in
proportion to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up, subject to a deduction from those shares
in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to our company for unpaid calls or otherwise. If our assets available for
distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that, as nearly as possible, the losses are
borne by our shareholders in proportion to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the winding up.
Calls on Ordinary Shares and Forfeiture of Ordinary Shares
Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their ordinary shares in a
notice served to such shareholders at least 14 calendar days prior to the specified time and place of payment. The ordinary shares that
have been called upon and remain unpaid on the specified time are subject to forfeiture.
Redemption, Repurchase and Surrender of Ordinary Shares
We may issue shares on terms that such shares are subject to redemption, at our option or at the option of the holders thereof, on
such terms and in such manner as may be determined, before the issue of such shares, by our board of directors or by a special resolution
of our shareholders. Our company may also repurchase any of our shares (including any redeemable shares) provided that the manner
and terms of such purchase have been approved by our board of directors or by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders, or are
otherwise authorized by our memorandum and articles of association. Under the Companies Act, the redemption or repurchase of any
share may be paid out of a company’s profits or share premium account, or out of the proceeds of a fresh issue of shares made for the
purpose of such redemption or repurchase, or, if so authorized by its articles of association, out of capital if the company can,
immediately following such payment, pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Companies
Act no such share may be redeemed or repurchased (a) unless it is fully paid-up, (b) if such redemption or repurchase would result in
there being no shares issued and outstanding, or (c) if the company has commenced liquidation. In addition, our company may accept the
surrender of any fully paid share for no consideration.
Variations of Rights of Shares
If at any time the share capital is divided into different classes of shares, the rights attached to any class of shares, subject to any
rights or restrictions for time being attached to any class, only be materially adversely varied with the consent in writing of the holders of
two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the
shares of the class. In addition, we may only amend, alter, modify or change the rights, restrictions, preferences or privileges of Class C
ordinary shares with the written consent of the holders holding a majority of the issued and outstanding Class C ordinary shares or with
the sanction of a special resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the issued and outstanding Class C ordinary shares. The
rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued shall not, subject to any rights or restrictions for the time being
attached to the shares of that class, be deemed to be materially adversely varied by the creation, allotment or issue of further shares
ranking pari passu with or subsequent to them or the redemption or purchase of any shares of any class by our company. The rights of the
holders of any shares shall not be deemed to be materially adversely varied by the creation or issue of shares with preferred or other
rights including, without limitation, the creation of shares with enhanced or weighted voting rights.
Inspection of Books and Records
Holders of our ordinary shares will have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of
shareholders or our corporate records (except for our memorandum and articles of association, register of mortgages and charges and
special resolutions of our shareholders).
Changes in Capital
Our shareholders may from time to time by ordinary resolutions:
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increase the share capital by new shares of such amount as it thinks expedient;
consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of a larger amount than our existing shares;
sub-divide our existing shares, or any of them into shares of a smaller amount than that fixed by our memorandum of
association; provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and the amount, if any, unpaid on each
reduced share will be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced share is derived; or
cancel any shares which, at the date of the passing of the resolution, have not been taken or agreed to be taken by any person
and diminish the amount of our share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled.
Subject to the Companies Act, our shareholders may by special resolutions reduce our share capital and any capital redemption
reserve in any manner authorized by law.
Differences in Corporate Law
The Companies Act is modeled after that of the English companies legislation but does not follow recent English law statutory
enactments, and accordingly there are significant differences between the Companies Act and the current Companies Act of England. In
addition, the Companies Act differs from laws applicable to Delaware corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary
of the significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the laws applicable to Delaware
corporations and their shareholders.
Mergers and Similar Arrangements
The Companies Act permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands
companies and non-Cayman Islands companies. For these purposes, (a) “merger” means the merging of two or more constituent
companies and the vesting of their undertakings, property and liabilities in one of such companies as the surviving company and (b) a
“consolidation” means the combination of two or more constituent companies into a consolidated company and the vesting of the
undertakings, property and liabilities of such companies to the consolidated company. In order to effect such a merger or consolidation,
the directors of each constituent company must approve a written plan of merger or consolidation, which must then be authorized by (a) a
special resolution of the shareholders of each constituent company, and (b) such other authorization, if any, as may be specified in such
constituent company’s articles of association. The written plan of merger or consolidation must be filed with the Registrar of Companies
together with a declaration as to the solvency of the consolidated or surviving company, a declaration as to the assets and liabilities of
each constituent company and an undertaking that a copy of the certificate of merger or consolidation will be given to the members and
creditors of each constituent company and that notification of the merger or consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands
Gazette. Dissenting shareholders have the right to be paid the fair value of their shares (which, if not agreed between the parties, will be
determined by the Cayman Islands court) if they follow the required procedures, subject to certain exceptions. Court approval is not
required for a merger or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.
A merger between a Cayman parent company and its Cayman subsidiary or subsidiaries does not require authorization by a
resolution of shareholders of that Cayman subsidiary if a copy of the plan of merger is given to every member of that Cayman subsidiary
to be merged unless that member agrees otherwise. For this purpose a company is a “parent” of a subsidiary if it holds issued shares that
together represent at least ninety percent (90%) of the votes at a general meeting of the subsidiary.
The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest over a constituent company is required unless this requirement is
waived by a court in the Cayman Islands.
In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the
arrangement is approved by (a) 75% in value of shareholders or class of shareholders, as the case may be, or (b) a majority in number of
representing 75% in value of creditors or each class of creditors, as the case may be, with whom the arrangement is to be made, that are,
in each case, present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting or meetings, convened for that purpose. The convening of the
meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting
shareholder has the right to express to the court the view that the transaction ought not to be approved, the court can be expected to
approve the arrangement if it determines that:
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the statutory provisions as to the due majority vote have been met;
the shareholders have been fairly represented at the meeting in question and the statutory majority are acting bona fide without
coercion of the minority to promote interests adverse to those of the class;
the arrangement is such that may be reasonably approved by an intelligent and honest man of that class acting in respect of his
interest; and
the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act.
The Companies Act also contains a statutory power of compulsory acquisition which may facilitate the “squeeze out” of dissentient
minority shareholder upon a tender offer. When a tender offer is made and accepted by holders of 90% of the shares affected (within
four months), the offeror may, within a two-month period commencing on the expiration of such four-month period, require the holders
of the remaining shares to transfer such shares on the terms of the offer. An objection can be made to the Grand Court of the Cayman
Islands, but this is unlikely to succeed in the case of an offer which has been so approved unless there is evidence of fraud, bad faith or
collusion.
If the arrangement and reconstruction by way of a scheme of arrangement is thus approved and sanctioned, or if a tender offer is
made and accepted in accordance with the foregoing statutory procedures, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to
appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to
receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.
Shareholders’ Suits
In principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff to sue for a wrong done to us and as a general rule a derivative action may not
be brought by a minority shareholder. However, based on English authorities, which would in all likelihood be of persuasive authority in
the Cayman Islands, the Cayman Islands courts can be expected to follow and apply the common law principles (namely the rule in Foss
v. Harbottle and the exceptions thereto) so that a minority shareholder may be permitted to commence a class action against or derivative
actions in our name to challenge an act which:
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is ultra vires or illegal and is therefore incapable of ratification by the shareholders;
requires a resolution with a qualified (or special) majority (i.e. more than a simple majority) which has not been obtained; and
constitutes a “fraud on the majority,” where the wrongdoer are themselves in control of the company.
Indemnification of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability
Cayman 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 such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be
contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime. Our
memorandum and articles of association provide that that we shall indemnify our officers and directors against all actions, proceedings,
costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such directors or officer, other than by reason of such
person’s dishonesty, willful default or fraud, in or about the conduct of our company’s business or affairs (including as a result of any
mistake of judgment) or in the execution or discharge of his 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 proceedings concerning our company or its affairs in any court whether in the Cayman Islands or
elsewhere. This standard of conduct is generally the same as permitted under the Delaware General Corporation Law for a Delaware
corporation.
In addition, we have entered into indemnification agreements with our directors and executive officers that provide such persons
with additional indemnification beyond that provided in our memorandum and articles of association.
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 informed that in the opinion of the SEC, such indemnification is against
public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.
Directors’ Fiduciary Duties
Under Delaware corporate law, a director of a Delaware corporation has a fiduciary duty to the corporation and its shareholders. This
duty has two components, the duty of care and the duty of loyalty. The duty of care requires that a director act in good faith, with the care
that an ordinarily prudent person would exercise under similar circumstances. Under this duty, a director must inform himself of, and
disclose to shareholders, all material information reasonably available regarding a significant transaction. The duty of loyalty requires
that a director must act in a manner he or she reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the corporation. A director must not use his
or her corporate position for personal gain or advantage. This duty prohibits self-dealing by a director and mandates that the best interests
of the corporation and its shareholders take precedence over any interest possessed by a director, officer or controlling shareholder not
shared by the shareholders generally. In general, actions of a director are presumed to have been made on an informed basis, in good faith
and in the honest belief that the action taken was in the best interests of the corporation. However, this presumption may be rebutted by
evidence of a breach of one of the fiduciary duties. Should such evidence be presented concerning a transaction by a director, the director
must prove the procedural fairness of the transaction and that the transaction was of fair value to the corporation.
As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director of a Cayman Islands company is in the position of a fiduciary with respect to the
company, and therefore it is considered that he or she owes the following duties to the company including a duty to act bona fide in the
best interests of the company, a duty not to make a personal profit out of his or her position as director (unless the company permits him
or her to do so), a duty not to put himself or herself in a position where the interests of the company conflict with his or her personal
interests or his or her duty to a third party and a duty to exercise powers for the purpose for which such powers were intended. A director
of a Cayman Islands company owes to the company a duty to act with skill and care. It was previously considered that a director need not
exhibit in the performance of his or her duties a greater degree of skill than may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her
knowledge and experience. However, there are indications that the English and commonwealth courts are moving towards an objective
standard with regard to the required skill and care and these authorities are likely to be followed in the Cayman Islands.
Under our memorandum and articles of association, directors who are in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a
contract or transaction or proposed contract or transaction with our company must declare the nature of their interest at a meeting of the
board of directors. Following such declaration, a director may vote in respect of any contract or transaction or proposed contract or
transaction notwithstanding that he or she may be interested therein and if he or she does so his or her vote shall be counted and he or she
may be counted in the quorum at any meeting of the board of directors at which such contract or transaction or proposed contract or
transaction shall come before the meeting for consideration.
Shareholder Action by Written Resolution
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation may eliminate the right of shareholders to act by written consent by
amendment to its certificate of incorporation. The Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association provide that our
shareholders may approve corporate matters by way of a unanimous written resolution signed by or on behalf of each shareholder who
would have been entitled to vote on such matter at a general meeting without a meeting being held.
Shareholder Proposals
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of
shareholders, provided it complies with the notice provisions in the governing documents. A special meeting may be called by the board
of directors or any other person authorized to do so in the governing documents, but shareholders may be precluded from calling special
meetings.
The Companies Act provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide
shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles
of association. Our memorandum and articles of association allow any one or more of our shareholders who together hold shares which
carry in aggregate not less than one-third of the total number of votes attaching to all issued and outstanding shares of our company
entitled to vote at general meetings to requisition an extraordinary general meeting of our shareholders, in which case our board is
obliged to convene an extraordinary general meeting and to put the resolutions so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting. Other than this
right to requisition a shareholders’ meeting, our memorandum and articles of association do not provide our shareholders with any other
right to put proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings. As an exempted Cayman Islands company, we
are not obliged by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings.
Cumulative Voting
Under the Delaware General Corporation Law, cumulative voting for elections of directors is not permitted unless the corporation’s
certificate of incorporation specifically provides for it. Cumulative voting potentially facilitates the representation of minority
shareholders on a board of directors since it permits the minority shareholder to cast all the votes to which the shareholder is entitled for
a single director, which increases the shareholder’s voting power with respect to electing such director. There are no prohibitions in
relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the Cayman Islands but our memorandum and articles of association do not provide for
cumulative voting. 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 may be removed with or without cause, by an ordinary resolution of our
shareholders. In addition, a director’s office shall be vacated if the director (i) becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or
composition with his creditors; (ii) is found to be or becomes of unsound mind or dies; (iii) resigns his office by notice in writing to the
company; (iv) without special leave of absence from our board of directors, is absent from three consecutive meetings of the board and
the board resolves that his office be vacated or; (v) is removed from office pursuant to any other provisions of our memorandum and
articles of association.
Transactions with Interested Shareholders
The Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations
whereby, unless the corporation has specifically elected not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of
incorporation, it is prohibited from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder” for three years following
the date on which such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is one which owns or owned 15%
or more of the target’s outstanding voting shares within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential
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 that 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.
Cayman Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the
Delaware business combination statute. However, although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and
its significant shareholders, it does provide that such transactions entered into must be bona fide in the best interests of the company, for
a proper corporate purpose and not with the effect of perpetrating a fraud on the minority shareholders.
Restructuring
A company may present a petition to the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands for the appointment of a restructuring officer on the
grounds that the company:
(a)
is or is likely to become unable to pay its debts; and
(b) intends to present a compromise or arrangement to its creditors (or classes thereof) either pursuant to the Companies Act,
the law of a foreign country or by way of a consensual restructuring.
The Grand Court may, among other things, make an order appointing a restructuring officer upon hearing of such petition, with such
powers and to carry out such functions as the court may order. At any time (i) after the presentation of a petition for the appointment of a
restructuring officer but before an order for the appointment of a restructuring officer has been made, and (ii) when an order for the
appointment of a restructuring officer is made, until such order has been discharged, no suit, action or other proceedings (other than
criminal proceedings) shall be proceeded with or commenced against the company, no resolution to wind up the company shall be
passed, and no winding up petition may be presented against the company, except with the leave of the court. However, notwithstanding
the presentation of a petition for the appointment of a restructuring officer or the appointment of a restructuring officer, a creditor who
has security over the whole or part of the assets of the company is entitled to enforce the security without the leave of the court and
without reference to the restructuring officer appointed.
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. The Delaware General Corporation Law
allows a Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with
dissolutions initiated by the board of directors. Under Cayman Islands law, a company may be wound up by either an order of the courts
of the Cayman Islands or by a special resolution of its members or, if the company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an
ordinary resolution of its members. The court has authority to order winding up in a number of specified circumstances including where
it is, in the opinion of the court, just and equitable to do so.
Variation of Rights of Shares
If at any time, our share capital is divided into different classes of shares, under the Delaware General Corporation Law, a
corporation may vary the rights of a class of shares with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of such class, unless the
certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under our memorandum and articles of association and as permitted by the Companies
Act, if our share capital is divided into more than one class of shares, we may materially adversely vary the rights attached to any class
with the consent in writing of two-thirds of the holders of the issued shares of that class or series or with the sanction of a special
resolution passed at a separate meeting of the holders of the shares of the 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. Under the Companies Act,
our memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution of our shareholders.
Inspection of Books and Records
Holders of our ordinary shares will have no general rights under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of our list of
shareholders or our corporate records (except for our memorandum and articles of association, our register of mortgages and charges and
special resolutions of our shareholders).
Anti-takeover Provisions
Some provisions of our memorandum and articles of association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our
company or management that shareholders may consider favorable, including a provision that authorizes our board of directors to issue
preferred shares in one or more series and to designate the price, rights, preferences, privileges and restrictions of such preferred shares
without any further vote or action by our shareholders.
However, under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our memorandum
and articles of association for a proper purpose and for what they believe in good faith to be in the best interests of our company.
Rights of Non-Resident or Foreign Shareholders
There are no limitations imposed by foreign law or by our memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or
foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our ordinary shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our memorandum and
articles of association that require our company to disclose shareholder ownership above any particular ownership threshold.
Staggered Board of Directors
The Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association do not contain provisions that require staggered board
arrangements for a Cayman Islands company.
Description of Debt Securities, Warrants and Rights and Other Securities (Items 12.A, 12.B and 12.C of Form 20-F)
Not applicable.
Description of American Depositary Shares (Items 12.D.1 and 12.D.2 of Form 20-F)
The Bank of New York Mellon, as depositary, will register and deliver the American Depositary Shares, also referred to as ADSs.
Each ADS represents 375 Class A ordinary shares (or a right to receive Class A ordinary shares) deposited with The Hongkong and
Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, as custodian for the depositary in Hong Kong. Each ADS will also represent any other
securities, cash or other property which may be held by the depositary. The deposited Class A ordinary shares together with any other
securities, cash or other property held by the depositary are referred to as the deposited securities. The depositary’s office at which the
ADSs will be administered and its principal executive office are located at 240 Greenwich Street, New York, New York 10286.
You may hold ADSs either (A) directly (i) by having an American Depositary Receipt, also referred to as an ADR, which is a
certificate evidencing a specific number of ADSs, registered in your name, or (ii) by having uncertificated ADSs registered in your name,
or (B) indirectly by holding a security entitlement in ADSs through your broker or other financial institution that is a direct or indirect
participant in The Depository Trust Company, also called DTC. If you hold ADSs directly, you are a registered ADS holder, also referred
to as an ADS holder. This description assumes you are an ADS holder. If you hold the ADSs indirectly, you must rely on the procedures
of your broker or other financial institution to assert the rights of ADS holders described in this section. You should consult with your
broker or financial institution to find out what those procedures are.
Registered holders of uncertificated ADSs will receive statements from the depositary confirming their holdings.
As an ADS holder, we will not treat you as one of our shareholders and you will not have shareholder rights. Cayman Islands law
governs shareholder rights. The depositary will be the holder of the shares underlying your ADSs. As a registered holder of ADSs, you
will have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary, ADS holders and all other persons indirectly or beneficially
holding ADSs sets out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. New York law governs the deposit
agreement and the ADSs.
The following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. For more complete information, you should read
the entire deposit agreement and the form of ADR.
Dividends and Other Distributions
How will you receive dividends and other distributions on the Class A ordinary shares?
The depositary has agreed to pay or distribute to ADS holders the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on
Class A ordinary shares or other deposited securities, upon payment or deduction of its fees and expenses. You will receive these
distributions in proportion to the number of Class A ordinary shares your ADSs represent.
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Cash. The depositary will convert any cash dividend or other cash distribution we pay on the Class A ordinary shares into U.S.
dollars, if it can do so on a reasonable basis and can transfer the U.S. dollars to the United States. If that is not possible or if any
government approval is needed and cannot be obtained, the deposit agreement allows the depositary to distribute the foreign
currency only to those ADS holders to whom it is possible to do so. It will hold the foreign currency it cannot convert for the
account of the ADS holders who have not been paid. It will not invest the foreign currency and it will not be liable for any
interest.
Before making a distribution, any withholding taxes, or other governmental charges that must be paid will be deducted. The
depositary will distribute only whole U.S. dollars and cents and will round fractional cents to the nearest whole cent. If the
exchange rates fluctuate during a time when the depositary cannot convert the foreign currency, you may lose some of the value
of the distribution.
Class A Ordinary Shares. The depositary may distribute additional ADSs representing any Class A ordinary shares we distribute
as a dividend or free distribution. The depositary will only distribute whole ADSs. It will sell Class A ordinary shares which
would require it to deliver a fraction of an ADS (or ADSs representing those Class A ordinary shares) and distribute the net
proceeds in the same way as it does with cash. If the depositary does not distribute additional ADSs, the outstanding ADSs will
also represent the new Class A ordinary shares. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed Class A ordinary shares (or
ADSs representing those Class A ordinary shares) sufficient to pay its fees and expenses in connection with that distribution.
Rights to purchase additional shares. If we offer holders of our securities any rights to subscribe for additional shares or any
other rights, the depositary may (i) exercise those rights on behalf of ADS holders, (ii) distribute those rights to ADS holders or
(iii) sell those rights and distribute the net proceeds to ADS holders, in each case after deduction or upon payment of its fees and
expenses. To the extent the depositary does not do any of those things, it will allow the rights to lapse. In that case, you will
receive no value for them. The depositary will exercise or distribute rights only if we ask it to and provide satisfactory
assurances to the depositary that it is legal to do so. If the depositary will exercise rights, it will purchase the securities to which
the rights relate and distribute those securities or, in the case of Class A ordinary shares, new ADSs representing the new
Class A ordinary shares, to subscribing ADS holders, but only if ADS holders have paid the exercise price to the depositary.
U.S. securities laws may restrict the ability of the depositary to distribute rights or ADSs or other securities issued on exercise of
rights to all or certain ADS holders, and the securities distributed may be subject to restrictions on transfer.
·
Other Distributions. The depositary will send to ADS holders anything else we distribute on deposited securities by any means
it thinks is legal, fair and practical. If it cannot make the distribution in that way, the depositary has a choice. It may decide to
sell what we distributed and distribute the net proceeds, in the same way as it does with cash. Or, it may decide to hold what we
distributed, in which case ADSs will also represent the newly distributed property. However, the depositary is not required to
distribute any securities (other than ADSs) to ADS holders unless it receives satisfactory evidence from us that it is legal to
make that distribution. The depositary may sell a portion of the distributed securities or property sufficient to pay its fees and
expenses in connection with that distribution. U.S. securities laws may restrict the ability of the depositary to distribute
securities to all or certain ADS holders, and the securities distributed may be subject to restrictions on transfer.
The depositary is not responsible if it decides that it is unlawful or impractical to make a distribution available to any ADS holders.
We have no obligation to register ADSs, shares, rights or other securities under the Securities Act. We also have no obligation to take any
other action to permit the distribution of ADSs, shares, rights or anything else to ADS holders. This means that you may not receive the
distributions we make on our Class A ordinary shares or any value for them if it is illegal or impractical for us to make them available to
you.
Deposit, Withdrawal and Cancellation
How are ADSs issued?
The depositary will deliver ADSs if you or your broker deposits Class A ordinary shares or evidence of rights to receive Class A
ordinary shares with the custodian. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock
transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will register the appropriate number of ADSs in the names you request and will deliver the ADSs to
or upon the order of the person or persons that made the deposit.
How can ADS holders withdraw the deposited securities?
You may surrender your ADSs to the depositary for the purpose of withdrawal. Upon payment of its fees and expenses and of any
taxes or charges, such as stamp taxes or stock transfer taxes or fees, the depositary will deliver the Class A ordinary shares and any other
deposited securities underlying the ADSs to the ADS holder or a person the ADS holder designates at the office of the custodian. Or, at
your request, risk and expense, the depositary will deliver the deposited securities at its office, if feasible. However, the depositary is not
required to accept surrender of ADSs to the extent it would require delivery of a fraction of a deposited share or other security. The
depositary may charge you a fee and its expenses for instructing the custodian regarding delivery of deposited securities.
How do ADS holders interchange between certificated ADSs and uncertificated ADSs?
You may surrender your ADR to the depositary for the purpose of exchanging your ADR for uncertificated ADSs. The depositary
will cancel that ADR and will send to the ADS holder a statement confirming that the ADS holder is the registered holder of
uncertificated ADSs. Upon receipt by the depositary of a proper instruction from a registered holder of uncertificated ADSs requesting
the exchange of uncertificated ADSs for certificated ADSs, the depositary will execute and deliver to the ADS holder an ADR
evidencing those ADSs.
Voting Rights
How do you vote?
ADS holders may instruct the depositary how to vote the number of deposited Class A ordinary shares their ADSs represent. If we
request the depositary to solicit your voting instructions (and we are not required to do so), the depositary will notify you of a
shareholders’ meeting and send or make voting materials available to you. Those materials will describe the matters to be voted on and
explain how ADS holders may instruct the depositary how to vote. For instructions to be valid, they must reach the depositary by a date
set by the depositary. The depositary will try, as far as practical, subject to the laws of the Cayman Islands and the provisions of our
articles of association or similar documents, to vote or to have its agents vote the Class A ordinary shares or other deposited securities as
instructed by ADS holders. If we do not request the depositary to solicit your voting instructions, you can still send voting instructions,
and, in that case, the depositary may try to vote as you instruct, but it is not required to do so.
Except by instructing the depositary as described above, you will not be able to exercise voting rights unless you surrender your
ADSs and withdraw the Class A ordinary shares. However, you may not know about the meeting enough in advance to withdraw the
Class A ordinary shares. In any event, the depositary will not exercise any discretion in voting deposited securities and it will only vote
or attempt to vote as instructed.
In any event, the depositary will not exercise any discretion in voting deposited securities and it will only vote or attempt to vote as
instructed or as described in the following sentence. If we asked the depositary to solicit your instructions at least 45 days before the
meeting date, but the depositary does not receive voting instructions from you by the specified date and we confirm to the depositary
that:
·
·
·
we wish to receive a proxy to vote uninstructed shares;
we reasonably do not know of any substantial shareholder opposition to the proxy item(s); and
the proxy item(s) is not materially adverse to the interests of shareholders,
then the depositary will consider you to have authorized and directed it to give a discretionary proxy to a person designated by us to vote
the number of deposited securities represented by your ADSs as to the proxy item(s).
We cannot assure you that you will receive the voting materials in time to ensure that you can instruct the depositary to vote the
shares represented by your ADSs. In addition, the depositary and its agents are not responsible for failing to carry out voting instructions
or for the manner of carrying out voting instructions. This means that you may not be able to exercise voting rights and there may be
nothing you can do if the shares represented by your ADSs are not voted as you requested.
In order to give you a reasonable opportunity to instruct the depositary as to the exercise of voting rights relating to the deposited
Class A ordinary shares, if we request the depositary to act, we agree to give the depositary notice of any such meeting and details
concerning the matters to be voted upon at least 45 days in advance of the meeting date.
Fees and Expenses
Persons depositing or withdrawing Class A ordinary shares or ADS holders
must pay:
US$5.00 (or less) per 100 ADSs (or portion of 100 ADSs)
Issuance of ADSs, including issuances resulting from a distribution of
Class A ordinary shares or rights or other property
For:
Cancellation of ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal, including if the
deposit agreement terminates
US$.05 (or less) per ADS
Any cash distribution to ADS holders
A fee equivalent to the fee that would be payable if securities distributed
to you had been Class A ordinary shares and the Class A ordinary shares
had been deposited for issuance of ADSs
Distribution of securities distributed to holders of deposited securities
(including rights) that are distributed by the depositary to ADS holders
US$.05 (or less) per ADS per calendar year
Depositary services
Registration or transfer fees
Expenses of the depositary
Transfer and registration of Class A ordinary shares on our share register
to or from the name of the depositary or its agent when you deposit or
withdraw Class A ordinary shares
Cable (including SWIFT) and facsimile transmissions (when expressly
provided in the deposit agreement)
Converting foreign currency to U.S. dollars
Taxes and other governmental charges the depositary or the custodian has
to pay on any ADSs or Class A ordinary shares underlying ADSs, such as
stock transfer taxes, stamp duty or withholding taxes
As necessary
Any charges incurred by the depositary or its agents for servicing the
deposited securities
As necessary
The depositary collects its fees for delivery and surrender of ADSs directly from investors depositing Class A ordinary shares or
surrendering ADSs for the purpose of withdrawal or from intermediaries acting for them. The depositary collects fees for making
distributions to investors by deducting those fees from the amounts distributed or by selling a portion of distributable property to pay the
fees. The depositary may collect its annual fee for depositary services by deduction from cash distributions or by directly billing
investors or by charging the book-entry system accounts of participants acting for them. The depositary may collect any of its fees by
deduction from any cash distribution payable (or by selling a portion of securities or other property distributable) to ADS holders that are
obligated to pay those fees. The depositary may generally refuse to provide fee-attracting services until its fees for those services are
paid.
From time to time, the depositary may make payments to us to reimburse us for costs and expenses generally arising out of
establishment and maintenance of the ADS program, waive fees and expenses for services provided to us by the depositary or share
revenue from the fees collected from ADS holders. In performing its duties under the deposit agreement, the depositary may use brokers,
dealers, foreign currency dealers or other service providers that are owned by or affiliated with the depositary and that may earn or share
fees, spreads or commissions.
The depositary may convert currency itself or through any of its affiliates and, in those cases, acts as principal for its own account
and not as agent, advisor, broker or fiduciary on behalf of any other person and earns revenue, including, without limitation, transaction
spreads, that it will retain for its own account. The revenue is based on, among other things, the difference between the exchange rate
assigned to the currency conversion made under the deposit agreement and the rate that the depositary or its affiliate receives when
buying or selling foreign currency for its own account. The depositary makes no representation that the exchange rate used or obtained in
any currency conversion under the deposit agreement will be the most favorable rate that could be obtained at the time or that the method
by which that rate will be determined will be the most favorable to ADS holders, subject to the depositary’s obligations under the deposit
agreement. The methodology used to determine exchange rates used in currency conversions is available upon request.
Payment of Taxes
You will be responsible for any taxes or other governmental charges payable on your ADSs or on the deposited securities
represented by any of your ADSs. The depositary may refuse to register any transfer of your ADSs or allow you to withdraw the
deposited securities represented by your ADSs until those taxes or other charges are paid. It may apply payments owed to you or sell
deposited securities represented by your ADSs to pay any taxes owed and you will remain liable for any deficiency. If the depositary
sells deposited securities, it will, if appropriate, reduce the number of ADSs to reflect the sale and pay to ADS holders any proceeds, or
send to ADS holders any property, remaining after it has paid the taxes.
Tender and Exchange Offers; Redemption, Replacement or Cancellation of Deposited Securities
The depositary will not tender deposited securities in any voluntary tender or exchange offer unless instructed to do so by an ADS
holder surrendering ADSs and subject to any conditions or procedures the depositary may establish.
If deposited securities are redeemed for cash in a transaction that is mandatory for the depositary as a holder of deposited securities,
the depositary will call for surrender of a corresponding number of ADSs and distribute the net redemption money to the holders of
called ADSs upon surrender of those ADSs.
If there is any change in the deposited securities such as a sub-division, combination or other reclassification, or any merger,
consolidation, recapitalization or reorganization affecting the issuer of deposited securities in which the depositary receives new
securities in exchange for or in lieu of the old deposited securities, the depositary will hold those replacement securities as deposited
securities under the deposit agreement. However, if the depositary decides it would not be lawful and practical to hold the replacement
securities because those securities could not be distributed to ADS holders or for any other reason, the depositary may instead sell the
replacement securities and distribute the net proceeds upon surrender of the ADSs.
If there is a replacement of the deposited securities and the depositary will continue to hold the replacement securities, the depositary
may distribute new ADSs representing the new deposited securities or ask you to surrender your outstanding ADSs in exchange for new
ADSs identifying the new deposited securities.
If there are no deposited securities underlying ADSs, including if the deposited securities are cancelled, or if the deposited securities
underlying ADSs have become apparently worthless, the depositary may call for surrender of those ADSs or cancel those ADSs upon
notice to the ADS holders.
Amendment and Termination
How may the deposit agreement be amended?
We may agree with the depositary to amend the deposit agreement and the ADRs without your consent for any reason. If an
amendment adds or increases fees or charges, except for taxes and other governmental charges or expenses of the depositary for
registration fees, facsimile costs, delivery charges or similar items, or prejudices a substantial right of ADS holders, it will not become
effective for outstanding ADSs until 30 days after the depositary notifies ADS holders of the amendment. At the time an amendment
becomes effective, you are considered, by continuing to hold your ADSs, to agree to the amendment and to be bound by the ADRs and the
deposit agreement as amended.
How may the deposit agreement be terminated?
The depositary will initiate termination of the deposit agreement if we instruct it to do so. The depositary may initiate termination of
the deposit agreement if
·
·
·
·
·
60 days have passed since the depositary told us it wants to resign but a successor depositary has not been appointed and
accepted its appointment;
we delist our shares from an exchange on which they were listed and do not list the shares on another exchange;
we appear to be insolvent or enter insolvency proceedings;
all or substantially all the value of the deposited securities has been distributed either in cash or in the form of securities;
there are no deposited securities underlying the ADSs or the underlying deposited securities have become apparently worthless;
or
·
there has been a replacement of deposited securities.
If the deposit agreement terminates, the depositary will notify ADS holders at least 90 days before the termination date. At any time
after the termination date, the depositary may sell the deposited securities. After that, the depositary will hold the money it received on
the sale, as well as any other cash it is holding under the deposit agreement, unsegregated and without liability for interest, for the pro
rata benefit of the ADS holders that have not surrendered their ADSs. Normally, the depositary will sell as soon as practicable after the
termination date.
After the termination date and before the depositary sells, ADS holders can still surrender their ADSs and receive delivery of
deposited securities, except that the depositary may refuse to accept a surrender for the purpose of withdrawing deposited securities or
reverse previously accepted surrenders of that kind that have not settled if it would interfere with the selling process. The depositary may
refuse to accept a surrender for the purpose of withdrawing sale proceeds until all the deposited securities have been sold. The depositary
will continue to collect distributions on deposited securities, but, after the termination date, the depositary is not required to register any
transfer of ADSs or distribute any dividends or other distributions on deposited securities to the ADSs holder (until they surrender their
ADSs) or give any notices or perform any other duties under the deposit agreement except as described in this paragraph.
Limitations on Obligations and Liability
Limits on our Obligations and the Obligations of the Depositary; Limits on Liability to Holders of ADSs
The deposit agreement expressly limits our obligations and the obligations of the depositary. It also limits our liability and the
liability of the depositary. We and the depositary:
·
·
·
·
·
are only obligated to take the actions specifically set forth in the deposit agreement without negligence or bad faith, and the
depositary will not be a fiduciary or have any fiduciary duty to holders of ADSs;
are not liable if we are or it is prevented or delayed by law or by events or circumstances beyond our or its control from
performing our or its obligations under the deposit agreement;
are not liable if we or it exercises discretion permitted under the deposit agreement;
are not liable for the inability of any holder of ADSs to benefit from any distribution on deposited securities that is not made
available to holders of ADSs under the terms of the deposit agreement, or for any special, consequential or punitive damages for
any breach of the terms of the deposit agreement;
have no obligation to become involved in a lawsuit or other proceeding related to the ADSs or the deposit agreement on your
behalf or on behalf of any other person;
· may rely upon any documents we believe or it believes in good faith to be genuine and to have been signed or presented by the
proper person;
·
·
are not liable for the acts or omissions of any securities depository, clearing agency or settlement system; and
the depositary has no duty to make any determination or provide any information as to our tax status, or any liability for any tax
consequences that may be incurred by ADS holders as a result of owning or holding ADSs or be liable for the inability or failure
of an ADS holder to obtain the benefit of a foreign tax credit, reduced rate of withholding or refund of amounts withheld in
respect of tax or any other tax benefit.
In the deposit agreement, we and the depositary agree to indemnify each other under certain circumstances.
Requirements for Depositary Actions
Before the depositary will deliver or register a transfer of ADSs, make a distribution on ADSs, or permit withdrawal of Class A
ordinary shares, the depositary may require:
·
·
·
payment of stock transfer or other taxes or other governmental charges and transfer or registration fees charged by third parties
for the transfer of any Class A ordinary shares or other deposited securities;
satisfactory proof of the identity and genuineness of any signature or other information it deems necessary; and
compliance with regulations it may establish, from time to time, consistent with the deposit agreement, including presentation of
transfer documents.
The depositary may refuse to deliver ADSs or register transfers of ADSs when the transfer books of the depositary or our transfer
books are closed or at any time if the depositary or we think it advisable to do so.
Your Right to Receive the Class A Ordinary Shares Underlying your ADSs
ADS holders have the right to cancel their ADSs and withdraw the underlying Class A ordinary shares at any time except:
·
·
·
when temporary delays arise because: (i) the depositary has closed its transfer books or we have closed our transfer books;
(ii) the transfer of Class A ordinary shares is blocked to permit voting at a shareholders’ meeting; or (iii) we are paying a
dividend on our Class A ordinary shares;
when you owe money to pay fees, taxes and similar charges; or
when it is necessary to prohibit withdrawals in order to comply with any laws or governmental regulations that apply to ADSs
or to the withdrawal of Class A ordinary shares or other deposited securities.
This right of withdrawal may not be limited by any other provision of the deposit agreement.
Direct Registration System
In the deposit agreement, all parties to the deposit agreement acknowledge that the Direct Registration System, also referred to as
DRS, and Profile Modification System, also referred to as Profile, will apply to the ADSs. DRS is a system administered by DTC that
facilitates interchange between registered holding of uncertificated ADSs and holding of security entitlements in ADSs through DTC and
a DTC participant. Profile is a feature of DRS that allows a DTC participant, claiming to act on behalf of a registered holder of
uncertificated ADSs, to direct the depositary to register a transfer of those ADSs to DTC or its nominee and to deliver those ADSs to the
DTC account of that DTC participant without receipt by the depositary of prior authorization from the ADS holder to register that
transfer.
In connection with and in accordance with the arrangements and procedures relating to DRS/Profile, the parties to the deposit
agreement understand that the depositary will not determine whether the DTC participant that is claiming to be acting on behalf of an
ADS holder in requesting registration of transfer and delivery as described in the paragraph above has the actual authority to act on
behalf of the ADS holder (notwithstanding any requirements under the Uniform Commercial Code). In the deposit agreement, the parties
agree that the depositary’s reliance on and compliance with instructions received by the depositary through the DRS/Profile system and
in accordance with the deposit agreement will not constitute negligence or bad faith on the part of the depositary.
Shareholder Communications; Inspection of Register of Holders of ADSs
The depositary will make available for your inspection at its office all communications that it receives from us as a holder of
deposited securities that we make generally available to holders of deposited securities. The depositary will send you copies of those
communications or otherwise make those communications available to you if we ask it to. You have a right to inspect the register of
holders of ADSs, but not for the purpose of contacting those holders about a matter unrelated to our business or the ADSs.
Jury Trial Waiver
The deposit agreement provides that, to the extent permitted by law, ADS holders waive the right to a jury trial of any claim they
may have against us or the depositary arising out of or relating to our shares, the ADSs or the deposit agreement, including any claim
under the U.S. federal securities laws. If we or the depositary opposed a jury trial demand based on the waiver, the court would determine
whether the waiver was enforceable in the facts and circumstances of that case in accordance with applicable case law. However, you
will not, by agreeing to the terms of the deposit agreement, be deemed to have waived our or the depositary’s compliance with U.S.
federal securities laws and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.
Principal Subsidiaries, Consolidated Affiliated Entity and
Subsidiaries of Consolidated Affiliated Entity of the Registrant
Exhibit 8.1
Subsidiaries:
Fangdd International Holding Ltd., a British Virgin Islands company
Fangdd Network Holding Ltd., a Hong Kong company
Shenzhen Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shanghai Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shenzhen Fangdd Software Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Consolidated Affiliated Entity:
Shenzhen Fangdd Network Technology Co, Ltd., a PRC company
Subsidiaries of Consolidated Affiliated Entities:
Shanghai Fangduoduo Internet Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shenzhen Fangyun Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shanghai Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Nanjing Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Xi’an Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shenzhen Qianhai Duoduojia Financial Service Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shanghai Fanghaoduo Network Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shenzhen Huijiazhu Asset Management Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shanghai Huisheng Network Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Wuxi Fangdd Network Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Kunming Fangdd Real Estate Agency Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shanghai Xuantong Network Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Shanghai Fengmu Network Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Guangzhou Zhujia Network Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Chengdu Fangdd Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
Certification by the Principal Executive Officer
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Exhibit 12.1
I, Xi Zeng, certify that:
1.
2.
3.
4.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the “Company”);
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
with respect to the period covered by this report;
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all
material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of, and for, the periods
presented in this report;
The Company’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined
in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the Company and have:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed
under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is
being prepared;
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be
designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
Evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our
conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by
this report based on such evaluation; and
Disclosed in this report any change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the
period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The Company’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
financial reporting, to the Company’s auditors and the audit committee of the Company’s board of directors (or persons
performing the equivalent functions):
(a)
(b)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial
reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and
report financial information; and
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: April 19, 2023
/s/ Xi Zeng
By:
Name: Xi Zeng
Title:
Chief Executive Officer
Certification by the Principal Financial Officer
Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Exhibit 12.2
I, Shuiying Chen, certify that:
1.
2.
3.
4.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the “Company”);
Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact
necessary to make the statements made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not misleading
with respect to the period covered by this report;
Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial information included in this report, fairly present in all
material respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flows of the Company as of, and for, the periods
presented in this report;
The Company’s other certifying officer and I are responsible for establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and
procedures (as defined in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(e) and 15d-15(e)) and internal control over financial reporting (as defined
in Exchange Act Rules 13a-15(f) and 15d-15(f)) for the Company and have:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
Designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such disclosure controls and procedures to be designed
under our supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the Company, including its consolidated
subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those entities, particularly during the period in which this report is
being prepared;
Designed such internal control over financial reporting, or caused such internal control over financial reporting to be
designed under our supervision, to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the
preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles;
Evaluated the effectiveness of the Company’s disclosure controls and procedures and presented in this report our
conclusions about the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of the end of the period covered by
this report based on such evaluation; and
Disclosed in this report any change in the Company’s internal control over financial reporting that occurred during the
period covered by the annual report that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect, the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting; and
5.
The Company’s other certifying officer and I have disclosed, based on our most recent evaluation of internal control over
financial reporting, to the Company’s auditors and the audit committee of the Company’s board of directors (or persons
performing the equivalent functions):
(a)
(b)
All significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design or operation of internal control over financial
reporting which are reasonably likely to adversely affect the Company’s ability to record, process, summarize and
report financial information; and
Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other employees who have a significant role in the
Company’s internal control over financial reporting.
Date: April 19, 2023
/s/ Shuiying Chen
By:
Name: Shuiying Chen
Title: Financial Controller
Certification by the Principal Executive Officer
Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Exhibit 13.1
In connection with the Annual Report of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the “Company”) on Form 20-F for the year ended December
31, 2022 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Xi Zeng, Chief Executive Officer of
the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that to
my knowledge:
(1)
(2)
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations
of the Company.
Date: April 19, 2023
/s/ Xi Zeng
By:
Name: Xi Zeng
Title: Chief Executive Officer
Certification by the Principal Financial Officer
Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
Exhibit 13.2
In connection with the Annual Report of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the “Company”) on Form 20-F for the year ended December
31, 2022 as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Shuiying Chen, Financial Controller
of the Company, certify, pursuant to 18 U.S.C. Section 1350, as adopted pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, that
to my knowledge:
(1)
(2)
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations
of the Company.
Date: April 19, 2023
/s/ Shuiying Chen
By:
Name: Shuiying Chen
Title: Financial Controller
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Exhibit 15.1
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the registration statement (No. 333-267397) on Form F-3 of Fangdd Network Group
Ltd. (“the Company”) and the registration statement (No. 333-237506) on Form S-8 of the Company of our report dated April 22, 2022,
with respect to the consolidated financial statements of the Company, which report appears in the Form 20-F of the Company dated April
19, 2023.
/s/ KPMG Huazhen LLP
KPMG Huazhen LLP
Shenzhen, the People’s Republic of China
April 19, 2023
Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
Exhibit 15.2
We consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statement (No.333-237506) on Form S-8 and Registration
Statement (No.333-267397) on Form F-3 of our report dated April 19, 2023, with respect to the consolidated financial statements of
Fangdd Network Group Ltd. as of December 31, 2022 and for the year ended December 31, 2022, which appears in the annual report on
Form 20-F of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. for the year ended December 31, 2022.
/s/ Audit Alliance LLP
Audit Alliance LLP
Singapore
April 19, 2023
Global Law Office
Exhibit 15.3
April 19, 2023
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
Room 602, Unit B4, Kexing Science Park
15 Keyuan Road, Technology Park
Nanshan District, Shenzhen, 518057
People’s Republic of China
Dear Sirs,
We hereby consent to references to our name under the heading “Item 4.C. Information on the Company—Organizational Structure
—Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and its Shareholders” in the annual report on Form 20-F of Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the
“Company”) for the year ended December 31, 2022 (the “Annual Report”), and further consent to the incorporation by reference into the
Registration Statement (Form S-8 No. 333-237506) and the Registration Statement (Form F-3 No. 333-267397), of our opinion under the
heading “Item 4.C. Information on the Company—Organizational Structure—Contractual Arrangements with the VIE and its
Shareholders” in the Annual Report. We also consent to the filing of this consent letter with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission as an exhibit to the Annual Report.
In giving such consent, we do not thereby admit that we come within the category of persons whose consent is required under
Section 7 of the Securities Act of 1933, or under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, in each case, as amended, or the regulations
promulgated thereunder.
Yours sincerely,
/s/ Global Law Office
Global Law Office
Exhibit 15.4
April 19, 2023
VIA EDGAR
Division of Corporate Finance
U.S. Securities & Exchange Commission
100 F. Street, NE
Washington, D.C. 20549
Re:
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
Submission under Item 16I(a) of Form 20-F
Dear Sir/Madam,
In compliance with the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act (the “HFCAA”), Fangdd Network Group Ltd. (the “Company”) is
submitting via EDGAR the following information as required under Item 16I(a) of Form 20-F.
On May 26, 2022, the Company was conclusively identified by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as a
Commission-Identified Issuer pursuant to the HFCAA because it filed an annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31,
2021 with the SEC on April 22, 2022 with an audit report issued by KPMG Huazhen LLP, a registered public accounting firm previously
retained by the Company, for the preparation of the audit report on the Company’s financial statements included therein. KPMG Huazhen
LLP is a registered public accounting firm headquartered in Mainland China, a jurisdiction where the Public Company Accounting
Oversight Board (the “PCAOB”) determined that it had been unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting
firms headquartered there until December 2022 when the PCAOB vacated its previous determination.
The Company is controlled by Mr. Xi Zeng, the chairman of the board of directors and chief executive officer of the Company, who
holds 70.8% of total voting power of the Company as of March 31, 2023 through ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD. ZX INTERNATIONAL
LTD is a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands owned by Mr. Xi Zeng. As of March 31, 2023, ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD
beneficially owned 161,396,567 Class B ordinary shares and 5,700,000 Class C ordinary shares in the Company, representing 0.8% of
total issued and outstanding ordinary shares and 70.8% of total voting power of the Company.
To the Company’s best knowledge and based on an examination of the Company’s register of members and public filings made by its
shareholders, other than ZX INTERNATIONAL LTD, no shareholder beneficially owned 5% or more of the Company’s total
outstanding ordinary shares as of March 31, 2023.
Please refer to “Item 6.E. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—Share Ownership” of the Company’s annual report on Form
20-F for the year ended December 31, 2022 for more details.
In addition, the Company is not aware of any governmental entity of Mainland China that is in possession of, directly or indirectly, the
power to direct or cause the direction of the management and policies of the Company, whether through the ownership of voting
securities, by contract, or otherwise.
Should any member of the Staff have any questions or comments regarding the Company’s submission set forth above, please do not
hesitate to contact our outside legal counsel, Will Cai, Cooley LLP at +852-3758-1210 and Jie Zhang, Cooley LLP at +852-3758-1231.
Sincerely yours,
Fangdd Network Group Ltd.
/s/ Xi Zeng
By:
Name: Xi Zeng
Title: Chairman of the Board of Directors and Chief Executive
Officer
Exhibit 16.1
April 19, 2023
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, D.C. 20549
Ladies and Gentlemen:
We were previously principal accountants for Fangdd Network Group Ltd (the “Company”) and, under the date of April 22, 2022, we
reported on the consolidated financial statements of the Company as of and for the years ended December 31, 2020 and 2021. On July
25, 2022, we were dismissed. We have read the Company’s statements included under Item 16F of its Form 20-F dated April 19, 2023,
and we agree with such statements, except that we are not in a position to agree or disagree with the Company’s statements that:
(1) on July 29, 2022, Audit Alliance LLP, or Audit Alliance, was engaged as principal accountants;
(2) the decision to change accountants was approved by the audit committee of the board of directors;
(3) neither the Company nor anyone on its behalf has consulted with Audit Alliance LLP on either (a) the application of accounting
principles to a specified transaction, either completed or proposed, or the type of audit opinion that might be rendered on the
Company’s financial statements, and neither a written report nor oral advice was provided to the Company by Audit Alliance
LLP that Audit Alliance LLP concluded was an important factor considered by the Company in reaching a decision as to any
accounting, auditing or financial reporting issue, or (b) any matter that was the subject of a disagreement, as that term is defined
in Item 16F(a)(1)(iv) of Form 20-F (and the related instructions thereto) or a reportable event as set forth in Item 16F(a)(1)(v) of
Form 20-F.
Very truly yours,
/s/ KPMG Huazhen LLP