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FinVolution Group

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FY2024 Annual Report · FinVolution Group
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UNITED
STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
 
 
 
FORM
20-F
 
 
 
☐
REGISTRATION STATEMENT PURSUANT TO SECTION 12(b) OR (g) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
OR
 
☒
ANNUAL REPORT PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024
 
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: 001-38269
 
 
 
FinVolution
Group
(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)
 
Building
G1, No. 999 Dangui Road

Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203

The People’s Republic of China

(Address of principal executive offices)
 
Jiayuan
Xu, Chief Financial Officer

Phone: + 86 21 8030 3200

Email: xujiayuan@xinye.com

Building G1, No. 999 Dangui Road

Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203

The People’s Republic of China

(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
 
Name of each exchange on
which registered
American depositary shares (one American depositary share
representing five Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001
per share)
 
FINV
 
New York Stock Exchange
Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001
per share*
 
 
 
New York Stock Exchange
 
 
* Not
for trading, but only in connection with the listing on the New York Stock Exchange of American depositary shares.
 
 
Securities
registered or to be registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act.
 
Not
Applicable
(Title
of Class)
 
Securities
for which there is a reporting obligation pursuant to Section 15(d) of the Act.
 
Not
Applicable
(Title of Class)
 
As
of December 31, 2024, there were 1,266,250,724 ordinary shares outstanding, consisting of 699,550,724 Class A ordinary shares and 566,700,000
Class B ordinary shares, both
with a par value of US$0.00001 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. (Check one):
 
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. ☒
 
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. ☐
 
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). ☐
 
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 Standard
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 ☐
 
 
 
 

 
 
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
 
INTRODUCTION
1
 
 
 
FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
2
 
 
 
PART I
3
 
 
 
ITEM 1. IDENTITY OF DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND ADVISERS
3
 
 
 
 
ITEM 2. OFFER STATISTICS AND EXPECTED TIMETABLE
3
 
 
 
 
ITEM 3. KEY INFORMATION
3
 
 
 
 
ITEM 4. INFORMATION ON THE COMPANY
67
 
 
 
 
ITEM 4A. UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
104
 
 
 
 
ITEM 5. OPERATING AND FINANCIAL REVIEW AND PROSPECTS
104
 
 
 
 
ITEM 6. DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT AND EMPLOYEES
124
 
 
 
 
ITEM 7. MAJOR SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
133
 
 
 
 
ITEM 8. FINANCIAL INFORMATION
134
 
 
 
 
ITEM 9. THE OFFER AND LISTING
135
 
 
 
 
ITEM 10. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
135
 
 
 
 
ITEM 11. QUANTITATIVE AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
148
 
 
 
 
ITEM 12. DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES OTHER THAN EQUITY SECURITIES
148
 
 
 
PART II
150
 
 
 
 
ITEM 13. DEFAULTS, DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES
150
 
 
 
 
ITEM 14. MATERIAL MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS
150
 
 
 
 
ITEM 15. CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES
150
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16A. AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT
151
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16B. CODE OF ETHICS
151
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16C. PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES
152
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16D. EXEMPTIONS FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES
152
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16E. PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS
153
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16F. CHANGE IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
154
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16G. CORPORATE GOVERNANCE
154
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16H. MINE SAFETY DISCLOSURE
154
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16I. DISCLOSURE REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
154
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16J. INSIDER TRADING POLICIES
154
 
 
 
 
ITEM 16K. CYBERSECURITY
155
 
 
 
PART III
156
 
 
 
 
ITEM 17. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
156
 
 
 
 
ITEM 18. FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
156
 
 
 
 
ITEM 19. EXHIBITS
156
 
 
 
SIGNATURES
159
 
i

 
 
INTRODUCTION
 
Unless
otherwise indicated or the context otherwise requires in this annual report on Form 20-F:
 
 
●
“ADSs”
refer to our American depositary shares, each of which represents five Class A ordinary shares;
 
 
 
 
●
“China”
or the “PRC” refers to the People’s Republic of China, excluding, for the purposes of this annual report only,
Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan;
 
 
 
 
●
“outstanding
loan balance” as of a given date refers to, in the case of the China market, the balance of outstanding loans facilitated on
our platform in China excluding
loans delinquent for more than 180 days from such date, and in the case of the overseas markets,
the balance of outstanding loans facilitated on our platforms in the
overseas markets excluding loans delinquent for more than 30
days from such date;
 
 
 
 
●
“ordinary
shares” refer to our Class A and Class B ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 per share;
 
 
 
 
●
“overseas
markets” refer to our markets outside China;
 
 
 
 
●
“RMB”
and “Renminbi” refer to the legal currency of China;
 
 
 
 
●
“US$,”
“U.S. dollars,” “$,” and “dollars” refer to the legal currency of the United States;
 
 
 
 
●
“we,”
“us,” “our company,” “our” and “FinVolution” refer to FinVolution Group, our Cayman
Islands holding company, its direct and indirect subsidiaries. Our
operations in China are primarily through (i) our PRC subsidiaries,
 (ii) the consolidated variable interest entities with which we have maintained contractual
arrangements, including Beijing Paipairongxin
 Investment Consulting Co., Ltd., Shanghai Zihe Information Technology Group Co., Ltd., and Shanghai Ledao
Technology Co., Ltd., and
(iii) the subsidiaries of the consolidated variable interest entities. The consolidated variable interest entities are PRC companies
conducting
operations in China, and their financial results have been consolidated into our consolidated financial statements in
 accordance with U.S. GAAP for accounting
purposes. Investors are purchasing an interest in FinVolution Group, a Cayman Islands holding
company with no operations of its own. FinVolution Group does not
have any equity ownership in the consolidated variable interest
entities; and
 
 
 
 
●
“WFOEs”
refer to Shanghai Guangjian Information Technology Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Manyin Information Technology Co., Ltd., our wholly owned
subsidiaries in
China.
 
Our
reporting currency is the Renminbi because the majority 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 noted, all translations
from Renminbi to U.S. dollars and from U.S. dollars to Renminbi
in this annual report were made at RMB7.2993 to US$1.00, the noon buying
rate on December 31, 2024 set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board.
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, the rates stated below, or at all. The PRC government imposes control over its foreign currency reserves in part through
direct regulation of the conversion of Renminbi into
foreign exchange and through restrictions on foreign trade. On April 11,
2025, the noon buying rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the Federal Reserve Board was
RMB7.2915 to US$1.00.
 
1

 
 
FORWARD-LOOKING
STATEMENTS
 
This
 annual report on Form 20-F contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current expectations and views of future events. 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. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigations
Reform
Act of 1995.
 
You
 can identify some of these forward-looking statements by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,”
 “anticipate,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,”
“believe,”
 “is/are likely to,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar expressions. We have based these forward-looking
 statements largely on our current expectations and
projections about future events that we believe may affect our financial condition,
results of operations, business strategy and financial needs. These forward-looking statements
include statements relating to:
 
 
●
our
mission and strategies;
 
 
 
 
●
our
future business development, financial condition and results of operations;
 
 
 
 
●
the
expected growth of the online consumer finance platform market;
 
 
 
 
●
our
expectations regarding demand for and market acceptance of our products and services;
 
 
 
 
●
our
expectations regarding our relationships with institutional funding partners and borrowers;
 
 
 
 
●
competition
in our industry;
 
 
 
 
●
general
economic and business condition in the markets where we have operations; and
 
 
 
 
●
government
policies and regulations relating to our industry.
 
You
should read this annual report and the documents that we refer to in this annual report with the understanding that our actual future
results may be materially different
from and worse than what we expect. Other sections of this annual report include additional factors
 which could adversely impact our business and financial performance.
Moreover, we operate in an evolving environment. New risk factors
and uncertainties emerge from time to time and it is not possible for our management to predict all risk factors
and uncertainties, nor
can we assess the impact of all factors on our business or the extent to which any factor, or combination of factors, may cause actual
results to differ materially
from those contained in any forward-looking statements. We qualify all of our forward-looking statements
by these cautionary statements.
 
2

 
 
PART
I
 
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
Holding Company Structure and Contractual Arrangements with the Consolidated Variable Interest Entities
 
The
following diagram illustrates our corporate structure as of the date of this annual report, including our principal subsidiaries and
our principal consolidated variable
interest entities and their principal subsidiaries.
 
 
 
Notes:
 
(1) Beijing
Paipairongxin currently has four shareholders: Jun Zhang, our co-founder and director, Tiezheng Li, our co-founder, vice chairman
and chief executive officer, Honghui
Hu, our co-founder and director, and Shaofeng Gu, our co-founder, chairman and chief innovation
officer, each holding 13.22%, 4.81%, 12.85%, and 69.12% of Beijing
Paipairongxin’s equity interests, respectively.
 
 
(2) Shanghai
Zihe currently has four shareholders: Jun Zhang, our co-founder and director, Tiezheng Li, our co-founder, vice chairman and chief
executive officer, Honghui Hu,
our co-founder and director, Shaofeng Gu, our co-founder, chairman and chief innovation officer, each
holding 25% of Shanghai Zihe’s equity interests, respectively.
 
 
(3) Shanghai
Ledao currently has two shareholders: Lizhong Chen, a family relative of Tiezheng Li, and Yejun Jiang, a family relative of Honghui
Hu, each holding 50% of
Shanghai Ledao’s equity interests, respectively.

 
 
(4) The
remaining 20% equity interest is held by an unrelated third party.
 
 
(5) The
remaining 51% equity interest is held by our company an intermediate entity.
 
3

 
 
FinVolution
Group is not an operating company in China but a Cayman Islands holding company with no equity ownership in the consolidated variable
interest entities.
Our operations in China are primarily through (i) our PRC subsidiaries, (ii) the consolidated variable interest entities
with which we have maintained contractual arrangements, and
(iii) the subsidiaries of the consolidated variable interest entities. PRC
laws and regulations restrict and impose conditions on foreign investment in value-added telecommunications
services business, such as
the internet content provision services and online data processing and transaction processing services. Accordingly, we operate these
businesses in China
through the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective subsidiaries, and rely on contractual arrangements
among our PRC subsidiaries, the consolidated variable
interest entities and their respective shareholders to direct the activities of
operation of the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective subsidiaries. This structure
provides investors with exposure
 to foreign investment in China-based companies where PRC laws and regulations prohibit or restrict direct foreign investment in operating
companies in certain sectors. Revenues contributed by the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective subsidiaries accounted
for 83.9%, 78.6% and 75.0% of our total
revenues for 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. As used in this annual report, “we,”
“us,” “our company” and “our” refer to FinVolution Group, its subsidiaries, and, in the context
of
describing our operations in China and consolidated financial information, the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective
subsidiaries in China, including but not
limited to (i) Beijing Paipairongxin Investment Consulting Co., Ltd., or Beijing Paipairongxin,
which was established in June 2012; (ii) Shanghai PPDai Financial Information
Service Co., Ltd., or Shanghai PPDai, a subsidiary of Beijing
 Paipairongxin, which was established in January 2011 and operates our ppdai.com website and PPDai mobile
application; (iii)
Hefei PPDai Information Technology Co., Ltd., a subsidiary of Shanghai PPDai and Beijing Paipairongxin, which was established in December
2016 and holds the
value-added telecommunication business operation license for operation of call center services; (iv) Shanghai Erxu
 Information Technology Co., Ltd., or Shanghai Erxu, a
subsidiary of Shanghai Zihe, which was established in April 2018 and primarily
focuses on partnering with our other subsidiaries to introduce borrowers to institutional funding
partners and match transactions; and
(v) Shanghai Ledao Technology Co., Ltd., or Shanghai Ledao, which was established in January 2019 and currently does not engage in any
business operations. The consolidated variable interest entities are PRC companies conducting operations in China, and their financial
results have been consolidated into our
consolidated financial statements under U.S. GAAP for accounting purposes. Holders of our ADSs
hold equity interest in FinVolution Group, our Cayman Islands holding company,
and do not and may never have direct or indirect equity
interest in the consolidated variable interest entities and their subsidiaries.
 
A
series of contractual agreements, including loan agreements, business operation agreement, power of attorney, equity pledge agreement,
exclusive technology consulting
and service agreement and call option agreement, have been entered into by and among our subsidiaries,
the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective shareholders.
Terms contained in each set of contractual arrangements
with the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective shareholders are substantially similar. The contractual
arrangements
enable us to direct the activities of operation that most significantly impact the economic performance of the consolidated variable
interest entities and provide us with
economic benefits of the consolidated variable interest entities and as such we are the primary
beneficiary of these companies, and we have consolidated the financial results of
these companies in our consolidated financial statements.
 For more details of these contractual arrangements, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational
Structure—Contractual
Arrangements.”
 
However,
the contractual arrangements may not be as effective as equity ownership in providing us with control over the consolidated variable
interest entities and we may
incur substantial costs to enforce the terms of the arrangements. In addition, these agreements have not
been tested in China courts. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors
—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—We
 rely on contractual arrangements with the consolidated variable interest entities for a significant portion of our business
operations,
and such contractual arrangements may not be as effective as equity ownership in providing operational control” and “—The
shareholders of the consolidated variable
interest entities may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and
adversely affect our business and financial condition.”
 
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 consolidated
variable interest entities and their shareholders. It is uncertain whether
any new PRC laws or regulations relating to consolidated variable
interest entity structures will be adopted or if adopted, what they would provide. If we or any of the consolidated
variable interest
entities is found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws or regulations, or fail to obtain or maintain any of the required
permits or approvals, the PRC
regulatory authorities would have broad discretion to take action in dealing with such violations or failures.
See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our
Corporate Structure—If the PRC government deems
that the contractual arrangements regarding the consolidated variable interest entities 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.”
 
4

 
 
Our
corporate structure is subject to risks associated with our contractual arrangements with the consolidated variable interest entities.
If the PRC government deems that
our contractual arrangements with the consolidated variable interest entities 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 or are interpreted differently in the future, we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our
interests
in those operations. Our holding company, our PRC subsidiaries, the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective subsidiaries,
and investors of our company
face uncertainty about potential future actions by the PRC government that could affect the enforceability
of the contractual arrangements with the consolidated variable interest
entities and, consequently, significantly affect the financial
performance of the consolidated variable interest entities and our company as a whole. The PRC regulatory authorities
could disallow
the contractual arrangements structure, which would likely result in a material change in our operations and cause the value of our securities
to significantly decline
or become worthless. For a detailed description of the risks associated with our corporate structure, please
refer to risks disclosed under “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors
—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure.”
 
We
face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties related to doing business in China. The majority of our business operations
are in China, and we are subject to
complex and evolving PRC laws and regulations. For example, we face risks associated with regulatory
approvals on offshore offerings 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 continue to offer securities to
investors, or cause the
value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. For a detailed description of risks related
to doing business in China, please refer to risks disclosed under “Item
3.D. Key Information—Risk Factors—Risks Related
to Doing Business in China.”
 
PRC
government’s significant authority in regulating our operations and its oversight and control over offerings conducted overseas
by, and foreign investment in, China-
based issuers could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to
offer securities to investors. Implementation of industry-wide regulations, including
data security related regulations, in this nature
may cause the value of such securities to significantly decline. For more details, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—
Risks
Related to Doing Business in China—The PRC government’s significant oversight and discretion over our business operation
could result in a material adverse change in our
operations and the value of our ADSs.”
 
Risks
 and uncertainties arising from the legal system in China, including risks and uncertainties regarding the enforcement of laws and quickly
 evolving rules and
regulations in China, could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs. For more
details, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—
Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Uncertainties
in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to us” and
“—We
may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties and changes in PRC regulation of internet-related businesses and companies,
and any lack of requisite approvals,
licenses or permits applicable to our business may have a material adverse effect on our business
and results of operations.”
 
The
Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act
 
Pursuant
to the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCA Act, if the SEC determines that we have filed audit reports issued by a
registered public
accounting firm that has not been subject to inspections by the PCAOB for two consecutive years, the SEC will prohibit
our shares or the ADSs 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 to notify the SEC of its determination that the
PCAOB was unable to inspect or investigate
completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, including our auditor.
 
5

 
 
In
May 2022, the SEC conclusively listed us as a Commission-Identified Issuer under 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 is unable to inspect or investigate
completely registered public accounting firms. As of the date of this annual report, the PCAOB has not
issued any new determination that
it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in any jurisdiction. For this reason,
we do not
expect to be identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer under the HFCA Act after we file this annual report on Form 20-F.
 
Each
year, the PCAOB will determine whether it can inspect and investigate completely audit firms in mainland China and Hong Kong, among other
jurisdictions. If
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 and we continue to use
an accounting firm headquartered in one of these jurisdictions to issue an audit
report on our financial statements filed with the SEC, we would be identified as a Commission-
Identified Issuer following the filing
of the annual report on Form 20-F for the relevant fiscal year. There can be no assurance that we would not be identified as a Commission-
Identified
Issuer for any future fiscal year, and if we were so identified for two consecutive years, we would become subject to the prohibition
on trading under the HFCA Act. See
“Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—The
PCAOB had historically been unable to inspect our auditor in relation to their audit
work performed for our financial statements and
the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of our auditor in the past has deprived our investors with the benefits of such
inspections”
and “—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 the 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
 
Our
operations in China are governed by PRC laws and regulations. As of the date of this annual report, our PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated
variable interest entities
and their respective subsidiaries have obtained the requisite licenses and permits from the PRC government
authorities that are material for the business operations of our holding
company and the consolidated variable interest entities in China,
except that Shanghai PPDai has not obtained any value-added telecommunication business operation license. Due
to the lack of regulatory
 authorities’ final interpretation of the applicable laws, there still exists uncertainties on which category of value-added telecommunication
 business
operation license that may be applicable to Shanghai PPDai as the operator of our ppdai.com website and PPDai
mobile application, and therefore Shanghai PPDai has not obtained
any value-added telecommunication business operation license. We cannot
rule out the possibility that Shanghai PPDai may be deemed by certain regulatory authorities as operating
our ppdai.com website
and PPDai mobile application without an appropriate value-added telecommunication business operation license, and we may be subject
to regulatory
penalties, including, but not limited to, rectification orders and warnings, fines, confiscation of illegal gains, and
suspension or termination of operating of our website and mobile
application.
 
In
addition, given the rapid evolving of the online consumer finance industry and the uncertainties of interpretation and implementation
of applicable laws and regulations
and the enforcement practice by government authorities, we may be required to obtain additional licenses,
 permits, filings or approvals for the functions and services of our
platforms in the future. For example, when facilitating the connection
of borrowers to our institutional funding partners to match transactions, Shanghai Erxu, in partnership with
our other subsidiaries,
also provides borrower information and preliminary credit assessment services for the referred borrowers. If regulatory authorities categorize
these services as
credit reference business or information provision activities, we may be requested to obtain a license for individual
 credit reference business, or alternatively, engage in
collaborations with licensed credit reference agencies and submit the related
cooperation agreements with the People’s Bank of China or its provincial branches. If we cannot obtain
the regulatory approval
or complete the filing in a timely manner, we may be deemed as violating the laws and regulations relating to credit reference services
and subject to
regulatory penalties, including cessation of business operations, confiscation of illegal gains, fines from RMB50,000
 to RMB500,000, and even criminal liability. If we, our
subsidiaries, the consolidated variable interest entities or their subsidiaries
do not receive or maintain any necessary permissions or approvals from PRC authorities to operate
business or offer securities, or if
we are required to obtain additional permissions or approvals in the future due to changes of laws, regulations or interpretations, we
cannot assure
you that we will be able to obtain the necessary permissions or approvals in a timely manner, or at all. Any such circumstance
could subject us to penalties, including fines,
injunctions, suspension of business and revocation of required licenses, significantly
limit or completely hinder our ability to continue to offer securities to investors, and cause the
value of such securities to significantly
 decline or become worthless. For more detailed information, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related
 to Our
Business—The laws and regulations governing online consumer finance industry in China are developing and evolving and subject
to changes. If our business practices are deemed
to violate any existing and future applicable laws, regulations or requirements of local
regulatory authorities, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be
materially and adversely affected.”
 
6

 
 
Furthermore,
as advised by Hui Ye Law Firm, our PRC counsel, in connection with our historical issuance of securities to foreign investors, under
current PRC laws,
regulations and regulatory rules, as of the date of this annual report, we, our PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated
 variable interest entities, (i) are not required to obtain
permissions from the China Securities Regulatory Commission, or the CSRC,
(ii) are not required to go through cybersecurity review by the Cyberspace Administration of China,
and (iii) have not received or were
denied such requisite permissions by any PRC authority. However, if the PRC governmental authorities determine that our business may
affect
national security, they may initiate cybersecurity review against us. For more detailed information, see “Item 3. Key Information—D.
Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business
—Any failure to comply with existing or future laws and regulations related to
 data protection, data security, cybersecurity or personal information protection could lead to
liabilities, administrative penalties
or other regulatory actions, which could negatively affect our operating results and business.”
 
The
PRC government has promulgated certain regulations and rules to exert more oversight and control over offerings that are conducted overseas
or foreign investment in
China-based issuers. On February 17, 2023, the CSRC published the Trial Administrative Measures on the Overseas
Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Companies and
five supporting guidelines, which are collectively known as the CSRC Filing
Measures, effective on March 31, 2023. Pursuant to the CSRC Filing Measures, domestic companies in
the PRC that directly or indirectly
offer or list their securities in an overseas market are required to file with the CSRC. In addition, an overseas listed company must
also submit the
filing with respect to its follow-on offerings, issuance of convertible corporate bonds and exchangeable bonds, and other
equivalent offering activities, within a specific time frame
requested under the CSRC Filing Measures. Therefore, we will be required
to file with the CSRC for our overseas offering of equity and equity linked securities in the future within
the applicable scope of the
CSRC Filing Measures. For more detailed information, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to
Doing Business in China—
The approval of and filing with the CSRC or other PRC government authorities may be required in connection
with our offshore offerings under PRC law, and, if required, we
cannot predict whether or for how long we will be able to obtain such
approval or complete such filing.”
 
Enforceability
of Civil Liabilities
 
We
are incorporated in the Cayman Islands to take advantage of certain benefits associated with being a Cayman Islands exempted company,
such as:
 
 
●
political
and economic stability;
 
 
 
 
● 
an
effective judicial system;
 
 
 
 
●
a
favorable tax system;
 
 
 
 
●
the
absence of exchange control or currency restrictions; and
 
 
 
 
●
the
availability of professional and support services.
 
However,
certain disadvantages accompany incorporation in the Cayman Islands. These disadvantages include, but are not limited to:
 
 
● 
the Cayman Islands has a less developed body of securities laws as compared to the United States and these securities laws provide
significantly less protection to
investors as compared to the United States; and
 
 
 
 
●
with respect to Cayman Islands companies, plaintiffs may face special obstacles, including but not limited to those relating to jurisdiction
and standing, in attempting
to assert derivative claims in state or federal courts of the United States.
 
7

 
 
Our
memorandum and articles of association does not contain provisions requiring that disputes, including those arising under the securities
laws of the United States,
between us, our officers, directors and shareholders, be arbitrated.
 
The
majority of our operations are conducted in China, and a significant portion of our assets are located in China. A majority of our directors
and executive officers are
nationals or residents of jurisdictions other than the United States and a significant portion of their assets
are located outside the United States. As a result, it may be difficult for a
shareholder to effect service of process within the United
States upon these individuals, or to bring an action against us or against these individuals in the United States, in the event
that
you believe that your rights have been infringed under the securities laws of the United States or any state in the United States.
 
Maples
and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP, our legal counsel as to Cayman Islands law, and Hui Ye Law Firm, our legal counsel as to PRC law, have advised
us, respectively,
that there is uncertainty as to whether the courts of the Cayman Islands and China, respectively, would:
 
 
●
recognize or enforce judgments of United States courts obtained against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities
laws of the United States or any state in the United States; or
 
 
 
 
●
entertain original actions brought in each respective jurisdiction against us or our directors or officers predicated upon the securities laws of the United States or any
state in the United States.
 
We
have been advised by our Cayman Islands legal counsel, Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP, that the courts of the Cayman Islands are unlikely
(i) to recognize or
enforce against us judgments of courts of the United States predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the
securities laws of the United States or any State; and (ii) in original
actions brought in the Cayman Islands, to impose liabilities
against us predicated upon the civil liability provisions of the securities laws of the United States or any State, so far as
the liabilities
imposed by those provisions are penal in nature. In those circumstances, although there is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands
of judgments obtained in the
United States, the courts of the Cayman Islands will recognize and enforce a foreign money judgment of a
foreign court of competent jurisdiction without retrial on the merits based
on the principle that a judgment of a competent foreign court
imposes upon the judgment debtor an obligation to pay the sum for which judgment has been given provided certain
conditions are met.
For such a foreign judgment to be enforced in the Cayman Islands, such judgment must be final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum,
and may not be in
respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent with a Cayman Islands judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable
on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or
be of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or the
public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or multiple damages may well be held to be
contrary to public policy). A Cayman
Islands Court may stay enforcement proceedings if concurrent proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
 
Hui
Ye Law Firm has further advised us that 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 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 form of reciprocity with the United States or the Cayman Islands
that provide for the reciprocal
recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments. In addition, according to the PRC Civil Procedures Law, courts in the PRC 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 law or national sovereignty, security or 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 or the Cayman Islands. Under the PRC Civil
Procedures Law, foreign shareholders
may originate actions based on PRC law against us in the PRC, if they can establish sufficient nexus to the PRC for a PRC court to have
jurisdiction, and meet other procedural requirements, including, among others, the plaintiff must have a direct interest in the case,
and there must be a concrete claim, a factual basis
and a cause for the suit. However, it would be difficult for foreign shareholders
to establish sufficient nexus to the PRC by virtue only of holding our ADSs or ordinary shares.
 
8

 
 
Cash
and Asset Flows Through Our Organization
 
FinVolution
Group is a holding company with no operations of its own. Our operations in China are primarily through our subsidiaries and the consolidated
variable
interest entities and their respective subsidiaries in China. As a result, although other means are available for us to obtain
financing at the holding company level, FinVolution
Group’s ability to continue paying dividends to the shareholders and investors
of the ADSs and to service any debt it may incur may depend upon dividends paid by our PRC
subsidiaries and service fees paid by the
consolidated variable interest entities in China. If any of our PRC subsidiaries or the consolidated variable interest entities incurs
debt on its
own behalf in the future, the instruments governing such debt may restrict our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to pay dividends
to FinVolution Group or the consolidated variable interest
entities’ ability to pay service fees. In addition, our PRC subsidiaries
are permitted to pay dividends to FinVolution Group only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in
accordance with PRC
accounting standards and regulations. Further, our PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated variable interest entities are required to make
appropriations to
certain statutory reserve funds or may make appropriations to certain discretionary funds, which are not distributable
as cash dividends except in the event of a solvent liquidation of
the companies. For more details, see “Item 5. Operating and Financial
Review and Prospects—Liquidity and Capital Resources—Holding Company Structure.”
 
Under
PRC laws and regulations, our PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated variable interest entities are subject to certain restrictions with
respect to paying dividends or
otherwise transferring any of their net assets to us. Remittance of dividends by a wholly foreign-owned
 enterprise out of China is also subject to examination by the banks
designated by the State Administration of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE.
The amounts restricted include the paid-up capital and the statutory reserve funds of our PRC subsidiaries
and the net assets of the
consolidated variable interest entities in which we have no legal ownership, totaling RMB8.0 billion, RMB7.9 billion and RMB8.6 billion
(US$1.2 billion)
as of December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. Furthermore, cash transfers from our PRC subsidiaries and the
consolidated variable interest entities to entities outside of
China are subject to PRC government controls on currency conversion. To
the extent cash in our business is in the PRC or a PRC entity, such cash may not be available to fund
operations or for other use outside
of the PRC due to restrictions and limitations imposed by the governmental authorities on the ability of us, our subsidiaries, or the
consolidated
variable interest entities to transfer cash outside of the PRC. Shortages in the availability of foreign currency may temporarily
delay the ability of our PRC subsidiaries and the
consolidated variable interest entities to remit sufficient foreign currency to pay
 dividends or other payments to us, or otherwise satisfy their foreign currency denominated
obligations. In view of the foregoing, to
the extent cash in our business is held in China or by a PRC entity, such cash may not be available to fund operations or for other use
outside of the PRC. For risks relating to the fund flows of our operations in China, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk
Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—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 conduct our business” and “—Governmental
control of currency conversion
may limit our ability to utilize our net revenues effectively and affect the price of our ADSs.”
 
For
the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, no dividends or distributions were made to FinVolution Group, the parent company, by
our subsidiaries.
 
Under
PRC law, FinVolution Group may provide funding to our PRC subsidiaries only through capital contributions or loans, and to our PRC consolidated
variable interest
entities only through loans, subject to satisfaction of applicable government registration and approval requirements.
 
As
of December 31, 2024, FinVolution Group, the parent company, had made cumulative capital contribution of RMB1,291.4 million (US$176.9
million) to our PRC
subsidiaries through intermediate holding companies.  
 
The
consolidated variable interest entities may transfer cash to the corresponding PRC subsidiaries by paying service fees according to the
restated exclusive technology
consulting and service agreement or the exclusive technology consulting and service framework agreements,
as applicable. Pursuant to these agreements between each of the
consolidated variable interest entities and its corresponding PRC subsidiary,
each of the consolidated variable interest entities agrees to pay the corresponding PRC subsidiary for
technology consulting and service
at an amount as determined on a case-by-case basis based on the content of technology consulting and service, level of difficulty and
complexity,
time spend by the corresponding PRC subsidiary and its employees, the commercial value of the technology consulting and service
to be provided by the corresponding PRC
subsidiary, and the revenue the consolidated variable interest entity generates due to the technology
consulting and service provided by the corresponding PRC subsidiary. For the
years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the service
fees paid by the consolidated variable interest entities to the PRC subsidiaries through technical development service
arrangements and
technical support service arrangements were RMB3,598.8 million, RMB2,132.2 million and RMB829.0 million (US$113.6 million), respectively.
If there is any
amount payable to corresponding PRC subsidiaries under the contractual arrangements, the consolidated variable interest
entities will settle the amount accordingly.
 
9

 
 
The
following is a summary of cash transfers that have occurred between our subsidiaries and the consolidated variable interest entities:
 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
 
Cash paid by the consolidated variable interest entities to our subsidiaries under
service agreements(1)
 
 
(3,598,761)  
 
(2,132,263)  
 
(828,977)
Cash received by the consolidated variable interest entities from our subsidiaries
under service agreements(2)
 
 
650,751   
 
555,623   
 
599,941 
Capital contribution by the consolidated variable interest entities to our
subsidiaries for intra-group investing(3)
 
 
(10,020)  
 
—   
 
— 
Collection of loans by the consolidated variable interest entities from our
subsidiaries for intra-group investing(4)
 
 
72,373   
 
122,365   
 
228,155 
Cash paid as loans by the consolidated variable interest entities to our subsidiaries
for intra-group investing(5)
 
 
(304,533)  
 
(408,030)  
 
(215,882)
Repayment of loans by the consolidated variable interest entities to our
subsidiaries for intra-group financing(6)
 
 
(134,307)  
 
(1,667,749)  
 
(3,655,152)
Cash received as loans by the consolidated variable interest entities from our
subsidiaries for intra-group financing(7)
 
 
1,533,401   
 
1,357,249   
 
3,576,456 
 
 
Notes:
 
(1) Represents
the “cash used in operating activities under service agreements for group companies” line item of the consolidated variable
interest entities and their subsidiaries
under the condensed consolidating schedule of cash flow data, which represents the cash
paid by the consolidated variable interest entities for intercompany services, including
technical development services and technical
support services.
 
 
(2) Represents
the “cash provided by operating activities under service agreements for group companies” line item of the consolidated
 variable interest entities and their
subsidiaries under the condensed consolidating schedule of cash flow data, which represents
the cash received by the consolidated variable interest entities for intercompany
services, including technical development services
and technical support services.
 
 
(3) Represents
the “capital contribution to group companies” line item of the consolidated variable interest entities and their subsidiaries
 under the condensed consolidating
schedule of cash flow data, which represents the capital contribution by the consolidated variable
interest entities to group companies.
 
 
(4) Represents
the “collection of loans from group companies” line item of the consolidated variable interest entities and their subsidiaries
under the condensed consolidating
schedule of cash flow data, which represents the collection of loans by the consolidated variable
interest entities from group companies.
 
 
(5) Represents
the “cash paid as loans extended to group companies” line item of the consolidated variable interest entities and their
subsidiaries under the condensed consolidating
schedule of cash flow data, which represents the cash paid as loans by the consolidated
variable interest entities to group companies.
 
 
(6) Represents
the “repayment of loans to group companies” line item of the consolidated variable interest entities and their subsidiaries
 under the condensed consolidating
schedule of cash flow data, which represents the repayment of loans by the consolidated variable
interest entities to group companies.
 
 
(7) Represents
the “cash received as loans from group companies” line item of the consolidated variable interest entities and their
subsidiaries under the condensed consolidating
schedule of cash flow data, which represents the cash received as loans by the consolidated
variable interest entities from group companies.
 
For
the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, except as disclosed above, no transfers of other assets, dividends or distributions
were made between the holding
company, our subsidiaries, and consolidated variable interest entities.
 
10

 
 
Our
board of directors declared dividends in every March from 2019 to 2025. In addition, in March 2025, our board of directors approved a
revised annual cash dividend
policy, under which we will declare and distribute a recurring cash dividend of between 20% and 30% of the
Company’s net income after tax from the previous fiscal year going
forward. See “Item 8. Financial Information—A. Consolidated
Statements and Other Financial Information—Dividend Policy.” For PRC and United States federal income tax
considerations
of an investment in our ADSs, see “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation.” For the years ended December 31, 2022,
2023 and 2024, dividends made to U.S.
investors were RMB372.5 million, RMB416.5 million and RMB441.3 million (US$60.5 million).
 
For
purposes of illustration, the following discussion reflects the hypothetical taxes that might be required to be paid within China, assuming
that: (i) we have taxable
earnings, and (ii) we determine to pay a dividend in the future according to our dividend policy:
 
 
 
Taxation Scenario (i)
 
 
 
Statutory Tax and Standard
Rates
 
Hypothetical pre-tax earnings(ii)
 
 
100%
Tax on earnings at statutory rate of 25%(iii)
 
 
(25)%
Net earnings available for distribution
 
 
75%
Withholding tax at standard rate of 10%(iv)
 
 
(7.5)%
Net distribution to parent/shareholders
 
 
67.5%
 
 
Notes:
 
(i)
For
purposes of this example, the tax calculation has been simplified. The hypothetical book pre-tax earnings amount, not considering
timing differences, is assumed to equal
taxable income in China.
 
 
(ii) Under
the terms of contractual arrangements, our PRC subsidiaries may charge the consolidated variable interest entities for services provided
to the consolidated variable
interest entities. These fees shall be recognized as expenses of the consolidated variable interest
 entities, with a corresponding amount as service income by our PRC
subsidiaries and eliminate in consolidation. For income tax purposes,
our PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated variable interest entities file income tax returns on a separate
company basis. The fees
paid are recognized as a tax deduction by the consolidated variable interest entities and as income by our PRC subsidiaries and are
tax neutral.
 
 
(iii) Certain
of our PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated variable interest entities qualifies for a 15% preferential income tax rate in China.
However, such rate is subject to
qualification, is temporary in nature, and may not be available in a future period when distributions
are paid. For purposes of this hypothetical example, the table above reflects
a maximum tax scenario under which the full statutory
rate would be effective.
 
 
(iv) The
Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC imposes a withholding income tax of 10% on dividends distributed by a foreign invested enterprise
to its immediate holding
company outside of 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 China, subject
to a qualification review at the time of the distribution. For purposes of this hypothetical example, the
table above assumes a maximum
tax scenario under which the full withholding tax would be applied.
 
The
table above has been prepared under the assumption that all profits of the consolidated variable interest entities will be distributed
as fees to our PRC subsidiaries
under tax neutral contractual arrangements. If, in the future, the accumulated earnings of the consolidated
variable interest entities exceed the fees paid to our PRC subsidiaries (or if
the current and contemplated fee structure between the
intercompany entities is determined to be non-substantive and disallowed by Chinese tax authorities), the consolidated
variable interest
entities could, as a matter of last resort, make a non-deductible transfer to our PRC subsidiaries for the amounts of the stranded cash
in the consolidated variable
interest entities. This would result in such transfer being non-deductible expenses for the consolidated
variable interest entities but still taxable income for the PRC subsidiaries.
Such a transfer and the related tax burdens would reduce
our after-tax income to approximately 50.6% of the pre-tax income. Our management believes that there is only a remote
possibility that
this scenario would happen.
 
11

 
 
Financial
Information Related to the Consolidated Variable Interest Entities
 
The
following table presents the condensed consolidating schedule of financial position for the consolidated variable interest entities and
other entities as of the dates
presented.
 
Condensed
Consolidating Statements of Income Information
 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31, 2024
 
 
 
FinVolution
Group
   
Company
Subsidiaries    
Primary
Beneficiary of
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities
   
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities and
Their
Subsidiaries  
  Eliminations  
 
Consolidated
Total
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
 
Third-party revenues
 
 
—   
 
3,265,730   
 
4,062   
 
9,796,032   
 
—   
 
13,065,824 
Group company revenues(1)
 
 
—   
 
2,413,822   
 
14,071   
 
391,348   
 
(2,819,241)  
 
— 
Net revenues
 
 
—   
 
5,679,552   
 
18,133   
 
10,187,380   
 
(2,819,241)  
 
13,065,824 
Third-party expenses
 
 
(11,636)  
  (1,503,781)  
 
(13,343)  
 
(3,777,621)  
 
—   
 
(5,306,381)
Group company expenses(1)
 
 
—   
 
(405,533)  
 
(112)  
 
(2,414,323)  
 
2,819,968   
 
— 
Related party expenses
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
— 
Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
—   
 
(179,728)  
 
—   
 
(137,321)  
 
—   
 
(317,049)
Provision for loans receivable
 
 
—   
 
(282,357)  
 
1,167   
 
(38,823)  
 
—   
 
(320,013)
Credit losses for quality assurance commitment
 
 
—   
  (1,002,300)  
 
—   
 
(3,584,954)  
 
—   
 
(4,587,254)
Total operating expenses
 
 
(11,636)  
  (3,373,699)  
 
(12,288)  
 
(9,953,042)  
 
2,819,968   
  (10,530,697)
Income (loss) from subsidiaries(2)
 
  2,382,621   
 
351,993   
 
1,784,730   
 
6,099   
 
(4,525,443)  
 
— 
Loss of the consolidated variable interest entities
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
348,886   
 
—   
 
(348,886)  
 
— 
Income from operations
 
  2,370,985   
 
2,657,846   
 
2,139,461   
 
240,437   
 
(4,873,602)  
 
2,535,127 
Other income, net
 
 
12,161   
 
87,751   
 
1,624   
 
197,116   
 
11,471   
 
310,123 
Profit before income tax expenses
 
  2,383,146   
 
2,745,597   
 
2,141,085   
 
437,553   
 
(4,862,131)  
 
2,845,250 
Income tax expenses
 
 
—   
 
(364,376)  
 
(4,362)  
 
(88,667)  
 
—   
 
(457,405)
Net profit
 
  2,383,146   
 
2,381,221   
 
2,136,723   
 
348,886   
 
(4,862,131)  
 
2,387,845 
Net profit attributable to non-controlling interest shareholders
 
 
—   
 
1,400   
 
—   
 
—   
 
(6,099)  
 
(4,699)
Net profit attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary shareholders  
  2,383,146   
 
2,382,621   
 
2,136,723   
 
348,886   
 
(4,868,230)  
 
2,383,146 
 
Condensed
Consolidating Statements of Income Information
 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31, 2023
 
 
 
FinVolution
Group
   
Company
Subsidiaries    
Primary
Beneficiary of
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities
   
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities and
Their
Subsidiaries     Eliminations  
 
Consolidated
Total
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
 
Third-party revenues
 
 
—   
 
2,685,155   
 
2,751   
 
9,859,539   
 
—   
 
12,547,445 
Group company revenues(1)
 
 
—   
 
3,542,003   
 
16,158   
 
498,189   
 
(4,056,350)  
 
— 
Net revenues
 
 
—   
 
6,227,158   
 
18,909   
 
10,357,728   
 
(4,056,350)  
 
12,547,445 
Third-party expenses
 
 
(19,446)  
  (1,226,081)  
 
(21,154)  
 
(3,633,284)  
 
—   
 
(4,899,965)
Group company expenses(1)
 
 
—   
 
(516,395)  
 
(2,927)  
 
(3,542,004)  
 
4,061,326   
 
— 
Related party expenses
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
— 
Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
—   
 
(175,800)  
 
—   
 
(78,148)  
 
—   
 
(253,948)
Provision for loans receivable
 
 
—   
 
(557,338)  
 
889   
 
(30,394)  
 
—   
 
(586,843)
Credit losses for quality assurance commitment
 
 
—   
 
(865,628)  
 
—   
 
(3,557,174)  
 
—   
 
(4,422,802)
Total operating expenses
 
 
(19,446)  
  (3,341,242)  
 
(23,192)  
  (10,841,004)  
 
4,061,326   
  (10,163,558)
Income (loss) from subsidiaries(2)
 
 
2,325,611   
 
(286,503)  
 
2,858,976   
 
3,719   
 
(4,901,803)  
 
— 
Loss of the consolidated variable interest entities
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
(282,595)  
 
—   
 
282,595   
 
— 
Income from operations
 
  2,306,165   
 
2,599,413   
 
2,572,098   
 
(479,557)  
 
(4,614,232)  
 
2,383,887 
Other income, net
 
 
34,670   
 
125,117   
 
375   
 
232,074   
 
2,462   
 
394,698 
Profit before income tax expenses
 
  2,340,835   
 
2,724,530   
 
2,572,473   
 
(247,483)  
 
(4,611,770)  
 
2,778,585 
Income tax expenses
 
 
—   
 
(359,988)  
 
—   
 
(35,112)  
 
—   
 
(395,100)
Net profit
 
  2,340,835   
 
2,364,542   
 
2,572,473   
 
(282,595)  
 
(4,611,770)  
 
2,383,485 
Net profit attributable to non-controlling interest shareholders
 
 
—   
 
(38,931)  
 
—   
 
—   
 
(3,719)  
 
(42,650)
Net profit attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary shareholders  
  2,340,835   
 
2,325,611   
 
2,572,473   
 
(282,595)  
 
(4,615,489)  
 
2,340,835 
 
12

 
 
Condensed
Consolidating Statements of Income Information
 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31, 2022
 
 
 
FinVolution
Group
   
Company
Subsidiaries    
Primary
Beneficiary of
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities
   
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities and
Their
Subsidiaries  
  Eliminations  
 
Consolidated
Total
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
 
Third-party revenues
 
 
—   
 
1,790,631   
 
3,141   
 
9,340,431   
 
—   
 
11,134,203 
Group company revenues(1)
 
 
—   
 
3,296,525   
 
14,431   
 
535,053   
 
(3,846,009)  
 
— 
Net revenues
 
 
—   
 
5,087,156   
 
17,572   
 
9,875,484   
 
(3,846,009)  
 
11,134,203 
Third-party expenses
 
 
(20,027)  
  (1,012,268)  
 
(17,525)  
 
(3,567,004)  
 
—   
 
(4,616,824)
Group company expenses(1)
 
 
—   
 
(501,323)  
 
(1,006)  
 
(3,343,680)  
 
3,846,009   
 
— 
Related party expenses
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
(37)  
 
—   
 
(37)
Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
—   
 
(106,498)  
 
—   
 
(284,384)  
 
—   
 
(390,882)
Provision for loans receivable
 
 
—   
 
(324,351)  
 
1,239   
 
(92,790)  
 
—   
 
(415,902)
Credit losses for quality assurance commitment
 
 
—   
 
(213,884)  
 
—   
 
(2,981,336)  
 
—   
 
(3,195,220)
Total operating expenses
 
 
(20,027)  
  (2,158,324)  
 
(17,292)  
  (10,269,231)  
 
3,846,009   
 
(8,618,865)
Income (loss) from subsidiaries(2)
 
  2,287,509   
 
(254,159)  
 
2,479,647   
 
2,379   
 
(4,515,376)  
 
— 
Loss of the consolidated variable interest entities
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
(255,886)  
 
—   
 
255,886   
 
— 
Income from operations
 
  2,267,482   
 
2,674,673   
 
2,224,041   
 
(391,368)  
 
(4,259,490)  
 
2,515,338 
Other income, net
 
 
(1,100)  
 
61,729   
 
1,340   
 
158,724   
 
—   
 
220,693 
Profit before income tax expenses
 
  2,266,382   
 
2,736,402   
 
2,225,381   
 
(232,644)  
 
(4,259,490)  
 
2,736,031 
Income tax expenses
 
 
—   
 
(431,640)  
 
107   
 
(23,242)  
 
—   
 
(454,775)
Net profit
 
  2,266,382   
 
2,304,762   
 
2,225,488   
 
(255,886)  
 
(4,259,490)  
 
2,281,256 
Net profit attributable to non-controlling interest shareholders
 
 
—   
 
(17,253)  
 
—   
 
—   
 
2,379   
 
(14,874)
Net profit attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary shareholders  
  2,266,382   
 
2,287,509   
 
2,225,488   
 
(255,886)  
 
(4,257,111)  
 
2,266,382 
 
Condensed
Consolidating Balance Sheets Information
 
 
 
As
of December 31, 2024
 
 
 
FinVolution
Group
   
Company
Subsidiaries    
Primary
Beneficiary of
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities
   
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities and
Their
Subsidiaries     Eliminations    
Consolidated
Total
 
 
 
(RMB
in thousands)
 
Cash and cash
equivalents
 
 
76,052   
 
2,252,528   
 
972   
 
2,343,220   
 
—   
 
4,672,772 
Restricted cash
 
 
—   
 
184,635   
 
—   
 
1,889,665   
 
—   
 
2,074,300 
Short-term investments
 
 
14,566   
 
1,163,969   
 
—   
 
1,653,847   
 
—   
 
2,832,382 
Accounts receivable and contract
assets
 
 
—   
 
298,839   
 
—   
 
2,106,533   
 
—   
 
2,405,372 
Quality assurance receivable
 
 
—   
 
538,631   
 
—   
 
1,100,960   
 
—   
 
1,639,591 
Property, equipment and software,
net
 
 
—   
 
133,861   
 
—   
 
489,931   
 
—   
 
623,792 
Intangible assets
 
 
—   
 
88,366   
 
—   
 
48,932   
 
—   
 
137,298 
Loans and receivables, net
of credit loss allowance for loans
receivables
 
 
—   
 
657,954   
 
—   
 
3,499,667   
 
—   
 
4,157,621 
Investments
 
 
—   
 
200,051   
 
—   
 
972,952   
 
—   
 
1,173,003 
Investment in subsidiaries(3)
 
  17,900,257   
 
6,018,215   
 
11,796,014   
 
113,571   
  (35,828,057)  
 
— 
Net assets of the consolidated
variable interest entities
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
5,412,470   
 
—   
 
(5,412,470)  
 
— 
Deferred tax assets
 
 
—   
 
470,853   
 
544   
 
2,042,468   
 
—   
 
2,513,865 
Prepaid expenses and other
assets
 
 
34,812   
 
271,715   
 
149,085   
 
816,569   
 
—   
 
1,272,181 
Amounts due from Group companies(4)
 
 
870,209   
  10,500,894   
 
701,475   
 
2,457,600   
  (14,530,178)  
 
— 
Amounts due from related party
 
 
16,726   
 
29   
 
—   
 
952   
 
—   
 
17,707 
Right of use assets
 
 
—   
 
12,831   
 
—   
 
23,995   
 
—   
 
36,826 
Goodwill(9)
 
 
—   
 
50,411   
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
50,411 
Total assets
 
  18,912,622   
  22,843,782   
 
18,060,560   
 
19,560,862   
  (55,770,705)  
 
23,607,121 
Deferred guarantee income
 
 
—   
 
232,950   
 
—   
 
1,283,000   
 
—   
 
1,515,950 
Liability from quality assurance
commitment
 
 
—   
 
372,348   
 
—   
 
2,591,768   
 
—   
 
2,964,116 
Payroll and welfare payable
 
 
—   
 
134,415   
 
2,288   
 
153,686   
 
—   
 
290,389 
Taxes payable
 
 
—   
 
84,399   
 
60,054   
 
561,475   
 
—   
 
705,928 
Short-term borrowings
 
 
—   
 
5,594   
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
5,594 
Funds payable to investors
of consolidated trusts
 
 
—   
 
2,402   
 
—   
 
793,720   
 
—   
 
796,122 
Contract liability
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
10,185   
 
—   
 
10,185 
Amounts due to Group companies(4)
 
 
3,707,065   
 
3,105,832   
 
183,946   
 
7,533,335   
  (14,530,178)  
 
— 
Amounts due to related party
 
 
—   
 
13,184   
 
—   
 
130   
 
—   
 
13,314 
Deferred tax liabilities
 
 
—   
 
378,609   
 
—   
 
112,604   
 
—   
 
491,213 
Accrued expenses and other
liabilities
 
 
1,493   
 
351,453   
 
43   
 
878,881   
 
—   
 
1,231,870 
Leasing liabilities
 
 
—   
 
6,092   
 
—   
 
22,673   
 
—   
 
28,765 
Total liabilities
 
 
3,708,558   
 
4,687,278   
 
246,331   
 
13,941,457   
  (14,530,178)  
 
8,053,446 
Total FinVolution Group shareholders’
equity(3)
 
  15,204,064   
  17,900,257   
 
17,814,229   
 
5,412,470   
  (41,126,956)  
 
15,204,064 
Non-controlling interest
 
 
—   
 
256,247   
 
—   
 
206,935   
 
(113,571)  
 
349,611 
Total shareholders’
equity
 
  15,204,064   
  18,156,504   
 
17,814,229   
 
5,619,405   
  (41,240,527)  
 
15,553,675 
Total liabilities and shareholders’
equity
 
  18,912,622   
  22,843,782   
 
18,060,560   
 
19,560,862   
  (55,770,705)  
 
23,607,121 
 
13

 
 
Condensed
Consolidating Balance Sheets Information
 
 
 
As of December 31, 2023
 
 
 
FinVolution
Group
   
Company
Subsidiaries    
Primary
Beneficiary of
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities
   
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities and
Their
Subsidiaries     Eliminations    
Consolidated
Total
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
  
Cash and cash equivalents
 
 
67,403   
 
2,792,169   
 
3,594   
 
2,106,153   
 
—   
 
4,969,319 
Restricted cash
 
 
—   
 
297,912   
 
—   
 
1,502,159   
 
—   
 
1,800,071 
Short-term investments
 
 
—   
 
1,321,059   
 
—   
 
1,639,762   
 
—   
 
2,960,821 
Accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
—   
 
273,145   
 
—   
 
1,935,393   
 
—   
 
2,208,538 
Quality assurance receivable
 
 
—   
 
270,282   
 
—   
 
1,485,333   
 
—   
 
1,755,615 
Property, equipment and software, net
 
 
—   
 
125,216   
 
—   
 
15,717   
 
—   
 
140,933 
Intangible assets
 
 
—   
 
63,760   
 
—   
 
34,932   
 
—   
 
98,692 
Loans and receivables, net of credit loss allowance for loans
receivables
 
 
—   
 
477,549   
 
—   
 
649,839   
 
—   
 
1,127,388 
Investments
 
 
—   
 
170,378   
 
—   
 
964,755   
 
—   
 
1,135,133 
Investment in subsidiaries(3)
 
  15,373,634   
 
5,497,244   
 
10,094,905   
 
108,800   
  (31,074,583)  
 
— 
Net assets of the consolidated variable interest entities
 
 
—   
 
    
 
4,844,756   
 
—   
 
(4,844,756)  
 
— 
Deferred tax assets
 
 
—   
 
545,018   
 
—   
 
1,079,307   
 
—   
 
1,624,325 
Prepaid expenses and other assets
 
 
18,290   
 
118,164   
 
146,742   
 
3,096,253   
 
—   
 
3,379,449 
Amounts due from Group companies(4)
 
 
1,108,198   
 
8,341,052   
 
642,052   
 
2,544,968   
  (12,636,270)  
 
— 
Amounts due from related party
 
 
—   
 
1   
 
—   
 
4,867   
 
—   
 
4,868 
Right of use assets
 
 
—   
 
6,897   
 
—   
 
31,213   
 
—   
 
38,110 
Goodwill(9)
 
 
—   
 
50,411   
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
50,411 
Total assets
 
  16,567,525   
  20,350,257   
 
15,732,049   
 
17,199,451   
  (48,555,609)  
 
21,293,673 
Deferred guarantee income
 
 
—   
 
278,354   
 
—   
 
1,603,682   
 
—   
 
1,882,036 
Liability from quality assurance commitment
 
 
—   
 
321,119   
 
—   
 
2,985,013   
 
—   
 
3,306,132 
Payroll and welfare payable
 
 
—   
 
115,525   
 
3,389   
 
142,614   
 
—   
 
261,528 
Taxes payable
 
 
—   
 
74,004   
 
—   
 
133,473   
 
—   
 
207,477 
Short-term borrowings
 
 
—   
 
5,756   
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
5,756 
Funds payable to investors of consolidated trusts
 
 
—   
 
30   
 
—   
 
436,322   
 
—   
 
436,352 
Contract liability
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
5,109   
 
—   
 
5,109 
Amounts due to Group companies(4)
 
 
2,817,322   
 
3,434,173   
 
136,469   
 
6,248,306   
  (12,636,270)  
 
— 
Amounts due to related party
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
134   
 
—   
 
134 
Deferred tax liabilities
 
 
—   
 
275,407   
 
—   
 
65,201   
 
—   
 
340,608 
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
 
 
1,418   
 
238,275   
 
42   
 
702,030   
 
—   
 
941,765 
Leasing liabilities
 
 
—   
 
3,067   
 
—   
 
32,811   
 
—   
 
35,878 
Total liabilities
 
 
2,818,740   
 
4,745,710   
 
139,900   
 
12,354,695   
  (12,636,270)  
 
7,422,775 
Total FinVolution Group shareholders’ equity(3)
 
  13,748,785   
  15,373,634   
 
15,592,149   
 
4,844,756   
  (35,810,539)  
 
13,748,785 
Non-controlling interest
 
 
—   
 
230,913   
 
—   
 
—   
 
(108,800)  
 
122,113 
Total shareholders’ equity
 
  13,748,785   
  15,604,547   
 
15,592,149   
 
4,844,756   
  (35,919,339)  
 
13,870,898 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
 
  16,567,525   
  20,350,257   
 
15,732,049   
 
17,199,451   
  (48,555,609)  
 
21,293,673 
 
Condensed
Consolidating Cash Flows Information
 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31, 2024
 
 
 
FinVolution
Group
   
Company
Subsidiaries    
Primary
Beneficiary of
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities
 
 
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities and
Their
Subsidiaries  
  Eliminations  
 
Consolidated
Total
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
  
Cash used in operating activities under service agreements for
Group companies(5)
 
 
—   
  (1,860,495)  
 
(30,653)  
 
(828,977)  
 
2,720,125   
 
— 
Cash provided by operating activities under service agreements
for Group companies(5)
 
 
—   
 
2,263,688   
 
(143,504)  
 
599,941   
 
(2,720,125)  
 
— 
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities for Third-
parties
 
 
(14,877)  
 
(321,544)  
 
83,487   
 
3,146,094   
 
—   
 
2,893,160 
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
 
 
(14,877)  
 
81,649   
 
(90,670)  
 
2,917,058   
 
—   
 
2,893,160 
Collection of loans from Group companies(7)
 
 
251,998   
 
3,497,434   
 
16,608   
 
228,155   
 
(3,994,195)  
 
— 
Cash paid as loans extended to Group companies(8)
 
 
(14,009)  
  (5,507,145)  
 
(6,579)  
 
(215,882)  
 
5,743,615   
 
— 
Other investing activities
 
 
(14,379)  
 
285,026   
 
—   
 
(2,566,463)  
 
—   
 
(2,295,816)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
 
 
223,610   
  (1,724,685)  
 
10,029   
 
(2,554,190)  
 
1,749,420   
 
(2,295,816)
Repayment of loans to Group companies(7)
 
 
(12,708)  
 
(325,343)  
 
(992)  
 
(3,655,152)  
 
3,994,195   
 
— 
Cash received as loans from Group companies(8)
 
 
902,451   
 
1,185,697   
 
79,011   
 
3,576,456   
 
(5,743,615)  
 
— 
Other financing activities
 
  (1,084,539)  
 
121,423   
 
—   
 
340,401   
 
—   
 
(622,715)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
 
 
(194,796)  
 
981,777   
 
78,019   
 
261,705   
 
(1,749,420)  
 
(622,715)
 
14

 
 
Condensed
Consolidating Cash Flows Information
 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31, 2023
 
 
 
FinVolution
Group
   
Company
Subsidiaries    
Primary
Beneficiary of
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities
 
 
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities and
Their
Subsidiaries  
  Eliminations  
 
Consolidated
Total
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
  
Cash used in operating activities under service agreements for
Group companies(5)
 
 
—   
  (1,987,993)  
 
(59,897)  
 
(2,132,263)  
 
4,180,153   
 
— 
Cash provided by operating activities under service agreements
for Group companies(5)
 
 
—   
 
4,111,165   
 
(486,635)  
 
555,623   
 
(4,180,153)  
 
— 
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities for Third-
parties
 
 
9,545   
 
824,292   
 
(458,067)  
 
985,102   
 
—   
 
1,360,872 
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
 
 
9,545   
 
2,947,464   
 
(1,004,599)  
 
(591,538)  
 
—   
 
1,360,872 
Collection of loans from Group companies(7)
 
 
32,913   
 
1,719,057   
 
463,310   
 
122,365   
 
(2,337,645)  
 
— 
Cash paid as loans extended to Group companies(8)
 
 
(499,562)  
  (3,712,008)  
 
(2,256)  
 
(408,030)  
 
4,621,856   
 
— 
Other investing activities
 
 
—   
 
(167,046)  
 
—   
 
1,579,038   
 
—   
 
1,411,992 
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
 
 
(466,649)  
  (2,159,997)  
 
461,054   
 
1,293,373   
 
2,284,211   
 
1,411,992 
Repayment of loans to Group companies(7)
 
 
(74,346)  
 
(473,185)  
 
(122,365)  
 
(1,667,749)  
 
2,337,645   
 
— 
Cash received as loans from Group companies(8)
 
  1,491,485   
 
1,761,088   
 
12,034   
 
1,357,249   
 
(4,621,856)  
 
— 
Other financing activities
 
  (1,110,984)  
 
68,761   
 
—   
 
(1,462,779)  
 
—   
 
(2,505,002)
Net cash provided by (used in) financing activities
 
 
306,155   
 
1,356,664   
 
(110,331)  
 
(1,773,279)  
 
(2,284,211)  
 
(2,505,002)
 
 
 
Condensed
Consolidating Cash Flows Information
 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31, 2022
 
 
 
FinVolution
Group
   
Company
Subsidiaries    
Primary
Beneficiary of
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities
 
 
Consolidated
Variable
Interest
Entities and
Their
Subsidiaries  
  Eliminations  
 
Consolidated
Total
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
  
Cash used in operating activities under service agreements for
Group companies(5)
 
 
—   
 
(649,653)  
 
(1,098)  
 
(3,598,761)  
 
4,249,512   
 
— 
Cash provided by operating activities under service agreements
for Group companies(5)
 
 
—   
 
3,587,081   
 
11,680   
 
650,751   
 
(4,249,512)  
 
— 
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities for Third-
parties
 
 
(36,357)  
 
(866,626)  
 
(158,727)  
 
1,298,627   
 
—   
 
236,917 
Net cash provided by (used in) operating activities
 
 
(36,357)  
 
2,070,802   
 
(148,145)  
 
(1,649,383)  
 
—   
 
236,917 
Capital contribution to Group companies(6)
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
(10,020)  
 
10,020   
 
— 
Collection of loans from Group companies(7)
 
 
455,144   
 
161,047   
 
237,169   
 
72,373   
 
(925,733)  
 
— 
Cash paid as loans extended to Group companies(8)
 
 
(402,570)  
  (3,849,985)  
 
(90,031)  
 
(304,533)  
 
4,647,119   
 
— 
Other investing activities
 
 
(48,275)  
 
(748,571)  
 
—   
 
(756,382)  
 
—   
 
(1,553,228)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
 
 
4,299   
  (4,437,509)  
 
147,138   
 
(998,562)  
 
3,731,406   
 
(1,553,228)
Capital contribution from Group companies(6)
 
 
—   
 
10,020   
 
—   
 
—   
 
(10,020)  
 
— 
Repayment of loans to Group companies(7)
 
 
(487,333)  
 
(231,720)  
 
(72,373)  
 
(134,307)  
 
925,733   
 
— 
Cash received as loans from Group companies(8)
 
  1,240,317   
 
1,796,828   
 
76,573   
 
1,533,401   
 
(4,647,119)  
 
— 
Other financing activities
 
 
(702,674)  
 
35,470   
 
—   
 
(96,736)  
 
—   
 
(763,940)
Net cash (provided by) used in financing activities
 
 
50,310   
 
1,610,598   
 
4,200   
 
1,302,358   
 
(3,731,406)  
 
(763,940)
 
 
Notes:
 
(1) Represents
the intercompany services eliminated at the consolidation level, including technical development services and technical support services.
 
 
(2) Represents
the elimination of the income from investment among FinVolution Group, equity subsidiaries, and primary beneficiary of consolidated
variable interest entities.
 
 
(3) Represents
the elimination of the investment among FinVolution Group, equity subsidiaries, and primary beneficiary of consolidated variable
interest entities.
 
 
(4) Represents
the elimination of intercompany balances among FinVolution Group, equity subsidiaries, primary beneficiary of consolidated variable
interest entities, consolidated
variable interest entities and consolidated variable interest entities’ subsidiaries.
 
 
(5) Represents
the cash received and cash paid for intercompany services, including technical development services and technical support services.
 
15

 
 
(6) Represents
the capital contribution at intercompany level.
 
 
(7) Represents
the collection of loans from group companies, and repayment of loans to group companies.
 
 
(8) Represents the cash paid as loans extended to group companies, and cash received as loans from group companies.
 
 
(9) In October 2017, one equity subsidiary and one consolidated variable interest entity subsidiary of FinVolution Group entered into
a series of share purchase agreements with
shareholders of HB micro lending company. After the transactions, FinVolution Group gained
control of HB micro lending company. Goodwill and non-controlling interest
were recognized in accordance with Accounting Standards
Codification 805, “Business Combinations.” In this consolidated variable interest entity’s consolidating schedule,
HB micro lending company’s financial information was recorded under the equity subsidiaries. FinVolution Group applied the
equity method to account for its investment in the
subsidiary of the consolidated variable interest entity in HB micro lending company,
as it can exercise significant influence but does not have control. Total assets for HB micro
lending company were RMB337,110 and
RMB321,745 as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively. Total liabilities for HB micro lending company were RMB148,912 and
RMB131,662
as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
 
 
(10)During the fourth quarter of 2024, FinVolution Group elected to change
its presentation of the cash flows associated with net funds received on behalf of customers that
disbursed out later as financing activities
and net funds paid in advance on behalf of customers that were subsequently reimbursed as investing activities within its consolidated
statements of cash flows. Prior periods’ balances have been adjusted to conform to the current period presentation.
 
Summary
of Risk Factors
 
Investing
in our ADSs involves significant risks. You should carefully consider all of the information in this annual report before making an investment
in our ADSs.
Below please find a summary of the principal risks we face, organized under relevant headings. All the operational risks
associated with being based in and having operations in
China also apply to our operations in Hong Kong. With respect to the legal risks
associated with being based in and having operations in China, we expect the laws, regulations and
the discretion of the governmental
authorities in China discussed in this annual report to apply to entities and businesses in China, rather than entities or businesses
in Hong Kong,
which operate under a different set of laws from China.
 
Risks
Related to Our Business
 
 
● 
We
generate the majority of our revenues from China’s online consumer finance platform market, an emerging and evolving industry,
which makes it difficult to
evaluate our future prospects.
 
 
 
 
●
The
laws and regulations governing online consumer finance industry in China are developing and evolving and subject to changes. If our
business practices are
deemed to violate any existing and future applicable laws, regulations or requirements of local regulatory
authorities, our business, financial condition and results of
operations would be materially and adversely affected.
 
 
 
 
● 
We
have modified our business model and practices in the past as a result of changes in laws, regulations, policies, measures and guidance.
We may further change our
business model or practices in the future, which may not be successful ultimately.
 
 
 
 
●
Our global operations expose us to a number of risks, such as international geopolitical tensions and events, challenges
of localizing our products and services for local
markets, the need for increased resources to manage regulatory compliance across different
markets, exchange rate fluctuations, among others. For more details, see
“Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Our Business—Our global operations expose us to a number of risks.”
 
 
 
 
●
If
we are unable to retain existing borrowers or institutional funding partners or attract new borrowers or institutional funding partners,
the volume of loans facilitated
through our platforms may not be maintained or increased, which may adversely affect our business
and results of operations.
 
 
 
 
●
If
our existing and new products and services do not achieve sufficient market acceptance, our financial results and competitive position
will be harmed.
 
 
 
 
●
As
we continue to develop our business, we may offer new products or services. Development and innovation in our business may expose
us to new challenges and
risks.
 
 
 
 
● 
Our
cooperation with institutional funding partners exposes us to regulatory uncertainties and we may be required to obtain additional
government approval or license
due to our cooperation with institutional funding partners.
 
 
 
 
●
Regulatory
restrictions on institutional funding partners’ acceptance of credit enhancement may adversely affect our business and access
to funding.
 
 
 
 
●
We
collaborate with third-party trust management companies to set up trusts. We may be deemed to be an illegal financial institution
under such trust arrangement,
which may materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.
 
 
 
 
●
Interest
rates of certain of our loan products may exceed the statutory interest rate limit and therefore part of the interests may not be
enforceable through the PRC
judicial system.
 
 
 
 
●
We
operate in markets where the credit infrastructure may still be at an early stage of development.
 
 
 
 
● 
We
bear credit risks for the majority of the loans funded by institutional funding partners to borrowers we introduced. If we fail to
effectively manage credit risk of our
loans and our overdue loans increase, our business, financial condition and results of operations
may be materially adversely affected.
 
16

 
 
Risks
Related to Our Corporate Structure
 
 
● 
We
are a Cayman Islands holding company with no equity ownership in the consolidated variable interest entities, and our operations
in China are primarily through (i)
our subsidiaries in China, (ii) the consolidated variable interest entities with which we have
maintained contractual arrangements, and (iii) the subsidiaries of the
consolidated variable interest entities. Holders of our ADSs
hold equity interest in FinVolution Group, our Cayman Islands holding company, and do not have direct or
indirect equity interest
in the consolidated variable interest entities and their subsidiaries. If the PRC government finds that the agreements that establish
the structure
for operating our business do not comply with PRC laws and regulations, or if these regulations or their interpretations
change in the future, we could be subject to
severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our interests in those operations. Our holding
company, our PRC subsidiaries, the consolidated variable interest entities and
their respective subsidiaries, and investors of our
company face uncertainty about potential future actions by the PRC government that could affect the enforceability of
the contractual
arrangements with the consolidated variable interest entities and, consequently, significantly affect the financial performance of
 the consolidated
variable interest entities and our company as a whole.
 
 
 
 
● 
If
the PRC government deems that the contractual arrangements regarding the consolidated variable interest entities 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 consolidated variable interest entities for a significant portion of our business operations,
 and such contractual
arrangements may not be as effective as equity ownership in providing operational control.
 
 
 
 
● 
Any
failure by the consolidated variable interest entities, shareholders of the consolidated variable interest entities or other parties
to perform their obligations under
our contractual arrangements with them would have a material adverse effect on our business.
 
 
 
 
● 
The
shareholders of the consolidated variable interest entities may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially
and adversely affect our business
and financial condition.
 
Risks
Related to Doing Business in China
 
 
● 
Most
of our operations are located in China. Accordingly, our business, prospects, financial conditions and results of operations may
be affected to a significant degree
by political, economic and social conditions in China generally. In addition, a severe or prolonged
downturn in the Chinese or global economy could reduce the
demand for consumer loans and investments, which could materially and
adversely affect our business and financial condition. For more details, see “Item 3. Key
Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Doing Business in China—Changes in China’s economic, political or social conditions or government policies
could
have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations” and “—A severe or prolonged downturn
in the Chinese or global economy, any adverse policy
change targeting China, protracted geopolitical tensions between China and other
countries, or any financial or economic crisis—or even the perceived threat of such a
crisis—could materially and adversely
affect our business and financial condition.”
 
 
 
 
● 
We
face risks arising from uncertainties with respect to the PRC legal system. Certain rules and regulations can change quickly and
sometimes on short notice, and
there may be risks and uncertainties regarding the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and
regulations. These risks and uncertainties may make it difficult for
us to meet or comply with requirements under the applicable
laws and regulations. For more details, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to
Doing Business
in China—Uncertainties in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections
available to us.”
 
 
 
 
● 
The
interpretation and application of existing PRC laws, regulations and policies and possible new laws, regulations or policies relating
to the internet industry have
created substantial uncertainties regarding the legality of existing and future foreign investments
in, and the businesses and activities of, internet businesses in China,
including our business. For more details, see “Item
3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We may be adversely affected
by the
complexity, uncertainties and changes in PRC regulation of internet-related businesses and companies, and any lack of requisite approvals,
licenses or permits
applicable to our business may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.”
 
 
 
 
●
The
PRC government’s significant authority in regulating our operations and its oversight and control over offerings conducted
overseas by, and foreign investment in,
China-based issuers could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or
continue to offer securities to investors. Implementation of industry-wide
regulations in this nature may cause the value of such
securities to significantly decline. For more details, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related
to Doing Business in China—The PRC government’s significant oversight and discretion over our business operation could
result in a material adverse change
in our operations and the value of our ADSs.”
 
 
 
 
● 
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 fully
investigate auditors
located in China. The PCAOB had historically been unable to inspect our auditor in relation to their audit work
performed for our financial statements and the inability
of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of our auditor in the past has deprived
our investors with the benefits of such inspections. The delisting of our ADSs, or the
threat of their being delisted, may materially
and adversely affect the value of your investment. For more details, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—
Risks
Related to Doing Business in China—The PCAOB had historically been unable to inspect our auditor in relation to their audit
work performed for our financial
statements and the inability of the PCAOB to conduct inspections of our auditor in the past has
deprived our investors with the benefits of such inspections” and “—
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 the ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.”
 
Risks
Related to Our American Depositary Shares
 
 
●
The
market price for our ADSs may be volatile.
 
 
 
 
● 
We
are an exempted company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. We conduct the majority of our operations
in China and a
significant portion of our assets are located in China. In addition, a majority of our directors and executive officers
reside within China, and a significant portion of the
assets of these persons are located within China. As a result, it may be difficult
or impossible for you to effect service of process within the United States upon these
individuals, or to bring an action against
us or against these individuals in the United States in the event that you believe your rights have been infringed under the U.S.
federal securities laws or otherwise. Even if you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Cayman Islands
and of the PRC may render you
unable to enforce a judgment against our assets or the assets of our directors and officers. See “Item
3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our
American Depositary Shares—You may face difficulties in
protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because
we are incorporated
under Cayman Islands law” and “—Certain judgments obtained against us by our shareholders may not be enforceable.”
 
17

 
 
 
A.
[Reserved]
 
B.
Capitalization and Indebtedness
 
Not
applicable.
 
C.
Reasons for the Offer and Use of Proceeds
 
Not
applicable.
 
D.
Risk Factors
 
Investing
in our ADSs involves significant risks. You should carefully consider all of the information in this annual report before making an investment
in our ADSs.
Below please find the principal risks we face, organized under relevant headings. In the event that PRC regulations become
applicable to companies in Hong Kong, the legal and
operational risks associated with operating in China, as discussed in “Item
3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business and Industry,” may also apply to
our operations in
Hong Kong. These risks are discussed more fully in the section titled “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors.”
 
Risks
Related to Our Business
 
We
generate the majority of our revenues from China’s online consumer finance platform market, an emerging and evolving industry,
which makes it difficult to evaluate our
future prospects.
 
China’s
 online consumer finance industry may not develop as expected. The regulatory framework for this industry is evolving and may remain uncertain
 for the
foreseeable future. China’s online consumer finance industry in general remains at a rather preliminary development stage
and may not develop at the anticipated growth rate. It is
possible that the PRC laws and regulations may change in ways that do not favor
our development. If that happens, there may not be adequate loans facilitated on our platforms and
our current business model may be
negatively affected. As a new industry, there are very few established players whose business models we can follow or build upon. Potential
borrowers and institutional funding partners may not be familiar with this new industry and may have difficulty distinguishing our services
from those of our competitors. Attracting
and retaining borrowers and institutional funding partners is critical to increasing the volume
of loans facilitated through our platforms. The emerging and evolving online consumer
finance market makes it difficult to effectively
assess our future prospects. In addition, our business has grown substantially in recent years, but our past growth rates may not be
indicative of our future growth.
 
You
should consider our business and prospects in light of the risks and challenges we encounter or may encounter in this developing and
rapidly evolving industry. These
risks and challenges include our ability to, among other things:
 
 
●
navigate
an evolving regulatory environment;
 
 
 
 
●
expand
the base of borrowers and institutional funding partners served on our platforms;
 
 
 
 
●
maintain
our credit standards;
 
 
 
 
●
enhance
our risk management capabilities;
 
 
 
 
●
improve
our operational efficiency;
 
 
 
 
●
continue
to scale our technology infrastructure to support the growth of our platforms and higher transaction volume;
 
 
 
 
●
broaden
our loan product offerings;
 
 
 
 
●
operate
without being adversely affected by the negative publicity about the industry in general and our company in particular;
 
18

 
 
 
●
maintain
the security of our platforms and the confidentiality of the information provided and utilized across our platforms;
 
 
 
 
●
cultivate
a vibrant consumer finance ecosystem;
 
 
 
 
●
attract,
retain and motivate talented employees; and
 
 
 
 
●
defend
ourselves in litigation, and against regulatory, intellectual property, privacy or other claims.
 
If
the market for our platforms does not develop as we expect, if we fail to educate potential borrowers and institutional funding partners
about the value of our platforms
and services, or if we fail to address the needs of our target customers, our reputation, business and
results of operations will be materially and adversely affected.
 
The
laws and regulations governing online consumer finance industry in China are developing and evolving and subject to changes. If our business
practices are deemed to
violate any existing and future applicable laws, regulations or requirements of local regulatory authorities,
our business, financial condition and results of operations would be
materially and adversely affected.
 
We
expect the laws, regulations, rules and governmental policies to continue to evolve in China’s online consumer finance industry.
We are unable to predict with certainty
the impact, if any, that future legislation, judicial interpretations or regulations relating
to the online consumer finance industry will have on our business, financial condition and
results of operations. To the extent that
we are not able to fully comply with any new laws or regulations when they are promulgated, our business, financial condition and results
of
operations may be materially and adversely affected.
 
For
instance, in July 2021, it was reported that the Credit Information System Bureau of the People’s Bank of China notified several
internet platforms to complete the
“disconnecting direct connection” process between personal information and financial institutions.
This notification implies that as an online consumer finance platform, we may be
prohibited from directly providing borrowers’
personal information to institutional funding partners. We provide borrower referral and preliminary credit assessment services to our
institutional funding partners. The borrower information provided by us with such institutional funding partners, with due authorization,
may be deemed as credit information. We
proactively adjusted our practices for transmission of borrowers’ personal information
following the promulgation of regulations related to “disconnecting direct connection.”
 
Furthermore,
on September 27, 2021, the People’s Bank of China introduced the Measures for Regulating Credit Reference. These measures state
that financial institutions
are prohibited from collaborating with any commercial entity lacking a credit reference license for credit
 reference services. For further information, please refer to “Item 4.
Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations
 in the PRC—Regulations Relating to Credit Reference Activities.” These measures do not provide clear
guidance or rules regarding
 how and when market participants like us, if deemed to be conducting credit reference business, could apply for the required licenses
 or ensure
compliance when necessary. If regulatory authorities interpret our information provision and preliminary credit assessment
 services to institutional funding partners as credit
reference activities, we may need to adjust our business operations to comply with
these regulations. This adjustment may involve obtaining a license for individual credit reference
activities from competent regulatory
bodies, altering our business model, seeking partnerships with licensed credit reference agencies, or filing cooperation agreements with
the
People’s Bank of China or its provincial branches. Failure to secure regulatory approval, establish partnerships with licensed
credit reference agencies, or complete cooperation
agreement filings promptly may result in violations of applicable credit reference
service laws and regulations. Such violations could lead to penalties, including business cessation,
confiscation of illicit gains, fines
ranging from RMB50,000 to RMB500,000, and potential criminal liability. Following the promulgation of these measures, we have adopted
rectification measures and completed our adjustment process to comply with regulatory requirements regarding “disconnecting direct
 connections.” We have established
collaborations with a licensed credit reference agency and regional financial organizations to
ensure our practices for transmitting personal information comply with laws and
regulations. However, we cannot guarantee that this approach
will be deemed fully compliant with applicable laws and regulations regarding the “disconnecting direct connection.”
As of
the date of this annual report, we have not been subject to any penalties from the People’s Bank of China or any of its branches
related to our cooperation with institutional
funding partners.
 
19

 
 
Failure
to meet the requirements of regulatory authorities may necessitate modifications to our business model, termination of certain practices,
or even cessation of our
business operations. Such outcomes could significantly and adversely affect our business, financial condition,
and results of operations. Additionally, our origination, servicing
expenses, and other costs of revenue may increase, or we may need
to adjust our current business model to maintain full compliance with laws and regulations applicable to us in the
future. Any non-compliance
or potential non-compliance may subject us to fines, injunctions, suspension of operations, or criminal liability, which may potentially
impact our
financial performance and results of operations.
 
Moreover,
we depend on certain data partners, who collaborate with a licensed credit reference agency, to collect borrower credit information for
our credit scoring and
fraud detection purposes. If this approach is deemed non-compliant by regulatory authorities, we cannot ensure
that we will find a timely or cost-efficient alternative. This could
lead to reputational damage, regulatory intervention, and a diminished
ability to conduct our business, all of which could have adverse effects on our business, financial condition,
and results of operations.
 
We
have modified our business model and practices in the past as a result of changes in laws, regulations, policies, measures and guidance.
We may further change our
business model or practices in the future, which may not be successful ultimately.
 
Given
the complexities, uncertainties and frequent changes in the laws, rules, regulations, policies and measures within the markets where
we operate, including alterations
in their interpretation and implementation, we have a track record of modifying our business models
and practices in response to shifts in regulatory requirements and our strategic
plans. For example, we started our business as an online
lending information intermediary, however, we ceased facilitating new loans with funding from individual investors on our
platforms since
October 2019 due to shifts in regulatory requirements. Instead, we enhanced our business model by acquiring higher-quality borrowers
and transitioning our funding
sources from individual investors to institutional funding partners. In connection with this change in
our business model and practices, we underwent considerable changes, such as
offering new products and services, adjusting our business
 process and model, hiring new employees and building up new departments, and collaborating with new business
partners.
 
We
may further change our business model or practices in the future. If this happens, our business operations may have to go through considerable
changes and we may
experience a loss of continuity, loss of accumulated knowledge or loss of efficiency during the transitional period,
which may cause our competitive position, business, financial
condition and results of operations to be materially and adversely affected.
 
Our
global operations expose us to a number of risks.
 
We
began our business operations in multiple jurisdictions in December 2018. In December 2018 and June 2019, we established two subsidiaries
in the Philippines, and
one of them is authorized to operate as a lending company and the other is authorized to operate as a financing
company. In December 2019, our subsidiary in Indonesia obtained
the license for Technology and Information Based Financial Lending Institution
 from the Financial Services Authority of Indonesia. In February 2024, one of our Filippino
subsidiaries was accredited by the Credit
Information Corporation as a Special Accessing Entity to the Credit Information System. In April 2024, our Indonesian subsidiary acquired
a supermajority stake in a local multi-finance company to diversify our product offerings in the Indonesian market.
 
Our
outstanding loan balance in the overseas markets increased from RMB800.4 million as of December 31, 2022 to RMB1,262.3 million as of
December 31, 2023 and
further to RMB1,696.2 million (US$232.4 million) as of December 31, 2024. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, revenues generated
from the overseas markets amounted to RMB1,149.7
million, RMB2,136.9 million and RMB2,532.5 million (US$347.0 million), accounting for
10.3%, 17.0% and 19.4% of the respective year’s total net revenues.
 
As
we continue to expand our global operations, we will face risks associated with expanding into markets where we have limited or no experience
and where we may be
less well-known or have fewer local resources. We will also be subject to a variety of risks inherent in operating
overseas businesses, including:
 
 
●
business
licensing or certification requirements of the local markets;
 
 
 
 
●
compliance
challenges due to different laws and regulatory environments, including but not limited to those related to online consumer finance,
privacy and data
protection, data localization, network security, payments, and tax regimes and policies;
 
20

 
 
 
●
the
need for increased resources to manage regulatory compliance across our overseas businesses;
 
 
 
 
●
challenges
of localizing our services and products to meet the local needs;
 
 
 
 
●
failure
to effectively or efficiently locate and cooperate with local business partners;
 
 
 
 
●
failure
to attract and retain capable talent with international perspectives who can effectively manage and operate local businesses;
 
 
 
 
●
higher
costs of doing business globally, including increased accounting, travel, infrastructure and legal compliance costs;
 
 
 
 
●
exchange
rate fluctuations;
 
 
 
 
●
international
geopolitical tensions and events; and
 
 
 
 
●
political,
social and economic instability of each jurisdiction where we operate.
 
In
particular, our overseas business operations are subject to increasing regulatory scrutiny, such as the areas of data privacy protection,
interest rate cap and collection
practices, which might adversely affect our business operations. While we strive to comply with all
applicable laws and regulations and work closely with the regulatory authorities
in the regions that we operate, we have limited experience
in these markets and differences in interpretation of applicable laws, regulations, and/or policies. As a result, we may
incur substantial
compliance costs to carry out our business operations in the overseas market and still be subject to potential litigations, regulatory
proceedings, penalties or incur
other costs.
 
Furthermore,
the regulatory framework for the online consumer finance industry in the oversea markets where we operate is also evolving and may
remain uncertain for the
foreseeable future. For example, the Financial Services Authority of Indonesia (OJK) previously adopted
rules to progressively reduce the interest rate cap for fintech lenders, from
a maximum of 0.4% per day in 2023 to 0.3% in 2024, to
0.2% in 2025, and further to 0.1% by 2026, posing potential risks to our operations in Indonesia. On December 31, 2024,
the
Financial Services Authority of Indonesia (OJK) revised its interest rate policy. The earlier plan to uniformly reduce the cap to
0.2% by 2025 was replaced with differentiated
pricing based on loan tenor: loans with a tenor of six months or less remain capped at
0.3%, while those exceeding six months are capped at 0.2%. As the average tenor of our loans
in Indonesia is three to four months,
we anticipate the impact of these revised rules on our business to be limited. Nonetheless, the Financial Services Authority of
Indonesia (OJK)
or other regulatory authorities may introduce new rules or amendments in the future, which could materially affect
our operations. If our business operations in the overseas markets
cannot grow and develop as expected, our results of operations,
financial performance and prospect may be adversely or materially affected.
 
As
we may expand further into new and existing countries, regions and markets, these risks could intensify, and efforts we make to expand
our business and operations
globally may not be successful. Failure to successfully expand globally and manage the complexity of our
global operations could materially and adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
 
If
we are unable to retain existing borrowers or institutional funding partners or attract new borrowers or institutional funding partners,
the volume of loans facilitated
through our platforms may not be maintained or increased, which may adversely affect our business and
results of operations.
 
The
loan origination volume on our platforms was RMB175.4 billion in 2022, RMB194.3 billion in 2023, and RMB206.2 billion (US$28.2 billion)
in 2024. To maintain
the growth momentum of our platforms, we must increase the volume of loans by retaining current users and attracting
more users whose needs can be met on our platforms. If there
are insufficient qualified loan requests, institutional funding partners
may not be able to deploy their capital or their investors’ capital in a timely or efficient manner and may seek
other investment
opportunities. If there are insufficient funding commitments, borrowers may not be able to obtain capital through our platforms and may
turn to other sources for
their borrowing needs. If we are unable to attract qualified borrowers and sufficient funding commitments or
if borrowers and institutional funding partners do not continue to
participate in our platforms at the current rates due to any change
we may be required to make to the way we conduct our business to ensure compliance with existing or new laws
and regulations or due to
any other commercial or regulatory reasons, we may not be able to increase our loan transaction volume and revenues as we expect, and
our business and
results of operations may be adversely affected. Normally the borrowers find us by downloading our mobile applications
from application stores or through our Weixin official
account, and website or other third-party channels. In response to the general
regulatory environment, the operators of application stores or mobile application distributing channels
may adjust their application
exhibition policies or even remove our mobile applications from their application stores or distribution channels, which may materially
and adversely
affect our ability to engage new borrowers.
 
21

 
 
Currently,
 our institutional funding partners primarily include commercial banks, internet or digital banks, private banks, consumer finance companies,
 micro-loan
companies and trust management companies. If we are unable to retain our existing institutional funding partners or attract
new institutional funding partners, or if regulatory
authorities promulgated new laws and regulations to regulate, limit, or even prohibit
our collaboration with the institutional funding partners, our business, results of operations and
financial condition will be adversely
affected. As of December 31, 2024, we had cumulatively cooperated with 110 institutional funding partners in China and 13 institutional
funding partners in the overseas markets. Our success is dependent upon our ability to maintain and expand our cooperation with institutional
funding partners on reasonable
commercial terms. If the governmental authorities further tighten the regulations on the online consumer
finance industry, our institutional funding partners would become more
selective in choosing partners for referring borrowers and facilitating
loans for them. The competition we face would become even more intensely. Our cooperation with institutional
funding partners is not
 on an exclusive basis. If we fail to meet their requirements or needs, our financial institution partners may stop cooperating with us
 and turn to our
competitors, which may also materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
If
our existing and new products and services do not achieve sufficient market acceptance, our financial results and competitive position
will be harmed.
 
We
have devoted significant resources to, and will continue to emphasize on, upgrading and marketing our existing products and services
and enhancing their market
awareness. We also incur expenses and expend resources upfront to develop, acquire and market new products
 and services that incorporate additional features, improve
functionality or otherwise make our platforms more desirable to borrowers
 and institutional funding partners. New products and services must achieve high levels of market
acceptance in order for us to recoup
our investment in developing, acquiring and bringing them to market.
 
Our
existing and new products and services could fail to attain sufficient market acceptance for many reasons, including:
 
 
●
borrowers
may not find terms of our products, such as costs and credit limit, competitive or appealing;
 
 
 
 
●
our failure
to predict market demand accurately and provide products and services that meet this demand in a timely fashion;
 
 
 
 
●
borrowers
and institutional funding partners using our platforms may not like, find useful or agree with, any changes;
 
 
 
 
●
defects,
errors or failures on our platforms;
 
 
 
 
●
negative
publicity about our loan products or our platforms’ performance or effectiveness;
 
 
 
 
●
views
taken by regulatory authorities that the new products, services or platform changes do not comply with laws, regulations or rules
applicable to us; and
 
 
 
 
●
the introduction
or anticipated introduction of competing products by our competitors.
 
22

 
 
If
our existing and new products and services do not achieve adequate acceptance in the market, our competitive position, results of operations
and financial condition
could be harmed.
 
As
we continue to develop our business, we may offer new products or services. Development and innovation in our business may expose us
to new challenges and risks.
 
We
 have invested, and intend to continue to invest, significantly in product development. The introduction of new products and services
 may have inherent and
unforeseeable risks and may bring the attention of regulatory authorities. Regulatory measures may impede the conduct
 of our new products and services and render future
innovation unsuccessful. New products and services also require significant expense
and resources to attract and acquire users, and they may fail to gain market acceptance for a
variety of reasons. See “Item 3.
Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—If our existing and new products and services do not
achieve sufficient market
acceptance, our financial results and competitive position will be harmed.”
 
If
our future products and services fail to meet the expectations of borrowers or institutional funding partners, become obsolete, or do
not address their needs, we may
struggle to remain competitive. This could result in a decline in market share, materially affecting
our business, financial condition, and operating results.
 
Additionally,
the development of new products or services may require collaboration with third-party business partners. While we mandate that our partners
comply with
all applicable laws and regulations, we have limited control over their operations. Consequently, if our third-party partners
fail to adhere to legal and regulatory requirements, it
could negatively impact our reputation and business.
 
Our
cooperation with institutional funding partners exposes us to regulatory uncertainties and we may be required to obtain additional government
approval or license due to
our cooperation with institutional funding partners.
 
In
2022, 2023 and 2024, our loan origination volume in China was RMB171.1 billion, RMB186.4 billion and RMB196.1 billion (US$26.9 billion), all of which was funded
by institutional funding partners or our own
microloan companies. We carry out our cooperation with institutional funding partners through Shanghai
Erxu, a subsidiary of one of
the consolidated variable interest entities. Shanghai Erxu, in partnership with our other subsidiaries,
focuses on providing services to our institutional funding partners, including
borrower referrals and preliminary credit assessments,
to facilitate their involvement in our online lending operations.
 
The
online consumer finance industry in China is evolving. Regulatory authorities’ interpretations of the laws governing
this industry are subject to uncertainty. As such,
there are uncertainties regarding whether our business practices will be deemed fully
compliant with all applicable laws and regulations. For example, if regulatory authorities
classify the borrower information provision
and preliminary credit assessment services we offer to our institutional funding partners as credit reference activities, we may need
to
adjust our practices to ensure compliance with the relevant regulations. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Our Business—The laws and regulations
governing online consumer finance industry in China are developing and evolving
and subject to changes. If our business practices are deemed to violate any existing and future
applicable laws, regulations or requirements
of local regulatory authorities, our business, financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.”
With the regulatory environment of the consumer finance industry continually evolving, regulatory authorities may introduce new requirements,
 potentially including a new
licensing regime to oversee the type of business activities conducted by Shanghai Erxu and our other subsidiaries.
If such new regulatory rules are enacted, we cannot guarantee our
ability to obtain the necessary licenses or regulatory approvals in
a timely manner, or at all. Failure to do so may materially and adversely affect our business and our ability to
sustain operations.
 
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,
including those governing the
online consumer finance industry in China. However, if governmental authorities adopt a more stringent
regulatory framework for the online consumer finance industry in the
future, we may become subject to additional requirements. Compliance
with applicable laws and regulations can be costly. Moreover, if our business practices are found to violate
any existing or future laws
and regulations, we may face injunctions, including orders to cease illegal activities, and other penalties determined by the government
authorities.
 
23

 
 
In
addition, institutional funding partners are also subject to evolving regulations concerning online consumer finance industry. For instance,
on July 12, 2020, the China
Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission introduced the Interim Measures for Commercial Banks Engaging
in Online Lending Business. Subsequently, the
China Banking
and Insurance Regulatory Commission issued the Notice of Further Regulating Online Loan Business of Commercial Banks on
February 19, 2021, and the Notice on Strengthening
the Management of Commercial Banks’ Online Lending Business and Improving the
Quality and Efficiency of Financial Services on July 15, 2022. On March 18, 2023, the
National Administration of Financial Regulation
 was officially established, replacing the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission as China’s primary financial
regulatory
authority. However, these regulations continue to apply to banks, consumer finance companies and trust companies engaged in online lending
activities, subject to certain
exceptions. On April 23, 2024, the National Administration of Financial Regulation issued the Notice on
Strengthening the Regulation of Three Types of Banks’ Online Lending
Business. For detailed information, please refer to “Item
 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations Relating to Online
Consumer Finance
Services.” Our institutional funding partners subject to these regulations are required to assess and review their collaborations
with us accordingly. If any of our
institutional funding partners impose additional requirements for our collaborations, we may be unable
 to meet them. Failure to satisfy such requirements could result in the
termination of cooperation, thereby adversely impacting our business
and operational results.
 
On April 3, 2025, the National Administration of Financial Regulation issued the Notice on Strengthening the Supervision
of Online Lending Business and Promoting
Financial Services, effective from October 1, 2025. It mandates, among others, the following
key provisions: (i) bank headquarters shall maintain and publicly disclose on their
official websites and mobile applications a whitelist
of partnered online lending platforms; (ii) banks shall implement risk-based pricing mechanisms aligned with borrowers’ credit
risks;
(iii) online lending platforms are prohibited from charging interest or other fees to borrowers; (iv) credit enhancement service providers
are prohibited from charging service
fees or consultation fees, as such practices are deemed to increase credit enhancement fees in a
disguised form; and (v) banks and online lending platforms must fully disclose key
information,
including but not limited to lenders, annualized interest rates, credit enhancement providers and fees, annualized funding costs, post-default
interest and costs, and must
clearly state that no other fees will be charged to borrowers. These requirements also apply to consumer finance companies and trust companies engaged in online lending business.
Some
of our business practices may not be fully compliant. We are planning to take certain remedial measures. However, if our remedial measures
are not satisfactory to the
regulatory authorities or our institutional funding partners in the future, we may be subject to government
fines, penalties, or suspension of our non-compliant operations or we may
not be able to maintain our cooperations with any institutional
funding partners, which could materially and adversely affect our business and operating results.
 
Regulatory
restrictions on institutional funding partners’ acceptance of credit enhancement may adversely affect our business and access to
funding.
 
In
our collaboration with institutional funding partners, we engage licensed third-party financing guarantee companies to offer guarantees
for the majority of loans funded
by our institutional funding partners. In case of borrower default, these companies are obliged to repay
the overdue amount to the corresponding institutional funding partner.
Subsequently, we purchase creditor’s rights from these guarantee
companies. Additionally, we may provide security deposits to these third-party financing guarantee companies.
 
Furthermore,
we established three financing guarantee subsidiaries, namely Fujian Zhiyun Financing Guarantee Co., Ltd., Zhiyun (Tianjin) Financing
Guarantee Co., Ltd.,
and Hainan Shenxin Financing Guarantee Co., Ltd., in 2019 and 2020. Under some circumstances, these subsidiaries
 provide financing guarantee services directly to our
institutional funding partners for loans they fund. However, under the Regulations
on the Administration of Financing Guarantee Companies, as promulgated by the State Council
on June 21, 2017, a financing guarantee company’s
outstanding guarantee liabilities may not exceed ten times its net assets. As of March 31, 2025, the net assets of Fujian Zhiyun
Financing
Guarantee Co., Ltd., Zhiyun (Tianjin) Financing Guarantee Co., Ltd., and Hainan Shenxin Financing Guarantee Co., Ltd. were RMB1,805.7
million (US$247.4 million),
RMB1,018.9 million (US$139.6 million), and RMB283.8 million (US$38.9 million), respectively. Therefore, the
maximum outstanding guarantee liabilities our own guarantee
companies can provide may not meet all the needs of our institutional funding
partners. Consequently, we will need to continue engaging third-party guarantee companies to provide
quality assurance commitments to
our institutional funding partners.
 
The
 Notice on Regulating and Rectifying “Cash Loan” Business, issued in December 2017, prohibits banks, trust management companies,
 and consumer finance
companies from accepting credit enhancement services or assuming default risks from unlicensed third parties involved
 in loan facilitation transactions. Additionally, the
Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Financing Guarantee Companies,
issued in August 2017, mandate that entities engaging in financing guarantee business must
obtain approval from local regulatory authorities.
Failure to comply may result in penalties, including business termination, fines, and potential criminal liability. Moreover, the
Supplemental
Rules to the Administration of Financing Guarantee Companies, issued in October 2019, state that entities providing client referral or
credit assessment services to
lending institutions are prohibited from offering financing guarantee services without proper regulatory
approval. Non-compliance may lead to business operation bans and the
requirement to settle existing business. For more detailed information,
please refer to “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations in the PRC—
Regulations Relating
to Online Consumer Finance Services.”
 
24

 
 
Despite
our efforts to mitigate regulatory risks, we cannot guarantee that regulatory authorities will not interpret or perceive the quality
assurance commitments we provide
to our institutional funding partners as engaging in financing guarantee business without approval.
 If we are unable to provide these quality assurance commitments due to
regulatory restrictions, we may struggle to maintain our institutional
funding partner base, leading to adverse effects on our liquidity, business operations, financial condition, and
results. As of the date
of this annual report, we have not faced any administrative penalties related to the quality assurance commitments provided to our institutional
funding
partners. However, if government authorities deem these commitments as unauthorized provision of financing guarantee business,
we may face fines and other administrative
penalties, significantly impacting our liquidity, business operations, financial condition,
and results.
 
Moreover,
 on December 31, 2021, the People’s Bank of China published the Regulations on Local Financial Supervision and Administration (Draft
 for Comments),
outlining several key provisions. These include prioritizing local clients for local financial organizations, requiring
 guidance from the State Council or designated financial
regulatory authorities for conducting business outside registered provinces,
designating six types of financial organizations, including financing guarantee companies and micro-
lending companies, as local financial
 organizations, providing a transition period for organizations operating outside provinces before the draft’s effectiveness, and
 imposing
penalties, such as correction orders, confiscation of illegal gains or fines, cessation of business operations, and revocation
of business licenses, on organizations conducting business
outside provinces without approval from competent provincial regulatory authorities.
 Currently, both the third-party guarantee companies we engage and our own guarantee
companies provide nationwide services. However, uncertainties
persist regarding when the Regulations on Local Financial Supervision and Administration (Draft for Comments)
will become effective and
how they will be implemented. Therefore, we cannot guarantee full compliance with these regulations in a timely manner or at all, and
we may be
required to rectify or terminate any actions deemed illegal by regulatory authorities.
 
We
collaborate with third-party trust management companies to set up trusts. We may be deemed to be an illegal financial institution under
such trust arrangement, which may
materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.
 
Our
collaboration with third-party trust management companies involves setting up trusts, in some of which we invested to provide loans to
borrowers we introduce. These
trusts are managed by third-party trust management companies. Once we introduce suitable borrowers to these
companies, they conduct their own credit assessments to determine
whether to approve the loan applications. If a borrower’s application
is approved, the trust management company directly disburses the funds from the trust to the borrower’s bank
account.
 
Under
the Measures for Banning of Illegal Financial Institutions and Illegal Financial Business Operations, issued by the State Council on
July 13, 1998, any entity
engaging in financial activities without approval from the People’s Bank of China may be classified as
an illegal financial institution. This includes providing loans without the
necessary approval from the People’s Bank of China,
which is considered an illegal financial business operation. Given the rapid evolution of the online consumer finance industry
and the
changing regulatory landscape since the enactment of these measures, there is ambiguity surrounding their interpretation and applicability
to our operations. While the trust
management companies overseeing these trusts are licensed and approved by financial regulatory authorities,
and we believe that these companies, rather than us, are the lenders of
the loans, there is no guarantee that our interpretation aligns
with that of the authorities. We cannot rule out the possibility that our investments in these trusts may be considered as
providing
loans to the borrowers. Consequently, we may be classified as an illegal financial institution or as engaging in illegal financial business,
potentially subjecting us to
penalties. These penalties could include the confiscation of illegal gains, along with fines ranging from
one to five times the illegal gains, or a fine of RMB100,000 to RMB500,000
if there are no illegal gains, and criminal liability if the
violation constitutes a criminal offense.
 
In
addition, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry
of Justice jointly issued the Guidance on
Several Issues for Illegal Lending Regarding Criminal Cases on July 23, 2019. This guidance
provides, among others, that if any entity or individual is engaged in providing loans
to unspecified individuals consistently for the
purpose of profits and without the approval from the regulatory authorities or outside its business scope, which disturbs the stability
of
financial markets, such entity or individual may face a criminal charge of unfair competition and may be imposed criminal liability
in accordance with the applicable laws and
regulations. “Providing loans to unspecified individuals consistently” refers
to providing loans to entities and individuals no less than ten times within two years. Furthermore, if the
actual annual interest rate
of the loans provided by such entity or individual exceeds 36%, it would be deemed as an aggravated circumstance when such entity or
individual face the
abovementioned criminal charge of unfair competition. There are uncertainties as to the interpretation of this guidance,
and it is still unclear how the regulatory authorities will
interpret and implement it in the future. We cannot rule out the possibility
that regulatory authorities may deem our operation activities under the trust arrangements as unfair
competition and impose criminal
liability on us. If that happens, our business, results of operations and financial condition would be materially and adversely affected.
 
25

 
 
Interest
rates of certain of our loan products may exceed the statutory interest rate limit and therefore part of the interests may not be enforceable
through the PRC judicial
system.
 
Our
revenue, to the extent they are deemed to be or related to loan interest and expense incurred by the borrower for the loan, is subject
to interest rate restrictions imposed
by various regulatory authorities in China. According to the Notice on Regulating and Rectifying
Cash Loan Business, promulgated by the Internet Finance Rectification Office and
the Online Lending Rectification Office in December
2017, in the context of cash loans provided by various types of institutions, the total borrowing costs, including interest and
various
fees charged to borrowers, must adhere to the upper limit on interest rates for private lending as outlined in the judicial interpretations
issued by the Supreme People’s Court.
At the time of the promulgation of this notice, the then effective upper limit on interest
rates for private lending was 24% per annum, as judicially protected by the PRC court, while
interest rates ranging from 24% to 36% per
annum were considered legally permissible but unenforceable, and any interest rate exceeding 36% per annum was deemed illegal. For
more
 details, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations Relating
 to Online Consumer Finance Services—
Regulations on lending activities.”
 
The
Supreme People’s Court subsequently approved two amendments to the Provisions on Several Issues Concerning Laws Applicable to Trials
of Private Lending Cases
on August 19, 2020 and December 29, 2020, pursuant to which the PRC courts will support a non-financial institution’s
claim for interest on loans if their annual interest rate does
not exceed four times the one-year Loan Prime Rate at the time of the
establishment of the loan agreements. The aforementioned one-year Loan Prime Rate refers to the one-year
loan market quoted interest
rate issued by the National Bank Interbank Funding Center. As of the date of this annual report, the most recent one-year loan market
quoted interest rate
issued by the National Bank Interbank Funding Center was 3.10%. The one-year loan
market quoted interest rate may decrease in the future.
 
Also
on December 29, 2020, the Supreme People’s Court further issued the Reply Regarding the Scope of Application of the New Private
Lending Judicial Interpretation,
which provides that the amended Provisions of the Supreme People’s Court on Several Issues Concerning
the Application of Law in the Trial of Private Lending Cases are not
applicable to disputes arising from the financial business of microloan
companies, financing guarantee companies, and five other types of local financial organizations which are
regulated by local financial
authorities.
 
Currently,
substantially all of the institutional funding partners funding new loan originations on our platform in China are financial institutions
licensed by regulatory
authorities. We believe that the interest rate limit stipulated by the Supreme People’s Court and the subsequent
amendments does not apply to loans funded by these financial
institutions. However, regulatory authorities may have broad discretion
in the administration, interpretation, and enforcement of laws and regulations. Therefore, it is possible that
they may hold different
opinions. If such an interest rate limit were to be applied to loans on our platform in China, any loans facilitated at or above the
limit that become delinquent
may result in the part of the interest exceeding the limit being uncollectible through PRC judicial enforcement.
Consequently, our institutional funding partners may suffer losses,
which could adversely affect our reputation, financial condition,
and results of operations.
 
Furthermore,
on March 31, 2021, the People’s Bank of China issued its No. 3 announcement of 2021, commonly referred to as the PBOC No. 3 Announcement.
This
announcement includes provisions specifying that the annual interest rate of a loan should be calculated as the annualized ratio
of all expenses charged from the borrower for the
borrowing to the principal actually borrowed. These expenses encompass both interest
and various other fees directly related to the borrowing. Compound interest rates and simple
interest rates are both permitted for calculating
the annual interest rate, provided that if a simple interest rate is used, it must be explicitly disclosed to the borrower. The PBOC
No. 3
Announcement applies to deposit-taking financial institutions, consumer finance companies, microloan companies, and internet platforms
providing loan application services like
ours. Before the promulgation of the PBOC No. 3 Announcement, no rules or regulations explicitly
defined the calculation method for the maximum interest rates permitted by the
laws. Following the issuance of the No. 3 Announcement,
we adjusted our calculation method for loan interest rates on our platform in China accordingly and explicitly disclosed
the adjusted
calculation method to our borrowers. As of December 31, 2024, for loans for which we bear
credit risk, the majority of the outstanding balance of loans facilitated on
our platform in China had an interest rate below
24%. If any of the loans with an interest rate over 24% become delinquent, we may be unable to collect the portion of interest
exceeding
24% annually through PRC judicial enforcement. Moreover, regulatory authorities may deem the portion of the interest rate exceeding 24%
annually to be invalid, which
could adversely and materially affect our business, results of operations, and financial condition. Failure
to comply with regulatory requirements, supervision, or guidance may
result in orders of suspension, cessation, or rectification, cancelation
of qualifications, or other penalties. If we fail to comply with any regulatory requirements, our business,
financial condition, results
of operations, and cooperation with business partners could be materially and adversely affected.
 
26

 
 
We
operate in markets where the credit infrastructure may still be at an early stage of development.
 
We
operate in markets where the credit infrastructure may still be in the early stages of development. In these markets, the systems and
frameworks required to assess
creditworthiness, aggregate data, and facilitate lending decisions may not be fully established or efficient.
The ability of the credit infrastructure to effectively aggregate data from
various online databases, including those with differing
 formats and standards, remains uncertain. Additionally, the accuracy and reliability of the aggregated data may be
challenged by the
lack of standardized processes and the evolving nature of digital financial systems. As the infrastructure develops, we may face challenges
in ensuring that data is
accurate, comprehensive, and properly integrated into our lending models, which could impact our ability to
operate effectively.
 
We
bear credit risks for the majority of the loans funded by institutional funding partners to borrowers we introduced. If we fail to effectively
manage credit risk of our loans
and our overdue loans increase, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be materially
adversely affected.
 
We
provide our institutional funding partners with quality assurance commitments for a substantial majority of the loans they have funded.
See “Item 4. Information on the
Company—B. Business Overview—Quality Assurance Commitments for Our Institutional Funding
Partners.” As a result, we are subject to credit risk for such loans.
 
Any
deterioration in our loan portfolio quality and increase in default risks could materially adversely affect our results of operations.
We may not be able to effectively
control the level of our overdue loans in the future. Our default risks may increase in the future
due to a variety of factors, including factors beyond our control, such as a slowdown
in economic growth, a deepening of a credit crisis
or other adverse macroeconomic trends. Such factors may cause operational, financial and liquidity issues for our borrowers and
affect
their ability to make loan repayments in a timely manner. Also, our financing guarantee subsidiaries may face a potential reduction in
its assets if our institutional funding
partners claim substantial repayments due to defaults, and we may need to provide additional
capital injections into our financing guarantee subsidiaries, which may adversely affect
our financial condition. If we fail to effectively
manage credit risk of our loans and our overdue loans increase, our business, financial condition and results of operations may be
materially
adversely affected.
 
We
are subject to credit cycle and the risk of deterioration of credit profiles of borrowers.
 
Our
business is subject to credit cycle associated with the volatility of general economy. If economic conditions deteriorate, we may face
increased risk of default or
delinquency of borrowers, which will result in lower returns or losses. In the event that the creditworthiness
of our borrowers deteriorates or we cannot track the deterioration of
their creditworthiness, the criteria we use for the analysis of
borrower credit profiles may be rendered inaccurate, and our risk management system may be subsequently rendered
ineffective. This in
turn may lead to higher default rates and adverse impacts on our reputation, business, results of operations and financial positions.
 
If
we are unable to accurately assess the creditworthiness of the borrowers on our platforms or if we fail to accurately anticipate and
manage the delinquency rates of the
loans funded by our institutional funding partners, we will not be able to maintain our credit risk
exposure within acceptable parameters. If we are unable to effectively collect these
delinquent loans, our liquidity, business operations,
financial condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.
 
27

 
 
We
rely on our proprietary credit-scoring model in assessing the creditworthiness of our borrowers and the risks associated with loans.
If our credit-scoring model is flawed or
ineffective, or if we otherwise fail or are perceived to fail to manage the default risks of
loans facilitated through our platforms, our reputation and market share would be
materially and adversely affected, which would severely
impact our business and results of operations.
 
Our
ability to attract borrowers and institutional funding partners to, and build trust in, our platforms is significantly dependent on our
ability to effectively evaluate
borrowers’ credit profiles and likelihood of default. To conduct this evaluation, we utilize our
proprietary credit assessment model, known as the Magic Mirror Model, which is built
based on data from multiple sources, including credit
reference agency, and strengthened by our sophisticated artificial intelligence and advanced machine learning techniques. The
Magic Mirror
Model categorizes borrowers into different credit ratings according to their risk profiles, based on which our risk pricing system assigns
them appropriate interest
rates, credit limits and loan durations. However, the Magic Mirror Model may not effectively predict future
loan losses. Subject to credit assessment result for each loan application,
a borrower is allowed to take out multiple loans at a time
on our platforms if their existing loans are not in default and the total outstanding balance is within the approved credit
limit for
the type of loan the borrower applies for. Credit limits are set by loan products, and thus a borrower may have a credit limit for each
type of loans on our platforms. A
borrower’s credit limit for a particular type of loan is determined considering a range of factors,
including (i) the borrower’s credit level based on their Magic Mirror score—
borrowers with better Magic Mirror credit scores
are generally given higher credit limits, (ii) the borrower’s credit needs, such as the type of loans being applied for, (iii)
the
borrower’s credit limits and credit performance for other types of loans on our platforms, and (iv) overall investment demand
from investors. A new Magic Mirror credit score is
generated each time a borrower applies for a loan, which may change the borrower’s
credit limit for that type of loan. As such, it is possible that borrowers may take out new loans
on our platforms to pay off their other
existing loans we facilitated or for other purposes. Given the practical difficulty in tracking and controlling the usage of borrowed
funds, we
are not able to effectively prevent borrowers from “rolling over” their loans on our platforms. Although the Magic
Mirror Model looks less favorably upon borrowers who have high
credit line utilization ratios, it may not be able to timely and accurately
 adjust down the credit rating assigned to a borrower if such borrower masks their deteriorating
creditworthiness by refinancing existing
loans with new loans on our platforms. If we are unable to effectively classify borrowers into the relative risk categories, we may be
unable
to offer attractive interest rates for borrowers and returns for investors and effectively manage the default risks of loans facilitated
through our platforms. We consistently refine the
algorithms, data processing and machine learning used by the Magic Mirror Model, but
if any of these decision-making and scoring systems contain programming or other errors,
are ineffective or the data provided by borrowers
or third parties are incorrect or stale, our loan pricing and approval process could be negatively affected, resulting in mispriced or
misclassified loans or incorrect approvals or denials of loans.
 
For
loans funded by our institutional funding partners, they will review borrowers’ applications and may make use of our
preliminary credit assessment we provide to them
and then decide if to provide loans to such borrower as well as the credit limit
after their independent credit review. If any data provided by borrowers or third parties are incorrect
or stale or our preliminary
credit assessment service is not effective, our cooperation with institutional funding partners could be negatively affected. In
addition, we bear credit risks
for the majority of the loans funded by institutional funding partners to borrowers we introduced. If
our ability to provide preliminary credit assessment is not as effective or
efficient as expected, our liquidity, financial
conditions and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
 
In
addition, if a borrower’s financial condition deteriorates after their loan application is approved, we may not be able to take
measures to prevent such borrower’s default
and thereby maintain a reasonably low default rate for loans facilitated through our
platforms.
 
28

 
 
Credit
and other information that we receive from prospective borrowers and third parties about a borrower may be inaccurate or may not accurately
reflect the borrower’s
creditworthiness, which may compromise the accuracy of our credit assessment.
 
We
obtain certain information from prospective borrowers and third parties for the purpose of credit assessment, which may not be complete,
accurate, or reliable. A credit
score assigned to a borrower may not reflect that particular borrower’s actual creditworthiness
because the credit score may be based on outdated, incomplete or inaccurate borrower
information. Additionally, once we have obtained
a borrower’s information, the borrower may subsequently (i) become delinquent in the payment of an outstanding obligation; (ii)
default on a pre-existing debt obligation; (iii) take on additional debt; or (iv) sustain other adverse financial events, making the
information we have previously obtained inaccurate.
 
To
 better assess borrowers’ creditworthiness, we joined the credit and information sharing system set up by the National Internet
 Finance Association of China. A
participant of this sharing system can obtain a borrower’s credit information shared by other participants.
However, this sharing system is still at the primary stage of development
and there are a limited number of participants and limited
amount information in this sharing system. In addition, we share data with a credit reference agency licensed by the
People’s Bank
 of China to provide individual credit reference service. However, the credit reference agency we cooperate with may not be able to efficiently
 and accurately
aggregate data from various online databases. As a result, we cannot determine whether borrowers have outstanding loans
 through other consumer finance platforms not
participating in this sharing system at the time they obtain a loan from us. This creates
the risk that a borrower may borrow money through our platforms in order to pay off loans on
other consumer finance platforms and
vice versa. If a borrower incurs additional debt before fully repaying any loan such borrower takes out on our platforms, the additional
debt
may impair the ability of that borrower to make payments on their loan. In addition, the additional debt may adversely affect the
borrower’s creditworthiness generally, and could
result in the financial distress or insolvency of the borrower. To the extent
that a borrower has or incurs other indebtedness and cannot repay all of their indebtedness, the obligations
under the loans will rank
pari passu to each other and the borrower may choose to make payments to other creditors rather than to institutional funding partners
on our platforms.
 
Furthermore,
the Notice on Regulating and Rectifying “Cash Loan” Business provided, among others, that funds from banks cannot be used
for “campus loan” business.
See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations in
the PRC—Regulations Relating to Online Consumer Finance Services—Regulations on lending
activities.” We have adopted
several measures to identify college students and try to prevent them borrowing money from our platforms. However, we cannot assure that
those
measures are able to identify all college students on our platforms.
 
Such
 inaccurate or incomplete borrower information could compromise the accuracy of our credit assessment and adversely affect the effectiveness
 of our risk
management, which could in turn harm our reputation, and as a result our business and results of operations could be materially
and adversely affected.
 
Loss
of or failure to maintain relationship with our strategic partners may materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
 
We
currently rely on a number of strategic partners in various aspects of our business. For example, in terms of user acquisition, we acquire
a significant portion of our
borrowers through a limited number of online channels from a limited number of our strategic partners. To
 ensure compliance with the regulatory requirements regarding
“disconnecting direct connection,” we collaborate with a licensed
credit reference agency to provide borrowers’ personal credit information to our institutional funding partners. We
anticipate
that we will continue to leverage strategic relationships with existing strategic partners to grow our business while pursuing new relationships
with additional strategic
partners.
 
Pursuing,
establishing and maintaining relationships with strategic partners require significant time and resources as does integrating third-party
data and services with our
system. Our current agreements with partners generally do not prohibit them from working with our competitors
or from offering competing services. Our competitors may be more
effective in providing incentives to our partners to favor their products
or services, which may in turn reduce the volume of loans facilitated through our platforms. Certain types of
partners may devote more
resources to support their own competing businesses. In addition, these partners may not perform as expected under our agreements with
them, and we
may have disagreements or disputes with them, which could adversely affect our brand and reputation. If we cannot successfully
 enter into and maintain effective strategic
relationships with strategic partners, our business will be harmed.
 
29

 
 
In
addition, if any of our partners fails to perform properly, we cannot assure you that we will be able to find an alternative in a timely
and cost-efficient manner or at all.
Any of these occurrences could result in our diminished ability to operate our business, potential
 liability to borrowers and institutional funding partners, inability to attract
borrowers and institutional funding partners, reputational
damage, regulatory intervention and financial harm, which could negatively impact our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
 
We
have obligations to verify information relating to borrowers and detecting fraud. If we fail to perform such obligations to meet the
requirements of laws and regulations, we
may be subject to liabilities.
 
In
China, our business involves connecting institutional funding partners and borrowers, which constitutes an intermediary service. Our
contracts with institutional funding
partners and borrowers are considered intermediation contracts under the Civil Code of the PRC.
According to this code, an intermediary who intentionally conceals material
information or provides false information in connection with
the conclusion of an intermediation contract, resulting in harm to the client’s interests, may not claim any service fee
for its
intermediary services and is liable for any damage incurred by the client. Therefore, if we fail to provide any material information
to institutional funding partners and are
found to be at fault, for failure or deemed failure to exercise proper care, to conduct adequate
information verification or supervision, we could be subject to liabilities as an
intermediary under the Civil Code of the PRC.
 
We
leverage a large database of past fraud accounts information and sophisticated rule-based detection technology in detecting fraudulent
behaviors. Based on new data
collected and fraudulent behaviors detected during our daily business operations, we update our database
on an as-needed basis. However, as the laws, regulations, rules, and
governmental policies governing the online consumer finance industry
are evolving, it remains unclear to what extent online consumer finance platforms should exercise care in
detecting fraud. Although
we believe that as an information intermediary, we should not bear the credit risk for institutional funding partners exceeding the portion
that we agreed to
bear, as long as we take reasonable measures to detect fraudulent behaviors, we cannot assure you that we would not
be subject to any liabilities under the current laws, regulations,
rules, and governmental policies governing the online consumer finance
industry if we fail to detect any fraudulent behavior. If that were to occur, our results of operations and
financial condition could
be materially and adversely affected.
 
We
may be deemed to use our own funds to finance certain loans and therefore be subject us to regulatory risks.
 
Under
the Measures for Banning of Illegal Financial Institutions and Illegal Financial Business Operations, issued by the State Council on
July 13, 1998, any entity
engaging in financial activities without approval from the People’s Bank of China may be classified as
an illegal financial institution. This includes providing loans without the
necessary approval from the People’s Bank of China,
which is considered an illegal financial business operation. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview
—Regulations
in the PRC—Regulations Relating to Online Consumer Finance Services—Regulations on illegal financial institutions and intermediaries.”
 
In
connection with our quality assurance commitments provided through third-party financing guarantee companies, when a borrower defaults,
the third-party financing
guarantee companies will repay the full overdue amounts to our institutional funding partners. Subsequently,
we will purchase the creditors’ rights from these third-party financing
guarantee companies, and the borrowers are required to
repay the remaining principal and interest to us. We cannot rule out the possibility that regulatory authorities may view this
business
 practice as constituting the provision of loans without the permission of the People’s Bank of China, potentially leading to our
 classification as an illegal financial
institution. If found in violation of these measures, we would be subject to fines, penalties,
or other liabilities, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial
condition, and prospects.
 
Our
failure to compete effectively could adversely affect our results of operations and market share.
 
The
 online consumer finance industry in the markets where we operate is competitive and evolving. We compete with financial products and
 companies that attract
borrowers and institutional funding partners. Primarily, we compete with leading online consumer finance companies
in the markets where we operate. Additionally, concerning
borrowers, we also compete with traditional financial institutions, such as
consumer finance business units in commercial banks, credit card issuers, and other consumer finance
companies. With respect to institutional
 funding partners, our product offerings also compete with other products and asset classes, such as equities, bonds, investment trust
products, bank savings accounts, real estate, and alternative asset classes.
 
30

 
 
Our
competitors operate with different business models, have different cost structures, or participate selectively in different market segments.
Ultimately, they may prove
more successful or adaptable to new regulatory, technological, and other developments. Some of our current
and potential competitors have significantly more financial, technical,
marketing, and other resources than we do and may be able to
 devote greater resources to the development, promotion, sale, and support of their platforms. Moreover, our
competitors may possess more
extensive borrower or funding sources, greater brand recognition and loyalty, and broader partner relationships than us. Additionally,
a current or
potential competitor may acquire one or more of our existing competitors or form a strategic alliance with one or more of
our competitors. Any of the foregoing could adversely
affect our business, results of operations, financial condition, and future growth.
 
Furthermore,
our competitors may excel at developing new products, responding faster to new technologies, and undertaking more extensive marketing
campaigns. When
new competitors seek to enter our target market or existing market participants seek to increase their market share,
they sometimes undercut the pricing and/or terms prevalent in
that market, which could adversely affect our market share or ability to
exploit new market opportunities. Also, since the online consumer finance industry in the markets where we
operate is evolving, potential institutional funding partners and borrowers may not fully understand how our platforms work and may not
fully appreciate the additional customer
protections and features that we have invested in and adopted on our platforms compared to others.
Our pricing and terms could deteriorate if we fail to meet these competitive
challenges. Furthermore, to the extent that our competitors
can offer more attractive terms to our cooperation partners, such cooperation partners may choose to terminate their
relationships with
 us. If we are unable to compete with such companies and meet the need for innovation in our industry, the demand for our platforms could
 stagnate or
substantially decline, resulting in reduced revenues or our platforms failing to achieve or maintain more widespread market
acceptance, any of which could harm our business and
results of operations.
 
If
we fail to promote and maintain our brand in a cost-efficient way, our business and results of operations may be harmed.
 
We
believe that developing and maintaining awareness of our brand effectively is critical to attracting new and retaining existing borrowers
and institutional funding
partners to our platforms. This depends largely on the effectiveness of our marketing efforts and the success
of the channels we use to promote our platforms. If any of our current
marketing channels become less effective, if we are unable to
continue to use any of these channels, if the cost of using these channels were to significantly increase or if we are not
successful
in generating new channels, we may not be able to attract new borrowers and institutional funding partners in a cost-effective manner
or convert potential borrowers and
institutional funding partners into active borrowers and institutional funding partners on our platforms.
 
Our
efforts to build our brand have caused us to incur significant expenses, and it is likely that our future marketing efforts will require
us to incur significant additional
expenses. These efforts may not result in increased revenues in the immediate future or at all and,
even if they do, any increases in revenues may not offset the expenses incurred. If
we fail to successfully promote and maintain our
brand while incurring substantial expenses, our results of operations and financial condition would be adversely affected, which
may
impair our ability to grow our business.
 
Any
negative publicity with respect to us, the online consumer finance industry in general and our third-party partners may materially and
adversely affect our business and
results of operations.
 
Reputation
of our brand is critical to our business and competitiveness. Factors that are vital to our reputation include but are not limited to
our ability to:
 
 
●
maintain
the quality and reliability of our platforms;
 
 
 
 
●
provide
borrowers and institutional funding partners with a superior experience on our platforms;
 
 
 
 
●
enhance
and improve our credit assessment and risk-pricing models;
 
31

 
 
 
●
effectively
manage and resolve borrower and institutional funding partner complaints; and
 
 
 
 
●
effectively
protect personal information and privacy of borrowers and institutional funding partners.
 
Any
malicious or negative allegation made by the media or other parties about the foregoing or other aspects of our company, including but
not limited to our management,
business, compliance with law, financial condition or prospects, whether with merit or not, could severely
compromise our reputation and harm our business and operating results.
 
As
the online consumer finance industry is relatively new in certain markets where we operate, and the regulatory framework for this industry
is also evolving, negative
publicity about this industry may arise from time to time. Negative publicity about the online consumer finance
industry in general may have a negative impact on our reputation,
regardless of whether we have engaged in any inappropriate activities.
Governmental authorities in the markets where we operate have also instituted specific rules to develop a
more transparent regulatory
environment for the online consumer finance industry. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations
in the PRC—
Regulations Relating to Online Consumer Finance Services” for details. Non-compliance with these regulations by
any players in the online consumer finance industry within our
market may adversely impact the reputation of the industry as a whole.
Any negative development in, or negative perception of, the online consumer finance industry as a whole,
even if factually incorrect
or based on isolated incidents, could compromise our image, undermine the trust and credibility we have established, and impose a negative
impact on our
ability to attract new borrowers and institutional funding partners. Negative developments in the online consumer finance
industry, such as widespread borrower defaults, aggressive
practices, or misconduct in loan collection, fraudulent behavior, and/or the
closure of other online consumer finance platforms, may also lead to tightened regulatory scrutiny of the
sector and limit the scope
of permissible business activities that may be conducted by online consumer finance platforms like us.
 
In
addition, negative publicity about our partners, outsourced service providers, or other counterparties, such as negative publicity about
their loan collection practices and
any failure by them to adequately protect the information of our borrowers, comply with applicable
laws and regulations, or otherwise meet required quality and service standards,
could harm our reputation. If any of the foregoing takes
place, our business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
 
Fraudulent
activity on our platforms could negatively impact our operating results, brand and reputation and cause the use of our loan products
and services to decrease.
 
We
 are subject to the risk of fraudulent activity both on our platforms and associated with borrowers, institutional funding partners and
 other third parties handling
borrower information. Our resources, technologies and fraud detection tools may be insufficient to accurately
detect and prevent fraud. Significant increases in fraudulent activity
could negatively impact our brand and reputation, result in losses
suffered by the institutional funding partners, reduce the volume of loans facilitated through our platforms and lead
us to take additional
steps to reduce fraud risk, which could increase our costs and expenses. High profile fraudulent activity could even lead to regulatory
intervention, and may
divert our management’s attention and cause us to incur additional expenses and costs. If any of the foregoing
were to occur, our results of operations and financial condition could
be materially and adversely affected.
 
Our
current level of fee rates may decline in the future. Any material reduction in our fee rates could reduce our profitability.
 
We
 earn a substantial majority of our revenues from the service fees that we collect from institutional funding partners or third-party
 guarantee companies on loans
facilitated through our platforms, as well as the fees that we charge borrowers as guarantee fees. The fee
rates may vary among different business models and third-party guarantee
companies or institutional funding partners. Any material reduction
in our fee rates could have a significant adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial
condition.
 
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Fluctuations
in interest rates could negatively affect transaction volume facilitated through our platforms.
 
All
loans facilitated through our platforms are issued with fixed interest rates. We determine the interest rates of the loans on our platforms
primarily based on market
conditions and the general interest rate environment, rather than by referencing a specific benchmark rate.
Fluctuations in interest rates may affect the demand for loan services on
our platforms. For example, a decrease in interest rates may
cause potential borrowers to seek lower-priced loans from other channels. A high-interest-rate environment will likely
increase the funding
costs for our institutional funding partners, which may lead to a higher rate of return required by such institutional funding partners
and thereby dampen their
desire to fund borrowers on our platforms. If we fail to respond to fluctuations in interest rates promptly
and adjust our loan product offerings, potential and existing investors may
lose potential interest returns on our platforms and products,
delay or reduce future loan investments, and potential and existing borrowers may show less interest in our loan
products and platforms.
Consequently, fluctuations in the interest rate environment may discourage institutional funding partners and borrowers from participating
in our platforms,
adversely affecting our business.
 
We
may not be able to obtain additional capital on favorable terms or at all.
 
We
need to make continued investments in facilities, hardware, software and technology systems and to retain talents to remain competitive.
Due to the unpredictable
nature of the capital markets and our industry, we cannot assure you 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, which would adversely affect our business,
 financial
condition and results of operations. 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.
 
Misconduct,
errors and failure to function by our employees and third-party service providers could harm our business and reputation.
 
We
are exposed to many types of operational risks, including the risk of misconduct and errors by our employees and third-party service
providers. Our business depends
on our employees and third-party service providers to interact with potential borrowers and institutional
funding partners, process large numbers of transactions and support the loan
collection process, all of which involve the use and disclosure
of personal information. We could be materially adversely affected if transactions were redirected, misappropriated or
otherwise improperly
executed, if personal information was disclosed to unintended recipients or if an operational breakdown or failure in the processing
of transactions occurred,
whether as a result of human error, purposeful sabotage or fraudulent manipulation of our operations or systems.
In addition, the manner in which we store and use certain personal
information and interact with borrowers and institutional funding
 partners through our platforms is governed by various laws. It is not always possible to identify and deter
misconduct or errors by employees
or third-party service providers, and the precautions we take to detect and prevent this activity may not be effective in controlling
unknown or
unmanaged risks or losses. If any of our employees or third-party service providers take, convert or misuse funds, documents
or data or fail to follow protocol when interacting with
borrowers and institutional funding partners, we could be liable for damages
and subject to regulatory actions and penalties. We could also be perceived to have facilitated or
participated in the illegal misappropriation
of funds, documents or data, or the failure to follow protocol, and therefore be subject to civil or criminal liability. In addition
to our own
collecting team, we also use certain third-party service providers for loan collection services. Aggressive practices or misconduct
by any of our third-party service providers in the
course of collecting loans could damage our reputation.
 
Any
failure to comply with existing or future laws and regulations related to data protection, data security, cybersecurity or personal information
protection could lead to
liabilities, administrative penalties or other regulatory actions, which could negatively affect our operating
results and business.
 
The
regulatory framework for the collection, use, safeguarding, sharing, transfer and other processing of data and personal information worldwide
is rapidly evolving and is
likely to remain uncertain for the foreseeable future. As the regulations regarding data protection, data
security, cybersecurity and personal information protection are quickly
evolving in China and globally, we may become subject to new
laws and regulations applying to the solicitation, collection, processing or use of personal information that could
affect how we store,
process and share data of our borrowers.
 
33

 
 
In
particular, the PRC government has tightened the regulation of the storage, sharing, use, disclosure and protection of personal data
and user data in recent years. PRC
laws and regulations require internet service providers and other network operators to clearly state
the authorized purpose, methods and scope of the collection and usage of personal
data and obtain the consent of users for the processing
of this personal data, as well as to establish user information protection systems with remedial measures. For details of these
regulations,
please refer to “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations Relating
to Internet Companies—Regulations on
internet security.”
 
On
May 1, 2021, the Regulations on the Scope of Necessary Personal Information Collected by the Frequently Used Mobile Applications came
into effect. See “Item 4.
Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations
Relating to Internet Companies—Regulations on internet security.” In 2021, the
Ministry of Industry and Information Technology
and its local branch decided that our PPDai mobile application was collecting users’ personal information in a non-compliance
way.
We had taken remedial measures in a timely manner and reported our rectification measures to the governmental authorities. The authorities
did not take any further follow-up
inquiries or investigations into the identified issues after our adoption of remedial measures. However,
if the authorities identify any new non-compliance issues related to data
protection or cybersecurity in the future, they may order us
to make additional rectifications. If our remedial measures at that time are not satisfactory to them, we may be subject to
government
fines, penalties, suspension of our non-compliant operations, or removal of our app from application stores, which could materially and
adversely affect our business
and operating results.
 
On
August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress of China promulgated the Personal Information Protection
Law, effective on November 1,
2021, which further details the general rules and principles on personal information processing and further
increases the potential liability of personal information processor. See
“Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business
 Overview—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations on internet security.” Our mobile apps and websites only collect user
personal
information that we believe is necessary to provide the corresponding services. We update our privacy policies from time to time to meet
the latest regulatory requirements
of the Cyberspace Administration of China and other authorities and adopt technical measures to protect
data and ensure cybersecurity in a systematic way. Nonetheless, the
Personal Information Protection Law raises the protection requirements
for processing personal information, and many specific requirements of the Personal Information Protection
Law remain to be clarified
by the Cyberspace Administration of China, other regulatory authorities, and courts in practice. If the Cyberspace Administration of
China or other
governmental authorities deem us as collecting excessive personal information, including the sensitive personal information,
that beyond the necessity to provide the corresponding
services, we will have to make adjustments to our business practices to comply
with the personal information protection laws and regulations.
 
On
January 4, 2022, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and
Information Technology,
and several other administrations jointly published the amended Measures for Cybersecurity Review, which became
effective on February 15, 2022. The amended Measures for
Cybersecurity Review further restates and expands the applicable scope of the
cybersecurity review.
 
On
September 24, 2024, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on Network Data Security, which came into effect on January 1, 2025.
These regulations introduce
a new requirement for conducting risk assessments of important data. Failure to comply with these requirements
could result in service suspensions, fines, revocation of relevant
business permits or licenses, and other penalties.
 
Additionally,
on December 27, 2024, the National Administration of Financial Regulation issued the Measures for Data Security Management of Banking
and Insurance
Institutions, which took effect immediately upon release. These measures apply to financial organizations approved by local
branches of the National Administration of Financial
Regulation, including financial guarantee companies and microloan companies. See
“Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations in the PRC—
Regulations Relating to Internet
Companies—Regulations on internet security.” As of the date of this annual report, we have not been involved in any formal
investigations on
cybersecurity review made by the Cyberspace Administration of China on such basis. In anticipation of the strengthened
implementation of cybersecurity laws and regulations and
the continued expansion of our business, we face potential risks if we are deemed
as a critical information infrastructure operator, or if our data processing activities raise “national
security” concern
under the amended Measures for Cybersecurity Review. In such case, if we are not able to comply with the cybersecurity and network data
security requirements
in a timely manner, or at all, we may be subject to government enforcement actions and investigations, fines, penalties,
suspension of our non-compliant operations, or removal of
our app from the application stores, among other sanctions, which could materially
and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
 
34

 
 
The
regulatory authorities in China continue to monitor websites and apps in relation to the protection of personal information and data,
privacy and information security,
and may impose additional requirements from time to time. There are uncertainties as to the interpretation
and application of laws in one jurisdiction which may be interpreted and
applied in a manner inconsistent to another jurisdiction and
may conflict with our current policies and practices or require changes to the features of our system. As a result, we
cannot assure
that our existing user information protection system and technical measures will be considered sufficient under all applicable laws and
regulations. If we are unable to
address any information protection concerns, any compromise of security that results in unauthorized
disclosure or transfer of personal data, or to comply with the then applicable
laws and regulations, we may incur additional costs and
liability and result in governmental enforcement actions, litigation, fines and penalties or adverse publicity and could cause
our borrowers
and institutional partners to lose trust in us, which could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial
condition and prospects.
 
We
face indirect technology, cybersecurity and operational risks relating to third parties.
 
We
also face indirect technology, cybersecurity and operational risks relating to the third parties upon whom we rely to facilitate or enable
our business activities, such as
third-party online payment service providers who manage accounts for certain borrower and institutional
 funding partner funds. As a result of increasing consolidation and
interdependence of technology systems, a technology failure, cyber-attack
or other information or security breach that significantly compromises the systems of one entity could
have a material impact on its
counterparties. Although our agreements with third-party payment service providers provide that each party is responsible for the cybersecurity
of its
own systems, any cyber-attack, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions of such third-party payment
service providers could, among other things,
adversely affect our ability to serve our users, and could even result in misappropriation
of funds of our borrowers and institutional funding partners. If that were to occur, both we
and third-party payment service providers
could be held liable to borrowers and institutional funding partners who suffer losses from the misappropriation.
 
Our
business depends on third-party service providers to interact with potential borrowers and institutional funding partners, process large
numbers of transactions and
support the loan collection process, all of which involve the use and disclosure of personal information.
Compliance with applicable data protection laws and regulations is a
rigorous and time-intensive process. We have established a comprehensive
administrative mechanism and standardized employee training system for stringent information security
management, and we have received
ISO 27001 Information Security Management System Certification, ISO 9001 Quality Management System Certification, and ISO 27701
Privacy
Management System Certification. We have also been deploying innovative technologies to promote user data protection.
 
For
credit assessment purposes, we collaborate with third-party data providers to obtain borrowers’ credit and behavioral data, with
their general consent. Although we
require these providers to guarantee that data provided is lawfully collected and authorized, and
that their collaboration with us complies with all applicable laws and regulations, we
cannot assure you of strict compliance during
the entire data collection, usage, storage, and processing process. To ensure compliance with regulatory requirements regarding
“disconnecting
direct connection,” most of our data partners collaborate with a licensed credit reference agency to provide borrowers’ personal
credit information to us. The licensed
credit reference agency undertakes that the products and service it provides to us is in compliance
with applicable laws and regulations. If the licensed credit reference agency or any
of our third-party data providers fails to comply
with applicable data protection laws and regulations, our reputation could suffer and we could become subject to regulatory
intervention.
Furthermore, our collaboration with third-party data providers may subject us to significant civil or criminal penalties and negative
publicity or result in the delayed or
halted processing of personal data that we need to undertake to carry on our business, which could
have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of
operations. See “—Cyber-attacks, computer
 viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions of us or of a third party could result in disclosure or misuse of
confidential
information and misappropriation of funds of our borrowers and institutional funding partners, subject us to liabilities, cause reputational
harm and adversely impact our
results of operations and financial condition.”
 
35

 
 
If
our ability to collect delinquent loans is impaired, our business and results of operations might be materially and adversely affected.
 
We
primarily rely on our in-house collection team to handle the collection of delinquent loans. We also engage certain third-party collection
service providers to assist us
with loan collection. If our or third-party agencies’ primary collection methods, such as phone
calls, text messages, legal letters and legal proceedings, are not as effective as they
were and we fail to respond quickly and improve
our collection methods, our delinquent loan collection rate may decrease, and our investors may suffer loss. In addition, we bear
credit
risks for the majority of the loans funded by our institutional funding partners to borrowers we introduced. If our ability to collect
delinquent loans is not as effective or
efficient as expected, our liquidity, financial conditions and results of operations could be
materially and adversely affected.
 
Moreover,
according to the Notice on Regulating and Rectifying “Cash Loan” Business, promulgated by the Internet Finance Rectification
Office and the Online Lending
Rectification Office in December 2017, delinquent loans in China may not be collected by means of violence,
intimidation, insult, defamation, or harassment. Any violation of this
notice may result in penalties, including but not limited to suspension
of operation, orders to make rectification, condemnation, revocation of license, orders to cease business
operations, and even criminal
liabilities. If the collection methods we use in collecting delinquent loans are viewed by the borrowers or regulatory authorities as
harassments, threats
or other illegal conducts, we may be subject to lawsuits initiated by the borrowers or prohibited by the regulatory
authorities from using certain collection methods. If this were to
happen and we fail to adopt alternative collection methods in a timely
manner or the alternative collection methods are proven not effective, we might not be able to maintain our
delinquent loan collection
rate and the investors’ confidence in our platforms may be negatively affected.
 
In
recent years, governmental authorities have implemented a more stringent regulatory framework for loan collection activities. For example,
the Ministry of Public
Security promulgated the Guidance on Several Issues for Soft Violence Regarding Criminal Cases on April 9, 2019,
which provides, among other things, that harassment by means
of the internet or telecommunication to disturb people’s normal life,
work, production, business, and social order may be deemed as soft violence, subjecting individuals to criminal
liabilities. In 2019,
several public security authorities in different provinces of China took actions against some loan collection outsourcing companies,
and even criminal cases were
reported to have been charged against some of them. More recently, on February 28, 2025, the National Standardization
Administration issued a national standard, Internet Finance
(Online Consumer Lending) Guidance on Post-Loan, which, with limited exceptions,
 prohibits contacting the designated liaison persons of defaulting borrowers and imposes
restrictions on the timing and frequency of communications
with them. We have established strict implementation policies to ensure that our collection personnel and third-party
collection service
providers do not engage in aggressive practices. However, our in-house collection team is large, and we cannot assure that each member
will strictly comply with
our policies. Furthermore, we have no direct control over the management of third-party collection service
providers. If any practices by our in-house collection team members or
our third-party collection service providers are deemed by governmental
authorities as aggressive collection or soft violence, our reputation and business could be materially and
adversely affected. If any
of the foregoing takes place and impairs our ability to cooperate with our institutional funding partners, the transaction volumes on our platforms will
decrease,
and our business and results of operations could be materially and adversely affected.
 
Cyber-attacks,
computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions of us or of a third party could result in disclosure or misuse
of confidential information
and misappropriation of funds of our borrowers and institutional funding partners, subject us to liabilities,
 cause reputational harm and adversely impact our results of
operations and financial condition.
 
Our
computer system and data storage facilities, the networks we use, the networks of other third parties with whom we interact, are potentially
vulnerable to physical or
electronic computer break-ins, viruses and similar disruptive problems or security breaches. A party that is
 able to circumvent our security measures could misappropriate
proprietary information or customer information, jeopardize the confidential
nature of the information we transmit over the internet and mobile network or cause interruptions in our
operations. We or our service
providers may be required to invest significant resources to protect against the threat of security breaches or to alleviate problems
caused by any
breaches.
 
36

 
 
In
addition, our platforms collect, store, and process certain personal and other sensitive data from our borrowers. The data that we have
processed and stored makes us or
third-party service providers who host our servers a target and potentially vulnerable to cyber-attacks,
computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions.
While we have taken steps to protect the confidential information
that we have access to and put in place internal reporting procedures relating to cybersecurity incidents, our
security measures could
be breached. As of the date of this annual report, we have not experienced any material cyber security incidents. However, we cannot
assure you that our
security measures will not be breached in the future. Because techniques used to sabotage or obtain unauthorized
 access to systems change frequently and generally are not
recognized until they are launched against a target, we may be unable to anticipate
these techniques or to implement adequate preventative measures. Any accidental or willful
security breaches or other unauthorized access
to our platforms could cause confidential borrower and institutional funding partner information to be stolen and used for criminal
purposes.
 
We
 also face indirect technology, cybersecurity and operational risks relating to the third parties upon whom we rely to facilitate or enable
 our business activities,
including, among others, third-party online payment service providers who manage accounts for certain borrower
and institutional funding partner funds. As a result of increasing
consolidation and interdependence of technology systems, a technology
failure, cyber-attack or other information or security breach that significantly compromises the systems of
one entity could have a material
impact on its counterparties. Although our agreements with third-party payment service providers provide that each party is responsible
for the
cybersecurity of its own systems, any cyber-attack, computer viruses, physical or electronic break-ins or similar disruptions
of such third-party payment service providers could,
among other things, adversely affect our ability to serve our users, and could even
result in misappropriation of funds of our borrowers and institutional funding partners. If that
were to occur, both we and third-party
payment service providers could be held liable to borrowers and institutional funding partners who suffer losses from the misappropriation.
 
Security
breaches or unauthorized access to or sharing of confidential information could also expose us to liability related to the loss of the
information, time-consuming
and expensive litigation and negative publicity. In addition, leakages of confidential information may be
caused by third-party service providers or business partners. If security
measures are breached because of third-party action, employee
misconduct or error, failure in information security management, malfeasance or otherwise, or if design flaws in our
technology infrastructure
are exposed and exploited, our relationships with borrowers, institutional funding partners and business partners could be severely damaged,
we may
become susceptible to future claims if our borrowers, institutional funding partners or business partners suffer damages, and
could incur significant liability, and our business and
operations could be adversely affected.
 
We
are subject to governmental regulation and other legal obligations related to the protection of personal data, privacy and information
security in the regions where we do
business, and there has been and may continue to be a significant increase in such laws that restrict
or control the use of personal data. See “—Any failure to comply with existing or
future laws and regulations related to
data protection, data security, cybersecurity or personal information protection could lead to liabilities, administrative penalties
or other
regulatory actions, which could negatively affect our operating results and business.”
 
Any
failure by our institutional funding partners or third-party service providers to comply with applicable anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism
financing laws and
regulations could damage our reputation.
 
If
any of our institutional funding partners fails to comply with applicable anti-money laundering laws and regulations, it could become
subject to regulatory intervention or
sanction and its business may be adversely affected, which could further have a material adverse
effect on our reputation, business financial condition and results of operations.
 
In
addition, we currently rely on the third-party service providers, in particular payment companies, that manage the transfer of funds
between borrowers and institutional
funding partners, to appropriately design and adopt their own appropriate anti-money laundering policies
 and procedures. The payment companies are subject to anti-money
laundering obligations under applicable anti-money laundering laws and
regulations and are regulated by competent regulatory authorities. If any of our third-party service providers
fails to comply with applicable
anti-money laundering laws and regulations, our reputation could suffer and we could become subject to regulatory intervention, which
could have a
material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
37

 
 
For
example, in October 2018, the People’s Bank of China, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, and the CSRC, jointly
issued the Anti-money
Laundering and Anti-terrorism Financing Administrative Measures for Internet Finance Institution, which states
that internet finance institutions in China are obliged to accept the
anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing inspection conducted
by the People’s Bank of China and its branches. These measures also authorized the establishment of the
internet finance anti-money
laundering and anti-terrorism financing monitor platform, by the National Internet Finance Association under the instruction of the People’s
Bank of
China and other financial governmental authorities, to improve the online monitoring mechanism and information sharing between
the institutions. To comply with these measures,
we have formulated policies, including internal controls and “know-your-customer”
procedures. However, we cannot assure you that we will be able to maintain effective anti-
money laundering and anti-terrorism financing
policies and procedures to protect our platforms from being exploited for money laundering or terrorism financing purposes, or that
such
policies and procedures will be deemed compliant with applicable anti-money laundering and anti-terrorism financing laws and regulations.
 
If
we fail to maintain an effective system of internal controls over financial reporting, we may be unable to accurately report our results
of operations, meet our reporting
obligations or prevent fraud.
 
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. As we are no longer an emerging growth company, we are subject to the requirement that an independent registered
public accounting
firm must attest to and report on the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting.
 
Our
management, with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, has performed an evaluation of the
effectiveness of our disclosure controls
and procedures (as defined in Rule 13a-15(e) under the Exchange Act) and internal control
over financial reporting (as defined in Rule 13a-15(f) under the Exchange Act) as of the
end of the period covered by this annual
report, as required by Rule 13a-15(b) through (c) under the Exchange Act. Based upon that evaluation, our management has concluded
that
our internal control over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2024. Our independent registered public
accounting firm, PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP,
also attested and reported our internal control over financial reporting.
See the attestation report on page F-2 issued by our independent registered
public accounting firm for further
details. However, if we fail to maintain effective internal control over financial reporting in
the future, we could suffer material misstatements in our financial statements and fail to
meet our reporting obligations, which
would likely cause investors to lose confidence in our reported financial information. This could in turn limit our access to
capital markets,
harm our results of operations, and lead to a decline in the trading price of our ADSs. 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.
We may also
be required to restate our financial statements from prior periods.
 
Our
operations depend on the performance of the internet infrastructure and telecommunications networks in China.
 
Almost
all access to the internet in China is maintained through state-owned telecommunication operators under the administrative control and
regulatory supervision of
the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology. We primarily rely on a limited number of telecommunication
service providers to provide us with data communications
capacity through local telecommunications lines and internet data centers to
host our servers. We have limited access to alternative networks or services in the event of disruptions,
failures or other problems
with China’s internet infrastructure or the fixed telecommunications networks provided by telecommunication service providers.
With the expansion of
our business, we may be required to upgrade our technology and infrastructure to keep up with the increasing traffic
on our platforms. We cannot assure you that the internet
infrastructure and the fixed telecommunications networks in China will be able
to support the demands associated with the continued growth in internet usage.
 
In
addition, we have no control over the costs of the services provided by telecommunication service providers. If the prices we pay for
telecommunications and internet
services rise significantly, our results of operations may be adversely affected. Furthermore, if internet
access fees or other charges to internet users increase, our user traffic may
decline and our business may be harmed.
 
38

 
 
Any
significant disruption in service on our platforms, in our computer systems or third-party service providers’ systems, including
events beyond our control, could prevent us
from processing or posting loans on our platforms, reduce the attractiveness of our platforms
and result in a loss of borrowers or investors.
 
In
the event of a platform outage and physical data loss, our ability to perform our servicing obligations, process loan applications or
make funds available on our platforms
would be materially and adversely affected. The satisfactory performance, reliability and availability
of our platforms and our underlying network infrastructure are critical to our
operations, customer service, reputation and our ability
to retain existing and attract new borrowers and institutional funding partners. Much of our system hardware is hosted in a
leased facility
located in Shanghai that is operated by our IT staff. We also maintain a real-time backup system in the same facility and a remote backup
system at a separate facility
also located in Shanghai. Our operations depend on our ability to protect our systems against damage or
interruption from natural disasters, power or telecommunications failures,
air quality issues, environmental conditions, computer viruses
or attempts to harm our systems, criminal acts and similar events. If there is a lapse in service or damage to our leased
facilities
in Shanghai, we could experience interruptions and delays in our service and may incur additional expense in arranging new facilities.
 
Any
interruptions or delays in our service, whether as a result of third-party or our error, natural disasters or security breaches, whether
accidental or willful, could harm
our relationships with our borrowers and institutional funding partners and our reputation. Additionally,
in the event of damage or interruption, our insurance policies may not
adequately compensate us for any losses that we may incur. Our
disaster recovery plan has not been tested under actual disaster conditions, and we may not have sufficient capacity
to recover all data
and services in the event of an outage. These factors could prevent us from processing or posting payments on loans, damage our brand
and reputation, divert our
employees’ attention, subject us to liability and cause borrowers and institutional funding partners
to abandon our platforms, any of which could adversely affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
 
Our
platforms and internal systems rely on software that is highly technical, and if it contains undetected errors, our business could be
adversely affected.
 
Our
platforms and internal systems rely on software that is highly technical and complex. In addition, our platforms 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. Some errors may only be discovered after the code has
been released for external or internal use. Errors or other design defects within the software on which we rely may
result in a negative
 experience for borrowers and institutional funding partners using our platforms, delay introductions of new features or enhancements,
 result in errors or
compromise our ability to protect borrower or investor 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 borrowers or investors or liability for damages,
any of which could adversely affect our business, results of operations and financial condition.
 
We
may not be able to prevent others from unauthorized use of our intellectual property, which could harm our business and competitive position.
 
We
regard our trademarks, domain names, know-how, proprietary technologies and similar intellectual property as critical to our success,
and we rely on a combination of
intellectual property laws and contractual arrangements, including confidentiality, invention assignment
and non-compete agreements with our employees and others to protect our
proprietary rights. See also “Item 4. Information on the
Company—B. Business Overview—Intellectual Property.” Despite these measures, any of our intellectual property rights
could be challenged, invalidated, circumvented or misappropriated, or such intellectual property may not be sufficient to provide us
with competitive advantages. In addition,
because of the rapid pace of technological change in our industry, parts of our business rely
on technologies developed or licensed by third parties, and we may not be able to obtain
or continue to obtain licenses and technologies
from these third parties on reasonable terms, or at all.
 
39

 
 
It
may be difficult to maintain and enforce intellectual property rights in certain markets where we operate. Statutory laws and regulations
may be subject to judicial
interpretation and enforcement and may not be applied consistently due to the lack of clear guidance on statutory
interpretation. Confidentiality, invention assignment and non-
compete agreements may be breached by counterparties, and there may not
be adequate remedies available to us for any such breach. Accordingly, we may not be able to effectively
protect our intellectual property
rights or to enforce our contractual rights in certain markets where we operate. Preventing any unauthorized use of our intellectual
property is
difficult and costly and the steps we take may be inadequate to prevent the misappropriation of our intellectual property.
In the event that we resort to litigation to enforce our
intellectual property rights, such litigation could result in substantial costs
and a diversion of our managerial and financial resources. We can provide no assurance that we will
prevail in such litigation. In addition,
our trade secrets may be leaked or otherwise become available to, or be independently discovered by, our competitors. To the extent that
our
employees or consultants use intellectual property owned by others in their work for us, disputes may arise as to the rights in related
know-how and inventions. Any failure in
protecting or enforcing our intellectual property rights could have a material adverse effect
on our business, financial condition and results of operations.
 
We
may be subject to intellectual property infringement claims, which may be expensive to defend and may disrupt our business and operations.
 
We
cannot be certain that our operations or any aspects of our business do not or will not infringe upon or otherwise violate trademarks,
patents, copyrights, know-how or
other intellectual property rights held by third parties. We may be from time to time in the future
subject to legal proceedings and claims relating to the intellectual property rights of
others. In addition, there may be third-party
trademarks, patents, copyrights, know-how or other intellectual property rights that are infringed by our products, services or other
aspects of our business without our awareness. Holders of such intellectual property rights may seek to enforce such intellectual property
rights against us in the markets where we
operate. If any third-party infringement claims are brought against us, we may be forced to
divert management’s time and other resources from our business and operations to
defend against these claims, regardless of their
merits.
 
Additionally,
the application and interpretation of intellectual property right laws and the procedures and standards for granting trademarks, patents,
copyrights, know-how
or other intellectual property rights in certain markets where we operate are still evolving and are uncertain,
and we cannot assure you that the courts or regulatory authorities in
certain markets where we operate would agree with our analysis.
If we were found to have violated the intellectual property rights of others, we may be subject to liability for our
infringement activities
or may be prohibited from using such intellectual property, and we may incur licensing fees or be forced to develop alternatives of our
own. As a result, our
business and results of operations may be materially and adversely affected.
 
We
may be held liable for information or content displayed on, retrieved from or linked to our mobile applications, which may materially
and adversely affect our business and
operating results.
 
We
 offer consumer finance products in China mainly through our mobile applications, which are regulated by the Administrative Provisions
 on Mobile Internet
Applications Information Services. This regulation was promulgated by the Cyberspace Administration of China on June
28, 2016, and amended on June 14, 2022. It states that
providers of mobile applications may not create, copy, publish, or distribute
information and content prohibited by laws and regulations. We have implemented internal control
procedures to screen the information
and content on our mobile applications to ensure compliance with this regulation. However, we cannot assure that all information or content
displayed on, retrieved from, or linked to our mobile applications complies with the requirements at all times. If our mobile applications
were found to violate any requirement
under this regulation, we may be subject to administrative penalties, including warnings, service
suspension, or removal of our mobile applications from mobile application stores,
which could materially and adversely affect our business
and operating results.
 
40

 
 
We
may from time to time be subject to claims, controversies, lawsuits and legal proceedings, which could have a material adverse effect
on our financial condition, results of
operations, cash flows and reputation.
 
We
may from time to time become subject to or involved in various claims, controversies, lawsuits, and legal proceedings. See “Item
8. Financial Information—Legal
Proceedings” for more details. Claims, lawsuits, and litigations are subject to inherent uncertainties,
and we are uncertain whether the foregoing claim would develop into a lawsuit.
Lawsuits and litigations may cause us to incur defense
costs, utilize a significant portion of our resources and divert management’s attention from our day-to-day operations, any of
which could harm our business. Any settlements or judgments against us could have a material adverse impact on our financial condition,
results of operations and cash flows. In
addition, negative publicity regarding claims or judgments made against us may damage our reputation
and may result in material adverse impact on us.
 
From
time to time we may evaluate and potentially consummate strategic investments or acquisitions, which could require significant management
attention and adversely
affect our financial results.
 
We
may, from time to time, identify strategic partners to form strategic alliances, invest in or acquire additional assets, technologies
or businesses that are complementary
to our existing business. These transactions may involve minority investments in other companies,
acquisitions of controlling stakes in other companies or acquisitions of selected
assets. For example, in the second half of 2024 and
the first quarter of 2025, we acquired two microloan companies in China to diversify our range of services and product offerings.
 
Any
strategic alliances, investments or acquisitions and the subsequent integration of the new assets and businesses obtained or developed
from such transactions into our
own businesses will involve risks commonly encountered in business relationships, including:
 
 
●
regulatory
risks, including remaining in good standing with existing regulatory bodies or receiving any necessary pre-closing or post-closing
approvals, as well as
being subject to new regulators with oversight over an acquired business;
 
 
 
 
●
difficulties
in assimilating and integrating the operations, personnel, systems, data, technologies, rights, platforms, products and services
of the acquired business;
 
 
 
 
●
inability
of the acquired technologies, products or businesses to achieve expected levels of revenue, profitability, productivity or other
benefits;
 
 
 
 
●
difficulties
in retaining, training, motivating and integrating key personnel;
 
 
 
 
●
diversion
of management’s time and resources from our daily operations;
 
 
 
 
●
difficulties
in maintaining uniform standards, controls, procedures and policies within the combined organizations;
 
 
 
 
●
difficulties
in retaining relationships with customers, employees and business partners of the acquired business;
 
 
 
 
●
risks
of entering markets in which we have limited or no prior experience;
 
 
 
 
●
assumption
of contractual obligations that contain terms that are not beneficial to us, require us to license or waive intellectual property
rights or increase our risk for
liability;
 
 
 
 
●
failure
to successfully further develop the acquired technology;
 
 
 
 
●
liability
for activities of the acquired business before the acquisition, including intellectual property infringement claims, violations of
laws, commercial disputes, tax
liabilities and other known and unknown liabilities;
 
 
 
 
●
potential
disruptions to our ongoing businesses; and
 
 
 
 
●
unexpected
costs and unknown risks and liabilities associated with strategic investments or acquisitions.
 
We
may choose not to pursue investments or acquisitions, or any future investments or acquisitions we undertake may fail to achieve their
intended objectives. These
efforts might not align with our business strategy, generate sufficient revenue to offset associated costs,
or deliver the expected benefits. Furthermore, we cannot guarantee that
future investments in or acquisitions of new businesses or technologies
will successfully lead to the development of new or improved loan products and services. Even if such
products or services are developed,
there is no assurance they will gain market acceptance or prove profitable.
 
41

 
 
Our
business depends 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
business operations depend on the continued services of our senior management, particularly the executive officers named in this annual
report. While we have
provided different incentives to our management, we cannot assure you that we can continue to retain their services.
For example, our former chief executive officer, Mr. Feng
Zhang, resigned in March 2023 due to personal reasons, and our board of directors
appointed Mr. Tiezheng Li, the then vice chairman of our board and president, to assume the
position of chief executive officer. If any
additional key executives were unable or unwilling to continue in their present positions, we may not be able to replace them easily
or at
all, our future growth may be constrained, our business may be severely disrupted and our financial condition and results of operations
may be materially and adversely affected,
and we may incur additional expenses to recruit, train and retain qualified personnel. In addition,
although we have entered into confidentiality and non-competition agreements
with our management, there is no assurance that any member
of our management team will not join our competitors or form a competing business. If any dispute arises between our
current or former
officers and us, we may have to incur substantial costs and expenses in order to enforce such agreements or we may be unable to enforce
them at all.
 
Competition
for employees is intense, and we may not be able to attract and retain the qualified and skilled employees needed to support our business.
 
We
believe our success depends on the efforts and talent of our employees, including risk management, software engineering, financial and
marketing personnel. Our future
success depends on our continued ability to attract, develop, motivate and retain qualified and skilled
employees. Competition for highly skilled technical, risk management and
financial personnel is extremely intense. We may not be able
 to hire and retain these personnel at compensation levels consistent with our existing compensation and salary
structure. Some of the
companies with which we compete for experienced employees have greater resources than we have and may be able to offer more attractive
terms of
employment.
 
In
addition, we invest significant time and expenses in training our employees, which increases their value to competitors who may seek
to recruit them. If we fail to retain
our employees, we could incur significant expenses in hiring and training new employees, and the
quality of our services and our ability to serve borrowers and institutional funding
partners could diminish, resulting in a material
adverse effect to our business.
 
Increases
in labor costs may adversely affect our business and results of operations.
 
As
of December 31, 2024, we had 3,623 employees, and most of them were based in China. We may need to increase our employee compensation
and benefits levels and
offer more favorable working conditions to remain competitive in attracting and retaining talented employees.
In addition, we are required to pay various statutory employee
benefits, including pension, housing fund, medical insurance, work-related
injury insurance, unemployment insurance and maternity insurance to designated government agencies
for the benefit of our employees in
China. We expect that our labor costs, including wages and employee benefits, may continue to increase. Unless we are able to control
our labor
costs or pass on these increased labor costs to our borrowers or institutional funding investors by increasing the fees of
our services, our financial condition and results of operations
may be adversely affected.
 
We
are subject to changing law 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 SEC, 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 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 and comply with these regulations
and any subsequent changes, we may be subject to penalty and our business may be harmed.
 
42

 
 
If
we cannot maintain our corporate culture as we grow, we could lose the innovation, collaboration and focus that contribute to our business.
 
We
believe that a critical component of our success is our corporate culture, which we believe fosters innovation, encourages teamwork and
cultivates creativity. As we
continue to grow, we may find it difficult to maintain these valuable aspects of our corporate culture.
Any failure to preserve our culture could negatively impact our future success,
including our ability to attract and retain employees,
encourage innovation and teamwork and effectively focus on and pursue our corporate objectives.
 
We
do not have any business insurance coverage.
 
Insurance
companies in China currently do not offer as extensive an array of insurance products as insurance companies in more developed economies.
Currently, we do
not have any business liability or disruption insurance to cover our operations. We have determined that the costs of
insuring for these risks and the difficulties associated with
acquiring such insurance on commercially reasonable terms make it impractical
for us to have such insurance. Any uninsured business disruptions may result in our incurring
substantial costs and the diversion of
resources, which could have an adverse effect on our results of operations and financial condition.
 
We
face risks related to widespread health epidemics or other outbreaks or natural disasters, which could significantly disrupt our operations.
 
Our
business could be materially and adversely affected by the outbreak of a widespread health epidemic, such as COVID-19, swine flu,
avian influenza, severe acute
respiratory syndrome, Ebola and Zika. Such an outbreak could require our employees to be quarantined
or our offices to be disinfected or temporarily closed. Our operations could
also be disrupted if any of our employees are suspected
of having contracted any of the foregoing diseases, as this could trigger quarantine measures and office disinfection
requirements.
In addition, our results of operations could be adversely affected to the extent that any such epidemic harms the Chinese economy or
the global economy more
broadly. Outbreaks in China or globally may negatively impact overall economic conditions and businesses,
leading to reduced consumer spending, particularly on discretionary
items. Any epidemic may cause reduced domestic consumption,
higher unemployment, significant disruptions in exports, and increased economic uncertainty in the countries and
regions where we
operate, all of which could materially impact our business. Furthermore, individuals may be less inclined to borrow, and borrowers
may have a reduced ability or
willingness to repay their loans due to the economic challenges caused by an epidemic, which could in
turn affect our credit quality.
 
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 platforms. In addition, our revenue and profitability
could be
materially reduced to the extent that a natural disaster, health epidemic or other outbreak or any change in policy in response to such
event harms the global or local
economy in general.
 
In
addition, our headquarters are located in Shanghai, where most of our directors and management and a large majority of our employees
currently reside. Most of our
system hardware and back-up systems are hosted in leased facilities located in Shanghai. Consequently,
we are highly susceptible to factors adversely affecting Shanghai. If any of
the abovementioned natural disasters, health epidemics or
other outbreaks were to occur in Shanghai, our operation may experience material disruptions, such as temporary closure
of our offices
and suspension of services, disruption of communications between our headquarters and overseas operations, which may materially and adversely
affect our business,
financial condition and results of operations.
 
43

 
 
Risks
Related to Our Corporate Structure
 
If
the PRC government deems that the contractual arrangements regarding the consolidated variable interest entities 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 of internet-based businesses, such as distribution of online information, is subject to restrictions under current PRC laws
and regulations. For example,
except otherwise regulated, foreign investors are not allowed to own more than 50% of the equity interests
in a value-added telecommunications service provider (except for e-
commerce, domestic multi-party communications, storage and forwarding
classes, and call centers).
 
We
are a Cayman Islands company and our PRC subsidiaries are considered foreign invested enterprises. There has been no official guidance
or interpretation from the
PRC government clarifying which category of value-added telecommunication services our business falls into.
However, we believe the online consumer finance services we
provide in China may constitute a type of value-added telecommunication service
that is subject to restrictions on foreign ownership and investment. Therefore, to comply with PRC
laws, regulations and regulatory requirements,
we set up a series of contractual arrangements entered into among some of our PRC subsidiaries, the consolidated variable interest
entities,
and their shareholders to conduct some of our operations in China. For more detailed about these contractual arrangements, see “Item
4. Information on the Company—C.
Organizational Structure—Contractual Arrangements.” As a result of these contractual
arrangements, we are able to direct the activities of the operation of the consolidated variable
interest entities and their subsidiaries
and consolidate their operating results in our financial statements under U.S. GAAP.
 
In
the opinion of our PRC counsel, Hui Ye Law Firm, our current structures of the consolidated variable interest entities and our WFOEs
are not in violation of existing
PRC laws, regulations and rules, and these contractual arrangements are valid, binding and enforceable
in accordance with their terms and applicable PRC laws and regulations
currently in effect.
 
We
are a Cayman Islands holding company with no equity ownership in the consolidated variable interest entities, and our operations in China
are primarily through the
consolidated variable interest entities with which we have maintained contractual arrangements. Holders of
our ADSs hold equity interest in FinVolution Group, our Cayman Islands
holding company, and do not have direct or indirect equity interest
in the consolidated variable interest entities and their subsidiaries. If the PRC government deems that our
contractual arrangements
with the consolidated variable interest entities 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 or are interpreted differently in the future,
we could be subject to severe penalties or be forced to relinquish our
interests in those operations. We may not be able to repay the
notes and other indebtedness, and our ADSs may decline in value or become worthless, if we are unable to assert our
contractual control
rights over the assets of the consolidated variable interest entities, which contribute to 75.0% of our revenues in 2024. Our holding
company in the Cayman
Islands, the consolidated variable interest entities, and investors of our company face uncertainty about potential
 future actions by the PRC government that could affect the
enforceability of the contractual arrangements with the consolidated variable
interest entities and, consequently, significantly affect the financial performance of the consolidated
variable interest entities and
our company as a group.
 
However,
our PRC counsel, Hui Ye Law Firm, has also advised us that there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application
of current or future
PRC laws and regulations and there can be no assurance that the PRC government will ultimately take a view that
is consistent with the opinion of our PRC counsel.
 
44

 
 
Although
we believe we, our PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated variable interest entities comply with current PRC laws and regulations, we
cannot assure you that the
PRC government would agree that our 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. The PRC government
may have broad discretion in determining rectifiable or punitive measures for non-compliance with
or violations of PRC laws and regulations.
If the PRC government determines that we or the consolidated variable interest entities do not comply with applicable law, it could
revoke
 the consolidated variable interest entities’ business and operating licenses, require the consolidated variable interest entities
 to discontinue or restrict the consolidated
variable interest entities’ operations, restrict the consolidated variable interest
entities’ right to collect revenues, block the consolidated variable interest entities’ websites, require
the consolidated
variable interest entities to restructure our operations, impose additional conditions or requirements with which the consolidated variable
interest entities may not be
able to comply, impose restrictions on the consolidated variable interest entities’ business operations
or on their customers, or take other regulatory or enforcement actions against
the consolidated variable interest entities that could
be harmful to their business. Any of these or similar occurrences could significantly disrupt our or the consolidated variable
interest
entities’ business operations or restrict the consolidated variable interest entities from conducting a substantial portion of
their business operations, which could materially
and adversely affect the consolidated variable interest entities’ business, financial
condition and results of operations. If any of these occurrences results in our inability to direct the
activities of operation of any
of the consolidated variable interest entities that most significantly impact its economic performance, or our failure to receive the
economic benefits
from any of the consolidated variable interest entities, we may not be able to consolidate these entities in our consolidated
financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
 
We
face uncertainties with respect to the implementation of the Foreign Investment Law of the PRC and how it may impact the viability of
our current corporate structure,
corporate governance and business operations.
 
On
March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress enacted the Foreign Investment Law of the PRC, which replaced the previous laws
regulating foreign investment in
China. The Foreign Investment Law of the PRC embodies an expected trend in PRC regulatory policy to
rationalize its foreign investment regulatory regime in line with prevailing
international practices and legislative efforts to unify
 corporate legal requirements for both foreign and domestic investments. However, uncertainties still exist
 regarding its
interpretation and implementation. In particular, under the Foreign Investment Law of the PRC, “foreign investment”
refers to 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 arrangement would not be interpreted as a type of indirect foreign investment activity under the definition in the future.
Additionally, the
definition contains a catch-all provision which includes investments made by foreign investors through means stipulated
in laws or administrative regulations or other methods
prescribed by the State Council. On December 26, 2019, the State Council promulgated
the Implementation Regulations on the Foreign Investment Law of the PRC, but this
regulation still does not explicitly define whether
contractual arrangements would be deemed as a form of foreign investment. 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.
 
We
cannot rule out the possibility that control through contractual arrangement may be regarded as a form of control made by foreign investors,
and therefore require
approval from the competent governmental authorities. 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.
Furthermore, if future laws, administrative regulations or provisions promulgated by the
State Council mandate further actions to be
taken by companies with respect to existing contractual arrangements, we may face substantial uncertainties as to whether we can
complete
such actions in a timely manner, or at all. Failure to take timely and appropriate measures to cope with any of these or similar regulatory
compliance challenges could
materially and adversely affect our current corporate structure, corporate governance and business operations.
 
45

 
 
We
rely on contractual arrangements with the consolidated variable interest entities for a significant portion of our business operations,
and such contractual arrangements
may not be as effective as equity ownership in providing operational control.
 
We
have relied and expect to continue to rely on contractual arrangements with the consolidated variable interest entities to operate our
online consumer finance platform
business in China. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see “Item 4. Information
on the Company—C. Organizational Structure.” Revenues contributed by the
consolidated variable interest entities and their
respective subsidiaries accounted for 83.9%, 78.6% and 75.0% of our total revenues for 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. These
contractual
arrangements may not be as effective as equity ownership in providing us with control over the consolidated variable interest entities.
For example, the consolidated
variable interest entities and its shareholders could breach their contractual arrangements with us by,
among other things, failing to conduct their operations in an acceptable manner
or taking other actions that are detrimental to our interests.
 
If
we had direct ownership of the consolidated variable interest entities, we would be able to exercise our rights as a shareholder to effect
changes in the board of directors
of the consolidated variable interest entities, which in turn could implement changes, subject to any
applicable fiduciary obligations, at the management and operational level.
However, under the current contractual arrangements, we rely
on the performance of obligations under the contractual arrangements by the consolidated variable interest entities,
shareholders of
the consolidated variable interest entities, and other parties to the contractual arrangements to direct the activities of operation
of the consolidated variable interest
entities. The shareholders of the consolidated variable interest entities may not act in the best
interests of our company or may not perform their obligations under these contracts.
Such risks exist throughout the period in which
we intend to operate our business through the contractual arrangements with the consolidated variable interest entities. Although we
have the right to replace any shareholder of the consolidated variable interest entities under the contractual arrangements, if any of
these shareholders are uncooperative or any
dispute relating to these contracts remains unresolved, we will have to enforce our rights
under these contracts through the operations of PRC laws and arbitration, litigation and
other legal proceedings, the outcome of which
will be subject to uncertainties. See “—Any failure by the consolidated variable interest entities, shareholders of the consolidated
variable interest entities or other parties to perform their obligations under our contractual arrangements with them would have a material
adverse effect on our business.” Therefore,
our contractual arrangements with the consolidated variable interest entities and shareholders
of the consolidated variable interest entities may not be as effective in ensuring our
control over our business operations as equity
ownership would be.
 
Any
failure by the consolidated variable interest entities, shareholders of the consolidated variable interest entities or other parties
to perform their obligations under our
contractual arrangements with them would have a material adverse effect on our business.
 
If
the consolidated variable interest entities or their shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations under the contractual
arrangements, we may incur substantial
costs and expend additional resources to enforce such arrangements. We may also have to rely on
legal remedies under PRC laws, including seeking specific performance or
injunctive relief, and claiming damages, which we cannot assure
you will be effective under PRC laws. For example, if the shareholders of the consolidated variable interest entities
were to refuse
to transfer their equity interests in the consolidated variable interest entities to us or our designee when we exercise the purchase
option pursuant to these contractual
arrangements, or if they were otherwise to act in bad faith toward us, then we may have to take
legal actions to compel them to perform their contractual obligations.
 
All
the agreements under our contractual arrangements are governed by PRC laws and provide for the resolution of disputes through arbitration
in China. Accordingly,
these contracts would be interpreted in accordance with PRC laws and any disputes would be resolved in accordance
with PRC legal procedures. The legal system in the PRC is
evolving rapidly. The interpretations of many laws, regulations, and rules
may exhibit inconsistencies, and the enforcement of these laws, regulations, and rules may also involve
uncertainties. As a result, uncertainties
in the PRC legal system could limit our ability to enforce these contractual arrangements. Meanwhile, there are very few precedents and
little
formal guidance as to how contractual arrangements in the context of a consolidated variable interest entity should be interpreted
or enforced under PRC laws. There remain
significant uncertainties regarding the ultimate outcome of such arbitration should legal action
become necessary. In addition, under PRC laws, rulings by arbitrators are final and
parties cannot appeal arbitration results in court
 unless such rulings are revoked or determined unenforceable by a competent court. 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 that we are unable to enforce these contractual
arrangements, or if we suffer significant delay or other obstacles in
the process of enforcing these contractual arrangements, we may
not be able to direct the activities of operation of the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective
subsidiaries, and
 our ability to conduct our business may be negatively affected. See “—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Uncertainties
 in the interpretation and
enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to us.”
 
46

 
 
The
shareholders of the consolidated variable interest entities may have potential conflicts of interest with us, which may materially and
adversely affect our business and
financial condition.
 
The
equity interests of the consolidated variable interest entities are held by Mr. Jun Zhang, Mr. Tiezheng Li, Mr. Honghui Hu and Mr. Shaofeng
Gu, our co-founders and
shareholders, as well as a few of their family relatives. Their interests in the consolidated variable interest
entities may differ from the interests of our company as a whole. These
shareholders may breach, or cause the consolidated variable interest
entities to breach, the existing contractual arrangements we have with them and the consolidated variable
interest entities, which would
have a material adverse effect on our ability to direct the activities of operation of the consolidated variable interest entities and
their subsidiaries and
receive economic benefits from them. For example, the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin, one of the consolidated
variable interest entities, may be able to cause our agreements
with Beijing Paipairongxin and Shanghai PPDai, a major subsidiary of
Beijing Paipairongxin, 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, except that we
could exercise our
purchase option under the call option agreement with these shareholders to request them to transfer all of their equity
interests in the consolidated variable interest entities to a PRC
entity or individual designated by us, to the extent permitted by PRC
 laws. If we cannot resolve any conflict of interest or dispute between us and the shareholders of the
consolidated variable interest
entities, we would have to rely on legal proceedings, which could result in the disruption of our business and subject us to substantial
uncertainty as to
the outcome of any such legal proceedings.
 
Contractual
 arrangements with the consolidated variable interest entities may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities and they may determine
 that we or the
consolidated variable interest entities owe additional taxes, which could negatively affect our financial condition and
the price of our ADSs.
 
Under
applicable PRC laws and regulations, arrangements and transactions among related parties may be subject to audit or challenge by the
PRC tax authorities. We may
face material and adverse tax consequences if the PRC tax authorities determine that the contractual arrangements
among the consolidated variable interest entities, shareholders of
the consolidated variable interest entities and us as well as other
parties were not entered into on an arm’s length basis in such a way as to result in an impermissible reduction in
taxes under
applicable PRC laws, regulations and rules, and adjust the consolidated variable interest entities’ income in the form of a transfer
pricing adjustment. A transfer pricing
adjustment could, among other things, result in a reduction of expense deductions recorded by
the consolidated variable interest entities for PRC tax purposes, which could in turn
increase their tax liabilities without reducing
our tax expenses. In addition, if we request the shareholders of the consolidated variable interest entities to transfer their equity
interests
in the consolidated variable interest entities at nominal or no value pursuant to these contractual arrangements, such transfer
could be viewed as a gift and subject us to PRC income
tax. Furthermore, the PRC tax authorities may impose late payment fees and other
penalties on the consolidated variable interest entities for the adjusted but unpaid taxes according
to the applicable regulations. Our
financial position could be materially and adversely affected if the consolidated variable interest entities’ tax liabilities increase
or if they are
required to pay late payment fees and other penalties.
 
We
may lose the ability to use and enjoy assets held by the consolidated variable interest entities that are material to the operation of
our business if any consolidated variable
interest entity goes bankrupt or becomes subject to a dissolution or liquidation proceeding.
 
The
consolidated variable interest entities and their subsidiaries hold certain assets that are material to the operation of our business,
including, among others, intellectual
properties, hardware and software. Under the contractual arrangements, the consolidated variable
interest entities may not, and the shareholders of the consolidated variable interest
entities may not cause them to, in any manner,
sell, transfer, mortgage or dispose of their assets or their legal or beneficial interests in the business without our prior consent.
However, in the event that the shareholders of the consolidated variable interest entities breach the these contractual arrangements
and voluntarily liquidate the consolidated variable
interest entities, or the consolidated variable interest entities declare bankruptcy
and all or part of their assets become subject to liens or rights of third-party creditors, or are
otherwise disposed of without our
consent, we may be unable to continue some or all of our business activities, which could materially and adversely affect our business,
financial
condition and results of operations. If the consolidated variable interest entities undergo a voluntary or involuntary liquidation
proceeding, independent third-party creditors may
claim rights to some or all of these assets, thereby hindering our ability to operate
our business, which could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and
results of operations.
 
47

 
 
Risks
Related to Doing Business in China
 
Changes
in China’s economic, political or social conditions or government policies could have a material adverse effect on our business
and results of operations.
 
The
majority of our operations are located in China. Accordingly, our business, prospects, financial condition and results of operations
may be influenced to a significant
degree by political, economic and social conditions in China generally and by continued economic growth
in China as a whole.
 
The
Chinese economy differs from the economies of most developed countries in many respects, including the degree of government involvement,
level of development,
growth rate, control of foreign exchange and allocation of resources. Although the Chinese government has implemented
measures emphasizing the utilization of market forces for
economic reform, the reduction of state ownership of productive assets and
the establishment of improved corporate governance in business enterprises, a substantial portion of
productive assets in China are still
 owned or controlled by the government. In addition, the Chinese government continues to play a significant role in regulating industry
development by imposing industrial policies. The Chinese government also exercises significant control over China’s economic growth
through allocating resources, controlling
payment of foreign currency-denominated obligations, setting monetary policy, and providing
preferential treatment to particular industries or companies.
 
While
the Chinese economy has experienced significant growth over the past decades, the growth rate has gradually slowed since 2010, and growth
has been uneven, both
geographically and among various sectors of the economy. The Chinese government has implemented various measures
to encourage economic growth and guide the allocation of
resources. Some of these measures may benefit the overall Chinese economy, but
may have a negative effect on us. For example, our financial condition and results of operations
may be adversely affected by government
control over capital investments or changes in tax regulations. Any prolonged slowdown in the Chinese economy may reduce the demand
for
our products and services and materially and adversely affect our business and results of operations.
 
A
severe or prolonged downturn in the Chinese or global economy, any adverse policy change targeting China, protracted geopolitical tensions
between China and other
countries, or any financial or economic crisis—or even the perceived threat of such a crisis—could
materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.
 
The ongoing developments
regarding tariffs between China and other countries and regions may potentially affect our business development and performance in
the
countries and regions where we operate. In particular, there is significant uncertainty about the future relationship between
the United States and China with respect to a wide range
of issues, including trade policies, treaties, government regulations, and
tariffs. Furthermore, COVID-19 had a severe and negative impact on the Chinese and the global economy
from 2020 through 2022, and
the global macroeconomic environment still faces numerous challenges. The growth rate of the Chinese economy has been slowing since
2010 and the
Chinese population began to decline in 2022. The Russia-Ukraine conflict, the Hamas-Israel conflict and the attacks on
shipping in the Red Sea have heightened geopolitical
tensions across the world. The impact of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on Ukraine
food exports has contributed to increases in food prices and thus to inflation more generally.
Economic conditions in China are
sensitive to global economic trends, as well as to 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 reduce demand for
 consumer loans and investments, and could
materially and adversely affect our business, results of operations, and financial
condition.
 
On
October 28, 2024, the U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a final rule on outbound investment, or the Outbound Investment Rule, to
implement the executive order
of August 9, 2023 which became effective on January 2, 2025. The Outbound Investment Rule imposes investment
prohibition and notification requirements on U.S. persons for a
wide range of investments in entities associated with China (including
Hong Kong and Macau), collectively defined as “Covered Foreign Persons,” that are engaged in activities
relating to three
 sectors: (i) semiconductors and microelectronics, (ii) quantum information technologies, and (iii) artificial intelligence systems. U.S.
 persons subject to the
Outbound Investment Rule are prohibited from making, or required to report, certain investments in Covered Foreign
Persons, which are defined as “covered transactions.” If we
were to be deemed a Covered Foreign Person, our ability to raise capital would be significantly and negatively affected. In such
case, the trading prices of our ADSs and/or our
Class A ordinary shares may be materially and adversely affected and the value of our
securities may decline significantly.
 
48

 
 
Furthermore,
on April 2, 2025, the Trump Administration announced a 10% universal tariff, along with higher tariffs on countries with significant
trade deficits with the
United States, including a significant tariff hike on Chinese goods. In response, China imposed retaliatory
tariffs on U.S. goods, prompting the United States to implement additional
tariffs on Chinese imports. Other affected countries and
regions are also considering imposing or increasing tariffs on U.S. goods. As of the date of this annual report, there remains
significant uncertainty regarding U.S. tariff policy, its implementation, and potential responses from other countries. It is also
unclear whether the escalating tariffs and trade
tensions will further disrupt international trade or lead to a global economic
downturn. These developments could result in significant adverse changes in the global economy, which
may materially and negatively
impact our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
 
Uncertainties
in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the legal protections available to us.
 
The
PRC legal system is based on written statutes and prior court decisions have limited value as precedents. Since the PRC legal system
continues to rapidly evolve, the
interpretations of many laws, regulations and rules are not always uniform and enforcement of these
laws, regulations and rules involves uncertainties.
 
In
particular, PRC laws and regulations concerning the online consumer finance industry are still developing and evolving. Although we have
taken measures to comply
with the laws and regulations that are applicable to our business operations, including the regulatory principles
raised by the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission,
and avoid conducting any non-compliant activities under the applicable
laws and regulations, such as providing guarantee to institutional funding partners or sharing borrowers’
personal information
with institutional funding partners directly, the PRC government authority may promulgate new laws and regulations regulating the online
consumer finance
industry in the future. We cannot assure you that our business operations would not be deemed to violate any new PRC
laws or regulations relating to online consumer finance.
Moreover, developments in the online consumer finance industry may lead to changes
in PRC laws, regulations and policies or in the interpretation and application of existing laws,
regulations and policies, which in turn
may limit or restrict online consumer finance platforms like us and could materially and adversely affect our business and operations.
 
From
time to time, we may have to resort to administrative and court proceedings to enforce our legal rights. However, since PRC administrative
and court authorities have
significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory and contractual terms, it may be more difficult
to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and
the level of legal protection we enjoy than in more developed legal
systems. Furthermore, the PRC legal system is based in part on government policies and internal rules (some of
which are not published
in a timely manner or at all) that may have retroactive effect. As a result, we may not be aware of our violation of these policies and
rules until sometime
after the violation. Such uncertainties, including uncertainty over the scope and effect of our contractual, property
(including intellectual property) and procedural rights, could
materially and adversely affect our business and impede our ability to
continue our operations.
 
The
PRC government has significant oversight over the conduct of our business and it has exerted 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 and cause the value
of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless.
 
We
may be adversely affected by the complexity, uncertainties and changes in PRC regulation of internet-related businesses and companies,
and any lack of requisite approvals,
licenses or permits applicable to our business may have a material adverse effect on our business
and results of operations.
 
The
PRC government extensively regulates the internet industry, including foreign ownership of, and the licensing and permit requirements
pertaining to, companies in the
internet industry. These internet-related laws and regulations are evolving, and their
 interpretation and enforcement involve significant uncertainties. As a result, in certain
circumstances it may be difficult to determine
what actions or omissions may be deemed to be in violation of applicable laws and regulations.
 
We
only have contractual control over the consolidated variable interest entities. Such corporate structure may subject us to sanctions,
compromise the enforceability of
related contractual arrangements, which may result in significant disruption to our business or have
other harmful effects on us.
 
The
evolving PRC regulatory system for the internet industry may lead to the establishment of new regulatory agencies. For example, in May
2011, the State Council
announced the establishment of the Cyberspace Administration of China (with the involvement of the State Council
Information Office, the Ministry of Industry and Information
Technology, and the Ministry of Public Security). The primary role of this
agency is to facilitate the policy-making and legislative development in this field, to direct and coordinate
with different departments
in connection with online content administration and to deal with cross-ministry regulatory matters for the internet industry.
 
49

 
 
Our
ppdai.com website and PPDai mobile application, operated by Shanghai PPDai, a subsidiary of Beijing Paipairongxin, one of the consolidated
variable interest entities,
may be considered to provide internet content provision services, as well as online data processing or transaction
processing services. As a result, Shanghai PPDai may need to
obtain certain value-added telecommunications business licenses. For more
detailed information, see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—
Any failure
to comply with existing or future laws and regulations related to data protection, data security, cybersecurity or personal information
protection could lead to liabilities,
administrative penalties or other regulatory actions, which could negatively affect our operating
results and business.”
 
The
interpretation and application of existing PRC laws, regulations and policies and possible new laws, regulations or policies relating
to the internet industry have created
substantial uncertainties regarding the legality of existing and future foreign investments in,
and the businesses and activities of, internet businesses in China, including our business.
We cannot assure you that we have obtained
all the permits or licenses required for conducting our business in China or will be able to maintain our existing licenses or obtain
new
ones. If the PRC government considers that we were operating without the proper approvals, licenses or permits or promulgates new
laws and regulations that require additional
approvals or licenses or imposes additional restrictions on the operation of any part of
our business, it has the power, among other things, to levy fines, confiscate our income,
revoke our business licenses, and require us
to discontinue the related business or impose restrictions on the affected portion of our business. Any of these actions by the PRC
government
may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.
 
The
PRC government’s significant oversight and discretion over our business operation could result in a material adverse change in
our operations and the value of our ADSs.
 
The
majority of our operations are located in China, which are governed by PRC laws and regulations. The PRC government has significant oversight
and discretion over
the conduct of our business, and may influence our operations as the government deems appropriate to advance regulatory
and societal goals and policy positions. Historically, the
PRC government had published new regulations and policies that significantly
affected our industry. For example, we modified our business model and practices in the past as a
result of changes in laws, regulations.
See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—We have modified our business model
and practices in the
past as a result of changes in laws, regulations, policies, measures and guidance. We may further change our business
model or practices in the future, which may not be successful
ultimately.” Additionally, we have adjusted our practices for transmission
of borrowers’ personal information following the promulgation of regulations related to “disconnecting
direct connection.”
See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—The laws and regulations governing
online consumer finance industry in
China are developing and evolving and subject to changes. If our business practices are deemed to
violate any existing and future applicable laws, regulations or requirements of
local regulatory authorities, our business, financial
condition and results of operations would be materially and adversely affected.”
 
We
cannot rule out the possibility that the PRC government will release additional regulations or policies in the future that directly or
indirectly affect our industry or
require us to seek additional permission to continue our operations, which could result in a material
adverse change in our operation and/or the value of our ADSs. In addition,
implementation of industry-wide regulations directly targeting
our operations could cause the value of our securities to significantly decline. Therefore, investors of our company
and our business
face potential uncertainty from actions taken by the PRC government affecting 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 conduct our business.
 
We
are a holding company, and we may rely on dividends and other distributions on equity paid by our PRC subsidiaries for our cash and financing
requirements, including
the funds necessary to pay dividends and other cash distributions to our shareholders and service any debt we
may incur. If our PRC subsidiaries incur debt on their own behalf in
the future, the instruments governing the debt may restrict their
ability to pay dividends or make other distributions to us. In addition, the PRC tax authorities may require our PRC
subsidiaries to
adjust its taxable income under the contractual arrangements it currently has in place with the consolidated variable interest entities
in a manner that would materially
and adversely affect their ability to pay dividends and other distributions to us. See “Item
3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Corporate Structure—
Contractual arrangements with the consolidated
variable interest entities may be subject to scrutiny by the PRC tax authorities and they may determine that we or the consolidated
variable
interest entities owe additional taxes, which could negatively affect our financial condition and the price of our ADSs.”
 
50

 
 
Under
PRC laws and regulations, our PRC subsidiaries, which are foreign-owned enterprises, may pay dividends only out of its accumulated profits
as determined in
accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, a foreign-owned enterprise is required to set
aside at least 10% of its accumulated after-tax profits each
year, if any, to fund a certain statutory reserve fund, until the aggregate
amount of such fund reaches 50% of its registered capital. Such reserve funds cannot be distributed to us as
dividends. Some of our subsidiaries
are required to allocate general risk reserves prior to the distribution of dividends.
 
Our
PRC subsidiaries generate substantially all of their revenue in Renminbi, which is not freely convertible into other currencies. As a
result, any restriction on currency
exchange may limit the ability of our PRC subsidiary to use its Renminbi revenues to pay dividends
to us.
 
The
PRC government may continue to strengthen its capital controls, and more restrictions and substantial vetting process may be put forward
by the State Administration
of Foreign Exchange, or SAFE, for cross-border transactions falling under both the current account and the
capital account. For instance, the People’s Bank of China issued the
Circular on Further Clarification of Relevant Matters Relating
to Offshore RMB Loans Provided by Domestic Enterprises on November 22, 2016, which stipulates that offshore
RMB loans provided by a domestic
enterprise to offshore enterprises in which it holds equity interests may not exceed 30% of such equity interests. Such regulations may
constrain
the ability of our PRC subsidiaries to provide offshore loans to us. Any limitation on the ability of our PRC subsidiary to
pay dividends or make other kinds of payments to us could
materially and adversely limit our ability to grow, make investments or acquisitions
that could be beneficial to our business, pay dividends, or otherwise fund and conduct our
business.
 
In
addition, the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC and its implementation rules provide that a withholding tax rate of up to 10% will
be applicable to dividends
payable by Chinese companies to non-PRC-resident enterprises unless otherwise exempted or reduced according
to treaties or arrangements between the PRC central government
and governments of other countries or regions where the non-PRC-resident
enterprises are incorporated.
 
PRC
regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion
may delay or prevent us
from using the proceeds of our offshore financing to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to
our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely
affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.
 
Any
 funds we transfer to our PRC subsidiaries, either as a shareholder loan or as an increase in registered capital, are subject to approval
 by or registration with
governmental authorities in China. According to the PRC regulations on foreign-invested enterprises in China,
capital contributions to our PRC subsidiaries are subject to the
requirement of making necessary filings in the foreign investment comprehensive
management information system, and registration with other governmental authorities in China. In
addition, any foreign loan procured
by our PRC subsidiaries is required to be registered with SAFE, or its local branches, and each of our PRC subsidiaries may not procure
loans
which exceed the difference between its registered capital and its total investment amount as recorded in the foreign investment
comprehensive management information system.
Any medium-term or long-term loan to be provided by us to any of the consolidated variable
interest entities must be recorded and registered by the National Development and
Reform Committee and SAFE or its local branches.
 
51

 
 
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 SAFE Circular 19, effective June 2015, 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, the Notice from the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Relevant Issues
Concerning Strengthening the Administration
 of Foreign Exchange Businesses, and the Circular on Further Clarification and Regulation of the Issues Concerning the
Administration
of Certain Capital Account Foreign Exchange Businesses. According to SAFE Circular 19, the flow and use of the RMB capital converted
from foreign currency-
denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company is regulated such that RMB capital may not be used
for the issuance of RMB entrusted loans, the repayment of inter-
enterprise loans or the repayment of banks loans that have been transferred
to a third party. Although SAFE Circular 19 allows RMB capital converted from foreign currency-
denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested
enterprise to be used for equity investments within China, it also reiterates the principle that RMB converted from the foreign
currency-denominated
capital of a foreign-invested company may not be directly or indirectly used for purposes beyond its business scope. Thus, it is unclear
whether SAFE will
permit such capital to be used for equity investments in China in actual practice. SAFE promulgated the Notice of the
State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Reforming and
Standardizing the Foreign Exchange Settlement Management Policy of Capital
Account, or SAFE Circular 16, effective on June 9, 2016, which reiterates some of the rules set forth
in SAFE Circular 19, but changes
the prohibition against using RMB capital converted from foreign currency-denominated registered capital of a foreign-invested company
to issue
RMB entrusted loans to a prohibition against using such capital to issue loans to non-associated enterprises. Violations of
SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 could result in
administrative penalties. SAFE Circular 19 and SAFE Circular 16 may significantly
limit our ability to transfer any foreign currency we hold, including the net proceeds from our
initial public offering, to our PRC subsidiary,
which may adversely affect our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business in China.
 
On
October 25, 2019, SAFE promulgated the Notice for Further Advancing the Facilitation of Cross-border Trade and Investment, which allows
all foreign-invested
companies to use Renminbi converted from foreign currency-denominated capital for equity investments in China, as
long as the equity investment is genuine, does not violate
applicable laws, and complies with the negative list on foreign investment.
However, since this regulation is newly promulgated, it is unclear how SAFE and competent banks will
carry this out in practice.
 
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
or filings on a timely basis, if at all, with respect to future
loans that we provide to our PRC subsidiaries or the consolidated variable
interest entities or with respect to future capital contributions that we provide to our PRC subsidiaries. If
we fail to complete such
registrations or obtain such approvals, our ability to use the proceeds from our offshore financing and to capitalize or otherwise 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.
 
Fluctuations
in exchange rates could have a material and adverse effect on our results of operations and the value of your investment.
 
The
conversion of Renminbi into other 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 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. We cannot assure you that 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 Renminbi and the U.S. dollar in the
future.
 
We
receive the majority of our net revenues in Renminbi. Any significant appreciation or depreciation of Renminbi may materially and adversely
affect our revenues,
earnings and financial position, and the value of, and any dividends payable on, our ADSs in U.S. dollars. For example,
to the extent that we need to convert U.S. dollars we receive
into Renminbi to pay our operating expenses in China, appreciation of Renminbi
against the U.S. dollar would have an adverse effect on the Renminbi amount we would receive
from the conversion. Conversely, a significant
depreciation of Renminbi against the U.S. dollar may significantly reduce the U.S. dollar equivalent of our earnings, which in turn
could
adversely affect the price of our ADSs.
 
52

 
 
Very
limited hedging options are available in China to reduce our exposure to exchange rate fluctuations. In 2024, we did not enter into hedging
transactions in an effort to
reduce our exposure to foreign currency exchange risk. See “Item 11. Quantitative and Qualitative
Disclosures about Market Risk—Foreign Exchange Risk” for more details. 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. As a result, fluctuations in exchange rates may have a material adverse effect on your investment.
 
In
addition, our operations in the overseas markets expose us to the effects of fluctuations in currency exchange rates as we report our
financials and key operational
metrics in Renminbi. With respect to our operations in the overseas markets, we earn revenue denominated
in local currencies of the overseas markets, while some of our costs and
expenses are paid in the U.S. dollar. Fluctuations in the exchange
rates of local currencies of the overseas markets against Renminbi and the U.S. dollar could cause fluctuations in
our operational and
financial results.
 
Governmental
control of currency conversion may limit our ability to utilize our net revenues effectively and affect the price of our ADSs.
 
The
PRC government imposes controls on the convertibility of the Renminbi into foreign currencies and, in certain cases, the remittance of
currency out of China. We
receive the majority of our net revenues in RMB. Under our current corporate structure, our holding company
in the Cayman Islands may rely on dividend payments from our PRC
subsidiaries to fund any cash and financing requirements we may have.
 Under existing PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, such as profit
distributions and trade and service-related
foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval from SAFE by complying with certain procedural
requirements. Specifically, under the existing exchange restrictions, cash generated from the operations of our PRC subsidiaries in China
may be used to pay dividends to our
company without prior approval of SAFE. However, approval from or registration with appropriate government
authorities is required where Renminbi is to be converted into
foreign currency and remitted out of China to pay capital expenses such
as the repayment of loans denominated in foreign currencies. As a result, we need to obtain SAFE approval
to use cash generated from
the operations of our PRC subsidiaries and the consolidated variable interest entities to pay any debts they may incur in a currency
other than Renminbi
owed to entities outside China, or to make other capital expenditure payments outside China in a currency other than
Renminbi.
 
The
 PRC government may, from time to time, impose more restrictive foreign exchange policies or step up scrutiny of major outbound capital
 movements. More
restrictions and substantial vetting processes are put in place by SAFE to regulate cross-border transactions falling
under the capital account. The PRC government may, at its
discretion, further 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 foreign currency demands, we may not be able to pay dividends in foreign currency to our shareholders, including holders of our ADSs.
 
Failure
to make adequate contributions to various employee benefit plans and withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries as required
by PRC regulations may
subject us to penalties.
 
Companies
operating in China are required to participate in various government sponsored employee benefit plans, including certain social insurance,
housing funds and
other welfare-oriented payment obligations, and contribute to the plans in amounts equal to certain percentages of
salaries, including bonuses and allowances, of our employees up
to a maximum amount specified by the local government from time to time
at locations where we operate our businesses. The requirement of employee benefit plans has not been
implemented consistently by the
local governments in China given the different levels of economic development in different locations. Companies operating in China are
also
required to withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries based on the actual salary of each employee upon payment.
We have not made adequate employee benefit
payments for some employees. With respect to the underpaid employee benefits, we may be required
to make supplemental contributions for these plans as well as pay late fees and
fines. With respect to the underwithheld individual income
tax, we may be required to make up sufficient withholding and pay late fees and fines. If we are subject to late fees or
fines for the
underpaid employee benefits and underwithheld individual income tax, our financial condition and results of operations may be adversely
affected.
 
53

 
 
The
M&A Rules and certain other PRC regulations establish complex procedures for some acquisitions of Chinese companies by foreign investors,
which could make it more
difficult for us to pursue growth through acquisitions in China.
 
The
Regulations on Mergers and Acquisitions of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, adopted by six PRC regulatory
agencies in 2006 and
amended in 2009, and some other 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, including
requirements in some instances that the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC be notified in
advance of any change-of-control transaction in
which a foreign investor takes control of a PRC domestic enterprise. Moreover, the Anti-Monopoly Law, amended by the Standing
Committee
of the National People’s Congress on June 24, 2022, requires that transactions which are deemed concentrations and involve parties
with specified turnover thresholds
must be cleared by the Ministry of Commerce before they can be completed. On February 7, 2021, the
Anti-Monopoly Committee of the State Council published the Anti-
Monopoly Guidelines for the Internet Platform Economy Sector, which stipulates
that if any mergers, acquisitions, or other means of obtaining control or a decisive influence over
another entity, collectively referred
to as a “concentration of undertakings,” involves any consolidated variable interest entities, such consolidated variable
interest entities shall fall
within the scope of anti-monopoly review. If a concentration of undertakings meets the criteria for declaration
as stipulated by the State Council, an operator shall report such
concentration of undertakings to the anti-monopoly law enforcement
agency under the State Council in advance. Due to the enhanced implementation of the Anti-Monopoly Law,
we may be under heightened regulatory
scrutiny, which will increase our compliance costs and subject us to heightened risks and challenges.
 
In
addition, the security review rules issued by the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC that became effective in September 2011 specify that
mergers and acquisitions by
foreign investors that raise “national defense and security” concerns and mergers and acquisitions
through which foreign investors may acquire de facto control over domestic
enterprises that raise “national security” concerns
are subject to strict review by the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC, and the rules prohibit any activities attempting to bypass a
security
 review, including by structuring the transaction through a proxy or contractual control arrangement. On December 19, 2020, the National
 Development and Reform
Commission and the Ministry of Commerce jointly promulgated the Measures on the Security Review of Foreign Investment,
which became effective on January 18, 2021. These
measures stipulate detailed rules for foreign investment that is subject to security
review. Furthermore, this new rule provides that if foreign investors or relevant parties in China
intend to invest in crucial information
technology and internet products and services, or in crucial financial services, or in other fields which relate to national security,
they are
required to report to the office in advance for a security review. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business
Overview—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations Relating
to Foreign Investment.”
 
In
 the future, we may grow our business by acquiring complementary businesses. Complying with the requirements of the above-mentioned regulations
 and other
applicable rules to complete such transactions could be time consuming, and any required approval processes, including obtaining
 clearance or approval from the competent
government authorities may delay or inhibit our ability to complete such transactions, which
could affect our ability to expand our business or maintain our market share.
 
PRC
regulations relating to offshore investment activities by PRC residents may limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their
registered capital or distribute profits to us
or otherwise expose us or our PRC resident beneficial owners to liability and penalties
under PRC law.
 
SAFE
promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Relating to PRC Resident’s Investment and Financing and Roundtrip Investment through
Special Purpose Vehicles,
commonly known as SAFE Circular 37, in July 2014. This replaced the former circular, commonly known as “SAFE
Circular 75,” promulgated by SAFE on October 21, 2005.
 
54

 
 
SAFE
Circular 37 mandates that PRC residents or entities register with SAFE or its local branch for the establishment or control of offshore
entities intended for overseas
investment or financing. Additionally, these residents or entities must update their SAFE registrations
for material events such as changes in basic information, investment amounts,
share transfers, or mergers. If our shareholders who are
PRC residents or entities do not complete their registration with the local SAFE branches, our PRC subsidiaries may be
prohibited from
distributing their profits and proceeds from any reduction in capital, share transfer or liquidation to us, and we may be restricted
in our ability to contribute
additional capital to our PRC subsidiaries. Moreover, failure to comply with the SAFE registration described
above could result in liability under PRC laws for evasion of applicable
foreign exchange restrictions.
 
Mr.
Jun Zhang, Mr. Tiezheng Li, Mr. Honghui Hu, and Mr. Shaofeng Gu, who are known to us as being PRC residents and who directly or indirectly
hold shares in our
Cayman Islands holding company, have completed the foreign exchange registrations in accordance with SAFE Circular
75 then in effect. They are now in the process of updating
their registration required in connection with corporate restructuring. Ms.
Wei Luo, who indirectly hold shares in our Cayman Islands holding company and previously known to us
to be a mainland China resident,
has changed her citizenship to Hong Kong. Ms. Wei Luo registered in accordance with SAFE Circular 75 previously.
 
However,
we may not be informed of the identities of all the PRC residents or entities holding direct or indirect interest in our company, nor
can we compel our beneficial
owners to comply with the requirements of SAFE Circular 37. As a result, we cannot assure you that all of
our shareholders or beneficial owners who are PRC residents or entities
have complied with, and will in the future make or obtain any
applicable registrations or approvals required by, SAFE Circular 37. These shareholders’ or beneficial owners’ failure
to
comply with SAFE Circular 37, or our failure to amend the foreign exchange registrations of our PRC subsidiaries, could subject us to
fines or legal sanctions, restrict our
overseas or cross-border investment activities, limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to make
distributions or pay dividends to us or affect our ownership structure, which could
adversely affect our business and prospects.
 
Any
failure to comply with PRC regulations regarding the registration requirements for employee stock incentive plans may subject the PRC
plan participants or us to fines and
other legal or administrative sanctions.
 
Pursuant
to SAFE Circular 37, PRC residents who participate in stock incentive plans in overseas non-publicly-listed companies are required to
submit applications to
SAFE or its local branches for the foreign exchange registration with respect to offshore special purpose vehicles.
In the meantime, our directors, officers and other employees who
are PRC citizens, subject to limited exceptions, and who have been granted
stock options by us, are required to follow the Notices on Issues Concerning the Foreign Exchange
Administration for Domestic Individuals
Participating in Stock Incentive Plan of Overseas Publicly-Listed Company, promulgated by SAFE in February 2012. Pursuant to this
notice,
PRC citizens and non-PRC citizens who reside in China for a continuous period of not less than one year who participate in any stock
incentive plan of an overseas publicly
listed company, subject to a few exceptions, are required to register with SAFE through a domestic
qualified agent, which could be the PRC subsidiaries of such overseas listed
company, and complete certain other procedures. Failure
to complete the SAFE registrations may subject them to fines and legal sanctions, and may also limit our ability to
contribute additional
capital into our PRC subsidiaries and limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to distribute dividends to us. We also face regulatory
uncertainties that could restrict
our ability to adopt additional incentive plans for our directors, executive officers and employees
under PRC law. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview
—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations
Relating to Foreign Exchange—Regulations on employee stock incentive plans of overseas publicly-listed company.”
 
The
State Administration of Taxation has issued certain circulars concerning employee stock options and restricted shares. Under these circulars,
our employees working in
China who exercise stock options or are granted restricted shares will be subject to PRC individual income tax.
Our PRC subsidiaries have obligations to file documents related to
employee stock options or restricted shares with tax authorities and
to withhold individual income taxes of those employees who exercise their share options. If our employees fail
to pay or we fail to withhold
their income taxes according to applicable laws and regulations, we may face sanctions imposed by the tax authorities or other PRC governmental
authorities. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations
Relating to Foreign Exchange—Regulations on employee
stock incentive plans of overseas publicly-listed company.”
 
55

 
 
If
we are classified as a PRC resident enterprise for PRC income tax purposes, such classification could result in unfavorable tax consequences
to us and our non-PRC
shareholders or ADS holders.
 
Under
the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC and its implementation rules, an enterprise established outside of the PRC with a “de
facto management body” within the
PRC is considered a resident enterprise and will be subject to the enterprise income tax 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 over and overall management of the business, productions, personnel, accounts and properties of an
enterprise.
In April 2009, the State Administration of Taxation issued the Circular of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Concerning
the Identification of Chinese-
Controlled Overseas Registered Enterprises as Resident Enterprises in Accordance With the Actual Standards
 of Organizational Management, 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 regulation only
applies to offshore enterprises
controlled by PRC enterprises or PRC enterprise groups, not those controlled by PRC individuals or foreigners like us, the criteria set
forth in the
circular may reflect the general position of the State Administration of Taxation on how the “de facto management
body” test should be applied in determining the tax resident status
of all offshore enterprises. According to this regulation,
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 voting board members or senior executives habitually reside
in the PRC.
 
We
believe none of our entities outside of China is a PRC resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes. See “Item 10. Additional Information—E.
Taxation—People’s Republic
of China Taxation.” 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.”
As the majority of our management members are based in China, it remains unclear how the tax residency rule will apply to our case. If
the PRC tax authorities determine that FinVolution Group or any of our subsidiaries outside of China is a PRC resident enterprise for
PRC enterprise income tax purposes, then
FinVolution Group or such subsidiary could be subject to PRC tax at a rate of 25% on worldwide
income, which could materially reduce our net income, and we will also be subject
to PRC enterprise income tax reporting obligations.
Furthermore, if the PRC tax authorities determine that we are a PRC resident enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes,
gains realized
on the sale or other disposition of our ADSs or ordinary shares may be subject to PRC tax, at a rate of 10% in the case of non-PRC enterprises
or 20% in the case of
non-PRC individuals (in each case, subject to the provisions of any applicable tax treaty), if such gains are deemed
to be from PRC sources. 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 the investment in our ADSs.
 
We
may not be able to obtain certain benefits under tax treaty on dividends paid by our PRC subsidiaries to us through our Hong Kong subsidiary.
 
We
are a holding company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands and as such rely on dividends and other distributions on equity
from our PRC subsidiaries to
satisfy part of our liquidity requirements. Pursuant to the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC, a withholding
tax rate of 10% currently applies to dividends paid by a PRC
“resident enterprise” to a foreign enterprise investor, unless
any such foreign investor’s jurisdiction of incorporation has a tax treaty with China that provides for preferential tax
treatment.
Pursuant to 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 of the State Administration of Taxation on the Issues concerning the Application of the Dividend
 Clauses of Tax Agreements issued by the State
Administration of Taxation, such withholding tax rate may be lowered to 5% if the PRC enterprise
is at least 25% held by a Hong Kong enterprise for at least 12 consecutive months
prior to distribution of the dividends and is determined
by the PRC tax authority to have satisfied other conditions and requirements under the above arrangement and other
applicable PRC laws.
Furthermore, under the Administrative Measures for Non-Resident Enterprises to Enjoy Treatments under Tax Treaties, which became effective
in August
2015, the non-resident enterprises shall determine whether they are qualified to enjoy the preferential tax treatment under
the tax treaties and file their report and materials with the
tax authorities. There are also other conditions for enjoying the reduced
withholding tax rate according to other tax rules and regulations. See “Item 10. Additional Information—E.
Taxation—People’s
 Republic of China Taxation.” We cannot assure you that our determination regarding our qualification to enjoy the preferential
 tax treatment will not be
challenged by the PRC tax authority or we will be able to complete the necessary filings with the PRC tax authority
and enjoy the preferential withholding tax rate of 5% under the
arrangement with respect to dividends to be paid by our PRC subsidiaries
to our Hong Kong subsidiaries.
 
56

 
 
We
face uncertainty with respect to indirect transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.
 
On
February 3, 2015, the State Administration of Taxation issued the Public Notice Regarding Certain Corporate Income Tax Matters on Indirect
Transfer of Properties by
Non-Resident Enterprises, or SAT Public Notice 7. Pursuant to this notice, an “indirect transfer”
of PRC assets, including a transfer of equity interests in an unlisted non-PRC
holding company of a PRC resident enterprise by non-PRC
resident enterprises may be re-characterized and treated as a direct transfer of the underlying PRC assets, if such
arrangement does
not have a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of avoiding payment of PRC enterprise income tax. As a result,
gains derived from
such indirect transfer 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 interests
in a PRC resident enterprise.
 
On
October 17, 2017, the State Administration of Taxation 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. It further clarifies the practice and procedure
of the withholding of non-resident enterprise income tax.
 
We
face uncertainties on the reporting and consequences of past or future private equity financing transactions, offshore restructuring,
or other transactions involving the
transfer of ordinary shares in our company by investors that are non-PRC resident enterprises. The
PRC tax authorities may pursue such non-resident enterprises with respect to a
filing or the transferees with respect to withholding
obligations, and request our PRC subsidiaries to assist in the filing. As a result, we and non-resident enterprises in such
transactions
may become at risk of being subject to filing obligations or being taxed under SAT Public Notice 7 and SAT Bulletin 37, and may be required
to expend valuable
resources to comply with them or to establish that we and our non-resident enterprises should not be taxed under these
regulations, which may have a material adverse effect on our
financial condition and results of operations.
 
The
PRC tax authorities have the discretion under SAT Public Notice 7 to make adjustments to the taxable capital gains based on the difference
between the fair value of
the taxable assets transferred and the cost of investment. If the PRC tax authorities make adjustments to the
taxable income of the transactions under SAT Public Notice 7, our
income tax costs associated with such transactions will be increased,
which may have an adverse effect on our financial condition and results of operations. We cannot assure you
that the PRC tax authorities
will not, at their discretion, adjust any capital gains and impose tax return filing obligations on us or require us to provide assistance
to them for the
investigation of any transactions we were involved in. Heightened scrutiny over acquisition transactions by the PRC tax
 authorities may have a negative impact on potential
acquisitions we may pursue in the future.
 
The
approval of and filing with the CSRC or other PRC government authorities may be required in connection with our offshore offerings under
PRC law, and, if required, we
cannot predict whether or for how long we will be able to obtain such approval or complete such filing.
 
The
M&A Rules require an overseas special purpose vehicle formed for listing purposes through acquisitions of PRC domestic companies
and controlled by PRC persons
or entities to obtain the approval of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose
vehicle’s securities on an overseas stock exchange. The interpretation and
application of the regulations remain unclear, and our
offshore offerings may ultimately require approval of the CSRC. If the CSRC approval is required, it is uncertain whether we
can or how
long it will take us to obtain the approval and, even if we obtain such CSRC approval, the approval could be rescinded. Any failure to
obtain or delay in obtaining the
CSRC approval for any of our offshore offerings, or a rescission post-approval, would subject us to
sanctions imposed by the CSRC or other PRC regulatory authorities, which
could include fines and penalties on our operations in China,
restrictions or limitations on our ability to pay dividends outside of China, and other forms of sanctions that may
materially and adversely
affect our business, financial condition, and results of operations.
 
57

 
 
On
February 17, 2023, the CSRC published the Trial Administrative Measures on the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic
Companies, or the CSRC
Filing Measures, and five supporting guidelines, effective on March 31, 2023. The CSRC Filing Measures establish
a new filing-based regime to regulate overseas offerings and
listings by domestic companies. According to the CSRC Filing Measures, PRC
domestic companies that seek to offer and list securities in overseas markets, either in direct or
indirect means, are required to fulfill
the filing procedure with the CSRC and report relevant information. Failure to comply with the filing or reporting requirements for any
offering, listing or any other capital raising activities, may result in fines and other penalties on the companies, the controlling
shareholder and other responsible persons. On
February 17, 2023, the CSRC also issued the Notification to the Administrative Arrangement
of the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Companies, which,
among others, clarifies that domestic companies already
listed overseas before March 31, 2023, are not required to complete filing procedures immediately. However, they will be
required to
file with the CSRC when subsequent matters such as refinancing are involved. Furthermore, regarding the overseas listing of companies
with contractual arrangements
(also known as VIE structures), the CSRC will solicit opinions from relevant regulatory authorities. The
CSRC will then complete the filing of the overseas listing for companies
meeting compliance requirements, supporting their development
and growth by enabling them to utilize both markets and their resources. For more details of the CSRC Filing
Measures and other related
regulations, see “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations
Relating to Overseas Listing and
M&A.”
 
If
it is determined in the future that approval and filing from the CSRC or other regulatory authorities or other procedures, including
the cybersecurity review under the
amended Measures for Cybersecurity Review, are required for our offerings, it is uncertain whether
we can or how long it will take us to obtain such approval or complete such
filing procedures. Any failure to obtain (including possible
rescission of any approvals that had been obtained) or delay in obtaining such approval or completing such filing
procedures for our
offerings could subject us to penalties and sanctions such as fines and penalties on our operations in China, orders limiting our ability
to pay dividends outside of
China, reduction of our operating privileges in China, or delay or restrictions on repatriation of the proceeds
from our offshore offerings into China. These penalties and sanctions
could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition,
results of operations, and prospects, as well as the trading price of our securities. Similarly, the CSRC or
other PRC regulatory authorities
could also require us to halt our offshore offerings before settlement and delivery of the shares offered. Consequently, if investors
engage in trading
or hedging activities in anticipation of and prior to settlement and delivery, they do so at the risk that settlement
and delivery may not occur. In addition, if the CSRC or other
regulatory authorities subsequently promulgate new rules or explanations
requiring that we obtain their approvals or accomplish the required filing or other regulatory procedures
for our prior offshore offerings,
 we may be unable to obtain a waiver of such approval requirements, if and when procedures are established to obtain such a waiver. Any
uncertainties or negative publicity regarding such approval requirement could materially and adversely affect our business, prospects,
financial condition, reputation, and the trading
price of our listed securities.
 
The
PCAOB had historically been unable to inspect our auditor in relation to their audit work performed for our financial statements and
the inability of the PCAOB to
conduct inspections of our auditor in the past has deprived our investors with the benefits of such inspections.
 
Our
auditor, the independent registered public accounting firm that issues the audit report included elsewhere in this annual report, as
an auditor of companies that are
traded publicly in the United States and a firm registered with the PCAOB, is subject to laws in the
United States pursuant to which the PCAOB conducts regular inspections to
assess its compliance with the applicable professional standards.
The auditor is located in mainland China, a jurisdiction where the PCAOB was historically unable to conduct
inspections and investigations
completely before 2022. As a result, we and investors in the ADSs were deprived of the benefits of such PCAOB inspections. The inability
of the
PCAOB to conduct inspections of auditors in China in the past has made it more difficult to evaluate the effectiveness of our
independent registered public accounting firm’s audit
procedures or quality control procedures as compared to auditors outside
of China that are subject to the PCAOB inspections. 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. 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, and we use an accounting firm headquartered in one of these jurisdictions
to issue an audit report on our financial statements filed with the SEC,
we and investors in the ADSs would be deprived of the benefits
of such PCAOB inspections again, which could cause investors and potential investors in our ADSs to lose
confidence in our audit procedures
and reported financial information and the quality of our financial statements.
 
58

 
 
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 the ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely
affect the value of your investment.
 
Pursuant
to the HFCA Act, if the SEC determines that we have filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been
subject to inspections by
the PCAOB for two consecutive years, the SEC will prohibit our shares or ADSs 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 to notify the SEC of its determination that the PCAOB was unable to inspect or investigate
completely registered
public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong and our auditor was subject to that determination.
In May 2022, the SEC conclusively listed us as a
Commission-Identified Issuer under 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 removed mainland China and Hong Kong from the
list of jurisdictions where it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms. As of the
date of this
annual report, the PCAOB has not issued any new determination that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public
accounting firms headquartered in
any jurisdiction. For this reason, we do not expect to be identified as a Commission-Identified Issuer
under the HFCA Act after we file this annual report on Form 20-F.
 
Each
year, the PCAOB will determine whether it can inspect and investigate completely audit firms in mainland China and Hong Kong, among other
jurisdictions. 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 and we use an
accounting firm headquartered in one of these jurisdictions to issue an audit report
on our financial statements filed with the SEC, we would be identified as a Commission-
Identified Issuer following the filing of the
annual report on Form 20-F for the relevant fiscal year. In accordance with the HFCA Act, our securities would be prohibited from being
traded on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States if we are identified as a Commission-Identified
Issuer for two consecutive
years in the future. 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.
A prohibition of being able to trade in the United States 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 have a negative impact on the price of our ADSs. 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.
 
59

 
 
Risks
Related to Our American Depositary Shares
 
The
market price for our ADSs may be volatile.
 
The
trading prices of our 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, including the performance and fluctuation of the market prices of other companies with business
operations located in China that have listed their securities in the
United States. The trading performances of these other companies’
 securities, including internet and fintech companies, may affect the attitudes of investors toward similar
companies listed in the United
States, which consequently may impact the trading performance of our ADSs, regardless of our actual operating performance. In addition,
any
negative news or perceptions about inadequate corporate governance practices or fraudulent accounting, corporate structure or matters
of these other companies may also negatively
affect the attitudes of investors towards companies with business operations in China in
general, including us, regardless of our conduct. In addition, 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
at
the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have a material and adverse effect on the trading price of our ADSs. In addition
to the above factors, the price and trading
volume of our ADSs may be highly volatile due to multiple factors, including the following
conditions in the online consumer finance industries:
 
 
●
announcements
of studies and reports relating to the quality of our product and service offerings or those of our competitors;
 
 
 
 
●
changes
in the economic performance or market valuations of other online consumer finance platforms;
 
 
 
 
●
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;
 
 
 
 
●
announcements
by us or our competitors of new product and service offerings, acquisitions, strategic relationships, joint ventures or capital commitments;
 
 
 
 
●
additions
to or departures of our senior management;
 
 
 
 
●
detrimental
negative publicity about us, our management or our industry;
 
 
 
 
●
fluctuations
of exchange rates between the RMB and the U.S. dollar;
 
 
 
 
●
release
or expiry of lock-up or other transfer restrictions on our outstanding ordinary shares or ADSs; and
 
 
 
 
●
sales
or perceived potential sales of additional ordinary shares or ADSs.
 
If
securities or industry analysts do not publish research or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our business, the market
price for our ADSs and trading volume
could decline.
 
The
trading market for our 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 cover
us downgrade our ADSs or publish inaccurate or unfavorable research about our
business, the market price for our 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 our ADSs to decline.
 
60

 
 
Substantial
future sales or perceived potential sales of our ADSs in the public market could cause the price of our ADSs to decline.
 
Sales
of substantial amounts of our ADSs in the public market or the perception that these sales could occur, could adversely affect the market
price of our ADSs and could
materially impair our ability to raise capital through equity offerings in the future. We cannot predict
 what effect, if any, market sales of securities held by our significant
shareholders or any other shareholder or the availability of
these securities for future sale will have on the market price of our ADSs.
 
Techniques
employed by short sellers may drive down the market price of the ADSs.
 
Short
selling is the practice of selling securities that a seller does not own but rather has borrowed from a third party with the intention
of buying identical securities back at
a later date to return to the lender. Short sellers hope to profit from a decline in the value
of the securities between the sale of the borrowed securities and the purchase of the
replacement shares, as short sellers expect to
pay less in that purchase than they received in the sale. As it is in short sellers’ interest for the price of the security to
decline, many
short sellers publish, or arrange for the publication of, negative opinions and allegations regarding an issuer and its
business prospects in order to create negative market momentum
and generate profits for themselves after selling a security short. These
short attacks have, in the past, led to selling of shares in the market.
 
We
may be subject to short seller attacks from time to time in the future. If we were to become the subject of any unfavorable allegations,
whether such allegations are
proven to be true or untrue, we may have to expend a significant amount of resources to investigate such
allegations and/or defend ourselves. While we would strongly defend
against any such short seller attacks, we may be constrained in the
manner in which we can proceed against the short sellers by principles of freedom of speech, applicable law or
issues of commercial confidentiality.
Such a situation could be costly and time-consuming, and could divert management’s attention from the day-to-day operations of
our company.
Even if such allegations are ultimately proven to be groundless, allegations against us could severely impact the market
price of our ADSs and our business operations.
 
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 the voting of the underlying
Class A ordinary shares which are represented by your ADSs.
 
As
a holder of our 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 attach to the underlying Class A ordinary shares which are 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, as the holder of the
underlying Class A ordinary
shares which are represented by your ADSs. Upon receipt of your voting instructions, the depositary will endeavor to vote the underlying
Class A
ordinary shares in accordance with your instructions in the event voting is by poll, and in accordance with instructions received
from a majority of holders of ADSs who provide
instructions in the event voting is by show of hands. The depositary will not join in
demanding a vote by poll. You will not be able to directly exercise any right to vote with respect
to the underlying Class A ordinary
shares unless you withdraw the 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 to be given by our company to
our registered shareholders for convening a general
meeting is seven days. When a general meeting is convened, you may not receive sufficient
advance notice to enable you to withdraw the underlying shares which are represented
by your ADSs and become the registered holder of
such shares prior to the record date for the general meeting to allow you to attend the general meeting or to vote directly with
respect
to any specific matter or resolution which is to be considered and voted upon at the general meeting.
 
61

 
 
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 shares which are 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. Where any matter is to be put to a vote at a general
meeting, the depositary will, if we
request, and subject to the terms of the deposit agreement, endeavor to notify you of the upcoming
vote and to deliver our voting materials to you. 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 shares which are 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 the voting of the underlying shares which are represented by your
ADSs, and you may have no legal remedy if the underlying shares are not voted as
you requested.
 
Except
in limited circumstances, the depositary for our ADSs will give us a discretionary proxy to vote our Class A ordinary shares underlying
your ADSs if you do not instruct
the depositary how to vote such shares, which could adversely affect your interests.
 
Under
the deposit agreement for our ADSs, the depositary will give us (or our nominee) a discretionary proxy to vote our Class A ordinary shares
underlying your ADSs at
shareholders’ meetings if you do not give voting instructions to the depositary as to how to vote the Class
A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs at any particular shareholders’
meeting, unless:
 
 
●
we
have failed to timely provide the depositary with our notice of meeting and related voting materials;
 
 
 
 
●
we
have instructed the depositary that we do not wish a discretionary proxy to be given;
 
 
 
 
●
we
have informed the depositary that there is substantial opposition as to a matter to be voted on at the meeting;
 
 
 
 
●
a
matter to be voted on at the meeting may have a material adverse impact on shareholders; or
 
 
 
 
●
voting
at the meeting is made on a show of hands.
 
The
effect of this discretionary proxy is that, if you fail to give voting instructions to the depositary as to how to vote the Class A ordinary
shares underlying your ADSs at
any particular shareholders’ meeting, you cannot prevent our Class A ordinary shares underlying
your ADSs from being voted at that meeting, absent the situations described above,
and it may make it more difficult for shareholders
to influence our management. Holders of our ordinary shares are not subject to this discretionary proxy.
 
Your
rights to pursue claims against the depositary as a holder of ADSs are limited by the terms of the deposit agreement and the deposit
agreement may be amended or
terminated without your consent.
 
Under
 the deposit agreement, any action or proceeding against or involving the depositary, arising out of or based upon the deposit agreement
 or the transactions
contemplated thereby or by virtue of owning the ADSs may only be instituted by you in a state or federal court in
the city of New York and you, as a holder of our ADSs, will have
irrevocably waived any objection which you may have to the laying of
venue of any such proceeding, and irrevocably submitted to the exclusive jurisdiction of such courts in any
such action or proceeding
instituted by any person. Also, we may amend or terminate the deposit agreement without your consent. If you continue to hold your ADSs
after an
amendment to the deposit agreement, you agree to be bound by the deposit agreement as amended. See “Item 12. Description
of Securities Other Than Equity Securities—D.
American Depositary Shares” for more information.
 
62

 
 
Your
right to participate in any future rights offerings may be limited, which may cause dilution to your holdings.
 
We
may from time to time distribute rights to our shareholders, including rights to acquire our securities. However, we cannot make such
rights available to you in the
United States unless we register both the rights and the securities to which the rights relate under the
Securities Act of 1933, as amended, or the Securities Act, or an exemption from
the registration requirements is available. Under the
deposit agreement, the depositary will not make rights available to you unless both the rights and the underlying securities to be
distributed
to ADS holders are either registered under the Securities Act or exempt from registration under the Securities Act. We are under no obligation
to file a registration
statement with respect to any such rights or securities or to endeavor to cause such a registration statement
to be declared effective and we may not be able to establish a necessary
exemption from registration under the Securities Act. Accordingly,
you may be unable to participate in our rights offerings in the future and may experience dilution in your
holdings.
 
You
may not receive dividends or other distributions on our ordinary shares and you may not receive any value for them, if it is illegal
or impractical to make them available to
you.
 
The
depositary of our ADSs has agreed to pay to you the cash dividends or other distributions it or the custodian receives on our Class A
ordinary shares or other deposited
securities underlying our ADSs, after deducting its fees and expenses. You will receive these distributions
in proportion to the number of Class A ordinary shares your ADSs
represent.
 
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 our 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 transfer books at any time or from time to
time when it deems expedient
in connection with the performance of its duties. In addition, the depositary may refuse to deliver, transfer
or register transfers of ADSs generally when our books or the books of the
depositary are closed, or at any time if we or the depositary
deems it advisable to do so because of any requirement of law or of any government or governmental body, or under any
provision of the
deposit agreement, or for any other reason.
 
Certain
judgments obtained against us by our shareholders may not be enforceable.
 
We
are an exempted company limited by shares incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands. We conduct the majority of our operations
in China and a significant
portion of our assets are located in China. In addition, a majority of our directors and executive officers
reside within China, and a significant portion of the assets of these persons
are located within China. As a result, it may be difficult
or impossible for you to effect service of process within the United States upon these individuals, or to bring an action
against us
or against these individuals in the United States in the event that you believe your rights have been infringed under the U.S. federal
securities laws or otherwise. Even if
you are successful in bringing an action of this kind, the laws of the Cayman Islands and of the
PRC may render you unable to enforce a judgment against our assets or the assets of
our directors and officers.
 
63

 
 
There
is no statutory enforcement in the Cayman Islands of judgments obtained in the federal or state courts of the United States (and the
Cayman Islands is not a party to
any treaties for the reciprocal enforcement or recognition of such judgments), a judgment obtained in
such jurisdiction will be recognized and enforced in the courts of the Cayman
Islands at common law, without any re-examination of the
merits of the underlying dispute, by an action commenced on the foreign judgment debt in the Grand Court of the
Cayman Islands, provided
such judgment is final and conclusive and for a liquidated sum, and may not be in respect of taxes or a fine or penalty, inconsistent
with a Cayman Islands
judgment in respect of the same matter, impeachable on the grounds of fraud or obtained in a manner, and or be
of a kind the enforcement of which is, contrary to natural justice or
the public policy of the Cayman Islands (awards of punitive or
multiple damages may well be held to be contrary to public policy). A Cayman Islands Court may stay enforcement
proceedings if concurrent
proceedings are being brought elsewhere.
 
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 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 reciprocity 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 director and officers
if they decide
that the judgment violates the basic principles of PRC laws or national sovereignty, security or 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.
 
You
may face difficulties in protecting your interests, and your ability to protect your rights through U.S. courts may be limited, because
we are incorporated under Cayman
Islands law.
 
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 the directors,
actions by minority shareholders and the fiduciary duties 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 duties 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, with respect to Cayman Islands companies, plaintiffs may face special obstacles, including
but not limited to those relating to
jurisdiction and standing, in attempting to assert derivative claims in state or federal courts
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 and any special resolutions passed by such companies, and the registers of mortgages and charges
of such companies) or to obtain copies of lists of
shareholders of these companies. Our directors have discretion under our current amended
and restated 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 resolution or to solicit proxies from other shareholders
in connection with a proxy contest.
 
As
a result of all of the above, our public shareholders may have more difficulty in protecting their interests in the face of actions taken
by management, members of the
board of directors or controlling shareholders than they would as public shareholders of a company incorporated
in the United States.
 
64

 
 
Our
dual-class share structure will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could discourage others from pursuing any change
of control transactions that holders
of our Class A ordinary shares and ADSs may view as beneficial.
 
We
have adopted a dual-class share structure. Our ordinary shares consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares.
Holders of Class A ordinary shares are
entitled to one vote per share in respect of matters requiring the votes of shareholders,
while holders of Class B ordinary shares are entitled to twenty votes per share. Each Class B
ordinary share is convertible into one
Class A ordinary share at any time by the holder thereof, while Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary
shares under
any circumstances. Due to the disparate voting powers associated with our two classes of ordinary shares, the voting
power attached to our Class B ordinary shares accounted for
94.2% of our company’s aggregate voting power as of March 31,
2025. In particular, one of the holders of our Class B ordinary shares beneficially owned 65.9% of the aggregate
voting power of our company as of the same date. As a result, the existing holders of our Class B ordinary shares
will have decisive influence over matters such as electing directors
and approving material mergers, acquisitions or other business
combination transactions. This concentrated control will limit your ability to influence corporate matters and could
also discourage
others from pursuing any potential merger, takeover or other change of control transactions, which could have the effect of
depriving the holders of our Class A
ordinary shares and our ADSs of the opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over the
prevailing market price or the opportunity to receive a premium for their shares as part of
a sale of our company. These
shareholders may also take actions that are not in the best interest of us or our other shareholders even if they are opposed by our
other shareholders,
including holders of our ADSs. In addition, the significant concentration of share ownership may adversely
affect the trading price of the ADSs due to investors’ perception that
conflicts of interest may exist or arise. For more
information regarding our principal shareholders and their affiliated entities, see “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and
Employees—E. Share Ownership.” Our memorandum and articles of association contain anti-takeover provisions that could
 discourage a third party from acquiring us and
adversely affect the rights of holders of our ordinary shares and ADSs.
 
Our
memorandum and articles of association contain certain provisions that could limit the ability of others to acquire control of our company,
including a provision that
grants authority to our board of directors to establish 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. These provisions could have the effect of depriving our shareholders and ADS holders of the opportunity
to sell their
shares or ADSs at a premium over the prevailing market price by discouraging third parties from seeking to obtain control of our company
in a tender offer or similar
transactions.
 
We
have granted, and may continue to grant, share incentive awards, which may result in increased share-based compensation expenses.
 
We
adopted a share incentive plan in October 2017, which we refer to as the 2017 Plan. Under the 2017 Plan, we are authorized to grant options,
restricted shares, and
restricted share units to employees, officers, directors and individual consultants who render services to us.
The maximum number of Class A ordinary shares which may be issued
pursuant to all awards under the 2017 Plan is 1,000,000,000. As of
March 31, 2025, options to purchase a total of 3,858,450 Class A ordinary shares were outstanding under the
2017 Plan, and restricted
share units to receive a total of 76,153,295 Class A ordinary shares were outstanding under the 2017 Plan.
 
We
 incurred RMB144.1 million (US$19.7 million) share-based compensation expenses in 2024 relating to share incentive awards. We believe
 the granting of share
incentive awards is of significant importance to our ability to attract and retain employees, and we will continue
to grant share incentive awards to employees in the future. As a
result, our expenses associated with share-based compensation may increase,
which may have an adverse effect on our results of operations.
 
65

 
 
We
are a foreign private issuer within the meaning of the rules under the Exchange Act, and as such we are exempt from certain provisions
applicable to U.S. domestic public
companies.
 
Because
we qualify as a foreign private issuer under the Exchange Act, we are exempt from certain provisions of the securities rules and regulations
in the United States
that are applicable to U.S. domestic issuers, including:
 
 
●
the
rules under the Exchange Act requiring the filing with the SEC of quarterly reports on Form 10-Q or current reports on Form 8-K;
 
 
 
 
●
the
sections of the Exchange Act regulating the solicitation of proxies, consents, or authorizations in respect of a security registered
under the Exchange Act;
 
 
 
 
●
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
 
 
 
 
●
the
selective disclosure rules by issuers of material nonpublic information under Regulation FD.
 
We
are required to file an annual report on Form 20-F within four months of the end of each fiscal year. In addition, we intend to publish
our results on a quarterly basis as
press releases, distributed pursuant to the rules and regulations of the NYSE. Press releases relating
to financial results and material events will also be furnished to the SEC on
Form 6-K.
 
However,
the information we are required to file with or furnish to the SEC will be less extensive and less timely compared to that required to
be filed with the SEC by
U.S. domestic issuers. As a result, you may not be afforded the same protections or information that would be
made available to you were you investing in a U.S. domestic issuer.
 
As
a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we are permitted to adopt certain home country practices for corporate governance matters
that differ significantly from the
NYSE corporate governance listing standards; these practices may afford less protection to shareholders
than they would enjoy if we complied fully with the NYSE corporate
governance listing standards.
 
As
a Cayman Islands company listed on the NYSE, we are subject to the NYSE corporate governance listing standards. However, NYSE 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 NYSE corporate governance listing standards. For
example, we are not required to (i) have a majority of independent directors in our board of directors, (ii)
have a minimum of three
members in our audit committee, or (iii) hold annual shareholders meetings. See “Item 16G. Corporate Governance.” Since we
have chosen to follow
certain home country practice, our shareholders may be afforded less protection than they otherwise would enjoy
under the NYSE corporate governance listing standards applicable
to U.S. domestic issuers.
 
We
believe that we were a passive foreign investment company, or PFIC, for United States federal income tax purposes for the taxable year
ended December 31, 2024, which
could subject United States investors in our ADSs or ordinary shares to significant adverse United States
federal income tax consequences.
 
We
will be a “passive foreign investment company,” or PFIC, if, in any particular taxable year, either (i) 75% or more of our
gross income for such year consists of certain
types of “passive” income or (ii) 50% or more of the value of our assets (generally
determined on the basis of a quarterly average) during such year produce or are held for the
production of passive income. Although the
law in this regard is unclear, we intend to treat the consolidated variable interest entities (including their respective subsidiaries)
as
being owned by us for United States federal income tax purposes, not only because we are able to direct the activities of operation
of such entities but also because we are entitled to
substantially all of their economic benefits, and, as a result, we consolidate their
 results of operations in our consolidated financial statements. Based upon the nature and
composition of our income and assets (in particular
the retention of a substantial amount of cash and investments) and the market price of our ADSs, we believe that we were a PFIC
for United
States federal income tax purposes for the taxable year ended December 31, 2024, and we will likely be a PFIC for our current taxable
year unless the market price of our
ADSs increases and/or we invest a substantial amount of the cash and other passive assets we hold
in assets that produce or are held for the production of active income.
 
66

 
 
If
we or any of our subsidiaries 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 Tax Considerations”) holds our ADSs or ordinary shares, the U.S.
holder may be subject to certain adverse U.S. federal income tax consequences. Additionally, if we are a
PFIC for any taxable year
during which U.S. holders hold our ADSs or ordinary shares, we would generally continue to be treated as a PFIC with respect to such U.S. holders even
if we do not satisfy either of the above tests to be classified as a PFIC in any subsequent
year. See
“Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—U.S. Federal Income Tax
Considerations—Passive Foreign
Investment Company Rules.”
 
ITEM
4.
INFORMATION
ON THE COMPANY
 
A.
History and Development of the Company
 
We
commenced our online consumer finance platform business in June 2007. Starting in January 2011, our business operations have gradually
migrated to Shanghai PPDai
Financial Information Service Co., Ltd., or Shanghai PPDai, which is currently a subsidiary of the consolidate
variable interest entity named Beijing Paipairongxin Investment
Consulting Co., Ltd., or Beijing Paipairongxin.
 
In
2012, we formed our offshore corporate structure to facilitate offshore financing. In June 2012, we incorporated FinVolution Group (formerly
known as PPDAI Group
Inc.) under the laws of the Cayman Islands as our holding company and incorporated FinVolution (HK) Limited (formerly
known as PPDAI (HK) LIMITED) as its wholly-owned
subsidiary in November 2019.
 
In
August 2012, Beijing Prosper Investment Consulting Co., Ltd., or Beijing Prosper, was incorporated as a wholly-owned PRC subsidiary of
FinVolution (HK) Limited.
 
In
 June 2012, Beijing Paipairongxin was incorporated, with its current shareholders being the four founders of our company. In June 2017,
 Shanghai Guangjian
Information Technology Co., Ltd., or Shanghai Guangjian was incorporated as a wholly-owned PRC subsidiary of FinVolution
 (HK) Limited. Shortly after its incorporation,
Shanghai Guangjian established a wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanghai Shanghu Information
Technology Co., Ltd., or Shanghai Shanghu. Shanghai Guangjian has entered into a
series of contractual arrangements with Beijing Paipairongxin
and its shareholders, enabling us to direct the operational activities of Beijing Paipairongxin. Please refer to “Item 4.
Information
on the Company—C. Organizational Structure—Contractual Arrangements” for further details.
 
In
December 2016, we established Hefei PPDai Information Technology Co., Ltd., as an operating entity to provide customer services with
a focus on loan collection.
 
On
November 10, 2017, our ADSs commenced trading on the NYSE under the symbol “PPDF.” We raised from our initial public offering
approximately US$205.0 million
in net proceeds after deducting underwriting discounts and the estimated offering expenses payable by
us. Concurrently with our initial public offering, we also raised approximately
US$49.5 million in net proceeds through issuing 19,230,769
Class A ordinary shares to a wholly-owned subsidiary of Sun Hung Kai & Co. Limited.
 
In
 January 2018, we established Bluebottle Limited in Hong Kong. Shortly after its incorporation, Bluebottle Limited established Shanghai
 Manyin Information
Technology Co., Ltd., or Shanghai Manyin, as its wholly-owned PRC subsidiary in China. In July 2017, Shanghai Zihe
Information Technology Group Co., Ltd., or Shanghai Zihe,
was incorporated, with its shareholders also being the four founders of our
 company. Shanghai Manyin has a series of contractual arrangements with Shanghai Zihe and its
shareholders, allowing us to direct the
 operational activities of Shanghai Zihe. In January 2019, Shanghai Ledao Information Technology Co., Ltd., or Shanghai Ledao, was
incorporated,
 with its shareholders being family relatives of two of our founders. Shanghai Manyin has entered into contractual arrangements with Shanghai
 Ledao and its
shareholders, enabling us to direct the operational activities of Shanghai Ledao. Please refer to “Item 4. Information
on the Company—C. Organizational Structure—Contractual
Arrangements” for further details.
 
67

 
 
In
April 2018, Shanghai Erxu Information Technology Co., Ltd. was incorporated as a wholly-owned PRC subsidiary of Shanghai Zihe to operate
business related to loan
facilitation services.
 
In
June 2018, PT Pembiayaan Digital Indonesia was incorporated in Indonesia. We currently hold an ultimate 80% equity interest in PT Pembiayaan
Digital Indonesia. In
December 2019, PT Pembiayaan Digital Indonesia obtained a license as an information technology-based lending and
borrowing service provider from the Financial Services
Authority of Indonesia (OJK) to engage in technology-based lending services.
 
In
August 2018, Hainan Shanghu Information Technology Co., Ltd. was incorporated as a subsidiary indirectly and wholly owned by Shanghai
 Manyin to operate
technology service business.
 
In
November 2019, Fujian Zhiyun Financing Guarantee Co., Ltd. was incorporated as a wholly-owned PRC subsidiary of Shanghai PPDai to provide
financing guarantees
services to our institutional funding partners for loans funded by them to the borrowers we introduced.
 
In
November 2019, the name of the Company was changed from “PPDAI Group Inc.” to “FinVolution Group” and that “信也科技”
was adopted as the dual foreign name
of the Company. In addition, the Company’s ticker symbol on the New York Stock Exchange was
also changed from “PPDF” to “FINV.” However, we continue to conduct a portion
of our business under the name
PPDai.
 
Corporate
Information
 
Our
principal executive offices are located at Building G1, No. 999 Dangui Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, the People’s
Republic of China. Our telephone
number at this address is +86 21 8030 3200. Our registered office in the Cayman Islands is located at
the offices of PO Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman, KY1-1104,
Cayman Islands. Our agent for service of process in the United States
is Law Debenture Corporate Services Inc., located at 801 2nd Avenue, Suite 403, New York, NY 10017.
Investors should contact us for any
inquiries through the address and telephone number of our principal executive offices.
 
The
information we file with the SEC can be found on www.sec.gov. You can also find information on our website ir.finvgroup.com. The
information contained on our
website or other information contained on the SEC website is not a part of this annual report.
 
B.
Business Overview
 
Overview
 
We
are a leading fintech platform with strong brand recognition in China, Indonesia and the Philippines. Launched in 2007, we have been
a pioneer in China’s online
consumer finance industry. In 2018, we commenced operations in overseas markets, with our current focus
on Indonesia and the Philippines. In 2024, we generated 80.6% of our
revenues from China and 19.4% of our revenues from the overseas
markets.
 
We
strategically focus on serving borrowers of the young generation that is typically more receptive to internet financial services and
whose borrowing needs are unserved
or underserved by traditional financial institutions. This segment of borrowers is poised to become
the major driving force of the consumer finance market. Our borrowers are
primarily acquired online and stretch across a large number
of cities and counties in the markets where we operate.
 
We
primarily offer short-term loans to our borrowers to meet their immediate credit needs while allowing them to gradually establish their
credit history through activities
on our platforms. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, the average principal amount of loans originated on our platform
in China was RMB7,249, RMB8,318 and RMB10,402 (US$1,425),
respectively, with an average term of 8.7 months, 8.3 months and 8.0 months,
respectively. Borrowers come to our platforms for convenient, simple and fast loan transaction
process. We generally have a high level
of borrower stickiness. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, 86.8%, 87.2% and 86.5% of the total loan origination volume on our platform in China
was
generated from repeat borrowers who had at least one drawdown before.
 
68

 
 
Our
platforms appeal to institutional funding partners by offering a wide spectrum of loan products. We provide our institutional funding
partners with an opportunity to
locate high quality borrowers and achieve attractive returns. Institutional funding partners may provide
loans to borrowers that we introduce to them, making use of the preliminary
credit assessment services as well as other services we provide
to them. We offer attractive risk-adjusted returns supported by a set of risk management procedures and implement
protection mechanisms
to control and mitigate risk exposure.
 
We
have built an extensive database that contains first hand through-the-cycle credit data as well as data from various third-party sources.
We have established systematic
risk management procedures which have proven to be effective in various macro-economic environments. Our
proprietary and big-data-based credit scoring model, the Magic
Mirror Model, has been continually testing and refining its credit decision-making
rules as we continue to study the increasing amount of data accumulated through our loan
facilitation. We have also made progress in
optimizing operational efficiency as we apply big-data analytics and machine learning capabilities to other aspects of our business
operations,
such as sales and marketing activities and loan collection.
 
We
generate revenues primarily by collecting transaction service fees from institutional funding partners for our services provided to them
such as borrower introduction
and preliminary credit assessment, as well as other services we provide along the lifecycle of loans. Our
net revenues grew from RMB11.1 billion in 2022 and to RMB12.5 billion in
2023 and further to RMB13.1 billion (US$1.8 billion) in 2024.
Our net profit was RMB2.3 billion in 2022, RMB2.4 billion in 2023 and RMB2.4 billion (US$0.3 billion) in 2024.
 
China
and Overseas Markets
 
We
primarily operate in China under the PPDai brand. We also have other brands in China, such as KOO Virtual Credit. The number of our cumulative
registered users in
China increased from 143.9 million as of December 31, 2022 to 155.6 million as of December 31, 2023 and further to
172.6 million as of December 31, 2024. Our loan origination
volume in China increased from RMB171.1 billion in 2022 to RMB186.4 billion
in 2023 and further to RMB196.1 billion (US$26.9 billion) in 2024. Our outstanding loan balance
in the China market increased from RMB63.8
billion as of December 31, 2022 to RMB66.1 billion as of December 31, 2023 and further to RMB69.8 billion (US$9.6 billion) as of
December
 31, 2024. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, revenues generated from the China markets were RMB10.0 billion, RMB10.4 billion and RMB10.5 billion
 (US$1.4 billion),
representing 89.7%, 83.0% and 80.6% of net revenues for the respective years.
 
Although
our business remains primarily focused on the PRC market, we have been actively expanding into overseas markets, with a current emphasis
on Indonesia and
the Philippines. We operate an online loan platform under our AdaKami brand in Indonesia, having obtained the necessary
license from the Financial Services Authority (OJK) in
Indonesia. In April 2024, we acquired a supermajority stake in an Indonesian
 multi-finance company to expand and diversify our product offerings for offline consumption
activities. We operate lending and other
personalized financial services in the Philippines under our JuanHand brand. The number of cumulative registered users in the overseas
markets increased from 15.5 million as of December 31, 2022 to 24.6 million as of December 31, 2023 and further to 35.7 million as of
December 31, 2024. Our loan origination
volume in the overseas markets increased from RMB4.3 billion as of December 31, 2022 to RMB7.9
billion as of December 31, 2023 and further to RMB10.1 billion (US$1.4
billion) as of December 31, 2024. Our outstanding loan balance
in the overseas markets increased from RMB800.4 million as of December 31, 2022 to RMB1,262.3 million as of
December 31, 2023 and further
to RMB1,696.2 million (US$232.4 million) as of December 31, 2024. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, revenues generated from the overseas markets
were
RMB1,149.7 million, RMB2,136.9 million and RMB2,532.5 million (US$347.0 million), representing 10.3%, 17.0% and 19.4% of net revenues
for the respective years.
 
Our
business models in both the PRC and overseas markets share substantial similarities, albeit with variations in specific loan products
stemming from localization
strategies and regulatory requirements. Generally, borrowers in overseas markets are younger on average, with
lower average loan amounts and shorter tenors compared to those in
China.
 
69

 
 
Borrowers
 
Since
our inception and up to December 31, 2024, we had facilitated loans for over 26.8 million borrowers in China from substantially all cities
and counties across China.
In 2024, over 66.3% of our borrowers in China were between 20 and 40 years of age. We strategically cultivate
customer loyalty, aiming to capture the vast growth opportunities as
our borrowers enter into different stages of their lives and qualify
for higher credit limits. The number of unique borrowers in a given year means the total number of borrowers
whose loans on our platforms
were funded during such year. The number of our unique borrowers in China were approximately 4.7 million in 2022, 4.4 million in 2023,
and 4.1
million in 2024. Our platforms feature a high proportion of repeat borrowers. In China, 86.8%, 87.2% and 86.5% of the total loan
origination volume facilitated through our
platform in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively, was generated from repeat borrowers who had
successfully borrowed on our platform before.
 
Since
the launch of our operations in the overseas markets and up to December 31, 2024, we had facilitated loans for approximately 7.0 million
borrowers in Indonesia and
the Philippines. The borrowers in the overseas markets are typically younger individuals, compared to borrowers
in the Chinese market. The number of unique borrowers for the
overseas markets were approximately 1.6 million in 2022, 1.9 million in
2023, and 2.9 million in 2024. For the overseas markets, 78.1%, 83.5% and 86.2% of the total loan
origination volume facilitated through
our platforms in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively, was generated from repeat borrowers who had successfully borrowed on our platforms
before.
 
Institutional
Funding Partners
 
Since
2020, all new loans facilitated on our platform in China have been funded by institutional funding partners or our own microloan
companies. Currently, we primarily
cooperate with commercial banks, internet or digital banks, private banks, consumer finance
companies, micro-loan companies and trust management companies to diversify the
funding sources on our platform in China. As of
December 31, 2024, we had cumulatively cooperated with 110 institutional funding partners in China. The loan origination volume
on
our platform in China increased from RMB171.1 billion in 2022 to RMB186.4 billion in 2023 and further to RMB196.1 billion (US$26.9
billion) in 2024.
 
In
2024, most of the new loans facilitated on our platforms in the overseas markets were funded by institutional funding partners. Currently,
we primarily cooperate with
commercial banks and internet banks in the overseas markets. As of December 31, 2024, we had cumulatively
cooperated with 13 institutional funding partners in our overseas
markets. The loan origination volume on our international platforms
increased from RMB4.3 billion in 2022 to RMB7.9 billion in 2023 and further to RMB10.1 billion (US$1.4
billion) in 2024.
 
Our
Products and Services
 
Loan
Services Offered to Borrowers
 
We
primarily offer standard loan products in China and also typically offer another kind of standard loan products in the overseas markets.
The loan products offered on our
platforms do not require any form of security or guarantee from the borrowers to secure the loan, and
we generally provide loan applicants with a credit decision in around 10
minutes of application for first-time applicants and in as little
as one minute for repeat borrowers. Approved borrowers typically receive loan disbursements within 24 hours
following the loan listing.
In 2024, 94.7% of the total number of loans facilitated through our platform in China were funded within one hour. We believe these features
are essential
to meeting borrowers’ often imminent financing needs. Subject to the credit assessment result for each loan application,
a borrower is allowed to take out multiple loans on our
platforms if the aggregate outstanding principal amount does not exceed such
borrower’s credit limit for the type of loans the borrower applies for.
 
Standard
loan products in China
 
Borrowers
in China have the flexibility to conveniently apply for our standard loan products through mobile devices. To initiate the application
process, they provide
essential information such as bank account details, educational background, marital status, occupation, and income
range. Additionally, they furnish one or two alternative contact
mobile phone numbers, alongside the mandatory identity card details
required for initial user registration. Small business owners also have the option to upload their business
license to our system.
 
Upon
completion of the credit assessment, eligible borrowers may apply for loans within the approved credit limit, with repayment terms spanning
from 1 month to 24
months. The average loan amounts for our standard loan products in China were RMB7,249 in 2022, RMB8,318 in 2023,
and RMB10,402 (US$1,425) in 2024. Borrowers across
various credit score tiers are subject to different credit limits and borrowing costs.
 
70

 
 
The
borrowing costs associated with our standard loans encompass loan interest payable to institutional funding partners. Borrowers may also
incur a guarantee service fee
for services rendered by financing guarantee companies. Our standard loan products in China feature fixed
monthly repayments, primarily consisting of principal, interest, loan
facilitation service fees and, where applicable, guarantee service
fees.
 
In
2024, the total origination volume of our standard loan products in China amounted to RMB188.3 billion (US$25.8 billion), accounting
for 96.0% of the total loan
origination volume on our platform in China for the same period. In 2024, borrowers of our standard loan
products in China included 826 thousand small business owners, with the
total loan origination volume constituting 29.5% of the overall
loan origination volume on our platform in China for the same year.
 
Standard
loan products in the overseas markets
 
Our
standard loan products in the overseas markets offer borrowers in Indonesia and the Philippines the convenience of applying through mobile
devices. To commence the
application process, borrowers provide essential information, including bank account details, existing credit
card information, educational background, marital status, occupation,
and income range.
 
Upon
completion of the credit assessment, eligible borrowers may apply for loans within the approved credit limit, with repayment terms spanning
from 1 month to 12
months. The average loan amounts for our standard loan products in Indonesia, our largest overseas market in the past
three years, were RMB784 in 2022, RMB1,066 in 2023, and
RMB1,091 (US$149.5) in 2024. Borrowers across various credit score tiers are
subject to different credit limits and borrowing costs.
 
The
associated borrowing costs for our standard loan products in the overseas markets typically include loan interest payable to institutional
funding partners. Borrowers
may also incur a guarantee service fee in certain instances for services provided by insurance companies.
Our standard loan products in the overseas markets typically feature fixed
monthly repayments, primarily consisting of principal, interest,
loan facilitation service fees and, if applicable, guarantee service fees.
 
Other
loan products
 
In
addition, we offer other products and will continue to develop new products from time to time. For example, we collaborate with several
third parties to offer their
customers loan products similar to our standard ones but with varied features, such as more preferential
interest rates. As part of our strategy to expand loan product offerings, we
have developed and are developing new loan products. As
our business develops, we will continue to expand our loan product offerings to meet demands from different tiers of
borrowers.
 
Services
Offered to Institutional Funding Partners
 
We
introduce borrowers to our institutional funding partners and offer preliminary credit assessment services, along with quality assurance
commitments for the repayment
of a substantial majority of the loans they fund, and provide other post-loan services to them throughout
the loan cycle.
 
Currently,
 our institutional funding partners primarily include commercial banks, internet or digital banks, private banks, consumer finance companies,
 micro-loan
companies and trust management companies. Generally, these institutional funding partners directly provide loans to the borrowers
we introduce using their own funds.
 
Capital
light model in China
 
We
launched our capital light model in 2020 as part of our strategic transition from a traditional, credit risk-bearing loan
facilitator to a technology enabler. Under this
model, we facilitate transactions between prospective borrowers and institutional
funding partners without assuming credit risk on the loans extended by our funding partners to the
borrowers we
introduce.
 
For
loans facilitated under our capital light model, we generate income through service fees provided by our financial institutions,
third-party lending platforms, and other
partners based on pre-negotiated terms, which vary by case. Our service fee rate is
typically a percentage of the pricing rate set by our partners on the loans.
 
71

 
 
Our
Platforms and Transaction Process
 
We
incorporate advanced technology into the transaction process on our platforms to provide a better experience to our borrowers and our
institutional funding partners.
The entire process appears simple, seamless and efficient but our platforms leverages sophisticated,
proprietary technology to make it possible.
 
Set
forth below is a general description of the transaction process of our standard loan products facilitated on our platform in China. The
transaction process for our
standard loan products facilitated on our platforms in overseas markets is largely similar.
 
Step
1: Initial Application
 
Prospective
borrowers can initiate applications online anytime, anywhere through our mobile applications. The application process for our standard
loan products typically
takes only a few minutes. If the application is initiated via mobile applications, applicants may provide requested
personal details and take a real-time selfie holding their identity
documentation. Small business owners are also given the option to
upload their business license to our system.
 
Step
2: Fraud Detection and Credit Assessment
 
After
 receiving loan applications, our system gathers data from various sources, including information provided by applicants, third-party
 data partners, and internet
sources with authorization. This data includes background details, behavior patterns and credit history.
For repeat borrowers, historical loan performance data accumulated on our
platforms is also incorporated into the borrowers’ profile.
 
We
use an anti-fraud model to detect fraudulent behavior, employing advanced methods to analyze individual and collusive fraud. If fraud
is detected, we notify the
applicant or proceed with the application if no fraud is found.
 
Following
the fraud detection, we initiate a credit review process using our proprietary Magic Mirror Model to generate a Magic Mirror score for
the prospective borrower.
Each Magic Mirror score corresponds to a credit level in the range of I to VIII, with Level I representing
the lowest risk and Level VIII representing the highest risk. See “—Risk
Management—Proprietary Credit Scoring and
Risk Pricing Models.” Applicants classified as Level VIII will be declined, and applicants falling under other credit levels will
be
assigned by our risk pricing system the approved credit amounts, maximum loan terms and applicable interest rates and other loan characteristics
which are determined based on
their respective Magic Mirror scores. In 2024, 99.2% of loan applications in China were automated, with
the remaining 0.8% undergoing manual review. Approved applicants are
connected with our institutional funding partners, while others
 are directed to third-party platforms. If they pass those platforms’ assessments, we charge service fees to the
platforms.
 
Step
3: Loan Listing and Funding
 
Our
institutional funding partners typically provide loans with their own funds directly to the borrowers we introduced. After obtaining
our preliminary credit assessment
and approval, borrowers may submit the final loan amount and loan term within the parameters of the
credit approval. Our proprietary system then matches and refers qualified
borrowers to our institutional funding partners based on their
specific requirements of borrower profiles, such as credit limits or ticket size. Our institutional funding partners will
then review
the credit application and our preliminary credit assessment of the borrower we introduced in accordance with their own credit assessment
standards and decide to
approve or decline the loan application. Once the borrower’s credit application is approved, our institutional
funding partners will then directly disburse the loan amounts to the
borrower’s bank account.
 
For
a substantial majority of loans we facilitate on our platform in China, we engage third-party guarantee companies or use our own guarantee
company to provide
financing guarantees to our institutional funding partners for the full repayment of loans. However, there are instances
where we provide financing guarantees for only a portion of
the loan repayment, or in some cases, none at all. Please refer to “Item
 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Quality Assurance Commitments for Our
Institutional Funding Partners”
for further details.
 
72

 
 
For
a small portion of loans, we collaborate with third-party trust management companies. Our collaboration with those third-party trust
management companies involves
setting up trusts, in some of which we invested to provide loans to borrowers we introduce. For more details,
see “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our
Business—We collaborate with third-party trust
management companies to set up trusts. We may be deemed to be an illegal financial institution under such trust arrangement, which
may
materially and adversely affect our business and financial condition.”
 
Step
4: Loan Servicing and Collection
 
Borrowers
can repay loans through our online platform based on the terms and conditions outlined in the loan agreements between borrowers and institutional
funding
partners. For borrowers unable to repay loans online, we accept bank transfers on behalf of our institutional funding partners.
Borrowers and institutional funding partners can
monitor loan performance in real-time.
 
Before
each scheduled repayment date, borrowers are required to deposit adequate funds, covering the principal, interest, and any applicable
late payment penalties and
guarantee service fees, into their respective accounts. Additionally, they authorize institutional funding
 partners, us, and third-party payment companies designated by us or
institutional funding partners to transfer the corresponding amounts
on the repayment date. This transfer includes the principal, interest, and, if applicable, late payment penalties
and guarantee service
fees to the respective institutional funding partners and third-party guarantee companies.
 
Our
institutional funding partners subsequently pay us transaction service fees for the services we provided. Additionally, we may also receive
transaction service fees from
third-party guarantee companies under certain circumstances for services rendered to them.
 
We
have a collection team of over 900 employees in China as of December 31, 2024 and have developed a systematic process to handle collection
of delinquent loans.
Upon becoming delinquent, a loan enters into our collection process, which is divided into stages based on severity
of delinquency. The first 90-day collection period is typically
handled by our collection team although we also engage third-party loan
collection service providers to assist us from time to time. Primary collection measures, including text
message reminders, phone calls,
legal letters and legal proceedings, are taken in succession as a loan becomes increasingly overdue. If a loan remains overdue after
the 90-day
period, we then outsource loan collection to third-party service providers to optimize collection efficiency.
 
Risk
Management
 
Our
strong risk management capabilities are one of the key competitive advantages that enable us to make credit available to the large unserved
or underserved population
in each market, whose credit histories have yet been recorded in this market’s developing credit system,
while maintaining a sustainable business at a healthy profitability level.
 
Data
Aggregation
 
We
have invested significant resources in building up a comprehensive credit database since our inception. Today, we own an extensive database
with several thousands of
variables for our borrowers, covering a wide range of information pertinent to a borrower’s creditworthiness
 and presenting a user profile from a 360-degree view. Data are
aggregated from a number of sources. We have cooperation with a number
of organizations, such as industry associations, who grant us the access to their respective data. Our
strong data-mining capabilities,
which we believe differentiate us from many other players in the online consumer finance industry. We have developed a number of proprietary
automated programs that are capable of searching, aggregating and processing data from the internet in a short period of time. Another
important component of our credit database
is the payment histories of our prior and existing borrowers. We take various measures to
ensure high level of reliability and accuracy of data. The following are typical data that we
seek to collect for each loan application:
 
●
historical
credit data accumulated through our online platform;
 
 
 
 
●
behavioral
data that we glean from an applicant’s behaviors as they apply for loans;
 
 
 
 
●
personal
identity information maintained by an organization operated under the Ministry of Public Security;
 
 
 
 
●
background
information, such as income level, education level and marital status, collected from prospective borrowers;
 
 
 
 
●
list
and database of fraud cases; and
 
 
 
 
●
credit
data from the credit bureau in the markets where we operate.
 
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Upon
the data aggregation, our system converts the originally unstructured data and structured data into credit scores using machine learning
techniques.
 
Fraud
Detection
 
We
have been working closely with multiple partners in a joint effort to identify emerging fraudulent schemes, scams, trends, threats, and
criminal organizations and have
accumulated data related to fraud. The database we maintain helps us to fine-tune the rules we set and
enhance our fraud detection capabilities. We have adopted a multifaceted
fraud detection method. First, we set up rules based on known
fraud cases to filter activities for fraudulent behaviors. Afterwards, we apply advanced network techniques to identify
relationships
pertinent to fraud and connect the individual fraudulent activities to uncover complex fraud schemes and criminal organizations. In addition,
we run anomaly detection
to detect individual and aggregated abnormal patterns in order to catch unknown fraud behaviors. If available
information is insufficient for our system to draw a conclusion, the
loan applications will be forwarded to our anti-fraud team for offline
verification, which involves members of our anti-fraud team speaking with applicants to inquire after any
inconsistencies in a loan application.
 
Proprietary
Credit Scoring and Risk Pricing Models
 
In
August 2014, we developed and launched a proprietary credit scoring model, known as the Magic Mirror Model, which we believe represents
one of our key competitive
advantages. Our Magic Mirror Model leverages a huge database that we have built up gradually through our years
of operations. Such a vast amount of data lays a strong foundation
for our use of machine learning to optimize the Magic Mirror Model
on a continuing basis.
 
Following
data aggregation and fraud detection, prospective borrowers enter into the credit assessment phase. Different algorithms are applied
to prospective borrowers
with different features in assessing the potential risks associated with them. Based on the assessment results,
our credit scoring model generates Magic Mirror scores for each of the
prospective borrowers. A new Magic Mirror credit score is generated
each time a borrower applies for a loan, which may change the borrower’s credit limit for that type of loan. We
apply various machine
 learning techniques to the data collected. Through monitoring model performance as well as variable consistency, our system is able to
 evaluate the
effectiveness of existing variables while discovering new ones. The Magic Mirror Model then is optimized by adjusting the
group of variables used. The following factors are
associated with variables that are important for assessing the probability of delinquency:
 
●
repayment
history
 
 
 
 
●
personal
identity information
 
 
 
 
●
education
 
 
 
 
●
consumption
behavior
 
 
 
 
●
credit
reports
 
 
 
 
●
fraudulent
records
 
 
 
 
●
third-party
supplementary data
 
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For
applicants of our standard loan products, the Magic Mirror score derived from our proprietary credit scoring model is used to determine
which of the eight segments in
our existing credit grid such applicants fall into. Among the eight segments, Level I represents the lowest
risk associated with the borrowers, while Level VIII represents the highest
risk. Level VIII loan applications will be rejected. Once
a credit level is assigned to a specific loan, it will not be changed during the tenor of the loan.
 
We
review and modify our segmented pricing from time to time, taking into consideration not only the borrower credit risk but also other
factors, such as market interest
rates, adequacy of investor protection mechanisms and competition in the market.
 
Quality
Assurance Commitments for Our Institutional Funding Partners
 
We
provide quality assurance commitments to our institutional funding partners for the majority of the loans they have funded. These commitments
comprise two primary
types: financing guarantee and insurance policy.
 
Financing
guarantee. We collaborate with licensed third-party financing guarantee companies to provide financing guarantees to our institutional
funding partners. In cases
of borrower default, the corresponding third-party guarantee company is obligated to repay the full overdue
 amount to the institutional funding partner. Upon the guarantee
company’s repayment, we are then obliged to purchase creditor’s
rights from them at a price equivalent to the amount repaid. In certain instances, we also offer security deposits to
third-party financing
guarantee companies for loans funded by specific institutional funding partners as an additional quality assurance commitment. Furthermore,
we established
three financing guarantee companies in Fujian, Tianjin, and Hainan in 2019 and 2020. Our own financing guarantee companies
may directly provide financing guarantees to
institutional funding partners for loans they funded.
 
Insurance
policy. We also provide quality assurance commitments through collaboration with third-party insurance companies. In this arrangement,
if borrowers that we
introduced default, our institutional funding partners can seek insurance compensation under the policies from third-party
insurance companies. In certain instances where the
overdue amount exceeds the insurance coverage, any remaining overdue amount may be
repaid by third-party guarantee companies we engaged. Please refer to “Item 3. Key
Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Our Business—Regulatory restrictions on institutional funding partners’ acceptance of credit enhancement may adversely
affect
our business and access to funding” for more details.
 
Technology
 
The
success of our business is dependent on our strong technological capabilities that support us in delivering superior user experience,
protecting information on our
platforms, increasing operational efficiency and enabling innovations. Principal components of our state-of-the-art
technology include:
 
 
●
Data
Science. We use data science technology extensively in various aspects of our operations. Our data mining and user behavior analytics
capabilities allow us to
build a comprehensive credit profile for each borrower. Our multi-dimensional real-time analytics capabilities
enable fast and accurate credit decisions. In 2024, a total
of 38 million loan transactions were matched on our platforms. We also
use data-based machine learning in numerous applications, such as improving fraud detection,
optimizing marketing resource allocation
and increasing collection efficiency.
 
 
 
 
●
Security.
We are committed to maintaining secure online platforms. We have built a firewall that monitors and controls incoming and outgoing
traffic on our platforms
around the clock. Once any abnormal activity is detected, our system will immediately notify our IT team
and at the same time automatically take measures, such as
activating third-party traffic control service, to prevent any harm to
 our platforms. For any transmission of user information, we use data encryption to ensure
confidentiality. Within our organization,
we have adopted a series of policies on internal control over information systems, including physical security measures, such
as
entry and equipment control, and network access management, such as identification, authentication and remote access control. We
 employ data slicing and
distribute the storage of a user’s data points across several servers. We also maintain redundancy
through a real-time multi-layer data backup system to prevent loss of
data resulting from unforeseen circumstances. We conduct periodic
reviews of our technology platforms, identifying and correcting problems that may undermine our
system security.
 
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●
Stability.
Our systems infrastructure is primarily hosted in data centers at two separate locations in Shanghai. We maintain redundancy through
a real-time multi-layer
data backup system to ensure the reliability of our network. Our platforms adopts modular architecture that
consists of multiple connected components, each of which
can be separately upgraded and replaced without compromising the functioning
of other components. This makes our platforms both highly reliable and scalable.
 
 
 
 
●
Scalability.
With modular architecture, our platforms can be easily expanded as data storage requirements and user visits increase. In addition,
 load balancing
technology helps us improve distribution of workloads across multiple computing components, optimizing resource utilization
and minimizing response time.
 
 
 
 
●
Automation.
 In addition to the foregoing technologies we employ to support our highly automated platforms, we have taken various measures to
 ensure the
uninterrupted operation of our platforms. For example, we have adopted self-recovery technology that enables our system
to perceive malfunctions and make the
necessary adjustments to restore itself to normal operation without any human intervention.
Also, our system is connected with systems of multiple data providers that
serve as backups for each other. If services provided
by one data provider are suspended, our system will shift to the backup sources automatically to ensure no
interruption to our operation.
 
Intellectual
Property
 
We
rely on a combination of patent, copyright, trademark and trade secret laws and restrictions on disclosure to protect our intellectual
property rights. As of March 31,
2025, we had (i) 197 patent applications and 59 registered patents in China and other jurisdictions,
including our proprietary facial recognition technology used for fraud detection,
(ii) 297 registered computer software copyrights, (iii)
251 registered domain names, including www.ppdai.com, and (iv) 390 trademark registrations in China and other jurisdictions,
including
our “FINV,” “PPDAI,” “信也,” “拍拍贷” and “魔镜”
trademarks.
 
Despite
our efforts to protect our proprietary rights, unauthorized parties may attempt to copy or otherwise obtain and use our technology. Monitoring
unauthorized use of
our technology is difficult and costly, and we cannot be certain that the steps we have taken will prevent misappropriation
of our technology. From time to time, we may have to
resort to litigation to enforce our intellectual property rights, which could result
in substantial costs and diversion of our resources. In addition, third parties may initiate litigation
against us alleging infringement
of their proprietary rights or declaring their non-infringement of our intellectual property rights. In the event of a successful claim
of infringement
and our failure or inability to develop non-infringing technology or license the infringed or similar technology on a
timely basis, our business could be harmed. Even if we are able
to license the infringed or similar technology, license fees could be
substantial and may adversely affect our results of operations. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—
Risks
Related to Our Business—We may not be able to prevent others from unauthorized use of our intellectual property, which could harm
our business and competitive position”
and “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—We
may be subject to intellectual property infringement claims, which may be expensive to
defend and may disrupt our business and operations.”
 
Sales
and Marketing
 
Our
market position benefits significantly from our large user base and our strong brand recognition throughout China and overseas markets.
We believe that our variety of
loan products that offer attractive returns, as well as our effective risk management and various protection
mechanisms, lead to strong word-of-mouth promotion, which drives
awareness of our brand among our users and business partners.
 
We
use a variety of traditional and internet marketing channels to acquire borrowers although most of our borrowers are acquired online.
Our borrower acquisition channels
mainly include:
 
 
●
Online
Advertising. From time to time, we work with App Stores to promote our mobile applications and with internet companies to place
online advertisements.
 
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●
Online
Partnerships. We team up with certain websites that are able to reach quality borrowers to provide consumer finance services
to their customer.
 
 
 
 
●
Search
Engine Marketing. We also use paid placement on major online search engines in the markets where we operate.
 
 
 
 
●
Offline
Direct Sales Team. We have also established an offline direct sales team with a workforce of over 200 full-time employees as
of December 31, 2024.
 
Competition
 
Online
consumer finance is an emerging industry. It provides a new means for consumers to obtain financing. As a leading player in the online
consumer finance market in
China and the overseas markets, we face intensive competition from other online platforms, online finance
 service providers, and technology giant backed internet finance
platforms, as well as traditional financial institutions. Consumer finance
platforms which operate online platforms connecting borrowers and institutional funding partners compete
directly with us for both
 borrowers and institutional funding partners. We also compete with traditional financial institutions, including credit card issuers,
 consumer finance
business units in commercial banks and other consumer finance companies. Some of our larger competitors have substantially
broader product or service offerings and rich financial
resources to support heavy spending on sales and marketing. We believe that our
ability to compete effectively for borrowers and institutional funding partners depends on many
factors, including the variety of our
products, user experience on our platforms, effectiveness of our risk management, the return offered to institutional funding partners,
our
partnership with third parties, our marketing and selling efforts and the strength and reputation of our brands.
 
Seasonality
 
We
experience seasonality in our business, reflecting seasonal fluctuations in internet usage and traditional personal consumption patterns,
as our borrowers typically use
their borrowing proceeds to finance their personal consumption needs. For example, we generally experience
lower transaction volume on our online consumer finance platform
during public holidays in China, particularly during the Chinese New
Year holiday season in the first quarter of each year. As we cooperate with institutional funding partners, such
as commercial banks,
our business may also be affected by liquidity seasonality in the banking system. For example, liquidity in China’s banking sector
has historically had a
tendency to be looser at the beginning of each calendar year and tighter towards the end of each calendar year.
Overall, the seasonality of our business may increase in the future.
 
Regulations
in the PRC
 
This
section sets forth a summary of the most significant laws, rules and regulations that affect our business activities in the PRC and our
shareholders’ rights to receive
dividends and other distributions from us.
 
Regulations
Relating to Online Consumer Finance Services
 
Regulations
on lending activities
 
The
 13th National People’s Congress approved the Civil Code of the PRC on May 22, 2020. It remains unclear with respect to the applicable
 interpretations and
implementations of certain provisions of the Civil Code of the PRC and how these provisions will apply to our business
operations. For example, pursuant to the Civil Code of the
PRC, usurious loans are explicitly banned, but a clear definition or interpretation
 of “usurious loans” is not provided. We cannot rule out the possibility that certain of our
operational activities would
be deemed to violate or not fully comply with the Civil Code of the PRC. If that happens, our business, results of operations, and financial
condition
would be materially and adversely affected.
 
On
January 30, 2024, the National Financial Regulatory Administration promulgated the Measures on the Administration of Personal Loans,
which stipulate that (i) several
conditions must be met to apply for a personal loan, including, but not limited to: (a) clear and legal
purposes for the loan, (b) reasonable amounts, terms, and currencies as indicated
in the loan application, and (c) willingness and ability
of the borrower to make repayments, with a good credit standing and no record of bad credit; (ii) loan investigations must
cover, but
are not limited to, the borrower’s basic information, earnings, loan purposes, source of funds, ability to repay, and repayment
method; and (iii) the lender may not delegate
core risk management matters, such as assessing the borrower’s genuine intentions,
earnings, indebtedness, source of funds, and the evaluation of service providers, to a third party.
 
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On
August 6, 2015, the Supreme People’s Court issued the Provisions on Several Issues Concerning Laws Applicable to Trials of Private
Lending Cases. These provisions
state that agreements between lenders and borrowers on loans with interest rates below 24% per annum
are valid and enforceable. For loans with interest rates per annum between
24% (exclusive) and 36% (inclusive), if the interest has already
been paid to the lender, and as long as such payment has not damaged the interests of the state, community, or any
third parties, the
courts will reject the borrower’s request to demand the return of excess interest payments. If the annual interest rate of a private
loan exceeds 36%, the agreement
on the excess interest is invalid. If the borrower requests the lender to return the portion of interest
exceeding 36% of the annual interest that has been paid, the courts will support
such requests. All interest rates of our loan products
are below 36%.
 
On
August 4, 2017, the Supreme People’s Court issued the Circular of Several Suggestions on Further Strengthening Judicial Practice
Regarding Financial Cases, which
provides, among other things, that (i) borrowers’ claims under financial loan agreements to adjust
or reduce interest exceeding 24% per annum, based on the aggregate amount of
interest, compound interest, default interest, liquidated
damages, and other fees claimed by the lender being excessively high, shall be supported by PRC courts; (ii) in the context of
Internet
finance disputes, if online lending information intermediary platforms and lenders circumvent the judicially protected interest rate
limit by charging intermediary fees, it
shall be deemed invalid; and (iii) private lending transactions are defined as loans between
individuals, legal persons, and other organizations. Loans funded by financial institutions
licensed by financial regulatory authorities
are not considered private lending transactions.
 
On
August 20, 2020, the Supreme People’s Court issued the Decision on Amending the Provisions on Several Issues Concerning Laws Applicable
to Trial of Private
Lending Cases, which was further amended by the Supreme People’s Court on December 29, 2020. These amendments
revised the upper limit of private lending interest rates under
judicial protection. The amendments provide that when the lender requests
the borrower to pay interest in accordance with the agreed-upon interest rate in the agreement, the
people’s court will support
such request, except where the interest rate agreed by both parties exceeds four times the one-year Loan Prime Rate at the time of the
establishment of
the agreement, or the Quadruple LPR Limit. The one-year Loan Prime Rate refers to the one-year loan market quoted interest
rate issued by the National Bank Interbank Funding
Center, authorized by the People’s Bank of China on the 20th of each month since
August 20, 2019. According to these amendments, the upper limit of interest rates of 24% and
36% provided in the 2015 Private Lending
Judicial Interpretation are replaced by the Quadruple LPR Limit. Moreover, if the lender and the borrower agree on both the overdue
interest
rate and the liquidated damages or other fees, the lender may choose to claim any or all of them, but the portion in total exceeding
the Quadruple LPR Limit may not be
supported by the people’s court. These amendments apply to new first-instance cases of private
lending disputes accepted by the People’s Court after the implementation of the
Judicial Interpretation Amendment on August 20,
2020. If the lending occurred before August 20, 2019, the upper limit of the protected interest rate can be determined by referring
to
four times the one-year Loan Prime Rate at the time of the plaintiff’s filing of the lawsuit.
 
On
January 21, 2021, in the response letter to the Guangdong High People’s Court regarding the inquiry on the scope of application
of these amendments issued by the
Supreme People’s Court, it further clarifies that seven types of financial organizations, including
micro-loan lending companies and financing guarantee companies, are financial
institutions licensed by the financial administrative authorities,
and the disputes arising out of their financial business activities do not apply to these amendments. However, as the
regulatory authorities
have wide discretion in the administration, interpretation, and enforcement of the laws and regulations, we cannot rule out the possibility
that the regulatory
authorities may hold different opinions on whether the Quadruple LPR Limit applies to the loans funded by financial
institutions on our platforms. For example, according to the
Notice on Regulating and Rectifying “Cash Loan” Business, promulgated
by the Internet Finance Rectification Office and the Online Lending Rectification Office in December
2017, in the context of “cash
loan” business operated by various types of institutions, the aggregated borrowing costs of the borrower charged in the forms of
interests and all kinds
of fees should be annualized and subject to the upper limit on interest rate of private lending set forth in
the judicial interpretations issued by the Supreme People’s Court. On March
31, 2021, the People’s Bank of China released
the PBOC No. 3 Announcement, which stipulates, among others, that the annual interest rate of a loan should be the annualized form
of
ratio calculated based on the percentage of all expenses charged from the borrower for the borrowing to the principal actually borrowed
by this borrower. The expenses charged
from the borrower include the interests and the various expenses directly related to the borrowing.
If the loan is repaid in installments, the remaining principal after the deduction of
the total repaid principal should be deemed as
the actual borrowed principal when calculating the annual interest rate. Compound interest rate and simple interest rate are both
allowed
 to be used to calculate the annual interest rate, provided that if the simple interest rate is used, it should be explicitly disclosed
 to the borrower. The PBOC No. 3
Announcement applies to deposit-taking financial institutions, consumer finance companies, microloan
companies, and internet platforms providing loan application services like
us. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Our Business—Interest rates of certain of our loan products may exceed the statutory interest rate limit and
therefore
part of the interests may not be enforceable through the PRC judicial system.”
 
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In
December 2017, the Notice on Regulating and Rectifying “Cash Loan” Business was promulgated by the Internet Finance Rectification
Office and the Online Lending
Rectification Office. This notice specifies the features of “cash loans” as not relying on
consumption scenarios, with no specified use of loan proceeds, unsecured, and with no
qualification requirement on customers, among others.
It also sets forth several general requirements regarding “cash loan” business, including but not limited to: (i) the aggregated
borrowing costs of borrowers charged by financial institutions in the forms of interest and various fees should be annualized and subject
to the limit on the interest rate of private
lending set forth in the Provisions on Several Issues Concerning Laws Applicable to Trials
of Private Lending Cases issued by the Supreme People’s Court; (ii) all financial
institutions are required to follow the “know-your-customer”
principle and prudentially assess and determine the borrower’s eligibility, credit limit, and cooling-off period; (iii) all
financial
institutions are required to enhance internal risk control and prudentially use the “data-driven” risk management model;
(iv) all financial institutions are prohibited from
providing any loans to any persons without a repayment source or repayment capacity,
or loans with no designated use of proceeds; (v) funds from banks cannot be used for “cash
loans” or “campus loans”;
and (vi) in cases where a financial institution participates in the “cash loan” business, third parties are not allowed to
charge borrowers any interest or
fees. This notice further provides that financial institutions cooperating with third parties to engage
in lending business (i) are not allowed to outsource any core lending business
operations, such as credit assessment and risk management,
to third parties, (ii) are not allowed to accept any credit enhancement provided by third parties without a license or
approval to provide
guarantees, including credit enhancement services in the form of a commitment to assume default risks, (iii) should comply with the judicial
interpretations by
the Supreme People’s Court of the PRC regarding interest rates in private lending concerning the annual borrowing
cost charged to a borrower, i.e., interest plus other fees, and (iv)
should ensure that third parties do not collect any interest or
fees from borrowers. Any violation of the Notice on Regulating and Rectifying “Cash Loan” Business may result in
penalties,
including but not limited to suspension of operation, orders to rectify, condemnation, revocation of a license, orders to cease business
operations, and even criminal
liabilities.
 
On
July 12, 2020, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission promulgated the Interim Measures for Commercial Banks Engaging in
Online Lending
Business, pursuant to which banks may collaborate with financing guarantee companies, e-commerce business companies, third-party
 payment companies, and information
technology companies in various online lending business processes and activities, including but not
limited to client referral, joint loan origination, risk distribution, information
technology, and loan collection. However, when collaborating
 with third parties for online lending businesses, banks are required to independently manage core risk control
procedures, such as credit
assessment and contract conclusion, and should be responsible for post-loan management. Each of the regional banks, an important category
of our
institutional funding partners, should (i) provide online lending services primarily to its local clients, (ii) be prudent in
providing loans to borrowers who reside outside its region,
and (iii) take appropriate measures to monitor business operations when serving
clients located outside its region. Banks may not accept credit enhancements, in direct or disguised
forms, provided by a third-party
partner without a financing guarantee license or credit security insurance license. Banks shall adopt appropriate measures to monitor
the use of loan
proceeds. Banks should evaluate and review the online lending partners they collaborate with at least once a year and
terminate cooperation if any incompetence is identified.
 
On
 September 4, 2020, nine local governmental authorities in Shanghai jointly issued the Guidance on Further Strengthening the Administration
 of Financial
Advertisement, which stipulates, among other things, that (i) advertisements released by financial institutions and financial
service providers should be within the scope permitted
by local governmental authorities; (ii) any market players without financial business
qualifications cannot advertise or promote financial business; (iii) financial advertisements
should not induce the purchase of improper
financial products or services; and (iv) financial service providers are required to disclose the name of their client when acting as
an
intermediary.
 
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On
February 19, 2021, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission issued the Notice of Further Regulating Online Loan Business
of Commercial Banks,
also known as CBIRC Circular 24. This notice stipulates that commercial banks must independently carry out the risk
 management of online loans and are forbidden from
outsourcing the material procedures of loan management. The outstanding balance of
online loans extended by a bank in collaboration with third-party platforms should not exceed
50% of the bank’s total outstanding
 balance. Additionally, where a commercial bank and its joint lending partner jointly contribute funds to issue online loans, the funding
contribution percentage of its joint lending partner may not be less than 30%. CBIRC Circular 24 further strengthens the requirement
that commercial banks are strictly prohibited
from outsourcing the material procedures of loan management and prohibits local commercial
banks from engaging in online loan business outside the territory of their registered
place. The requirements regarding the 30% lower
limit for joint lending loans and the cross-regional prohibition came into effect on January 1, 2022. Non-conforming legacy loans
extended
before the promulgation of CBIRC Circular 24 may be settled on their maturity dates.
 
On
July 15, 2022, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission issued the Notice on Strengthening the Management of Commercial
Banks’ Online Lending
Business and Improving the Quality and Efficiency of Financial Services, also known as CBIRC Circular 14.
This notice further requires commercial banks to: (i) take necessary
measures to effectively assess the compliance system, supervision
mechanism, information processing guidance, and security protection measures of personal information protection
of the institutes they
cooperate with, (ii) strengthen loan fund management, take effective measures to monitor loan usage, ensure safety of the loan funds,
and prevent institutions
they cooperate with from intercepting, pooling, or misappropriating funds, (iii) standardize the online loan
cooperation business with third-party institutions, and restrict or refuse to
cooperate with those that are in violation of applicable
regulations on online loans, and (iv) strengthen the protection of consumer rights and interests, the compliance management
of the marketing
and promotion activities of the institutions they cooperate with, and clearly stipulate the prohibited behaviors in their cooperation
agreement with the institutions.
With respect to the current non-compliance business, the commercial banks will be given a grace period
through June 30, 2023, to rectify the non-compliance. During the grace
period, the commercial banks shall comply with the requirements
under the Interim Measures for Commercial Banks Engaging in Online Lending Business, CBIRC Circular 24,
and CBIRC Circular 14 when conducting
any new online loan businesses.
 
Although
 the National Administration of Financial Regulation was officially established on March 18, 2023, replacing the China Banking and Insurance
 Regulatory
Commission as China’s financial regulatory authority, the Interim Measures for Commercial Banks Engaging in Online Lending
Business, CBIRC Circular 24, and CBIRC Circular
14 continue to apply to consumer finance companies and trust companies conducting online
lending business, subject to certain limited exceptions. On April 23, 2024, the National
Administration of Financial Regulation issued
the Notice on Strengthening the Regulation of Online Lending Businesses of Three Types of Banks. This notice further requires these
banks,
including commercial banks, to avoid over-reliance on a single category of internet loan products or a sole internet business partner.
It also mandates the establishment of a
unified mechanism for the admission and exit of partner institutions. When transmitting data
and recording transactions with partner institutions, banks must ensure that all data
exchanges adhere to high standards of security,
formality and integrity.
 
On April 3, 2025, the National Administration of Financial Regulation issued the Notice on Strengthening the Supervision
of Online Lending Business and Promoting
Financial Services, effective from October 1, 2025. It mandates, among other things, the following
key provisions: (i) bank headquarters shall maintain and publicly disclose on
their official websites and mobile applications a whitelist
of partnered online lending platforms; (ii) banks shall implement risk-based pricing mechanisms aligned with borrowers’
credit risks;
(iii) online lending platforms are prohibited from charging interest or other fees to borrowers; (iv) credit enhancement service providers
are prohibited from charging
service or consultation fees, as such practices are deemed to increase credit enhancement fees in a disguised
form; and (v) banks and online lending platforms must fully disclose
key information,
including but not limited to lenders, annualized interest rates, credit enhancement providers and fees, annualized funding costs, post-default
interest and costs, and
must clearly state that no other fees will be charged to borrowers. These requirements also apply to consumer finance companies and trust companies engaged in online lending
business.
 
As
our institutional funding partners include commercial banks, consumer finance companies, and trust companies, they are required to
evaluate and review us as mandated
by the Interim Measures for Commercial Banks Engaging in Online Lending Business and the
 subsequent notices issued by the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory
Commission and the National Administration of Financial
Regulation. If any of our institutional funding partners identifies any inadequacies in our evaluation and review, they may
terminate their cooperation with us, which could materially and adversely affect our business and operating results. Furthermore, as
an intermediary between institutional funding
partners and borrowers, we cannot assure you that all the institutional funding
partners we cooperate with have been and will continue to be in strict compliance with the Interim
Measures for Commercial Banks
Engaging in Online Lending Business and the subsequent notices issued by the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission and
the
National Administration of Financial Regulation.
 
Regulations
on illegal financial institutions and intermediaries
 
Under
the Measures for the Ban on Illegal Financial Institutions and Illegal Financial Business Operations, issued by the State Council on
July 13, 1998, any entity
engaging in financial activities without approval from the People’s Bank of China may be classified as
an illegal financial institution. This includes providing loans without the
necessary approval from the People’s Bank of China,
which is considered an illegal financial business operation. Given the rapid evolution of the online consumer finance industry
and the
changing regulatory landscape since the enactment of these measures, there is ambiguity surrounding their interpretation and applicability
to our operations. If we are
deemed an illegal financial institution, we may be subject to penalties, including confiscation of illegal
gains together with a fine from one to five times the illegal gains, or a fine of
RMB100,000 to RMB500,000 if there are no illegal gains,
and criminal liability if the violation constitutes a criminal offense. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—
Risks
Related to Our Business—We may be deemed to use our own funds to finance certain loans and therefore be subject us to regulatory
risks.”
 
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In
addition, the Supreme People’s Court, the Supreme People’s Procuratorate, the Ministry of Public Security, and the Ministry
of Justice jointly issued the Guidance on
Several Issues Regarding Illegal Lending in Criminal Cases on July 23, 2019. This guidance
provides, among other things, that (i) if any entity or individual engages in providing
loans to unspecified individuals consistently
for profit and without approval from regulatory authorities or outside its business scope, thus disturbing the stability of financial
markets, such entity or individual may face a criminal charge of unfair competition and may be subject to criminal liability in accordance
with applicable laws and regulations.
“Providing loans to unspecified individuals consistently” refers to providing loans
to entities and individuals no fewer than ten times within two years; and (ii) if the actual annual
interest rate of loans provided by
such entity or individual exceeds 36%, it would be deemed an aggravating circumstance when such entity or individual faces the aforementioned
criminal charge of unfair competition. There are uncertainties regarding the interpretation of this guidance, and it is still unclear
how regulatory authorities will interpret and
implement it in the future.
 
According
to the Civil Code of the PRC, an intermediation contract is a contract whereby an intermediary presents to its client an opportunity
to enter into a contract or
provides the client with other intermediary services in connection with the conclusion of a contract, and
the client pays the intermediary service fees. Our business practice of
connecting our institutional funding partners with individual
borrowers may constitute intermediary services, and our service agreements with borrowers and institutional funding
partners may be deemed
intermediation contracts under the Civil Code of the PRC. Pursuant to the Civil Code of the PRC, an intermediary must provide true information
relating to
the proposed contract. If an intermediary intentionally conceals any material fact or provides false information in connection
with the conclusion of the proposed contract, resulting
in harm to the client’s interests, the intermediary may not claim service
fees and is liable for the damages caused.
 
Regulations
on financial guarantee
 
In
June 1995, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress promulgated the PRC Guarantee Law. According to the PRC Guarantee
Law, an action of
guarantee means that the guarantor agrees to repay the outstanding debts to the creditor or assume any other responsibilities
when the debtor fails to repay the outstanding debts or
fulfill the responsibilities.
 
The
Regulations on the Administration of Financing Guarantee Companies were promulgated by the State Council on June 21, 2017, and took effect
on October 1, 2017.
According to these regulations, the establishment of financing guarantee companies should be subject to the approval
of the competent government authority, and unless otherwise
stipulated, no entity is allowed to operate the financing guarantee business
without such approval. If any entity operates the financing guarantee business without such approval, the
entity may face penalties,
 including termination or suspension of business, fines of RMB500,000 to RMB1,000,000, confiscation of illegal gains if any, and if the
 violation
constitutes a criminal offense, criminal liability shall be imposed in accordance with the applicable laws and regulations.
 
In
October 2019, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, together with eight other regulatory agencies, jointly promulgated
the Supplemental Rules to
the Administration of Financing Guarantee Companies, which provides that any entity providing client referral
or credit assessment services to the lending institutions may not
provide financing guarantee services in a direct or a disguised form
 without the regulatory approval. If any entity operates financing guarantee business without appropriate
approval, its business operations
will be banned by the regulatory authorities, and it will be required to properly settle existing business.
 
On
July 14, 2020, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission issued the Guidelines for Off-Site Supervision of Financing Guarantee
Companies, which
took effect on September 1, 2020. These guidelines provide, among others, that (i) the regulatory authorities and China
Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission shall collect
data and non-data information from the financing guarantee companies and banks
 respectively; (ii) financing guarantee companies shall establish and implement an off-site
supervision information report system and
submit data and non-data information timely according to the requirements of the competent regulatory authorities; and (iii) for the
off-
site supervision, the competent regulatory authorities shall mainly focus on the corporate governance, internal control, risk management
capabilities, guarantee business, associated
guarantee risks, asset quality, liquidity indicators, and investment conditions of financing
guarantee companies.
 
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On
December 31, 2021, the People’s Bank of China published the Regulations on the Local Financial Supervision and Administration (Draft
for Comments), which
stipulate that, among others, (i) the local financial organizations should primarily serve their local clients;
(ii) the guidance for local financial organizations to carry out business
outside provinces where they are registered should be made
by the State Council or financial regulatory authorities designated by the State Council; (iii) six types of financial
organizations,
including financing guarantee companies and micro-lending companies, are deemed as local financial organizations; (iv) a transition period
will be given to the
organizations carrying out business outside provinces before the effectiveness of the draft by the financial regulatory
authorities; and (v) organizations carrying out business outside
provinces without approval of the competent provincial regulatory authorities
may be subject to penalties, including correction orders, confiscation of illegal gains or fines, cessation
of business operations, and
revocation of business license. As of the date of this annual report, the draft regulations have not yet been promulgated into law.
 
Regulations
on anti-money laundering
 
The
PRC Anti-money Laundering Law, promulgated by the People’s Bank of China on October 31, 2006, and effective since January 2007,
stipulates that special non-
financial institutions, which are required by applicable regulations to fulfill anti-money laundering obligations,
must comply with these obligations. The People’s Bank of China and
other governmental authorities issued a series of administrative
rules and regulations to specify the anti-money laundering obligations of financial institutions and special non-
financial institutions.
 
In
October 2018, the People’s Bank of China, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, and the CSRC jointly issued the
Anti-money Laundering and
Anti-terrorism Financing Administrative Measures for Internet Finance Institutions, providing that internet
finance institutions are obliged to accept the anti-money laundering and
anti-terrorism financing inspections conducted by the People’s
Bank of China and its branches. These measures also authorized the establishment of the internet finance anti-money
laundering and anti-terrorism
financing monitoring platform by the National Internet Finance Association, under the instruction of the People’s Bank of China
and other financial
governmental authorities, to enhance online monitoring mechanisms and information sharing among institutions.
 
Regulations
Relating to Credit Reference Activities
 
On
January 21, 2013, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on Credit Reference, which provide that any person or organization conducting
personal credit
reference business without approval from the competent credit reference administrative department of the State Council
may face penalties. These penalties include cessation of
business operations, confiscation of illegal gains, fines ranging from RMB50,000
to RMB500,000, and even criminal liability.
 
On
September 27, 2021, the People’s Bank of China issued the Measures for Regulating Credit Reference, which came into effect on January
1, 2022. These measures
stipulate that credit information includes basic information, loan information, other related information, and
analysis and evaluation information generated from the foregoing
information of enterprises and individuals for identifying their credit
status. Credit reference business refers to the activities of collecting, sorting, storing, and processing the credit
information of
enterprises and individuals, and providing them to the information users. The individual credit reference institution license issued
by the People’s Bank of China is
required for engaging in the individual credit reference business. Licensed individual credit
 reference institutions must report to the People’s Bank of China regarding their
cooperation with any information provider for
 collecting, sorting, storing, and analyzing individual credit information. Additionally, financial institutions are not allowed to
cooperate
with any commercial entity that does not hold a credit reference license to obtain credit reference service. Violators of these rules
may face penalties, including cessation
of business operations, confiscation of illegal gains, fines ranging from RMB50,000 to RMB500,000,
and even criminal liability.
 
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Regulations
Relating to Foreign Investment
 
Investment
activities in the PRC by foreign investors are governed by the Guidance Catalog of Industries for Foreign Investment, which is promulgated
and amended from
time to time by the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC and the National Development and Reform Commission. This guidance
divides industries into three categories in terms of
foreign investment: “encouraged,” “restricted,” and “prohibited,”
and all industries not listed under one of these categories are generally deemed to be permitted. Unless otherwise
provided by applicable
laws and regulations, foreign investors are generally not allowed to own more than 50% of the equity interests in value-added telecommunications
service
providers in China, as stipulated by the Guidance Catalog of Industries for Foreign Investment promulgated in 2007, most recently
amended by the Special Administrative Measures
for the Access of Foreign Investment (Negative List) in 2021. According to these measures,
 the foreign equity interest ownership of entities that engage in value-added
telecommunications business (except for e-commerce, domestic
 multi-party communications, storage and forwarding classes, and call centers) may not exceed 50%. Foreign
investors investing in sectors
with restrictions must comply with the specified requirements outlined in these measures.
 
On
March 15, 2019, the National People’s Congress enacted the Foreign Investment Law of the PRC, which came into effect on January
1, 2020, and replaced the trio of
existing laws regulating foreign investment in China, namely, the Sino-foreign Equity Joint Venture
Enterprise Law, the Sino-foreign Cooperative Joint Venture Enterprise Law, and
the Wholly Foreign-invested Enterprise Law, together with
their implementation rules and ancillary regulations. The Foreign Investment Law of the PRC sets a general principle
that foreign investors
and their investments in China will enjoy national treatment and are subject to a negative list. It embodies an expected PRC regulatory
trend to rationalize its
foreign investment regulatory regime in line with prevailing international practice and legislative efforts
to unify the corporate legal requirements for both foreign and domestic
investments. However, uncertainties
still exist regarding its interpretation and implementation. For instance, under the Foreign Investment Law of the PRC, “foreign
investment”
refers to 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 arrangement would not be interpreted as a type of indirect foreign
investment activity under the definition
in the future. In addition, the definition contains a catch-all provision that includes investments made by foreign investors through
means
stipulated in laws or administrative regulations or other methods prescribed by the State Council. On December 26, 2019, the State
Council promulgated the Implementation
Regulations on the Foreign Investment Law, which came into effect on January 1, 2020. However,
the Implementation Regulations on the Foreign Investment Law still do not
explicitly define whether contractual arrangement would be
deemed as a form of foreign investment. 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.
 
Foreign
 investment in telecommunications companies in the PRC is governed by the Provisions for the Administration of Foreign-Invested Telecommunications
Enterprises, which were promulgated by the State Council on December 11, 2001, and most recently amended on April 7, 2022. These provisions
prohibit a foreign investor from
holding over 50% of the total equity interest in any value-added telecommunications service provider
in China, unless otherwise provided.
 
On
 December 20, 2019, the Ministry of Commerce and the State Administration for Market Regulation jointly promulgated the Measures on Reporting
 of Foreign
Investment Information, which came into effect on January 1, 2020. It requires foreign investors or foreign-invested enterprises
to submit investment information to the commerce
administrative authorities through the Enterprise Registration System and the National
Enterprise Credit Information Publicity System.
 
On
December 19, 2020, the National Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce jointly promulgated the Measures on the
Security Review of
Foreign Investment, effective on January 18, 2021, setting forth provisions concerning the security review mechanism
on foreign investment, including the types of investments
subject to review, review scopes and procedures, among others. The Office of
the Working Mechanism of the Security Review of Foreign Investment will be established under the
National Development and Reform Commission,
who will lead the task together with the Ministry of Commerce. Foreign investor or related parties in China must declare the
security
review to the office prior to (i) the investments in the military industry, military industrial supporting and other fields relating
to the security of national defense, and
investments in areas surrounding military facilities and military industry facilities; and (ii)
investments in important agricultural products, important energy and resources, important
equipment manufacturing, important infrastructure,
important transport services, important cultural products and services, important information technology and internet products
and services,
important financial services, key technologies and other important fields relating to national security, and obtain control in the target
enterprise. Control exists when the
foreign investor (i) holds an over 50% equity interest in the target, (ii) has voting rights that
can materially impact on the resolutions of the board of directors or shareholders
meeting of the target even when it holds a less than
50% equity interest in the target, or (iii) has material impact on target’s business decisions, human resources, accounting and
technology.
 
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Regulations
Relating to Internet Companies
 
Regulations
on value-added telecommunication services
 
The
Telecommunications Regulations of the PRC, promulgated by the State Council on September 25, 2000 and amended on February 6, 2016, provide
a regulatory
framework for telecommunications services providers in the PRC. These regulations require telecommunications services providers
to obtain an operating license prior to the
commencement of their operations. These regulations categorize telecommunications services
into basic telecommunication services and value-added telecommunications services.
According to these regulations, information services
provided via fixed network, mobile network and Internet fall within value-added telecommunications services. In July 2006, the
Ministry
of Information Industry, the predecessor of the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, issued the Circular on Strengthening
the Administration of Foreign
Investment in the Operation of Value-added Telecommunications Business, which prohibits holders of these
services licenses from leasing, transferring or selling their licenses in
any form, or providing any resource, sites or facilities, to
any foreign investors intending to conduct such businesses in China.
 
In
July 2017, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology promulgated the Administrative Measures on Telecommunications Business
Operating Licenses. Under
these regulations, a commercial operator of value-added telecommunications services must first obtain a license
for value-added telecommunications business from the Ministry of
Industry and Information Technology or its provincial level counterparts.
 
Foreign
 ownership of internet-based businesses, such as distribution of online information, is subject to restrictions under current PRC laws
 and regulations. These
regulations require that the foreign investors may acquire up to 50% equity interests in foreign-invested value-added
telecommunications enterprises in China. PRC regulations
impose sanctions for engaging in commercial internet information services, which
 is a sub-set of value-added telecommunication business, without a value-added
telecommunication service license for internet content
provider, and sanctions for engaging in the operation of online data processing and transaction processing, which is another
sub-set
of value-added telecommunication business, without a value-added telecommunication service license for online data processing and transaction
processing. These sanctions
include rectification orders and warnings from the PRC communication administrations, fines, confiscation
of illegal gains, and suspension or termination of operating of the
websites and mobile applications in question.
 
Furthermore,
as we are providing mobile applications to mobile device users, it is uncertain if any of our subsidiaries will be required to obtain
a separate operating license
in addition to the value-added telecommunication business operation license. We have not applied for such
 separate license since we have not obtained the value-added
telecommunication business operation license. See “Item 3. Key Information—D.
Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We may be adversely affected by the
complexity, uncertainties and changes
in PRC regulation of internet-related businesses and companies, and any lack of requisite approvals, licenses or permits applicable to
our
business may have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations.”
 
Regulation
on mobile internet applications information services
 
In
addition to the Telecommunications Regulations of the PRC and other regulations above, mobile applications are especially regulated by
the Administrative Provisions
on Mobile Internet Applications Information Services, which was promulgated by the Cyberspace Administration
of China on June 28, 2016 and amended on June 14, 2022. The
APP Provisions regulate mobile application information service providers.
According to these provisions, the Cyberspace Administration of China and local offices of cyberspace
administration shall be responsible
 for the supervision and administration of nationwide or local mobile application information, respectively. Under these provisions, mobile
application information service providers are required to obtain qualifications prescribed by laws and regulations and shall be responsible
for the supervision and administration of
mobile application information required by laws and regulations and implement the information
security management responsibilities strictly, including but not limited to: (i) to
authenticate the identity information of the registered
users, (ii) to protect user information, and obtaining the consent of users while collecting and using users’ personal information
in a lawful and proper manner. Mobile app operators may not deny users’ access to basic functions and services of the app in the
event that the users disagree with collection of
unnecessary personal information, and (iii) to establish information content management
mechanism, and take against any information content in violation of laws or regulations
depending on circumstances.
 
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On
August 4, 2023, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology promulgated the Notice of the Ministry of Industry and Information
Technology on the Filing of
Mobile Apps, which provides that app operators engaged in internet information services within China must
fulfill the filing process in accordance with the applicable regulations
and such operators may not engage in the app internet information
service without completion of such filing.
 
Regulations
on internet security
 
The
National People’s Congress has enacted legislation that prohibits use of the internet that breaches the public security, disseminates
socially destabilizing content or
leaks state secrets. Breach of public security includes breach of national security and infringement
on legal rights and interests of the state, society or citizens. Socially destabilizing
content includes any content that incites defiance
or violations of PRC laws or regulations or subversion of the PRC government or its political system, spreads socially disruptive
rumors
or involves cult activities, superstition, obscenities, pornography, gambling or violence. State secrets are defined broadly to include
information concerning PRC national
defense, state affairs and other matters as determined by the PRC authorities.
 
Internet
information in China is regulated and restricted from a national security standpoint. The Standing Committee of the National People’s
Congress has enacted the
Decisions on Maintaining Internet Security on December 28, 2000 and further amended on August 27, 2009, which
may subject violators to 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. In 1997, the Ministry of Public Security has promulgated measures that prohibit use of
the internet in ways
which, among other things, result in a leakage of state secrets or a spread of socially destabilizing content. If
an internet information service provider violates these measures, the
Ministry of Public Security and the local security bureaus may
revoke its operating license and shut down its websites.
 
In
December 2015, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress promulgated the Anti-Terrorism Law of the PRC, which took
effect on January 1, 2016 and
was amended on April 27, 2018. According to the Anti-Terrorism Law of the PRC, telecommunication service
operators or internet service providers shall (i) carry out pertinent
anti-terrorism publicity and education to society; (ii) provide
technical interfaces, decryption and other technical support and assistance for the competent departments to prevent
and investigate
 terrorist activities; (iii) implement network security and information monitoring systems as well as safety and technical prevention
 measures to avoid the
dissemination of terrorism information, delete the terrorism information, immediately halt its dissemination, keep
 records and report to the competent departments once the
terrorism information is discovered; and (iv) examine customer identities before
providing services. Any violation of the Anti-Terrorism Law of the PRC may result in severe
penalties, including substantial fines.
 
The
Cyber Security Law, which was promulgated by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress on November 7, 2016 and became
effective on June 1,
2017. Under this regulation, network operators, including online lending information service providers, shall comply
with laws and regulations and fulfill their obligations to
safeguard security of the network when conducting business and providing services,
 and take all necessary measures pursuant to laws, regulations and compulsory national
requirements to safeguard the safe and stable operation
of the networks, respond to network security incidents effectively, prevent illegal and criminal activities, and maintain the
integrity,
confidentiality and usability of network data.
 
On
September 12, 2022, the Cyberspace Administration of China issued a draft to amend the Cyber Security Law and proposed to, among others,
increase the maximum
fines for entities from RMB1 million to RMB 50 million or five percent of an entity’s previous year’s
turnover, and from RMB100,000 to RMB1 million for directly responsible
individuals for the following violation: (i) severe violations
of cybersecurity protection obligations or severe harm to the security of network operation; (ii) failure to protect cyber
information
security, to take measures to suspend transfer of or delete information that is prohibited from distribution, or to take measures against
relatively major security risks or
security incidents; and (iii) distribution of transfer of prohibited information. In respect of the
use by a critical information infrastructure operator of network products or services
that have not been assessed or have failed a security
assessment, the critical information infrastructure operator may be subject to a fine of up to ten times the procurement amount
or five
percent of its previous year’s turnover, with a penalty of up to RMB100,000 being imposed on directly responsible individuals.
Such draft amendment was released for
soliciting public comments only and their final form, interpretation and implementation remain
substantially uncertain.
 
85

 
 
On
May 1, 2021, the Regulations on the Scope of Necessary Personal Information Collected by the Frequently Used Mobile Applications, jointly
promulgated by the
Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security
and the State Administration for Market Regulation
came into effect, which provides, among others, that: (i) the application operators
may not refuse to provide fundamental function services to the users for reason that such users
refuse to provide the personal information
out of the scope of necessity; (ii) the fundamental function service of online lending applications is to facilitate loans provided to
the users
online for use of personal consumption and business operation; and (iii) the necessary personal information includes the borrower’s
mobile phone number, name, bank account, as
well as type, number and valid period of its identity card. The different governmental authorities,
 including the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, Shanghai
Communications Administration, and Cybersecurity Branch of Shanghai
 Public Security Bureau, have been inspecting various mobile applications on the market on the
enforcement of data protection and cybersecurity
and may continue to do so in the future, even with more stringent scrutiny.
 
The
Standing Committee of the PRC National People’s Congress published the Data Security Law, which took effect on September 1, 2021.
The Data Security Law
requires data processing, which includes the collection, storage, use, processing, transmission, provision, publication
of data, to be conducted in a legitimate and proper manner. The
Data Security Law provides for data security and privacy obligations
on entities and individuals carrying out data activities. The Data Security Law provides a national security
review procedure for those
data activities which affect or may affect national security and imposes export restrictions on certain data and information. In addition,
the Data Security
Law also provides that any organization or individual within the territory of the PRC may not provide any foreign judicial
body and law enforcement body with any data without the
approval of the competent PRC governmental authorities.
 
On
 July 6, 2021, certain PRC regulatory authorities issued Opinions on Strictly Cracking Down on Illegal Securities Activities, which, among
 others, provides for
improving laws and regulations on data security, cross-border data transmission, and confidential information management.
It provided that efforts will be made to revise the
regulations on strengthening the confidentiality and file management relating to
the offering and listing of securities overseas, to implement the responsibility on information
security of overseas listed companies,
and to strengthen the standardized management of cross-border information provision mechanisms and procedures.
 
On
 July 30, 2021, the State Council issued the Regulations on Protection of Critical Information Infrastructure. Pursuant to these regulations,
 critical information
infrastructure shall mean the important network facilities or information systems of key industries or fields such
 as public communication and information service, energy,
transportation, water conservation, finance, public services, e-government affairs
and national defense science, and important network facilities or information systems which may
endanger national security, people’s
livelihood and public interest once there occur damage, malfunctioning or data leakage to them. These regulations provide that no individual
or
organization may carry out any illegal activity of intruding into, interfering with, or sabotaging any critical information infrastructures,
or endanger the security of any critical
information infrastructures. These regulations also require that critical information infrastructure
operators shall establish a cybersecurity protection system and accountability
system, and that the main responsible person of a critical
information infrastructure operator shall take full responsibility for the security protection of the critical information
infrastructures
operated by it. In addition, administration departments of each important industry and sector shall be responsible for formulating the
rule of critical information
infrastructure determination applicable to their respective industry or sector, and determine the critical
information infrastructure operators in their industry or sector.
 
On
 July 12, 2021, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology and two other authorities jointly issued the Provisions on the Administration
 of Security
Vulnerabilities of Network Products. These provisions state that, no organization or individual may abuse the security vulnerabilities
of network products to engage in activities that
endanger network security, or to illegally collect, sell, or publish the information
on such security vulnerabilities. Anyone who is aware of the aforesaid offenses may not provide
technical support, advertising, payment
settlement and other assistance to the offenders. According to these provisions, network product providers, network operators, and platforms
collecting network product security vulnerabilities shall establish and improve channels for receiving network product security vulnerability
information and keep such channels
available, and retain network product security vulnerability information reception logs for at least
six months. These provisions also ban provision of undisclosed vulnerabilities to
overseas organizations or individuals other than to
the product providers.
 
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On
August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress promulgated the Personal Information Protection Law,
which integrates the scattered rules
with respect to personal information rights and privacy protection and took effect on November 1,
2021, requires, among others, that (i) the processing of personal information
should have a clear and reasonable purpose which should
be directly related to the processing purpose and should be conducted in a method that has the minimum impact on
personal rights and
interests, and (ii) the collection of personal information should be limited to the minimum scope as necessary to achieve the processing
purpose and avoid the
excessive collection of personal information. Personal information processors shall adopt necessary measures to
safeguard the security of the personal information they handle. The
offending entities could be ordered to correct, or to suspend or
terminate the provision of services, and face confiscation of illegal income, fines or other penalties.
 
On
January 4, 2022, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the National Development and Reform Commission, the Ministry of Industry and
Information Technology,
and several other administrations jointly published the amended Measures for Cybersecurity Review, which became
effective on February 15, 2022. The amended Measures for
Cybersecurity Review further restates and expands the applicable scope of the
cybersecurity review. Pursuant to the amended Measures for Cybersecurity Review, (i) when the
purchase of network products and services
by a critical information infrastructures operator or the data processing activities conducted by a network platform operator affect
or may
affect national security, a cybersecurity review shall be conducted pursuant to the Review Measures. The operators shall file
for a cybersecurity review with Cybersecurity Review
Office under the Cyberspace Administration of China if their behavior affects or
may affect national security; (ii) an application for cybersecurity review shall be made by an issuer
who is a network platform operator
holding personal information of more than one million users before such issuer applies to list its securities on a foreign stock exchange;
and (iii)
the PRC governmental authorities may initiate cybersecurity review if such governmental authorities determine that the issuer’s
network products or services, or data processing
activities affect or may affect national security. The amended Measures for Cybersecurity
Review focuses on assessing the following national security risks factors: (i) the risk of
illegal control, interference or destruction
of critical information infrastructure, arising from the purchase and utilization of network products and services; (ii) the harm on
the
business continuity of critical information infrastructure incurring from a disruption of network products and services supply; (iii)
the safety, openness, transparency, diversity of
sources of network products and services; the reliability of suppliers; and the risk
 of supply disruption due to political, diplomatic, trade and other reasons; (iv) the level of
compliance with the PRC laws, administrative
regulations and ministry rules of the suppliers of network products and services; (v) the risk of core data, important data or a large
amount of personal information being stolen, leaked, destroyed, and illegally used or illegally exited the country; (vi) the risk of
critical information infrastructure, core data,
important data or a large amount of personal information being affected, controlled,
or maliciously used by foreign governments and the network information security risk regarding
listing abroad; and (vii) other factors
that may harm critical information infrastructure, cyber security and/or data security. The amended Measures for Cybersecurity Review
was
promulgated recently, and there are substantial uncertainties on the interpretation and application of the amended Measures for Cybersecurity
Review. See “Item 3. Key Information
—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—Any failure to comply with
existing or future laws and regulations related to data protection, data security, cybersecurity or
personal information protection could
lead to liabilities, administrative penalties or other regulatory actions, which could negatively affect our operating results and business.”
 
On
July 7, 2022, the Cyberspace Administration of China published the Measures for Security Assessment of Cross-border Data Transfer, which
came into effect on
September 1, 2022. These regulations stipulates that if the cross-border data transfer to be conducted by a “data
processor” has any of the following circumstances, the “data
processor” shall apply to the national cyberspace administration
authority for security assessment via the provincial cyberspace administration authority in the place where the said
“data processor”
is located: (i) any data processor transfers important data to overseas recipients; (ii) any “critical information infrastructure
operator,” or any “data processor”
processing the personal information of more than one million individuals transfers
personal information to overseas recipients; (iii) the personal information of more than 100,000
individuals or the sensitive personal
information of more than 10,000 individuals has been provided overseas since January 1 of the previous year on a cumulative basis; and
(iv)
other circumstances where the security assessment is required as prescribed by the national cyberspace administration authority.
Furthermore, on August 31, 2022, the Cyberspace
Administration of China promulgated the Guidelines to the Application for Security Assessment
of Cross-border Data Transfer (First Edition), which provides that the activities of
“cross-border data transfer” include
(i) overseas transmission and storage by data processors of data generated during operations in mainland China; (ii) the access to, use,
download
or export of the data collected and generated by data processors and stored in mainland China by overseas institutions, organizations
or individuals; and (iii) other acts as specified
by the Cyberspace Administration of China.
 
87

 
 
On
February 22, 2023, the Cyberspace Administration of China promulgated the Measures on Standard Contract for Outbound Data Transfer of
Personal Information,
which became effective on June 1, 2023. The measures stipulate that a personal information processor must enter
into a standard contract with overseas recipients when transferring
personal information abroad. While the personal information processor
is allowed to negotiate additional terms with the overseas recipients, such terms may not conflict with the
standard contract. Within
10 business days of the standard contract taking effect, the personal information processor is required to submit the contract to the
local provincial
cybersecurity administration. The measures include a transitional period of six months for companies to complete rectification.
 
On
December 14, 2022, the People’s Bank of China issued the Regulations on the Supervision and Administration of Financial Infrastructure
(Draft for Comment), which
provides that (i) financial infrastructure refers to registration and custody system, clearing and settlement
system, trading facilities, trading report database, critical payment system,
and credit reference system of the financial assets, and
(ii) financial infrastructure operator refers to the enterprises that are approved according to the laws and regulations to
construct,
operate, and maintain the financial infrastructure. As of the date of this annual report, the draft measures have not yet promulgated
into law.
 
On
December 19, 2022, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the PRC and the State Council issued the Guidance on Building Fundamental
Data Systems to
Put Data Resources to Better Use, aiming at safeguarding national data security, protecting individuals’ information
and trade secrets, and ensuring the development of the data
economy. Under this guidance, data would be categorized and graded based
on its sensitivity. Data processor is encouraged to open, share, exchange, and trade data both on-market
and off-market. Regions and
industries that meet proper conditions are encouraged to engage in pilot programs for building new systems, implementing technique methods
and trial
modes. Enterprises are encouraged to innovate internal system for managing data compliance, and explore ways to improve fundamental
data system.
 
On
September 24, 2024, the State Council promulgated the Regulations on Network Data Security, which came into effect on January 1, 2025.
These regulations reinforce
and clarify legal requirements related to personal information protection, important data management, cross-border
 data transfers, network platform services, and overall data
security. Notably, network data processing activities that affect or may
affect national security must undergo a national security review in accordance with applicable laws and
regulations. The regulations
 also introduce a new requirement for risk assessments of important data. Non-compliance may result in penalties, including fines, suspension
 of
services, or the revocation of business permits or licenses.
 
On
December 27, 2024, the National Administration of Financial Regulation issued the Measures for Data Security Management of Banking and
Insurance Institutions,
which took effect immediately upon release. These measures apply to financial entities approved by local branches
of the National Administration of Financial Regulation, such as
financial guarantee and microloan companies. They mandate the use of
technical safeguards, including encryption and anonymization, to ensure data confidentiality, integrity, and
availability. Financial
institutions must process personal data for legitimate and clearly defined purposes, ensuring the scope is limited to what is necessary
for their activities.
Individuals must be informed about data collection, processing, and storage practices, with explicit consent required
unless otherwise provided by law. Additionally, institutions are
required to conduct personal information protection impact assessments
for activities significantly affecting individual rights. Data controllers and processors are held accountable
for implementing strict
security measures to prevent unauthorized access or misuse, maintain data accuracy, and ensure transparency in data-sharing practices,
particularly for cross-
border transfers or sharing with third parties. Compliance with these measures is critical to avoiding regulatory
sanctions and protecting institutional reputations.
 
88

 
 
Regulations
on privacy protection
 
The
Several Provisions on Regulating the Market Order of Internet Information Services, issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information
Technology in December
2011, provide that, an internet information service provider may not collect any user personal information or
provide any such information to third parties without the consent of a
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 personal
information, and in case of any leak or likely leak of the user personal information, online lending service providers
 must take immediate remedial measures and, in severe
circumstances, make an immediate report to the telecommunications regulatory authority.
 
In
addition, pursuant to the Decision on Strengthening the Protection of Online Information issued by the Standing Committee of the National
People’s Congress in
December 2012 and the Order for the Protection of Telecommunication and Internet User Personal Information
issued by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology in
July 2013, any collection and use of user personal information must
be subject to the consent of the user, abide by the principles of legality, rationality and necessity and be within
the specified purposes,
methods and scopes.
 
Pursuant
to the Ninth Amendment to the Criminal Law issued by the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress in August 2015, 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, should be subject to
criminal penalty.
 
On
May 8, 2017, the Supreme People’s Court and the Supreme People’s Procuratorate released the Interpretations of the Supreme
People’s Court and the Supreme People’s
Procuratorate on Several Issues Concerning the Application of Law in the Handling
of Criminal Cases Involving Infringement of Citizens’ Personal Information, which became
effective on June 1, 2017. These interpretations
 provide more practical conviction and sentencing criteria for the infringement of citizens’ personal information and mark a
milestone
for the criminal protection of citizens’ personal information.
 
The
Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public Security, and the State
Administration for Market
Regulation jointly promulgated the Notice on Rectification of Illegal Collection of Personal Information on
Application on January 23, 2019, which requires application operators to
strictly comply with the Cyber Security Law and strengthens
 the personal information protection. Application operators should, among others, (i) clearly state the authorized
purpose, methods and
scope of the collection and usage of personal information, and obtain the consent of users for collecting and processing such users’
personal information, and
(ii) establish appropriate user information protection systems with remedial measures. To further implement
and interpret such notice, the Measures on Identifying Illegality of
Personal Information Collection Conducts on Application was promulgated
on November 28, 2019.
 
The
Ministry of Public Security promulgated the Guidance on Several Issues for Soft Violence Regarding Criminal Case on April 9, 2019, which
provides that, among
others, harassments by means of internet or telecommunication to disturb people’s normal life, work, production,
business, and social order may be deemed as soft violence, which
may be subject to criminal liabilities.
 
On
February 28, 2025, the National Standardization Administration issued a national standard, Internet Finance (Online Consumer Lending)
Guidance on Post-Loan,
which, with limited exceptions, prohibits contacting the designated liaison persons of defaulting borrowers and
imposes restrictions on the timing and frequency of communications
with them.
 
With
 respect to the security of information collected and used by mobile apps, pursuant to the Announcement of Conducting Special Supervision
against the Illegal
Collection and Use of Personal Information by Apps, which was issued on January 23, 2019, app operators should collect
and use personal information in compliance with the
Cyber Security Law and should be responsible for the security of personal information
obtained from users and take effective measures to strengthen the personal information
protection. Furthermore, app operators should
not force their users to make authorization by means of bundling, suspending installation or in other default forms and should not
collect
personal information in violation of laws, regulations or breach of user agreements. Such regulatory requirements were emphasized by
the Notice on the Special Rectification
of Apps Infringing upon User’s Personal Rights and Interests, which was issued by the Ministry
of Industry and Information Technology on October 31, 2019.
 
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On
November 28, 2019, the Cyberspace Administration of China, the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, the Ministry of Public
Security and the State
Administration for Market Regulation jointly issued the Methods of Identifying Illegal Acts of Apps to Collect
and Use Personal Information. This regulation further illustrates
certain commonly-seen illegal practices of apps operators in terms
 of personal information protection, including “failure to publicize rules for collecting and using personal
information,”
“failure to expressly state the purpose, manner and scope of collecting and using personal information,” “collection
and use of personal information without consent of
users of such app,” “collecting personal information irrelevant to the
services provided by such app in violation of the principle of necessity,” “provision of personal information to
others without
users’ consent,” “failure to provide the function of deleting or correcting personal information as required by laws”
and “failure to publish information such as
methods for complaints and reporting.”
 
On
March 12, 2021, the Cyberspace Administration of China and three other authorities jointly issued the Rules on the Scope of Necessary
Personal Information for
Common Types of Mobile Internet Applications. These rules specifies the scope of necessary personal information
to be collected each for a variety of common mobile internet
applications, such as maps and navigation apps, online ride-hailing apps,
instant messaging apps, online community apps. Operators of such apps may not refuse to provide basic
services to users on the ground
of users’ refusal to provide their personal non-essential information. The basic service of online lending applications is to facilitate
loans provided to
the users online for use of personal consumption and business operation, and the necessary personal information for
an online lending application includes the borrower’s mobile
phone number, name, bank account, as well as type, number and valid
period of its identity card.
 
On
August 20, 2021, the Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress promulgated the Personal Information Protection Law,
which integrates the scattered rules
with respect to personal information rights and privacy protection and took effect on November 1,
2021. The Personal Information Protection Law integrates provisions from several
rules with respect to personal information rights and
privacy protection. According to the Personal Information Protection Law, personal information refers to information related to
identified
or identifiable natural persons which is recorded by electronic or other means (excluding the anonymized information). The Personal Information
Protection Law provides
the circumstances under which a personal information processor could process personal information, such as where
the consent of the individual concerned is obtained and where it
is necessary for the conclusion or performance of a contract to which
such individual is a party to such contract. It also stipulates certain specific provisions with respect to the
obligations of a personal
information processor. In addition, it imposes further obligations on a personal information processor that provides for basic internet
platform services, has
large amount of users, has complicated business activities, including formulating of an independent institution
 mainly comprising of outside members to supervise personal
information processing activities, termination of provision of services for
product or service providers on the platform whose personal information processing activities are in
material violation of laws and regulations,
and issuing personal information protection social responsibilities reports regularly.
 
Regulations
Relating to Foreign Exchange
 
Regulations
on foreign currency exchange
 
The
principal regulations governing foreign currency exchange in China are the Foreign Exchange Administration Regulations, most recently
amended in August 2008.
Under the PRC foreign exchange regulations, payments of current account items, such as profit distributions,
interest payments and trade and service-related foreign exchange
transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior approval
from SAFE by complying with certain procedural requirements. By contrast, 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 account items, such as direct
investments, repayment of foreign currency-denominated loans, repatriation of investments and investments in securities outside of China.
 
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On
February 13, 2015, SAFE promulgated the Notice on Further Simplifying and Improving the Administration of the Foreign Exchange Concerning
Direct Investment.
After this notice became effective on June 1, 2015, instead of applying for approvals regarding foreign exchange registrations
of foreign direct investment and overseas direct
investment from SAFE, entities and individuals will be required to apply for such foreign
exchange registrations from qualified banks. The qualified banks, under the supervision of
SAFE, will directly examine the applications
and conduct the registration.
 
On
March 30, 2015, 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 SAFE Circular 19, to expand the reform nationwide. SAFE Circular 19
allows foreign-invested enterprises to make equity investments
by using RMB fund converted from foreign exchange capital. Under SAFE
Circular 19, the foreign exchange capital in the capital account of foreign-invested enterprises upon the
confirmation of rights and
interests of monetary contribution by the local foreign exchange bureau (or the book-entry registration of monetary contribution by the
banks) can be
settled at the banks based on the actual operation needs of the enterprises. The proportion of discretionary settlement
of foreign exchange capital of foreign-invested enterprises is
currently 100%. SAFE can adjust such proportion in due time based on the
circumstances of international balance of payments. However, SAFE Circular 19 and another circular
promulgated by SAFE in June 2016,
SAFE Circular 16, continues to, prohibit foreign-invested enterprises from, among other things, using RMB fund converted from its foreign
exchange capitals for expenditure beyond its business scope, investment and financing (except for security investment or guarantee products
issued by bank), providing loans to
non-affiliated enterprises or constructing or purchasing real estate not for their own use.
 
On
 October 23, 2019, SAFE promulgated the Notice of the Administration of Foreign Exchange on Further Promoting the Convenience of Cross-border
Trade and
Investment. It provides that non-investment foreign-invested entities may use foreign exchange capital or Renminbi funds converted
from the foreign exchange capital to make
equity investments, provided that such investments should comply with the Negative List and
other PRC laws and regulations. On April 10, 2020, SAFE issued the Notice on
Optimizing Foreign Exchange Administration to Support the
Development of Foreign-related Business. It provides that on the premise of ensuring the true and compliant use of
funds and compliance
with the existing regulations on use of income under the capital account, enterprises which satisfy the criteria are allowed to use income
under the capital
account, such as capital funds, foreign debt and overseas listing for domestic payment, without prior provision of
proof materials for veracity to the bank for each transaction.
However, there are substantial uncertainties of the further implementation
of these two notices. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business
in China—PRC
regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion
may delay or prevent
us from using the proceeds of our offshore financing to make loans to or make additional capital contributions to
our PRC subsidiaries, which could materially and adversely affect
our liquidity and our ability to fund and expand our business.”
 
Regulations
on foreign exchange registration of overseas investment by PRC residents
 
SAFE
promulgated the Circular on Relevant Issues Concerning Foreign Exchange Control on Domestic Residents’ Offshore Investment and
Financing and Round-trip
Investment through Special Purpose Vehicles, or SAFE Circular 37, on July 4, 2014, which replaced the former
circular commonly known as “SAFE Circular 75.” SAFE Circular
37 requires PRC residents to register with local branches of
SAFE in connection with their direct establishment or indirect control of an offshore entity, for the purpose of overseas
investment
and financing, with such PRC residents’ legally owned assets or equity interests in domestic enterprises or offshore assets or
interests, referred to in SAFE Circular 37 as
a “special purpose vehicle.” SAFE Circular 37 further requires amendment to
the registration in the event of any significant changes with respect to the special purpose vehicle, such
as increase or decrease of
capital contributed by PRC individuals, share transfer or exchange, merger, division or other material event. In the event that a PRC
shareholder holding
interests in a special purpose vehicle fails to fulfill the required SAFE registration, the PRC subsidiaries of that
special purpose vehicle may be prohibited from making profit
distributions to the offshore parent and from carrying out subsequent cross-border
foreign exchange activities, and the special purpose vehicle may be restricted in its ability to
contribute additional capital into its
PRC subsidiary. Furthermore, failure to comply with the various SAFE registration requirements described above could result in liability
under
PRC law for evasion of foreign exchange controls.
 
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On
February 13, 2015, SAFE released Circular of the State Administration of Foreign Exchange on Further Simplifying and Improving the Direct
Investment-related
Foreign Exchange Administration Policies, under which local banks are authorized to examine and handle foreign exchange
registration for overseas direct investment, including the
initial foreign exchange registration and amendment registration, starting
from June 1, 2015. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in
China—PRC
regulations relating to offshore investment activities by PRC residents may limit our PRC subsidiaries’ ability to increase their
registered capital or distribute profits to
us or otherwise expose us or our PRC resident beneficial owners to liability and penalties
under PRC law.”
 
Regulations
on employee stock incentive plans of overseas publicly-listed company
 
Pursuant
to the Notices on Issues concerning the Foreign Exchange Administration for Domestic Individuals Participating in Stock Incentive Plan
of Overseas Publicly-
Listed Company, issued by SAFE in February 2012, individuals participating in any stock incentive plan of any overseas
publicly listed company who are PRC citizens or non-PRC
citizens who reside in China for a continuous period of not less than one year,
subject to a few exceptions, are required to register with SAFE through a domestic qualified agent,
which could be a PRC subsidiary of
such overseas listed company, and complete certain other procedures. We and our executive officers and other employees who are PRC citizens
or non-PRC citizens who reside in China for a continuous period of not less than one year and have been granted options are subject to
 these regulations. Failure by these
individuals to complete their SAFE registrations may subject us and them to fines and other legal
sanctions. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to
Doing Business in China—Any failure
to comply with PRC regulations regarding the registration requirements for employee stock incentive plans may subject the PRC plan
participants
or us to fines and other legal or administrative sanctions.”
 
The
State Administration of Taxation has issued certain circulars concerning employee share options and restricted shares. Under these circulars,
our employees working in
China who exercise share options will be subject to PRC individual income tax. Our PRC subsidiaries have obligations
to file documents related to employee share options with tax
authorities and to withhold individual income taxes of those employees who
exercise their share options. If our employees fail to pay or we fail to withhold their income taxes
according to laws and regulations,
we may face sanctions imposed by the tax authorities or other PRC governmental authorities.
 
Regulations
on Intellectual Property Rights
 
The
PRC has adopted comprehensive legislation governing intellectual property rights, including copyrights, patents, trademarks and domain
names.
 
Copyright.
Copyright in the PRC, including copyrighted software, is principally protected under the Copyright Law and related rules and regulations.
Under the Copyright
Law, the term of protection for copyrighted software is 50 years.
 
Patent.
The Patent Law provides for patentable inventions, utility models and designs, which must meet three conditions: novelty, inventiveness
and practical applicability.
The State Intellectual Property Office under the State Council is responsible for examining and approving
patent applications. The duration of a patent right is either 10 years or 20
years from the date of application, depending on the type
of patent right.
 
Trademark.
The PRC Trademark Law and its implementation rules protect registered trademarks. The PRC Trademark Law has adopted a “first-to-file”
principle with
respect to trademark registration. The Trademark Office under the State Administration of Industry and Commerce is responsible
 for the registration and administration of
trademarks throughout the PRC, and grants a term of ten years to registered trademarks and
another ten years if requested upon expiry of the initial or extended term. Trademark
license agreements must be filed with the Trademark
Office for record.
 
Domain
 Name. Domain names are protected under the Administrative Measures on the China Internet Domain Names promulgated by the Ministry
 of Industry and
Information Technology in 2004, which will be replaced by the Administrative Measures on the Internet Domain Names effective
on November 1, 2017. The Ministry of Industry
and Information Technology is the major regulatory authority responsible for the administration
of the PRC Internet domain names. The registration of domain names in PRC is on a
“first-apply-first-registration” basis.
A domain name applicant will become the domain name holder upon the completion of the application procedure. Our major domain name
“ppdai.com”
has been registered.
 
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Regulations
Relating to Dividend Distribution
 
Under
our current corporate structure, our Cayman Islands holding company may rely on dividend payments from our subsidiaries incorporated
in China to fund any cash
and financing requirements we may have. The principal regulations governing distribution of dividends of foreign-invested
enterprises include the Foreign-Invested Enterprise Law,
as amended in September 2016, and its implementation rules. Under these laws
and regulations, wholly foreign-owned enterprises in China may pay dividends only out of their
accumulated after-tax profits, if any,
determined in accordance with PRC accounting standards and regulations. In addition, wholly foreign-owned enterprises in China are required
to allocate at least 10% of their respective accumulated profits each year, if any, to fund certain reserve funds until these reserves
have reached 50% of the registered capital of the
enterprises. Wholly foreign-owned companies may, at their discretion, allocate a portion
of their after-tax profits based on PRC accounting standards to staff welfare and bonus
funds. These reserves are not distributable as
cash dividends.
 
Regulations
Relating to Employment
 
The
 PRC Labor Law and the Labor Contract Law require that employers must execute written employment contracts with full-time employees. All
employers must
compensate their employees with wages equal to at least the local minimum wage standards. Violations of the PRC Labor
Law and the Labor Contract Law may result in the
imposition of fines and other administrative sanctions, and serious violations may result
in criminal liabilities.
 
Enterprises
in China are required by PRC laws and regulations to participate in certain employee benefit plans, including social insurance funds,
namely a pension plan, a
medical insurance plan, an unemployment insurance plan, a work-related injury insurance plan and a maternity
insurance plan, and a housing provident fund, and contribute to the
plans or funds in amounts equal to certain percentages of salaries,
including bonuses and allowances, of the employees as specified by the local government from time to time at
locations where they operate
their businesses or where they are located. According to the Social Insurance Law, an employer that fails to make social insurance contributions
may be
ordered to rectify the non-compliance and pay the required contributions within a stipulated deadline and be subject to a late
fee of up to 0.05% or 0.2% per day, as the case may be.
If the employer still fails to rectify the failure to make social insurance contributions
within the stipulated deadline, it may be subject to a fine ranging from one to three times the
amount overdue. In addition, the PRC
Individual Income Tax Law requires companies operating in China to withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries based
on the
actual salary of each employee upon payment. The General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the PRC and
the General Office of the State Council of the
PRC issued the Reform Plan of the State Tax and Local Tax Collection Administration System
on July 20, 2018, which provides that commencing from January 1, 2019, tax
authorities would be responsible for the collection of social
insurance contributions.
 
We
have not made adequate contributions to employee benefit plans, as required by applicable PRC laws and regulations, but we have recorded
accruals for the estimated
underpaid amounts for the current employees in our financial statements. However, we have not made any accruals
for the interest on underpayment and penalties that may be
imposed by the PRC government authorities in the financial statements as we
believe it would be unlikely that the PRC government authorities will impose any significant interests
or penalties. See “Item
3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—Failure to make adequate contributions
to various employee benefit plans
and withhold individual income tax on employees’ salaries as required by PRC regulations may
subject us to penalties.”
 
Regulations
Relating to Tax
 
Dividend
withholding tax
 
Pursuant
to the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC and its implementation rules, if a non-resident enterprise has not set up an organization
or establishment in the PRC,
or has set up an organization or establishment but the income derived has no actual connection with such
organization or establishment, it will be subject to a withholding tax on its
PRC-sourced income at a rate of 10%. Pursuant to the Arrangement
between Mainland China and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region for the Avoidance of Double
Taxation and Tax Evasion on Income,
the withholding tax rate in respect to the payment of dividends by a PRC enterprise to a Hong Kong enterprise is reduced to 5% from a
standard rate of 10% if the Hong Kong enterprise directly holds at least 25% of the PRC enterprise.
 
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Pursuant to the Notice of the
State Administration of Taxation on the Issues Concerning the Application of the Dividend Clauses of Tax Agreements, a Hong Kong resident
enterprise must meet the following conditions, among others, in order to enjoy the reduced withholding tax: (i) it must directly own the
required percentage of equity interests and
voting rights in the PRC resident enterprise; and (ii) it must have directly owned such percentage
in the PRC resident enterprise throughout the 12 months prior to receiving the
dividends. There are also other conditions for enjoying
the reduced withholding tax rate according to other tax rules and regulations. In August 2015, the State Administration of
Taxation promulgated
the Administrative Measures for Non-Resident Taxpayers to Enjoy Treatments under Tax Treaties, which became effective on November 1, 2015.
These
measures provide that non-resident enterprises are not required to obtain pre-approval from the tax authority in order to enjoy
the reduced withholding tax rate. Instead, non-resident
enterprises and their withholding agents may, by self-assessment and on confirmation
that the prescribed criteria to enjoy the tax treaty benefits are met, directly apply the reduced
withholding tax rate, and file necessary
forms and supporting documents when performing tax filings, which will be subject to post-tax filing examinations by the tax authorities.
Accordingly, our Hong Kong subsidiaries may be able to enjoy the 5% withholding tax rate for the dividends they receive from our PRC subsidiaries,
if it satisfies the conditions
prescribed under the applicable tax rules and regulations. However, according to these regulations, if
the tax authorities consider the transactions or arrangements we have are for the
primary purpose of enjoying a favorable tax treatment,
the tax authorities may adjust the favorable withholding tax in the future.
 
Enterprise
income tax
 
The Enterprise Income Tax Law
of the PRC, and its implementing rules, which became effective on January 1, 2008, are the principal regulations governing enterprise
income tax in the PRC. The Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC imposes a uniform enterprise income tax rate of 25% on all resident enterprises
in the PRC, including foreign-
invested enterprises.
 
Uncertainties exist with respect
to how the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC applies to the tax residence status of FinVolution Group and our offshore subsidiaries.
Under the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC, an enterprise established outside China with its “de facto management bodies”
located within China is considered a “resident
enterprise,” which means that it is treated in a manner similar to a PRC domestic
enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes. The implementing rules of the Enterprise Income
Tax Law of the PRC define de facto management
body as a managing body that in practice exercises “substantial and overall management and control over the production and
operations,
personnel, accounting, and properties” of the enterprise.
 
The State Administration of Taxation
issued the Circular of the State Administration of Taxation on Issues Concerning the Identification of Chinese-Controlled Overseas
Registered
Enterprises as Resident Enterprises in Accordance With the Actual Standards of Organizational Management in 2009. According to this regulation,
a Chinese-controlled
offshore incorporated enterprise will be regarded as a PRC tax resident by virtue of having a “de facto management
body” in China and will be subject to PRC enterprise income tax
on its worldwide income only if all of the following criteria are
met: (i) the primary location of the day-to-day operational management is in China; (ii) decisions relating to the
enterprise’s
financial and human resource matters are made or are subject to approval by organizations or personnel in China; (iii) the enterprise’s
primary assets, accounting books
and records, company seals, and board and shareholders meeting minutes are located or maintained in China;
and (iv) 50% or more of voting board members or senior executives
habitually reside in China. We believe that FinVolution Group and our
offshore subsidiaries should not be treated as a “resident enterprise” for PRC tax purposes if the criteria for
“de
facto management body” as set forth in this circular were deemed applicable to us. However, as the tax residency status of an enterprise
is subject to determination by the PRC
tax authorities and uncertainties remain with respect to the interpretation of the term “de
facto management body” as applicable to our offshore entities, we may be treated as a
resident enterprise for PRC tax purposes under
the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC, and we may therefore be subject to PRC income tax on our global income. See “Item 3.
Key
Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—If we are classified as a PRC resident enterprise
for PRC income tax purposes, such classification
could result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our non-PRC shareholders or ADS
holders” for further details.
 
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The State Administration of Taxation
 issued a Public Notice Regarding Certain Corporate Income Tax Matters on Indirect Transfer of Properties by Non-Resident
Enterprises,
or SAT Public Notice 7, on February 3, 2015, which replaced or supplemented certain previous rules under the Circular on Strengthening
Administration of Enterprise
Income Tax for Share Transfers by Non-Resident Enterprises, or SAT Circular 698. Under SAT Public Notice
7, an “indirect transfer” of assets, including equity interests in a PRC
resident enterprise, by non-PRC resident enterprises
may be re-characterized and treated as a direct transfer of PRC taxable assets, if such arrangement does not have a reasonable
commercial
purpose and was established for the purpose of avoiding payment of PRC enterprise income tax. As a result, gains derived from such indirect
transfer may be subject to
PRC enterprise income tax. According to SAT Public Notice 7, “PRC taxable assets” include assets
attributed to an establishment in China, immoveable properties in China, and
equity investments in PRC resident enterprises. In respect
of an indirect offshore transfer of assets of a PRC establishment, the relevant gain is to be regarded as effectively
connected with the
PRC establishment and therefore included in its enterprise income tax filing, and would consequently be subject to PRC enterprise income
tax at a rate of 25%.
Where the underlying transfer relates to the immoveable properties in China or to equity investments in a PRC resident
enterprise, which is not effectively connected to a PRC
establishment of a non-resident enterprise, a PRC enterprise income tax at 10%
would apply, subject to available preferential tax treatment under applicable tax treaties or similar
arrangements, and the party who
is obligated to make the transfer payments has the withholding obligation. There is uncertainty as to the implementation details of SAT
Public
Notice 7. If SAT Public Notice 7 was determined by the tax authorities to be applicable to some of our transactions involving PRC
 taxable assets, our offshore subsidiaries
conducting the relevant transactions might be required to spend valuable resources to comply
with SAT Public Notice 7 or to establish that the relevant transactions should not be
taxed under SAT Public Notice 7. See “Item
3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We face uncertainty with respect to indirect
transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.”
 
Under applicable PRC laws, payers
of PRC-sourced income to non-PRC residents are generally obligated to withhold PRC income taxes from the payment. In the event of
a failure
to withhold, the non-PRC residents are required to pay such taxes on their own. Failure to comply with the tax payment obligations by
the non-PRC residents will result in
penalties, including full payment of taxes owed, fines and default interest on those taxes.
 
PRC
value-added tax
 
Pursuant to applicable PRC regulations
promulgated by the Ministry of Finance of China and the State Administration of Taxation, entities or individuals conducting
business
in the service industry are required to pay a valued-added tax at a rate of 6% with respect to revenues derived from the provision of
online information services. A taxpayer
is allowed to offset the qualified input valued-added tax paid on taxable purchases against the
output valued-added tax chargeable on the revenue from services provided.
 
Regulations Relating to
Overseas Listing and M&A
 
On August 8, 2006, six PRC governmental
and regulatory agencies, including the Ministry of Commerce and the CSRC, jointly promulgated the Regulations on Mergers
and Acquisitions
of Domestic Companies by Foreign Investors, or the M&A Rules, a new regulation with respect to the mergers and acquisitions of domestic
enterprises by foreign
investors that became effective on September 8, 2006 and revised on June 22, 2009. Foreign investors shall comply
with the M&A rules when they purchase equity interests of a
domestic company or subscribe for the increased capital of a domestic
company, and thus changing the nature of the domestic company into a foreign- invested enterprise; or when
the foreign investors establish
a foreign-invested enterprise in the PRC for the purpose of purchasing the assets of a domestic company and operating the asset; or when
the foreign
investors purchase the asset of a domestic company, establish a foreign-invested enterprise by injecting such assets, and
operate the assets. The M&A rules, among other things,
purports to require that an offshore special vehicle, or a special purpose
vehicle, formed for listing purposes and controlled directly or indirectly by PRC companies or individuals,
shall obtain the approval
of the CSRC prior to the listing and trading of such special purpose vehicle’s securities on an overseas stock exchange.
 
On July 6, 2021, the PRC government
authorities issued 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 regulatory systems to deal with the risks and incidents
faced by China-based overseas-listed companies.
 
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On December 27, 2021, the National
Development and Reform Commission and the Ministry of Commerce of the PRC jointly issued the Special Administrative Measures
(Negative
List) for Foreign Investment Access (2021 Version), which became effective on January 1, 2022. Pursuant to these measures, if a domestic
company engaging in the
prohibited business stipulated in the negative list seeks an overseas offering and listing, it shall obtain the
approval from the competent governmental authorities. Besides, the
foreign investors of the company may not be involved in the company’s
operation and management, and their shareholding percentage shall be subject, mutatis mutandis, to the
applicable regulations on the domestic
securities investments by foreign investors. In a Q&A released on the official website of the National Development and Reform Commission
on January 18, 2022, the official of the National Development and Reform Commission indicated that these requirements are only imposes
on PRC domestic companies that directly
offer or list their securities in an overseas market.
 
On February 17, 2023, the CSRC
published the Trial Administrative Measures on the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic Companies, or the CSRC
Filing
Measures, and five supporting guidelines, effective on March 31, 2023. Pursuant to the CSRC Filing Measures, PRC domestic companies that
directly or indirectly offer or
list their securities in an overseas market, which include (i) any PRC company limited by shares, and
(ii) any offshore company that conducts its business operations primarily in
China and contemplates to offer or list its securities in
an overseas market based on its onshore equities, assets or similar interests, are required to file with the CSRC within three
business
days after submitting their listing application documents to the regulator in the place of intended listing.
 
The CSRC Filing Measures proposes
to establish a new filing-based regime to regulate overseas offerings and listings by domestic companies. According to the CSRC
Filing
 Measures, an overseas offering and listing by a domestic company, whether directly or indirectly, shall be filed with the CSRC. Specifically,
 the examination and
determination of an indirect offering and listing will be conducted on a substance-over-form basis, and an offering
and listing shall be considered as an indirect overseas offering and
listing by a domestic company if the issuer meets the following conditions:
(i) the operating income, gross profit, total assets, or net assets of the domestic enterprise in the most
recent fiscal year was more
than 50% of the line item in the issuer’s audited consolidated financial statement for that year; and (ii) senior management personnel
responsible for
business operations and management are mostly PRC citizens or are ordinarily resident in the PRC, and the main place of
business operations is in the PRC or carried out in the
PRC. According to the CSRC Filing Measures, the issuer or its affiliated domestic
company, as the case may be, shall file with the CSRC for its initial public offering, follow-on
offering and other equivalent offering
activities. Particularly, the issuer shall submit the filing with respect to its initial public offering and listing within three business
days after its
initial filing of the listing application, and submit the filing with respect to its follow-on offering within three business
days after completion of the follow-on offering. Failure to
complete the record-filing under the CSRC Filing Measures may subject a PRC
domestic company to a warning or a fine ranging from RMB1 million to RMB10 million, and its
controlling shareholders, actual controllers,
the persons directly in charge and other directly liable persons may also be subject to administrative penalties, such as warnings and
fines. According to the Notification to the Administrative Arrangement of the Overseas Issuance and Listing of Securities by Domestic
Companies, the CSRC expressed that the
record-filing requirement would not be imposed on the existing public companies, like us, until
they refinance their securities in an overseas market based on its onshore equities,
assets or similar interests. The CSRC Filing Measures
also set forth certain regulatory red lines for overseas offerings and listings by domestic enterprises: (i) if the intended
securities
offering and listing is specifically prohibited by national laws and regulations and applicable provisions; (ii) if the intended securities
offering and listing may constitute a
threat to or endangers national security as reviewed and determined by competent authorities under
the State Council in accordance with law; (iii) if, in the past three years, the
domestic enterprise or its controlling shareholders or
actual controllers have committed corruption, bribery, embezzlement, misappropriation of property, or other criminal offenses
disruptive
to the order of the socialist market economy, (iv) if the domestic company is currently under judicial investigation for suspicion of
criminal offenses, or are under
investigation for suspicion of major violations and no decision has been made; (v) if there are material
ownership disputes over the stocks controlled by the controlling shareholder,
or by the shareholders controlled by the controlling shareholder
or actual controller.
 
96

 
 
On February 24, the CSRC, Ministry
of Finance of the PRC, National Administration of State Secrets Protection, and National Archives Administration of China published
the
Provisions on Strengthening Confidentiality and Archives Administration of Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies.
These provisions, among others,
provides that: (i) a domestic company that seeks to offer and list its securities in an overseas market,
either via direct offering or indirect offering, and the securities companies and
securities service providers that undertake securities
business, shall strictly abide by applicable laws and regulations of the PRC, enhance legal awareness of keeping state secrets
and strengthening
archives administration, institute a sound confidentiality and archives administration system, and take necessary measures to fulfill
confidentiality and archives
administration obligations. They may not divulge any state secret or harm national security and public interest;
(ii) a domestic company that plans to, either directly or through its
overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to entities
or individuals including securities companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, documents and
materials that contain
state secrets or government work secrets, shall first obtain approval from competent authorities according to law, and file with the secrecy
administrative
department at the same level. If there is ambiguity or dispute over the identification of a state secret, a request shall
be submitted to the competent secrecy administrative department
for determination; if there is ambiguity or dispute over the identification
of a government work secret, a request shall be submitted to the competent government authority for
determination; (iii) a domestic company
that plans to, either directly or through its overseas listed entity, publicly disclose or provide to entities or individuals including
securities
companies, securities service providers, and overseas regulators, other documents and materials that, if divulged, will jeopardize
national security or public interest, shall strictly
obey the procedures stipulated by applicable national regulations; (iv) archives,
including working papers, that have been produced in mainland China by securities companies and
securities service providers for overseas
securities offering and listing by domestic companies shall be retained in mainland China, and, without prior approval by competent
authorities,
may not be brought, mailed or otherwise transferred to outside mainland China, or transmitted to any institutions or individuals outside
mainland China through any
methods including via the use of information technologies. Where archives or copies of archives that have important
conservation value to the nation and the society need to be
transferred or transmitted to outside mainland China, approval procedures
stipulated by national regulations shall be followed; and (v) overseas securities regulators and competent
overseas authorities may request
to investigate, including to collect evidence for investigation purpose, or inspect a domestic company that has been listed or offered
securities in an
overseas market or securities companies and securities service providers that undertake securities business for such
domestic companies. Such investigation and inspection shall be
conducted under a cross-border regulatory cooperation mechanism, and the
CSRC and competent authorities of the Chinese government will provide necessary assistance pursuant
to bilateral and multilateral cooperation
mechanisms. Before cooperating with the investigation and inspection by, or providing documents and materials to overseas securities
regulators
or other competent overseas authorities, such domestic companies, securities companies and securities service providers shall report to
the CSRC or other competent
authorities.
 
Regulations in Other Jurisdictions
 
Due to our global operations,
we are also subject to the rules and regulations of the other jurisdictions in which we operate. For example, the Indonesian regulator,
the
Financial Services Authority of Indonesia (OJK), has lowered the maximum interest rate that online lenders can charge their borrowers.
The new rules, effective as of January 1,
2024, progressively reduce the interest rate cap imposed on fintech lenders from the maximum
of 0.4% per day in 2023 to 0.3% in 2024, to 0.2% in 2025, and further to 0.1% by
2026. On December 31, 2024, the Financial Services Authority of Indonesia
(OJK) revised its interest rate policy. The earlier plan to uniformly reduce the cap to 0.2% by 2025 was
replaced with differentiated
pricing based on loan tenor: loans with a tenor of six months or less remain capped at 0.3%, while those exceeding six months are capped
at 0.2%.
 
97

 
 
C. Organizational Structure
 
The following diagram illustrates
our corporate structure as of the date of this annual report, including our principal subsidiaries and our principal consolidated variable
interest entities and their principal subsidiaries.
 
 
 
Notes:
 
(1) Beijing Paipairongxin currently has four shareholders: Jun Zhang, our co-founder and director, Tiezheng Li, our co-founder, vice chairman
and chief executive officer, Honghui
Hu, our co-founder and director, and Shaofeng Gu, our co-founder, chairman and chief innovation
officer, each holding 13.22%, 4.81%, 12.85%, and 69.12% of Beijing
Paipairongxin’s equity interests, respectively.
 
 
(2) Shanghai Zihe currently has four shareholders: Jun Zhang our co-founder and director, Tiezheng Li, our co-founder, vice chairman and
chief executive officer, Honghui Hu, our
co-founder and director, Shaofeng Gu, our co-founder, chairman and chief innovation officer,
each holding 25% of Shanghai Zihe’s equity interests, respectively.
 
 
(3) Shanghai Ledao currently has two shareholders: Lizhong Chen, a family relative of Tiezheng Li, and Yejun Jiang, a family relative of
Honghui Hu, each holding 50% of
Shanghai Ledao’s equity interests, respectively.
 
 
(4) The remaining 20% equity interests is held by an unrelated third party.
 
 
(5) The remaining 51% equity interest is held by our company through an intermediate entity.
 
98

 
 
Contractual Arrangements
 
PRC laws and regulations impose
 restrictions on foreign ownership and investment in internet-based businesses. We are a Cayman Islands company and our PRC
subsidiaries
 are considered foreign-invested enterprises. To comply with PRC laws, regulations and regulatory requirements, we have entered into a
 series of contractual
arrangements, (i) through Shanghai Guangjian, our wholly foreign owned entity, with Beijing Paipairongxin, the consolidated
variable interest entities, and the shareholders of
Beijing Paipairongxin and certain subsidiary of Beijing Paipairongxin to direct the
activities of Beijing Paipairongxin and their subsidiaries, and (ii) through Shanghai Manyin, our
wholly foreign owned entity, with Shanghai
Zihe and Shanghai Ledao, the consolidated variable interest entities, and the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe and Shanghai Ledao to
direct
the activities of Shanghai Zihe and Shanghai Ledao and their subsidiaries.
 
The contractual arrangements with
the consolidated variable interest entities allow us to:
 
 
●
enable us to direct the activities of operation of the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective subsidiaries;
 
 
 
 
●
receive
substantially all of the economic benefits of the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective subsidiaries; and
 
 
 
 
●
have
an exclusive option to purchase all or part of the equity interests in the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective
subsidiaries when and to the
extent permitted by PRC law.
 
As a result of these contractual
 arrangements, we have become the primary beneficiary of the consolidated variable interest entities under U.S. GAAP. We have
consolidated
the financial results of the consolidated variable interest entities and their respective subsidiaries in our consolidated financial statements
in accordance with U.S.
GAAP.
 
Contractual Arrangements
with Beijing Paipairongxin and Its Shareholders
 
The following is a summary of
the currently effective contractual arrangements by and among our wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanghai Guangjian and its wholly-owned
subsidiary,
Shanghai Shanghu (with respect to the business operation agreement and the exclusive technology consulting and service agreement only),
the consolidated variable
interest entity, Beijing Paipairongxin, the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin, and Shanghai PPDai (with
respect to the exclusive technology consulting and service agreement
only).
 
Agreements
that enable us to direct the activities of operation of Beijing Paipairongxin
 
Loan Agreement. In March
2018, Shanghai Guangjian entered into loan agreements with each of the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin, namely Mr. Jun Zhang, Mr.
Tiezheng Li, Mr. Honghui Hu, and Mr. Shaofeng Gu, who are our co-founders and shareholders. Under these agreements, Shanghai Guangjian
granted an interest-free loan of
RMB100.0 million to the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin solely for their capital contributions
to the company. Upon written notice by Shanghai Guangjian, the loan shall be
repaid by the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin from
the proceeds received by transferring their equity interests in Beijing Paipairongxin to Shanghai Guangjian, pursuant to the
terms and
conditions of the call option agreement among Shanghai Guangjian, Beijing Paipairongxin, Beijing Prosper, and the shareholders of Beijing
Paipairongxin. If the proceeds
received by the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin from such transferring exceed the principal of the
loan, the surplus shall be deemed as the cost for using the principal and shall
be paid, to the extent permitted by laws, to Shanghai
Guangjian together with the principal. Shanghai Guangjian reserves the right to request repayment of the loan before maturity.
 
Restated Business Operation
Agreement. In March 2018, Shanghai Guangjian, Shanghai Shanghu, Beijing Paipairongxin, along with its shareholders, and Beijing Prosper
entered into a restated business operation agreement. According to this agreement, Beijing Paipairongxin and its shareholders agree, within
the limits permitted by law, to accept and
unconditionally execute instructions from Shanghai Guangjian and Shanghai Shanghu regarding
business operations, including the appointment of directors and executive officers.
Additionally, Beijing Paipairongxin and its shareholders
 commit not to take any action that could materially adversely affect its assets, businesses, human resources, rights,
obligations, or
 business operations without the prior written consent of Shanghai Guangjian and Shanghai Shanghu. Furthermore, the shareholders of Beijing
 Paipairongxin
undertake to promptly and unconditionally transfer any dividends or similar income they receive as shareholders to Shanghai
Guangjian and Shanghai Shanghu. Moreover, this
restated agreement mandates that each of Beijing Paipairongxin’s shareholders issue
an irrevocable power of attorney, enabling Shanghai Guangjian or any person(s) designated by
them to execute shareholders’ rights
on behalf of such shareholders. Unless terminated in advance by Shanghai Guangjian and Shanghai Shanghu, this restated agreement will
remain effective until the dissolution of Beijing Paipairongxin pursuant to PRC law.
 
99

 
 
Restated Power of Attorney.
 Under a restated power of attorney dated March 21, 2018, each shareholder of Beijing Paipairongxin irrevocably authorizes Shanghai
Guangjian
 or any person(s) designated by them to act as their attorney-in-fact. This authorization empowers Shanghai Guangjian or their designees
 to exercise all of the
shareholder’s voting and other rights associated with their equity interest in Beijing Paipairongxin. Such
rights include the authority to appoint directors, supervisors, and officers, as
well as the right to sell, transfer, pledge, and dispose
of all or a portion of the shares held by the shareholder. The power of attorney will remain valid for ten years unless terminated
earlier
by the restated business operation agreement. Upon request by Shanghai Guangjian, the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin shall extend
the term of this power of attorney
accordingly.
 
Restated Equity Pledge Agreement.
Shanghai Guangjian, Beijing Paipairongxin, the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin, and Beijing Prosper entered into a restated
equity
pledge agreement in March 2018. According to the terms of the equity pledge agreement, each shareholder of Beijing Paipairongxin has pledged
all of their equity interest in
Beijing Paipairongxin to Shanghai Guangjian. This pledge serves as a guarantee for the performance by
each shareholder and Beijing Paipairongxin of their respective obligations
under several agreements, including the restated business operation
 agreement (which includes the power of attorney), the restated option agreement, the restated exclusive
technology consulting and service
agreement, and the loan agreement. In the event that Beijing Paipairongxin or any of its shareholders breaches any obligations under these
agreements, Shanghai Guangjian, as the pledgee, will be entitled to dispose of the pledged equity and have priority in being compensated
by the proceeds from the disposal of the
pledged equity. Each shareholder of Beijing Paipairongxin agrees that until their obligations
under the contractual arrangements are discharged, they may not dispose of the pledged
equity interests, create or allow any encumbrance
on the pledged equity interests, or take any action that may result in a change of the pledged equity without obtaining prior written
consent from Shanghai Guangjian. The restated equity pledge agreement will remain effective until Beijing Paipairongxin and its shareholders
discharge all their obligations under
the contractual arrangements, and the pledgee consents to such discharge in writing. We have completed
the registration of the equity pledge with the office of the Administration of
Market Regulation in accordance with the PRC Property Rights
Law.
 
Agreement
that allows us to receive economic benefits from Beijing Paipairongxin and Shanghai PPDai
 
Restated Exclusive Technology
Consulting and Service Agreement. Shanghai Guangjian and Shanghai Shanghu, along with Beijing Paipairongxin, Shanghai PPDai, and
Beijing
 Prosper, entered into a restated exclusive technology consulting and service agreement in March 2018. According to this agreement, Shanghai
 Guangjian, Shanghai
Shanghu, or their designated party has the exclusive right to provide technical support, consulting services, and
other services to Beijing Paipairongxin and Shanghai PPDai.
Without prior written consent from Shanghai Guangjian and Shanghai Shanghu,
Beijing Paipairongxin and Shanghai PPDai may not accept any technical support and services
covered by this agreement from any third party.
The service fees that Beijing Paipairongxin and Shanghai PPDai need to pay to Shanghai Guangjian and Shanghai Shanghu shall be
determined
on a case-by-case basis. Factors considered include the level of difficulty and complexity, time spent by Shanghai Guangjian and Shanghai
Shanghu and their employees
in providing the services, the specific scope and commercial value of the services, the revenue generated
by Beijing Paipairongxin and Shanghai PPDai resulting from such services,
and other relevant factors. Shanghai Guangjian and Shanghai
Shanghu own the intellectual property rights arising out of the provisions of services under this agreement. Unless
terminated in advance
by Shanghai Guangjian and Shanghai Shanghu, this restated agreement will remain effective until the dissolution of Beijing Paipairongxin
and Shanghai
PPDai in accordance with PRC law. Although termination of this restated agreement can be achieved by mutual agreement among
Shanghai Guangjian, Shanghai Shanghu, Beijing
Paipairongxin, Shanghai PPDai, and Beijing Prosper, Beijing Paipairongxin and Shanghai PPDai
do not have the right to unilaterally terminate this agreement.
 
Agreement
that provides us with the option to purchase the equity interest in Beijing Paipairongxin
 
Restated Option Agreement.
Shanghai Guangjian, Beijing Paipairongxin, the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin, and Beijing Prosper entered into a restated option
agreement in March 2018. According to this agreement, the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin have irrevocably granted Shanghai Guangjian
or any third party designated by
Shanghai Guangjian an exclusive option to purchase all or part of their respective equity interests in
Beijing Paipairongxin. The purchase price is equal to the registered capital
corresponding to the concerning equity interest. Unless otherwise
 agreed, the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin will immediately transfer the purchase price to Shanghai
Guangjian or any third party
 designated by Shanghai Guangjian after Shanghai Guangjian or any third party designated by Shanghai Guangjian exercises the option. The
shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin agree that without their separate consent, Shanghai Guangjian may transfer all or part of its option
under this agreement to a third party.
Without prior written consent from Shanghai Guangjian or its designated third party, Beijing Paipairongxin
may not, among other things, amend its articles of association, increase
or decrease the registered capital, sell, dispose of or set any
encumbrance on its assets, business, or revenue outside the ordinary course of business, enter into any material contract,
merge with
any other persons, make any investments, distribute dividends, or enter into any transactions which have material adverse effects on its
business. The shareholders of
Beijing Paipairongxin also jointly and severally undertake that they will not transfer, gift, or otherwise
dispose of their equity interests in Beijing Paipairongxin to any third party or
create or allow any encumbrance on their equity interests
within the term of this restated agreement. This restated agreement will remain effective until Shanghai Guangjian has
acquired all equity
interests of Beijing Paipairongxin from its shareholders.
 
100

 
 
Contractual Arrangements
with Shanghai Zihe and Its Shareholders
 
The following is a summary of
the currently effective contractual arrangements by and among our wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanghai Manyin, the consolidated variable
interest entity, Shanghai Zihe, and the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe.
 
Agreements
that enable us to direct the activities of operation of Shanghai Zihe
 
Loan Agreement. Shanghai
Manyin entered into a loan agreement with each of the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe, namely Mr. Jun Zhang, Mr. Tiezheng Li, Mr. Honghui
Hu, and Mr. Shaofeng Gu, who are our co-founders and shareholders, in March 2018. Under the loan agreements, Shanghai Manyin has granted
an interest-free loan of RMB100.0
million to the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe solely for their capital contributions to Shanghai Zihe.
Upon written notice by Shanghai Manyin, the loan shall be repaid by the
shareholders of Shanghai Zihe from the proceeds received by transferring
their equity interests in Shanghai Zihe to Shanghai Manyin pursuant to the terms and conditions of the
exclusive call option agreement
among Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Zihe, and the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe. If the proceeds received by the shareholders of Shanghai
Zihe
from such transferring are higher than the principal of the loan, the amount exceeding the principal shall be deemed as a cost for
using the principal and shall be paid, to the extent
permitted by laws, to Shanghai Manyin together with the principal. Shanghai Manyin
has the right to request repayment of the loan before maturity.
 
Business Operation Agreement.
Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Zihe, and the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe entered into a business operation agreement on March 21, 2018.
Pursuant
to this agreement, Shanghai Zihe and its shareholders agree that to the extent permitted by law, they will accept and strictly execute
instructions from Shanghai Manyin on
business operations, such as the appointment of directors and senior management. Shanghai Zihe and
 its shareholders further agree that, without the prior written consent of
Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Zihe will not take any action that
may have material effects on its assets, businesses, human resources, rights, obligations, or business operations. This
agreement also
requires each of Shanghai Zihe’s shareholders to issue an irrevocable power of attorney authorizing Shanghai Manyin or any person(s)
designated by Shanghai
Manyin to execute shareholders’ rights on behalf of such shareholder. Unless terminated in advance pursuant
to this agreement, this agreement will remain effective for 30 years,
renewable upon advance written notice by Shanghai Manyin.
 
Power of Attorney. Through
a power of attorney dated March 21, 2018, each shareholder of Shanghai Zihe irrevocably authorizes Shanghai Manyin or any person(s)
designated
by Shanghai Manyin to act as his or her attorney-in-fact to exercise all of such shareholder’s voting and other rights associated
with the shareholder’s equity interest in
Shanghai Zihe, such as the right to call a shareholders’ meeting, join a shareholders’
meeting, and sign any shareholders’ resolutions; the right to nominate and appoint the legal
representative, directors, supervisors,
general manager, chief financial officer, and other officers, as well as all rights a shareholder may have as a shareholder under laws
and
constitutional documents. The power of attorney will remain in force and irrevocable during the term each shareholder remains as a
shareholder of Shanghai Zihe.
 
Equity Pledge Agreement.
Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Zihe, and the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe entered into an equity pledge agreement on March 21, 2018. Pursuant
to the equity pledge agreement, each shareholder of Shanghai Zihe has pledged all of his equity interest in Shanghai Zihe to Shanghai
Manyin to guarantee the performance by such
shareholder and Shanghai Zihe of their respective obligations under the loan agreement, the
business operation agreement (including the power of attorney), the exclusive call
option agreement, and the exclusive technology consulting
and service framework agreement. If Shanghai Zihe or any of its shareholders breaches any obligations under these
agreements, Shanghai
Manyin, as pledgee, will be entitled to dispose of the pledged equity and have priority to be compensated by the proceeds from the disposal
of the pledged
equity. Each of the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe agrees that before his obligations under the contractual arrangements
are discharged, he will not dispose of the pledged equity
interests, create or allow any encumbrance on the pledged equity interests,
or take any action that may result in the change of the pledged equity that may have material adverse
effects on the pledgee’s rights
under this agreement without the prior written consent of Shanghai Manyin. The equity pledge agreement will remain effective until Shanghai
Zihe
and its shareholders discharge all their obligations under the contractual arrangements and the pledgee consents to such discharge
in writing. We have completed the registration of
the equity pledge with the office of the Administration of Market Regulation in accordance
with the PRC Property Rights Law.
 
Agreement
that allows us to receive economic benefits from Shanghai Zihe
 
Exclusive Technology Consulting
and Service Framework Agreement. Shanghai Manyin and Shanghai Zihe entered into an exclusive technology consulting and service
framework
agreement on March 21, 2018. Pursuant to this agreement, Shanghai Manyin or its designated party has the exclusive right to provide Shanghai
Zihe with technical
support, consulting services, and other services. Without prior written consent from Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Zihe
may not accept any technical support and services covered by
this agreement from any third party. The service fees that Shanghai Zihe
needs to pay to Shanghai Manyin shall be determined on a case-by-case basis based on the content of
technology consulting and service,
level of difficulty and complexity, time spent by Shanghai Manyin and its employees, the commercial value of the technology consulting
and
service to be provided by Shanghai Manyin, and the revenue Shanghai Zihe generates due to the technology consulting and service provided
by Shanghai Manyin. Shanghai Manyin
shall own the intellectual property rights arising out of the provisions of services under this agreement.
 Unless Shanghai Manyin terminates this agreement in advance, this
agreement will remain effective for 30 years, renewable upon Shanghai
Manyin’s advance written notice. Although this agreement can be terminated by mutual agreement between
Shanghai Manyin and Shanghai
Zihe, Shanghai Zihe has no right to unilaterally terminate this agreement.
 
101

 
 
Agreement
that provides us with the option to purchase the equity interest in Shanghai Zihe
 
Exclusive Call Option Agreement.
Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Zihe, and the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe entered into an exclusive call option agreement on March 21,
2018.
Pursuant to the exclusive call option agreement, the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe have irrevocably granted Shanghai Manyin or any third
party designated by Shanghai
Manyin an exclusive option to purchase all of their respective equity interests in Shanghai Zihe at the lowest
price permitted by the PRC laws. The shareholders of Shanghai Zihe
will immediately gift Shanghai Manyin or any third party designated
by Shanghai Manyin with the purchase price after Shanghai Manyin or any third party designated by Shanghai
Manyin exercises the option.
The shareholders of Shanghai Zihe agree that without their separate consent, Shanghai Manyin may transfer all or part of its option under
 this
agreement to a third party. Without prior written consent from Shanghai Manyin or its designated third party, Shanghai Zihe may not,
among other things, amend its articles of
association, increase or decrease the registered capital, sell, dispose of or set any encumbrance
on its assets, business, or revenue outside the ordinary course of business, enter into
any material contract, merge with any other persons,
or make any investments, distribute dividends, or enter into any transactions which have material adverse effects on its
business. The
shareholders of Shanghai Zihe also jointly and severally undertake that they will not transfer, gift or otherwise dispose of their equity
interests in Shanghai Zihe to any
third party or create or allow any encumbrance on their equity interests within the term of this agreement.
This agreement will remain effective for 30 years, renewable upon
Shanghai Manyin’s advance written notice.
 
Contractual Arrangements
with Shanghai Ledao and Its Shareholders
 
The following is a summary of
the currently effective contractual arrangements by and among our wholly-owned subsidiary, Shanghai Manyin, the consolidated variable
interest entity, Shanghai Ledao, and the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao.
 
Agreements
that enable us to direct the activities of operation of Shanghai Ledao
 
Loan Agreement. Shanghai
Manyin entered into a loan agreement with each of the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao, namely Mr. Lizhong Chen and Mr. Yejun Jiang on
January
14, 2019, who are family relatives of two of our founders. Under the loan agreements, Shanghai Manyin has granted an interest-free loan
of RMB50.0 million to the
shareholders of Shanghai Ledao solely for their capital contributions to Shanghai Ledao. Upon written notice
by Shanghai Manyin, the loan shall be repaid by the shareholders of
Shanghai Ledao from the proceeds received by transferring their equity
interests in Shanghai Ledao to Shanghai Manyin pursuant to the terms and conditions of the exclusive call
option agreement among Shanghai
Manyin, Shanghai Ledao, and the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao. If the proceeds received by the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao from such
transferring are higher than the principal of the loan, the amount exceeding the principal shall be deemed as a cost for using the principal
and shall be paid, to the extent permitted by
laws, to Shanghai Manyin together with the principal. Shanghai Manyin has the right to request
repayment of the loan before maturity.
 
Business Operation Agreement.
Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Ledao, and the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao entered into a business operation agreement on January 14,
2019.
Pursuant to this agreement, Shanghai Ledao and its shareholders agree that to the extent permitted by law, they will accept and strictly
execute instructions from Shanghai
Manyin on business operations, such as the appointment of directors and senior management. Shanghai
Ledao and its shareholders further agree that, without the prior written
consent of Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Ledao will not take any
action that may have material effects on its assets, businesses, human resources, rights, obligations, or business
operations. This agreement
also requires each of Shanghai Ledao’s shareholders to issue an irrevocable power of attorney authorizing Shanghai Manyin or any
person(s) designated
by Shanghai Manyin to execute shareholders’ rights on behalf of such shareholder. Unless terminated in advance
pursuant to this agreement, this agreement will remain effective for
30 years, renewable upon advance written notice by Shanghai Manyin.
 
Power of Attorney. Through
a power of attorney dated January 14, 2019, each shareholder of Shanghai Ledao irrevocably authorizes Shanghai Manyin or any person(s)
designated by Shanghai Manyin to act as his or her attorney-in-fact to exercise all of such shareholder’s voting and other rights
associated with the shareholder’s equity interest in
Shanghai Ledao, such as the right to call a shareholders’ meeting, join
a shareholders’ meeting and sign any shareholders resolutions; the right to nominate and appoint the legal
representative, directors,
supervisors, general manager, chief financial officer and other officers, as well as all rights a shareholder may have as a shareholder
under laws and
constitutional documents. The power of attorney will remain in force and irrevocable during the term each shareholder remains
as a shareholder of Shanghai Ledao.
 
102

 
 
Equity Pledge Agreement.
Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Ledao, and the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao entered into an equity pledge agreement on January 14, 2019.
Pursuant
 to the equity pledge agreement, each shareholder of Shanghai Ledao has pledged all of his equity interest in Shanghai Ledao to Shanghai
 Manyin to guarantee the
performance by such shareholder and Shanghai Ledao of their respective obligations under the loan agreement, the
business operation agreement (including the power of attorney),
the exclusive call option agreement and the exclusive technology consulting
 and service framework agreement. If Shanghai Ledao or any of its shareholders breaches any
obligations under these agreements, Shanghai
Manyin, as pledgee, will be entitled to dispose of the pledged equity and have priority to be compensated by the proceeds from the
disposal
of the pledged equity. Each of the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao agrees that before his obligations under the contractual arrangements
are discharged, he will not dispose
of the pledged equity interests, create or allow any encumbrance on the pledged equity interests,
or take any action that may result in the change of the pledged equity that may have
material adverse effects on the pledgee’s rights
under this agreement without the prior written consent of Shanghai Manyin. The equity pledge agreement will remain effective until
Shanghai
Ledao and its shareholders discharge all their obligations under the contractual arrangements and the pledgee consents to such discharge
in writing. We have completed the
registration of the equity pledge with the office of the Administration of Market Regulation in accordance
with the PRC Property Rights Law.
 
Agreement
that allows us to receive economic benefits from Shanghai Ledao
 
Exclusive Technology Consulting
and Service Framework Agreement. Shanghai Manyin, and Shanghai Ledao entered into an exclusive technology consulting and service
framework
agreement on January 14, 2019. Pursuant to this agreement, Shanghai Manyin or its designated party has the exclusive right to provide
Shanghai Ledao with technical
support, consulting services and other services. Without prior written consent from Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai
Ledao may not accept any technical support and services covered by
this agreement from any third party. The service fees that Shanghai
Ledao needs to pay to Shanghai Manyin shall be determined on a case-by-case basis based on the content of
technology consulting and service,
level of difficulty and complexity, time spent by Shanghai Manyin and its employees, the commercial value of the technology consulting
and
service to be provided by Shanghai Manyin and the revenue Shanghai Ledao generates due to the technology consulting and service provided
by Shanghai Manyin. Shanghai
Manyin shall own the intellectual property rights arising out of the provisions of services under this agreement.
Unless Shanghai Manyin terminates this agreement in advance, this
agreement will remain effective for 30 years, renewable upon Shanghai
Manyin’s advance written notice. Although this agreement can be terminated by mutual agreement between
Shanghai Manyin and Shanghai
Ledao, Shanghai Ledao has no right to unilaterally terminate this agreement.
 
Agreement
that provides us with the option to purchase the equity interest in Shanghai Ledao
 
Exclusive Call Option Agreement.
Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Ledao, and the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao entered into an exclusive call option agreement on January
14,
2019. Pursuant to the exclusive call option agreement, the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao have irrevocably granted Shanghai Manyin or
any third party designated by Shanghai
Manyin an exclusive option to purchase all of their respective equity interests in Shanghai Ledao
at the lowest price permitted by the PRC laws. The shareholders of Shanghai
Ledao will immediately gift Shanghai Manyin or any third party
designated by Shanghai Manyin with the purchase price after Shanghai Manyin or any third party designated by
Shanghai Manyin exercises
the option. The shareholders of Shanghai Ledao agree that without their separate consent, Shanghai Manyin may transfer all or part of
its option under
this agreement to a third party. Without prior written consent from Shanghai Manyin or its designated third party, Shanghai
Ledao may not, among other things, amend its articles of
association, increase or decrease the registered capital, sell, dispose of or
set any encumbrance on its assets, business or revenue outside the ordinary course of business, enter into
any material contract, merge
with any other persons or make any investments, distribute dividends, or enter into any transactions which have material adverse effects
on its business.
The shareholders of Shanghai Ledao also jointly and severally undertake that they will not transfer, gift or otherwise
dispose of their equity interests in Shanghai Ledao to any third
party or create or allow any encumbrance on their equity interests within
the term of this agreement. This agreement will remain effective for 30 years, renewable upon Shanghai
Manyin’s advance written
notice.
 
103

 
 
In the opinion of Hui Ye Law Firm,
our PRC counsel:
 
 
●
the structures of the consolidated variable interest entities and our WFOEs are in compliance with PRC laws or regulations currently in effect; and
 
 
 
 
●
the
agreements under the contractual arrangements between our WFOEs, the consolidated variable interest entities and their shareholders governed
by PRC law are
valid, binding and enforceable under PRC law, and do not and will not result in any violation of applicable PRC laws or
regulations currently in effect.
 
However, as of the date of this
annual report, the legality and enforceability of our contractual arrangements, as a whole, have not been tested in any PRC court, and
we
cannot guarantee you that the contractual arrangements, as a whole, would ultimately be legal or enforceable if they were to be tested
in a PRC court.
 
In addition, there are substantial
uncertainties regarding the interpretation and application of current and future PRC laws, regulations and rules. 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 the operation of the consolidated variable interest entities do not comply with PRC
government restrictions on foreign investment in our business, we could be subject
to severe 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 the contractual arrangements regarding the consolidated variable interest entities 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 Doing Business in China—We may be adversely affected by the complexity,
uncertainties and changes in PRC regulation of internet-related businesses and companies, and any lack of requisite approvals, licenses
or permits applicable to our business may
have a material adverse effect on our business and results of operations” and “—Uncertainties
in the interpretation and enforcement of PRC laws and regulations could limit the
legal protections available to us.”
 
D. Property, Plants and
Equipment
 
Our corporate headquarters is
located in Shanghai. In February 2024, we acquired an office building, which we used to lease, of 17,179 square meters, along with the
underlying land use rights in Shanghai, to serve as our global headquarters.
 
For our customer services and
loan collection services, we leased an area of approximately 3,948 square meters in Changsha, approximately 5,435 square meters in Hefei,
and approximately 2,356 square meters in Zhengzhou. For our operations in the overseas markets, we leased areas of approximately 3,193
 square meters in Indonesia and
approximately 3,363 square meters in the Philippines. We also leased office space in other places, primarily
including Beijing, Hainan and Fujian in 2024. We lease our premises
from unrelated third parties under operating lease agreements. The
lease term varies from one year to five years. Our servers are primarily hosted at internet data centers owned by
major domestic internet
data center providers. We believe that our existing facilities are generally adequate to meet our current needs, but we expect to seek
additional space as
needed to accommodate future growth.
 
ITEM 4A.
UNRESOLVED STAFF COMMENTS
 
None.
 
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 “Forward-Looking Statements” on page 2 of this annual report. 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.
 
104

 
 
A. Operating Results
 
Overview
 
We are a leading fintech platform
with strong brand recognition in China, Indonesia and the Philippines. Launched in 2007, we have been a pioneer in China’s online
consumer finance industry. In 2018, we commenced operations in overseas markets, with our current focus on Indonesia and the Philippines.
In 2024, we generated approximately
80.6% of our revenues from China and 19.4% of our revenues from the overseas markets.
 
We primarily offer short-term
loans to our borrowers to meet their immediate credit needs while allowing them to gradually establish their credit history through activities
on our platforms. In 2022, 2023 and 2024, the average principal amount of loans originated on our platform in China was RMB7,249, RMB8,318
and RMB10,402 (US$1,425),
respectively, with an average term of 8.7 months, 8.3 months and 8.0 months, respectively. Borrowers come
to our platforms for convenient, simple and fast loan transaction
process. We generally have a high level of borrower stickiness. In 2022,
2023 and 2024, 86.8%, 87.2% and 86.5% of the total loan origination volume on our platform in China was
generated from repeat borrowers
who had at least one drawdown before.
 
We generate revenues primarily
by collecting transaction service fees from institutional funding partners for our services provided to them such as borrower introduction
and preliminary credit assessment, as well as other services we provide along the lifecycle of loans. Our net revenues grew from RMB11.1
billion in 2022 and to RMB12.5 billion in
2023 and further to RMB13.1 billion (US$1.8 billion) in 2024. Our net profit was RMB2.3 billion
in 2022, RMB2.4 billion in 2023 and RMB2.4 billion (US$0.3 billion) in 2024.
 
General Factors Affecting Our
Results of Operations
 
Our business and results of operations
are affected by general factors affecting the online consumer finance industry in the markets where we operate, which include,
among other
things:
 
 
●
overall economic growth;
 
 
 
 
●
per
capita disposable income;
 
 
 
 
●
fluctuation of interest rates;
 
 
 
 
●
development
of regulatory environment for the online consumer finance industry in the markets where we operate; and
 
 
 
 
●
growth
of mobile internet penetration, including the popularity of smart mobile devices.
 
Unfavorable changes in any of
these general industry conditions could negatively affect demand for our services.
 
Specific Factors Affecting
Our Results of Operations
 
While our business is exposed
to general factors affecting the online consumer finance industry in China and the overseas markets, we believe our results of operations
are
more directly affected by company specific factors, including the following major factors.
 
Ability to Maintain and
Expand Our Borrower Base in a Cost-effective Manner
 
Our revenues are dependent on
our ability to acquire new borrowers and retain and increase engagement of existing borrowers. We use various means, including mobile
app stores, search engine marketing, online advertising and online partnerships, to attract new borrowers. We also establish an offline
direct sales team to acquire new borrowers
across different cities in China and Indonesia. We consistently seek to improve and optimize
user experience to achieve a high level of borrower satisfaction, which helps to attract
and retain borrowers. We will also continue to
develop new loan products to enhance engagement of our borrowers.
 
Our results of operations and
ability to sustain and increase loan origination volume will depend, in part, on the effectiveness of our sales and marketing efforts.
Our sales
and marketing expenses were 15.1%, 15.0% and 15.4% of our total operating revenues in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively. The
increase in our sales and marketing expenses as a
percentage of our total operating revenues in 2024 was attributable to our efforts on
acquiring better quality borrowers in both China and overseas markets. We intend to consistently
dedicate significant resources to borrower
acquisition and improve the effectiveness of these efforts.
 
105

 
 
Ability to Maintain and
Expand Our Cooperation with Institutional Funding Partners
 
Our revenues are also dependent
on the maintenance and growth of our cooperation with institutional funding partner. As of December 31, 2024, we had cumulatively
cooperated
 with 110 institutional funding partners in China and 13 institutional funding partners in the overseas markets. Going forward, we will
 continue to retain existing
institutional funding partners and attract new institutional funding partners by offering attractive returns
and providing enhanced tools to meet their needs.
 
Maintenance of Effective
Risk Management
 
Our ability to effectively segment
borrowers into appropriate risk profiles impacts our ability to attract and retain borrowers and institutional funding partners. We intend
to
optimize our fraud detection capabilities, improve accuracy of our credit scoring model and enhance our collection effectiveness on
a continuing basis through the combination of
our big-data analytical capabilities and the increasing amount of data we accumulate through
our operations.
 
For our institutional funding
partners, we provide our institutional funding partners with quality assurance commitments for a substantial majority of the loans they
have
funded. See “Item 4. Information on the Company—B. Business Overview—Quality Assurance Commitments for Our Institutional
Funding Partners.” As a result, we are subject to
credit risk for such loans. Our ability to accurately estimate loan delinquency
rates and our ability to collect delinquent loans have an impact on the amount we need to pay to third-
party financing guarantee companies
and our institutional funding partners, which have an impact on our consolidated statements of comprehensive income. See “—E.
Critical
Accounting Estimates—Allowance for Credit Losses,” and “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Our Business—Regulatory restrictions on institutional
funding partners’ acceptance of credit enhancement may adversely
affect our business and access to funding.”
 
Ability to Price Accurately
 
Our profitability largely depends
on our ability to reasonably price the loans facilitated through our platforms. We implement segmented pricing for our standard loan
products,
which contributed a majority of our revenues in the periods presented in this annual report. Prospective borrowers for our standard loan
products are divided into eight
segments based on our proprietary credit scoring model: Level I applicants have the lowest risk of default
whereas Level VIII loan applicants, whose applications will be rejected,
have the highest risk of default. The transaction service fee
rate that we collected from borrowers for standard loan products varies depending on their respective credit levels and
duration of the
underlying loan.
 
Ability to Innovate
 
Our growth to date has depended
on, and our future success will depend in part on, successfully meeting borrower and institutional funding partner demand for new
products
and services. We have made and intend to continue to make substantial investments to develop products and improve services for borrowers
and institutional funding
partners. For borrowers, we plan to introduce new features and products that meet their evolving financial needs
at different stages of their lives. For our institutional funding
partners, we will continue to expand our products and services to meet
their needs for target returns, risk preferences, investment horizon and liquidity requirements. Failure to
continue to successfully develop
and offer innovative products could adversely affect our operating results and we may not recoup the costs of launching and marketing
new
products.
 
In addition, our success to date
is largely attributable to our ability to seamlessly integrate the use of technologies into provision of financial services. We have been
focusing on leveraging our big-data analytics and machine learning capabilities to increase the automation level of our platforms and
optimize our operational efficiency in various
aspects. As our business grows, we will continue to invest in strengthening our technology
 infrastructure, which may result in the increase of our research and development
expenses, and origination and servicing expenses.
 
106

 
 
Ability to Compete Effectively
 
We compete for both borrowers
and institutional funding partners with a variety of players in the consumer finance industry, ranging from traditional financial institutions
to emerging online finance providers and platforms. We must compete effectively in order to grow our platforms and increase our revenues.
We intend to continue to invest in
product development, technology infrastructure and our sales and marketing capabilities to address
the competition we face.
 
Loan Performance Data
 
90 Day+ Delinquency Rate
 
Since the second
quarter of 2024, we have defined the 90+ day delinquency rate as of a given date as the outstanding principal balance of loans in China,
excluding those
facilitated without credit risk exposure, that are 90 to 179 days past due, expressed as a percentage of the total
outstanding principal balance of loans, excluding those facilitated
without credit risk exposure, on that date. Loans that are
 delinquent for 180 days or more are typically considered charged-off and are not included in the delinquency rate
calculation. The
table below presents our 90+ day delinquency rates for outstanding loans on our platform in China as of December 31, 2022, 2023, and
2024, all calculated based
on this latest definition.
 
As of
 
90 Day+ Delinquency Rate(1)  
December 31, 2022
 
 
1.41%
December 31, 2023
 
 
1.98%
December 31, 2024
 
 
2.13%
 
 
Note:
 
(1) Since the origination
amount of our standard loan products accounted for the vast majority of the total origination amount of loans facilitated on our platform
in China in the past
three years, the 90 day+ delinquency rate in this table mainly reflects the performance of our standard loan products
in China.
 
Delinquency Rate by Vintage
 
We refer to loans facilitated
during a specified time period as a vintage. We define vintage delinquency rate as (i) the total amount of principal for all the loans
in a vintage
that become delinquent, less (ii) the total amount of recovered past due principal for all loans in the same vintage, and
then divided by (iii) the total amount of initial principal for all
loans in such vintage. For purpose of this annual report, loans facilitated
during a specified time period are referred to as a vintage. Loans that have been considered charged-off are
included in the calculation
of vintage delinquency rates.
 
107

 
 
The following chart and table
 display the historical cumulative 30-day plus past due delinquency rates by loan origination vintage for all continuing loan products
facilitated through our online platform in China.
 
 
Notes:
 
(1) Our vintage delinquency rate for loans bearing credit risk facilitated through our platform during 2022 was 2.36%, calculated as the
volume-weighted average of the quarterly
vintage delinquency rates at the end of the 12th month following the inception of
each loan in an applicable vintage.
 
 
(2) Our vintage delinquency rate for loans bearing credit risk facilitated through our platform during 2023 was 2.84%, calculated as the
volume-weighted average of the quarterly
vintage delinquency rates at the end of the 12th month following the inception of
each loan in an applicable vintage.
 
 
(3) As of December 31, 2024, our vintage delinquency rate for loans bearing credit risk facilitated through our platform during the first
three quarters was 1.55%, calculated as the
volume-weighted average of the quarterly vintage delinquency rates as of December 31, 2024.
As loans bearing credit risk facilitated through our platform during 2022 continue
to age, the delinquency rate for the 2024 vintage,
calculated as the volume-weighted average of the quarterly vintage delinquency rates at the end of the 12th month following
the inception of each loan in an applicable vintage, may be different from the vintage delinquency rate of 1.55% as of December 31, 2024.
 
108

 
 
Results of Operations
 
The following table sets forth
a summary of our consolidated results of operations for the periods presented, both in absolute amount and as a percentage of our total
operating revenues for the periods presented. This information should be read together with our consolidated financial statements and
related notes included elsewhere in this annual
report. The results of operations in any period are not necessarily indicative of our
future trends.
 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
%
   
RMB
   
%
   
RMB
   
US$
   
%
 
 
 
(in thousands except for percentages)
 
Operating revenues:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Loan facilitation service fees
 
 
4,430,778   
 
39.8   
 
4,520,504   
 
36.0   
 
4,694,380   
 
643,127   
 
36.0 
Post-facilitation service fees
 
 
1,929,913   
 
17.3   
 
1,969,705   
 
15.7   
 
1,740,241   
 
238,412   
 
13.3 
Guarantee income
 
 
3,064,440   
 
27.5   
 
4,478,995   
 
35.7   
 
5,085,296   
 
696,683   
 
38.9 
Net interest income
 
 
1,174,204   
 
10.5   
 
1,049,379   
 
8.4   
 
853,779   
 
116,967   
 
6.5 
Other revenue
 
 
534,868   
 
4.9   
 
528,862   
 
4.2   
 
692,128   
 
94,821   
 
5.3 
Net revenues
 
  11,134,203   
 
100.0   
 
12,547,445   
 
100.0   
 
13,065,824   
  1,790,010   
 
100.0 
Operating expenses:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Origination, servicing expenses and other cost of revenue  
  (2,038,587)  
 
(18.3)  
 
(2,111,515)  
 
(16.9)  
 
(2,381,839)  
 
(326,311)  
 
(18.2)
Origination, servicing expenses and other cost of revenue-
related party
 
 
(37)  
 
(0.0)  
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
— 
Sales and marketing expenses
 
  (1,685,022)  
 
(15.1)  
 
(1,887,442)  
 
(15.0)  
 
(2,014,254)  
 
(275,952)  
 
(15.4)
General and administrative expenses
 
 
(401,731)  
 
(3.6)  
 
(390,022)  
 
(3.1)  
 
(413,548)  
 
(56,656)  
 
(3.2)
Research and development expenses
 
 
(491,484)  
 
(4.4)  
 
(510,986)  
 
(4.1)  
 
(496,740)  
 
(68,053)  
 
(3.8)
Credit losses for quality assurance commitment
 
  (3,195,220)  
 
(28.7)  
 
(4,422,802)  
 
(35.2)  
 
(4,587,254)  
 
(628,451)  
 
(35.2)
Provision for loans receivable
 
 
(415,902)  
 
(3.7)  
 
(586,843)  
 
(4.7)  
 
(320,013)  
 
(43,842)  
 
(2.4)
Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
(390,882)  
 
(3.6)  
 
(253,948)  
 
(2.0)  
 
(317,049)  
 
(43,436)  
 
(2.4)
Total operating expenses
 
  (8,618,865)  
 
(77.4)  
  (10,163,558)  
 
(81.0)  
  (10,530,697)  
  (1,442,701)  
 
(80.6)
Other income
 
 
220,693   
 
2.0   
 
394,698   
 
3.1   
 
310,123   
 
42,487   
 
2.4 
Profit before income tax expenses
 
 
2,736,031   
 
24.6   
 
2,778,585   
 
22.1   
 
2,845,250   
 
389,796   
 
21.8 
Income tax expenses
 
 
(454,775)  
 
(4.1)  
 
(395,100)  
 
(3.1)  
 
(457,405)  
 
(62,664)  
 
(3.5)
Net profit
 
 
2,281,256   
 
20.5   
 
2,383,485   
 
19.0   
 
2,387,845   
 
327,132   
 
18.3 
 
Revenues
 
Our operating revenues include
loan facilitation service fees, post-facilitation service fees, guarantee income, net interest income, and other revenues. We generate
revenues
primarily by collecting transaction service fees from institutional funding partners for our services provided to them such as
 borrower introduction and preliminary credit
assessment, as well as other services we provide along the lifecycle of loans.
 
109

 
 
Typically, we
provided quality assurance service, loan facilitation services and post-facilitation services to the borrowers and institutional
funding partners. The quality
assurance service is within the scope of Accounting Standards Codification Topic 460 Guarantees and
recorded at fair value at the inception of the loans. For loan facilitation
services and post-facilitation services we provide, we
charged one combined transaction service fee for its delivery of loan facilitation services and post-facilitation services, each of
which are distinct performance obligations. We estimate the total consideration to be received over the life of the underlying loan
by modeling early termination scenarios. The
average rate of transaction service fees, which is computed by dividing the total
amount of transaction service fees we received during the period by the total volume of loans
originated on our platforms in China
during the same period, was 3.7% in 2022, 3.1% in 2023, and 3.1% in 2024.
 
Loan
facilitation service fees
 
For each loan facilitated on our
platforms, we collect transaction service fees and allocate such fees between loan facilitation services and post-facilitation services
that we
provide. Loan facilitation service fees are the portion of transaction service fees collected for the work we perform through
our platforms in connecting borrowers with institutional
funding partners and facilitating the origination of loan transactions.
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Loan facilitation service fees increased by 3.8% from RMB4,520.5 million in 2023 to RMB4,694.4 million (US$643.1 million) in 2024, primarily
due to an increase in the loan origination volume. The loan origination volume increased from approximately RMB194.3 billion in 2023 to
RMB206.2 billion (US$28.2 billion) in
2024. The increase in the loan origination volume was primarily driven by an increase in the loan
origination volume generated from the overseas market.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Loan facilitation service fees increased by 2.0% from RMB4,430.8 million in 2022 to RMB4,520.5 million in 2023, primarily due to the increase
in loan origination volume, partially offset by the decrease in the average rate of transaction service fees. The loan origination volume
increased from approximately RMB175.4
billion in 2022 to RMB194.3 billion in 2023. The increase in the loan origination volume was primarily
driven by the increase in loan origination volume generated from repeat
borrowers. The loan origination volume generated from repeat borrowers,
who had at least one drawdown before, as a percentage of the total loan origination volume facilitated on
our platform in China increased
from 86.8% in 2022 to 87.2% in 2023.
 
Post-facilitation
service fees
 
Post-facilitation service fees
are the portion of transaction service fees collected for services we provide after loan origination, such as repayment facilitation and
loan
collection.
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
 Post-facilitation service fees decreased by 11.6% from RMB1,969.7 million in 2023 to RMB1,740.2 million (US$238.4 million) in 2024,
primarily
due to the rolling impact of deferred transaction fees in the China market.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Post-facilitation service fees increased by 2.1% from RMB1,929.9 million in 2022 to RMB1,969.7 million in 2023, primarily due to the increase
in the outstanding loans facilitated by the company and the rolling impact of deferred transaction fees, partially offset by the decrease
in the average rate of transaction service fees.
 
Guarantee
income
 
Liabilities of quality assurance
commitment are released as guarantee income systematically over the term of the loans subject to quality assurance commitment.
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Our guarantee income increased by 13.5% from RMB4,479.0 million in 2023 to RMB5,085.3 million (US$696.7 million) in 2024, primarily due
to the increased outstanding loan balance of the off-balance sheet loans in the overseas markets, as well as the rolling impact of the
deferred guarantee income. The fair value of
quality assurance commitment upon loan origination is released as guarantee income systematically
over the term of the loans subject to quality assurance commitment.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Our guarantee income increased by 46.2% from RMB3,064.4 million in 2022 to RMB4,479.0 million in 2023, primarily due to the increased
outstanding loan balance of the off-balance sheet loans, the higher guarantee rates and the rolling impact of the deferred guarantee income.
The fair value of quality assurance
commitment upon loan origination is released as guarantee income systematically over the term of the
loans subject to quality assurance commitment.
 
110

 
 
Net
interest income
 
The following table sets forth
the composition of the interest income recorded in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income related to the loans originated
on our
platforms for the periods presented:
 
 
 
For the Year Ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
 
Interest income from loans originated through micro-lending company (1)
 
 
58,114   
 
59,420   
 
79,249 
Interest income from loans originated in the overseas markets (1)
 
 
691,156   
 
782,379   
 
492,084 
Interest income from loans originated under the trust arrangements(2)
 
 
571,240   
 
260,694   
 
301,815 
Total interest income
 
 
1,320,510   
 
1,102,493   
 
873,148 
 
 
Notes:
 
(1) Typically, for loans originated through micro-lending company and in the overseas markets, these loans are funded by us with no interest
bearing liabilities.
 
 
(2) The interest income from loans originated under the overseas trust arrangements was RMB22,576, nil and nil for the year ended December
 31, 2022, 2023, and 2024,
respectively.
 
The following table sets forth
the average balances and interest rates of the interest-earning asset and interest-bearing liability under the trust arrangements for
the periods
presented:
 
 
 
Average
balance
   
Interest
income/

expense    
Yield/

rate
 
 
Average
balance    
Interest
income/

expense    
Yield/

rate
 
 
Average
balance
   
Interest
income/

expense    
Yield/

rate
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
 
Interest-earning Assets
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Loans receivable from consolidated trusts(1)  
  2,047,322   
  571,240   
 
27.9% 
  967,289   
  260,694   
 
27.0% 
  1,258,526   
  301,815   
 
24.0%
Interest-bearing liabilities
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Funds payable to investors of consolidated
trusts(1)
 
  2,057,290   
  146,306   
 
7.1% 
  894,481   
 
53,114   
 
5.9% 
 
496,439   
 
19,369   
 
3.9%
The net yield on interest-earning assets
 
 
    
 
    
 
20.8% 
 
    
 
    
 
21.5% 
 
    
 
    
 
22.4%
 
 
Note:
 
(1) The average balance of loans receivable from the overseas consolidated trusts was RMB63,071, nil and nil for the year ended December
31, 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively.
The average funds payable to investors of the overseas consolidated trusts was RMB 56,152, nil
and nil for the year ended December 31, 2022, 2023, and 2024, respectively.
 
In 2024, we recorded interest
income of RMB873.1 million (US$119.6 million) and interest expenses of RMB19.4 million (US$2.7 million), compared to interest income
of
RMB1,102.5 million and interest expenses of RMB53.1 million in 2023. In 2022, we recorded interest income of RMB1,320.5 million and interest
expenses of RMB146.3
million.
 
Our interest income and interest
expenses in 2022, 2023 and 2024 were related to loans originated in the China and overseas markets, as well as the trusts we set
up in
collaboration with trust management companies. In order to provide more flexibility and access a broader range of investors, we
 have collaborated with third-party trust
management companies to set up numerous trusts. Those trusts are administered by third-party
trust management companies. We are considered the primary beneficiary of those
trusts and therefore consolidated the financial results
of those trusts in our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP.
 
111

 
 
Other
revenue
 
Other revenue mainly includes
customer referral fees and revenue generated from new businesses.
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Other revenue increased by 30.9% from RMB528.9 million in 2023 to RMB692.1 million (US$94.8 million) in 2024, primarily due to the
increased
contributions from other revenue streams.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Other revenue decreased by 1.1% from RMB534.9 million in 2022 to RMB528.9 million in 2023, primarily due to the disposal of a pilot run.
 
Operating Expenses
 
Our operating expenses consist
 of origination and servicing expenses, sales and marketing expenses, general and administrative expenses, research and development
expenses,
credit losses for quality assurance commitment, provision for loans receivable, and provision for accounts receivable and contract assets.
 
Origination,
servicing expenses and other cost of revenue
 
Origination, servicing expenses
and other cost of revenue consist primarily of expenses for credit assessment, loan origination, salaries and benefits for the personnel
who
work on credit checking, data processing and analysis, loan origination, customer service, loan collection and other cost of revenue.
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Our origination, servicing expenses and other cost of revenue increased by 12.8% from RMB2,111.5 million in 2023 to RMB2,381.8 million
(US$326.3 million) in 2024, primarily due to an increase in the facilitation costs and loan collection expenses as a result of the higher
outstanding loan balance. Origination,
servicing expenses and other cost of revenue for the period included share-based compensation of
RMB39.6 million (US$5.4 million).
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Our origination, servicing expenses and other cost of revenue increased by 3.6% from RMB2,038.6 million in 2022 to RMB2,111.5 million
in
2023, primarily due to the increase in the facilitation costs and the loan collection expenses as a result of the higher transaction
volume. Origination, servicing expenses and other
cost of revenue for the period included share-based compensation of RMB33.8 million.
 
Origination,
servicing expenses and other cost of revenue-related party
 
Origination, servicing expenses
and other cost of revenue-related party consists of expenses for data collection service provided by PPcredit Data Service (Shanghai)
Co.,
Ltd., which we refer to as PPcredit, for its data collection services. PPcredit is a related party controlled by our founders. See
“Item 7. Major Shareholders and Related Party
Transactions—B. Related Party Transactions—Transactions with PPcredit.”
Our origination, servicing expenses and other cost of revenue-related party were nil in 2023 and nil in
2024.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Our origination, servicing expenses and other cost of revenue-related party were nil in 2023, compared to RMB37 thousand in 2022, primarily
due to the termination of collection service provided by the related party.
 
Sales
and marketing expenses
 
Sales and marketing expenses consist
primarily of advertising and online marketing promotion expenses.
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Our sales and marketing expenses increased by 6.7% from RMB1,887.4 million in 2023 to RMB2,014.3 million (US$276.0 million) in 2024,
primarily
 due to an increase in the advertising and online marketing expenses from RMB1,871.4 million in 2023 to RMB1,994.1 million (US$273.2 million)
 in 2024. Our
advertising and online marketing expenses primarily include expenses paid to internet marketing channels for online advertising
and search engine marketing as well as to certain
websites that enable us to reach quality borrowers. The increase in the advertising
 and online marketing expenses was primarily driven by our increased proactive customer
acquisition efforts focusing on quality borrowers
 in both China and the overseas markets. Our sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of our total operating revenues
increased from
15.0% to 15.4% during the same period, primarily attributable to the increase in the revenue generated from new borrowers.
 
112

 
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Our sales and marketing expenses increased by 12.0% from RMB1,685.0 million in 2022 to RMB1,887.4 million in 2023, primarily due to the
increase in advertising and online marketing expenses from RMB1,605.5 million in 2022 to RMB1,871.4 million in 2023. Our advertising and
online marketing expenses primarily
include expenses paid to internet marketing channels for online advertising and search engine marketing
as well as to certain websites that enable us to reach quality borrowers. The
increase in expenses associated with online customer acquisition
was primarily due to our proactive customer acquisition efforts focusing on higher-quality borrowers in both China
and the overseas markets.
Our sales and marketing expenses as a percentage of our total operating revenues slightly decreased from 15.1% to 15.0% during the same
period,
primarily attributable to the increase in the revenue generated from repeat borrowers.
 
General
and administrative expenses
 
General and administrative expenses
consist primarily of salaries and benefits for general management, finance and administrative personnel, rental, professional service
fees and other expenses.
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Our general and administrative expenses increased by 6.0% from RMB390.0 million in 2023 to RMB413.5 million (US$56.7 million) in 2024,
primarily due to the increased benefits we provided to our employees. General and administrative expenses in 2024 included share-based
 compensation of RMB59.6 million
(US$8.2 million). Our general and administrative expenses as a percentage of our total operating revenues
increased from 3.1% to 3.2% during the same period, primarily due to the
increased benefits we provided to our employees.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Our general and administrative expenses decreased by 2.9% from RMB401.7 million in 2022 to RMB390.0 million in 2023, primarily due to
the
improved operation efficiency. General and administrative expenses in 2023 included share-based compensation of RMB46.6 million. Our
general and administrative expenses as a
percentage of our total operating revenues decreased from 3.6% to 3.1% during the same period,
primarily due to the improved operation efficiency.
 
Research
and development expenses
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Research and development expenses decreased by 2.8% from RMB511.0 million in 2023 to RMB496.7 million (US$68.1 million) in 2024, due to
our improved technology development efficiency. Our research and development expenses in 2024 included the share-based compensation expenses
of RMB44.9 million (US$6.1
million). Our research and development expenses as a percentage of our total operating revenues decreased from
 4.1% to 3.8%, primarily due to our improved technology
development efficiency.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Research and development expenses increased by 4.0% from RMB491.5 million in 2022 to RMB511.0 million in 2023 as we continued investing
in our technology capabilities in 2023. Our research and development expenses in 2023 included the share-based compensation expenses of
RMB36.1 million. Our research and
development expenses as a percentage of our total operating revenues decreased from 4.4% to 4.1%.
 
Credit
losses for quality assurance commitment
 
Credit losses for quality assurance
commitment was accounted for in addition to and separately from the guarantee liabilities accounted for under the Accounting Standards
Codification 460.
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Credit losses for quality assurance commitment increased by 3.7% from RMB4,422.8 million in 2023 to RMB4,587.3 million (US$628.5 million)
in 2024, primarily due to the increased outstanding loan balances of the off-balance sheet loans in the overseas markets, partially offset
by the decrease in the proportion of loans
bearing credit risk in China.
 
113

 
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Credit losses for quality assurance commitment increased by 38.4% from RMB3,195.2 million in 2022 to RMB4,422.8 million in 2023, primarily
due to the increases in the loan origination volume, the outstanding loan balance and the delinquency rates.
 
Provision
for loans receivable
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Our provision for loans receivables decreased by 45.5% to RMB320.0 million (US$43.8 million) in 2024 from RMB586.8 million in 2023,
primarily
due to the decreases in the transaction volume and the outstanding loan balances of the on-balance sheet loans in the overseas markets.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Our provision for loans receivables increased by 41.1% to RMB586.8 million in 2023 from RMB415.9 million in 2022, primarily due to the
increase in the loan origination volume in our overseas markets.
 
Provision
for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Our provision for accounts receivable and contract assets increased by 24.8% from RMB253.9 million in 2023 to RMB317.0 million (US$43.4
million) in 2024, primarily due to the decrease in provisions from other third-party platforms in 2023.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Our provision for accounts receivable and contract assets decreased by 35.0% from RMB390.9 million in 2022 to RMB253.9 million in 2023,
primarily due to the decrease in provision from other third-party platforms.
 
Other Income
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Our other income decreased from RMB394.7 million in 2023 to RMB310.1 million (US$42.5 million) in 2024, primarily due to the decrease
in
government subsidies.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Our other income increased from RMB220.7 million in 2022 to RMB394.7 million in 2023, primarily due to the increase in government subsidies
and investment income from financial assets held for trading.
 
Income Tax Expenses
 
2024 Compared to 2023.
Our income tax expenses increased from RMB395.1 million in 2023 to RMB457.4 million (US$62.7 million) in 2024, primarily due to the
increase
in pre-tax profit and effective tax rate.
 
2023 Compared to 2022.
Our income tax expenses decreased from RMB454.8 million in 2022 to RMB395.1 million in 2023, primarily due to a decrease in our effective
tax rate.
 
Net Profit
 
As a result of the foregoing,
our net profit was RMB2.3 billion in 2022, RMB2.4 billion in 2023 and RMB2.4 billion (US$327.1 million) in 2024.
 
Taxation
 
Cayman Islands
 
We are incorporated in the Cayman
Islands. The Cayman Islands currently have no income, corporation or capital gains tax.
 
114

 
 
Hong Kong
 
Our subsidiary incorporated in
Hong Kong is subject to Hong Kong profits tax at a rate of 16.5%. No Hong Kong profits tax has been levied as we did not have assessable
profit that was earned in or derived from the Hong Kong subsidiary during the periods presented. Hong Kong does not impose a withholding
tax on dividends.
 
China
 
Generally, our PRC subsidiaries,
consolidated variable interest entities and their respective subsidiaries, which are considered PRC resident enterprises under PRC tax
law,
are subject to enterprise income tax on their worldwide taxable income as determined under PRC tax laws and accounting standards
at a rate of 25%. A “high and new technology
enterprise” is entitled to a favorable statutory tax rate of 15% and such qualification
is reassessed by governmental authorities every three years. Besides, a company qualified as a
“software enterprise” is entitled
to an exemption of income tax for the first two fiscal years and a favorable tax rate of 12.5% from the third to the fifth year. Such
qualification is
reassessed by governmental authorities annually. In 2024, one of our PRC subsidiaries was recognized as a “software
enterprise” and was entitled to a preferential income tax rate of
12.5% from 2022 to 2024. In 2024, one of our PRC subsidiaries
was recognized as “Hainan encouraged industrial enterprise” and was entitled to a preferential income tax rate of
15%.
 
We are subject to value added
tax at a rate of 6% on the services we provide to borrowers and institutional funding partners, less any deductible value added tax we
have
already paid or borne. We are also subject to surcharges on value added tax payments in accordance with PRC law. Value added tax
has been phased in since May 2012 to replace
the business tax that was previously applicable to the services we provide. During the periods
presented, we were not subject to business tax on the services we provide.
 
Dividends paid by our wholly foreign-owned
subsidiary in China to our intermediary holding company in Hong Kong will be subject to a withholding tax rate of 10%,
unless the Hong
Kong entity satisfies all the requirements under the Arrangement between the PRC and the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the
Avoidance of Double
Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion with respect to Taxes on Income and Capital and receives approval from the
tax authority. If our Hong Kong subsidiary satisfies all the
requirements under the tax arrangement and receives approval from the tax
authority, then the dividends paid to the Hong Kong subsidiary would be subject to withholding tax at
the standard rate of 5%. See “Item
3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—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 conduct our business.”
 
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 Enterprise
Income Tax Law
of the PRC, 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 PRC resident enterprise
for PRC income tax purposes, such classification could result in unfavorable tax consequences to us and our
non-PRC shareholders or ADS
holders.”
 
115

 
 
Discussion of Certain Balance
Sheet Items
 
The following table sets forth
selected information from our consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024. This information should be read together
with our consolidated financial statements and related notes included elsewhere in this annual report. The following selected consolidated
balance sheet as of December 31, 2022 are
derived from our audited consolidated balance sheet as of December 31, 2022 not included in
this annual report.
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$
 
 
 
(RMB in thousands)
 
Assets:
 
    
    
    
  
Cash and cash equivalents
 
 
3,636,380   
 
4,969,319   
 
4,672,772   
 
640,167 
Restricted cash
 
 
2,842,707   
 
1,800,071   
 
2,074,300   
 
284,178 
Short-term investments
 
 
3,427,020   
 
2,960,821   
 
2,832,382   
 
388,035 
Quality assurance receivable, net of credit loss allowance for quality
assurance receivable
 
 
1,669,855   
 
1,755,615   
 
1,639,591   
 
224,623 
Investments
 
 
1,084,084   
 
1,135,133   
 
1,173,003   
 
160,701 
Loans receivable, net of credit loss allowance for loans receivable
 
 
2,136,432   
 
1,127,388   
 
4,157,621   
 
569,592 
Accounts receivable and contract assets, net of credit loss allowance for
accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
2,217,445   
 
2,208,538   
 
2,405,880   
 
329,604 
Total assets
 
 
21,382,911   
 
21,293,673   
 
23,607,121   
 
3,234,162 
Liabilities and shareholders’ equity
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Liabilities:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Deferred guarantee income
 
 
1,805,164   
 
1,882,036   
 
1,515,950   
 
207,684 
Liability from quality assurance commitment
 
 
3,555,618   
 
3,306,132   
 
2,964,116   
 
406,082 
Funds payable to investors of consolidated trusts
 
 
1,845,210   
 
436,352   
 
796,122   
 
109,068 
Total liabilities
 
 
8,938,422   
 
7,422,775   
 
8,053,446   
 
1,103,317 
Total shareholders’ equity
 
 
12,444,489   
 
13,870,898   
 
15,553,675   
 
2,130,845 
 
Cash and Cash Equivalents
 
Our cash and cash equivalents
increased by 36.7% from RMB3.6 billion as of December 31, 2022 to RMB5.0 billion as of December 31, 2023, primarily due to the
maturity
of some wealth management products we purchased in the past, partially offset by the capital expenditure primarily used for the purchase
of our headquarters building in
Shanghai.
 
Our cash and cash equivalents
decreased by 6.0% from RMB5.0 billion as of December 31, 2023 to RMB4.7 billion (US$640.2 million) as of December 31, 2024,
primarily
due to cash invested via consolidated trust.
 
116

 
 
Restricted Cash
 
Restricted cash mainly included
cash under the quality assurance commitment and in the quality assurance fund, cash received from investors and borrowers that has yet
to
be disbursed, cash received via consolidated trust that has not been distributed, cash held in escrow accounts, and cash received from
borrower to be distributed to funding partners.
The following table sets forth a breakdown of our restricted cash as of December 31, 2022,
2023 and 2024:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$
 
 
 
(in thousands)
 
Restricted cash:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Quality assurance commitment and quality assurance fund
 
 
1,394,870   
 
342,163   
 
—   
 
— 
Cash received from investors and borrowers
 
 
78,766   
 
78,766   
 
111,409   
 
15,263 
Cash received via consolidated trust that has not yet been distributed
 
 
449,337   
 
265,924   
 
701,928   
 
96,164 
Escrow accounts
 
 
558,520   
 
608,185   
 
864,440   
 
118,428 
Cash received from borrower to be distributed to funding partners
 
 
361,214   
 
415,033   
 
396,523   
 
54,323 
Cash held in capital escrow account as paid-in capital
 
 
—   
 
90,000   
 
—   
 
— 
Total restricted cash
 
 
2,842,707   
 
1,800,071   
 
2,074,300   
 
284,178 
 
Restricted cash decreased by 36.7%
from RMB2.8 billion as of December 31, 2022 to RMB1.8 billion as of December 31, 2023, primarily due to (i) a decrease of RMB1.1
billion
 in cash in quality assurance commitment and quality assurance fund due to the settlement under our quality assurance commitment in 2023,
 and (ii) an decrease of
RMB183.4 million in cash received via consolidated trusts that has not yet been distributed due to the decreases
in the loan origination volume and the outstanding loan balances of
consolidated trusts, partially offset by (i) an increase of RMB90.0
million in cash held in capital escrow account as paid-in capital, (ii) an increase of RMB53.8 million in cash
received from borrower
to be distributed to funding partners due to the settlement time lag, and (iii) an increase of RMB49.7 million in escrow accounts due
to the increased
guarantee amount for our financing guarantee.
 
Restricted cash increased by 15.2%
from RMB1.8 billion as of December 31, 2023 to RMB2.1 billion (US$284.2 million) as of December 31, 2024, primarily due to (i) an
increase
of RMB436.0 million in cash received via consolidated trusts that has not yet been distributed due to the increase in trust investment over the year, and (ii) an increase of
RMB256.3 million in escrow accounts due to the
increased guarantee amount for our financing guarantee, partially offset by a decrease of RMB342.2 million in cash in quality
assurance
commitment and quality assurance fund due to the settlement under our quality assurance commitment in 2024.
 
117

 
 
Short-term Investments
 
Short-term investments mainly
consist of investments in time deposits placed with banks and investments in short-term wealth management products.
 
Our short-term investments decreased
by 13.6% from RMB3.4 billion as of December 31, 2022 to RMB3.0 billion as of December 31, 2023, primarily due to the maturity
of some wealth management products we purchased in the past.
 
Our short-term investments decreased
by 4.3% from RMB3.0 billion as of December 31, 2023 to RMB2.8 billion (US$388.0 million) as of December 31, 2024, primarily
due
to the maturity of some wealth management products we purchased in the past.
 
Quality Assurance Receivable
 
Quality assurance receivable increased
by 5.1% from RMB1.7 billion as of December 31, 2022 to RMB1.8 billion as of December 31, 2023, primarily due to the increases
in the loan
origination volume.
 
Quality assurance receivable decreased
by 6.6% from RMB1.8 billion as of December 31, 2023 to RMB1.6 billion (US$224.6 million) as of December 31, 2024, primarily
due to the
decreased proportion of loans bearing credit risk in China.
 
Loans receivable
 
Loans receivable decreased by
47.2% from RMB2.1 billion as of December 31, 2022 to RMB1.1 billion as of December 31, 2023, primarily due to the decreases in the on-
balance
loan origination volume.
 
Loans receivable increased by
268.8% from RMB1.1 billion as of December 31, 2023 to RMB4.2 billion (US$224.6 million) as of December 31, 2024, primarily due to the
increase in the on-balance loan origination volume.
 
Accounts Receivable and
Contract Assets and Related Provision
 
Accounts receivable and contract
assets primarily consists of transaction service fees for facilitation and post facilitation services. Provision for credit loss allowance
mainly consist of provision for accounts receivable and contract assets for loan facilitation and post facilitation services.
 
Accounts receivable and contract
assets decreased by 7.2% to RMB2.5 billion as of December 31, 2023 from RMB2.7 billion as of December 31, 2022, mainly due to the
lower
average rate of transaction fees in 2023. Provision for credit loss allowance decreased from RMB496.9 million as of December 31, 2022
to RMB 310.4 million as of
December 31, 2023, mainly due to the reversal of impairment loss related to certain counterparties from prior
years.
 
Accounts receivable and contract
assets increased by 7.0% to RMB2.7 billion (US$369.4 million) as of December 31, 2024 from RMB2.5 billion as of December 31, 2023,
mainly
due to an increase in the loan origination volume in 2024. Provision for credit loss allowance decreased from RMB310.4 million as of December
31, 2023 to RMB290.3
million (US$39.8 million) as of December 31, 2024, mainly due to the decreased proportion of loans bearing
credit risk in China.
 
118

 
 
Deferred
Guarantee Income
 
Deferred
guarantee income was RMB1.9 billion as of December 31, 2023 compared to RMB1.8 billion as of December 31, 2022, primarily due to the
increase in the
outstanding loan balance covered by our quality assurance commitment.
 
Deferred
guarantee income was RMB1.5 billion (US$207.7 million) as of December 31, 2024 compared to RMB1.9 billion as of December 31, 2023, primarily
due to the
decreased proportion of loans bearing credit risk in China, offset by an increase in the loan volume in the overseas markets.
 
Liability
from Quality Assurance Commitment
 
Liability
from quality assurance commitment decreased to RMB3.3 billion as of December 31, 2023 from RMB3.6 billion as of December 31, 2022, primarily
due to the
higher payment of quality assurance commitment.
 
Liability
from quality assurance commitment decreased to RMB3.0 billion (US$406.1 million) as of December 31, 2024 from RMB3.3 billion as of December
31, 2023,
primarily due to the decreased proportion of loans bearing credit risk in China, offset by an increase in the loan volume
in the overseas markets.
 
Funds
Payable to Investors of Consolidated Trusts
 
Funds
payable to investors of consolidated trusts decreased to RMB436.4 million as of December 31, 2023 from RMB1.8 billion as of December
31, 2022, primarily due to
the decrease in the loan origination volume of trust products and the early repayment of trust products in
the fourth quarter of 2023.
 
Funds
payable to investors of consolidated trusts increased to RMB796.1 million (US$109.1 million) as of December 31, 2024 from RMB436.4 million
as of December 31,
2023, primarily due to the increase in the loan origination volume of trust products in 2024.
 
Recent
Accounting Pronouncements
 
See
note 2 to the consolidated financial statements on page F-37 for details on recent accounting pronouncements and our adoption of certain
accounting rules.
 
B.
Liquidity and Capital Resources
 
Cash
Flows and Working Capital
 
To
date, we have financed our operations primarily through cash generated by operating activities. As of December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024,
we had RMB3.6 billion,
RMB5.0 billion and RMB4.7 billion (US$640.2 million), respectively, in cash and cash equivalents. Our cash and
cash equivalents primarily consist of cash on hand and short-term
bank demand deposits. We believe that our current cash and cash equivalents
and our anticipated cash flows from operations 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. If we determine that
our cash requirements exceed the amount of cash and cash equivalents we have on hand at the time, we may seek to issue equity or debt
securities or obtain credit facilities. The
issuance and sale of additional equity would result in further dilution to our shareholders.
The incurrence of indebtedness would result in increased fixed obligations and could result
in operating covenants that might restrict
our operations. 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 consolidated variable interest entities and their subsidiaries, we only have access to the assets or
earnings of the consolidated
variable interest entities and their subsidiaries through our contractual arrangements with the consolidated
variable interest entities and their shareholders. See “Item 4. Information
on the Company—C. Organizational Structure.”
For restrictions and limitations on liquidity and capital resources as a result of our corporate structure, see “—Holding
Company
Structure.” The majority of our future revenues are likely to continue to be in the form of RMB. Under existing PRC foreign
exchange regulations, payments of current account
items, including profit distributions, interest payments and trade and service-related
foreign exchange transactions, can be made in foreign currencies without prior SAFE approval
as long as certain routine procedural requirements
are fulfilled. Therefore, our PRC subsidiaries are allowed to pay dividends in foreign currencies to us without prior SAFE
approval by
following certain routine procedural requirements. 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 Chinese accounting standards and regulations. Our PRC subsidiaries
are required to set aside at least 10% of its 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 its registered capital. These reserves are
not distributable
as cash dividends. Furthermore, capital account transactions, which include foreign direct investment and loans, must be approved by
and/or registered with SAFE
and its local branches. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing
Business in China—Governmental control of currency conversion may limit our
ability to utilize our net revenues effectively and
affect the price of our ADSs.”
 
119

 
 
The
following table sets forth a summary of our cash flows for the periods presented:
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$
 
 
 
(RMB
in thousands)
 
Summary
Consolidated Cash Flows Data:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Net cash provided
by operating activities
 
 
236,917   
 
1,360,872   
 
2,893,160   
 
396,361 
Net cash provided by (used
in) investing activities
 
 
(1,553,228)  
 
1,411,992   
 
(2,295,816)  
 
(314,526)
Net cash used in financing
activities
 
 
(763,940)  
 
(2,505,002)  
 
(622,715)  
 
(85,312)
Net increase in cash, cash
equivalents and restricted cash
 
 
(2,012,454)  
 
290,303   
 
(22,318)  
 
(3,058)
Cash, cash equivalents and
restricted cash at beginning of year
 
 
8,491,541   
 
6,479,087   
 
6,769,390   
 
927,403 
Cash, cash equivalents and
restricted cash at end of year
 
 
6,479,087   
 
6,769,390   
 
6,747,072   
 
924,345 
 
During
the fourth quarter of 2024, FinVolution Group elected to change its presentation of the cash flows associated with net funds
received on behalf of customers that
disbursed out later as financing activities and net funds paid in advance on behalf of
customers that were subsequently reimbursed as investing activities within its consolidated
statements of cash flows. Prior
periods’ balances have been adjusted to conform to the current period presentation.
 
Operating
Activities
 
Net
cash provided by operating activities was RMB2.9 billion (US$396.4 million) in 2024, increased from RMB1.4 billion in 2023. In 2024,
the difference between our net
cash provided by operating activities and our net profit of RMB2.4 billion (US$327.1 million) resulted
mainly from a decrease from prepaid expenses and other assets of RMB1.7
billion (US$233.7 million), an increase in taxes payable of RMB499.1
million (US$68.4 million), a provision for quality assurance receivable of RMB378.7 million (US$51.9
million), a provision for loans
receivable of RMB320.0 million (US$43.8 million), a provision for accounts receivable and contract assets of RMB317.0 million (US$43.4
million),
an increase in deferred tax assets of RMB863.3 million (US$118.3 million), a net gain from investment in loans of RMB853.8
million (US$117.0 million), an increase in accounts
receivable and contract assets of RMB514.4 million (US$70.5 million), and a decrease
in deferred guarantee income of RMB366.1 million (US$50.2 million). The decrease from
prepaid expenses and other assets was primarily
due to a decrease in security deposit. The increase in taxes payable was primarily due to higher profit before tax. The provision for
quality assurance receivable, loans receivable
and accounts receivable and contract assets was primarily
due to the recognition of the life time credit losses. The increase in deferred
tax assets was primarily due to the increase in the deferred
revenue. The net gain from investment in loans was primarily due to the interest income from the loans originated in the
overseas markets
and the interest income from the loans held by consolidated trusts. The increase in accounts receivable and contract assets was primarily
due to the increase in the
loan origination volume. The decrease in deferred guarantee income was primarily due to the decreased proportion
of loans bearing credit risk   in China.
 
Net
cash provided by operating activities was RMB1.4 billion in 2023, increased from RMB236.9 million in 2022. In 2023, the difference between
our net cash provided
by operating activities and our net profit of RMB2.4 billion resulted mainly from a net gain from investment in
loans of RMB1.0 billion, an increase in deferred tax assets of
RMB705.0 million, an increase in quality assurance fund receivable of
RMB440.1 million, a provision for loans receivable of RMB586.8 million, a provision for quality assurance
receivable of RMB354.4 million,
and a provision for accounts receivable and contract assets of RMB253.9 million. The gain from investment in loans was primarily due
to the
interest income from the loans originated in the overseas markets and the interest income from the loans held by consolidated
trusts. The increase in deferred tax assets was
primarily due to the increase in the deferred revenue. The increase in quality assurance
receivable was primarily due to the increases in the loan origination volume. The provision
for loans receivable was primarily due to
the recognition of the life time credit losses. The provision for quality assurance receivable was primarily due to the recognition of
the life
time credit losses. The provision for accounts receivable and contract assets was primarily due to the recognition of the life
time credit losses.
 
120

 
 
Net
cash provided by operating activities was RMB236.9 million in 2022. In 2022, the difference between our net cash provided by operating
activities and our net profit of
RMB2.3 billion resulted mainly from a net gain from investment in loans of RMB1.2 billion, an increase
in prepaid expenses and other assets of RMB1.2 billion, an increase in
quality assurance receivable of RMB914.4 million, an increase
 in deferred guarantee income of RMB715.7 million, an increase in accounts receivable and contract assets of
RMB717.5 million, and a provision
for loans receivable of RMB415.9 million. The gain from investment in loans was primarily due to the interest income from loans originated
in
the overseas markets and the interest income from loans held by consolidated trusts. The increase in prepaid expenses and other assets
was primarily due to the increased amount of
deposits required by institutional funding partners as a result of the increase in outstanding
loan balance. The increase in quality assurance receivable was primarily due to the
increases in the loan origination volume. The increase
in the deferred guarantee income was primarily due to the increases in the loan origination volume. The increase in accounts
receivable
and contract assets was primarily due to the increase in the loan origination volume. The provision for loans receivable was primarily
due to the recognition of the life
time credit losses.
 
Investing
Activities
 
Net
cash used in investing activities was RMB2.3 billion (US$314.5 million) in 2024, which was mainly attributable to cash paid for investment
in loans originated and
held by us in an amount of RMB9.4 billion (US$1.3 billion), purchase of short-term investments (mainly time deposits
and wealth management products) in an amount of RMB7.3
billion (US$1.0 billion), proceeds from investment in loans originated and held by us in an amount of RMB6.9 billion (US$938.9 million) and
proceeds from short-term investments
in an amount of RMB7.5 billion (US$1.0 billion) from maturity of time deposits and wealth management
products.
 
Net
cash provided by investing activities was RMB1.4 billion in 2023, which was mainly attributable to proceeds from short-term investments
in an amount of RMB12.4
billion from maturity of time deposits and wealth management products, and proceeds from investment in loans
originated and held by us in an amount of RMB7.3 billion, partially
offset by purchase of short-term investments (mainly time deposits
and wealth management products) in an amount of RMB11.9 billion and cash paid for investment in loans
originated and held by us in an
amount of RMB5.8 billion.
 
Net
cash used in investing activities was RMB1.6 billion in 2022, which was mainly attributable to cash paid for purchase of short-term investments
(mainly time deposits
and wealth management products) in an amount of RMB17.1 billion, and cash paid for investment in loans originated
and held by us in an amount of RMB10.1 billion, partially
offset by proceeds from short-term investments in an amount of RMB15.0 billion
from maturity of time deposits and wealth management products, and proceeds from investment in
loans originated and held by us in an
amount of RMB10.8 billion.
 
Financing
Activities
 
Net
 cash used in financing activities was RMB622.7 million (US$85.3 million) in 2024, which was mainly attributable to repurchase of our
ADSs in an amount of
RMB643.2 million (US$88.1 million), cash paid to our institutional funding partners that invested in our consolidated
trusts in an amount of RMB439.6 million (US$60.2 million),
dividends payout in an amount of RMB441.3 million (US$60.5 million), partially offset by cash received from our institutional funding partners that invested
in our consolidated
trusts in an amount of RMB780.0 million (US$106.9 million) and net funds held for customers in an amount of RMB121.7
million (US$16.7 million).
 
121

 
 
Net
cash used in financing activities was RMB2.5 billion in 2023, which was mainly attributable to cash paid to our institutional funding
partners that invested in our
consolidated trusts in an amount of RMB2.7 billion, repurchase of our ADSs in an amount of RMB694.5 million,
and dividends payout in amount of RMB430.4 million, partially
offset by cash received from our institutional funding partners that invested
in our consolidated trusts in an amount of RMB1.3 billion.
 
Net
cash used in financing activities was RMB763.9 million in 2022, which was mainly attributable to cash paid to our institutional funding
partners that invested in our
consolidated trusts in an amount of RMB1.4 billion, dividends payout in amount of RMB372.5 million, and
repurchase of our ADSs in an amount of RMB340.8 million, partially
offset by cash received from our institutional funding partners that
invested in our consolidated trusts in an amount of RMB1.3 billion.
 
Material
Cash Requirements
 
Our
material cash requirements as of December 31, 2024 and any subsequent interim period primarily include our capital expenditures and contractual obligations.
 
We
made capital expenditures of RMB52.8 million, RMB538.1 million and RMB27.8 million (US$3.8 million) in 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
In 2024, our capital
expenditures were mainly used for purchases of property, equipment and software. We expect our capital expenditures
for 2025 to be approximately RMB54.8 million (US$7.5
million), primarily due to the optimization of server units and IT infrastructure.
 
Our contractual obligations mainly represent leasing obligations relating to our leases of office premises. We lease our office premises under non-cancelable operating
lease
arrangements. We made payment of RMB22.9 million (US$3.1 million) in 2024. We expect our non-cancelable payment for 2025 to be
approximately RMB16.8 million (US$2.3
million).
 
The
following table sets forth our contractual obligations as of December 31, 2024:
 
 
 
Total
   
Less
than 1 year    
1–3
years
   
3–5
years
   
More
than 5
years
 
 
  (RMB)     (US$)     (RMB)     (US$)     (RMB)     (US$)     (RMB)    (US$)     (RMB)    (US$)  
 
 
(in
thousands)
 
Non-cancellable
operating leases
    31,164      4,269      16,777      2,298      14,159      1,940     
228     
31     
—     
— 
 
We
intend to fund our existing and future material cash requirements with our existing cash balance and other financing alternatives. We
will continue to make cash
commitments, including capital expenditures, to support the growth of our business.
 
As of December 31, 2024,
we had capital commitments, primarily related to equity investments and business combinations, totaling RMB459 million.
 
Other than those discussed
above and the obligations related to on-balance sheet loans (presented as “funds payable to investors of consolidated trusts”
in the consolidated
balance sheets) and guarantees associated with the loans we facilitated, we did not have any significant capital or
other commitments, or long-term obligations as of December 31,
2024.
 
Holding
Company Structure
 
FinVolution
Group is a holding company with no material operations of its own. We conduct our operations primarily through our subsidiaries, three
consolidated variable
interest entities and their subsidiaries in China. As a result, FinVolution Group’s ability to continue paying
dividends depends upon dividends paid by our PRC subsidiaries. If our
existing PRC subsidiaries or any newly formed ones incur debt on
their own behalf in the future, the instruments governing their debt may restrict their ability to pay dividends to
us. In addition,
our wholly foreign-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 law, each of our subsidiaries and consolidated variable interest
entities 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, each of our subsidiaries may allocate a
portion of its after-tax
profits based on PRC accounting standards to enterprise expansion funds and staff bonus and welfare funds at its discretion, and the
consolidated variable
interest entities 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 foreign-owned company out of China is subject to examination by the banks
designated by SAFE. Our PRC subsidiaries
are not able to pay dividends out of China until they generate accumulated profits and meet the requirements for statutory reserve funds.
In 2020, Shanghai Guangjian, one of our PRC subsidiaries, had paid dividends of RMB79.5 million out of China.
 
122

 
 
C.
Research and Development, Patents, and Licenses, etc.
 
See
 “Item 4. Information On the Company—B. Business Overview—Technology” and “Item 4. Information On the Company—B.
 Business Overview—Intellectual
Property.”
 
D.
Trend Information
 
Other
than as disclosed in this annual report, we are not aware of any trends, uncertainties, demands, commitments or events for the current
fiscal year that are reasonably
likely to have a material effect on our net revenues, income, profitability, liquidity or capital reserves,
or that caused the disclosed financial information to be not necessarily
indicative of future operating results or financial conditions.
 
E.
Critical Accounting Estimates
 
We
prepare our consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP, which requires us to make judgments, estimates and assumptions
that affect (i) the
reported amounts of assets and liabilities, (ii) disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the end of each
reporting period and (iii) the reported amounts of revenues and
expenses during each reporting period. We continually evaluate these
estimates and assumptions based on historical experience, knowledge and assessment of current business and
other conditions, expectations
regarding the future based on available information and reasonable assumptions, which together form a basis for making judgments about
matters not
readily apparent from other sources. The use of estimates is an integral component of the financial reporting process, though
actual results could differ from those estimates. Some
of our accounting policies require higher degrees of judgment than others in their
application. We consider the policies discussed below to be critical to an understanding of our
financial statements as their application
places the most significant demands on the judgment of our management. For a detailed discussion of our significant accounting policies
and related judgments, please see “Note 2—Summary of Significant Accounting Policies.” You should read the following
description of critical accounting estimates in conjunction
with our consolidated financial statements and other disclosures included
in this annual report.
 
Revenue
Recognition
 
Nature
of estimate: We operate an online consumer finance platform that matches borrowers with institutional funding partners. Typically,
we provided quality assurance
service, loan facilitation services and post-facilitation services to the borrowers and institutional funding
 partners. The quality assurance service is within the scope of the
Accounting Standards Codification Topic 460 Guarantees and recorded
at fair value at the inception of the loans. For loan facilitation services and post-facilitation services we
provide, we charged one
combined transaction service fee, each of which we have assessed and concluded that they were distinct performance obligations.
 
Assumptions:
The combined transaction price was allocated to loan facilitation and post-facilitation services based on their standalone selling price.
We did not have an
observable standalone selling price for the loan facilitation or post-facilitation services because we did not provide
such services on a standalone basis in similar circumstances to
similar customers, and because there was no directly observable standalone
selling price that was reasonably available for similar services in the market. As a result, we used an
expected “cost plus margin”
approach to estimate the standalone selling prices. As part of the expected “cost plus margin” model, we made certain assumptions
including estimates
of the cost of providing the services, plus a reasonable profit margin. When our estimates of the standalone selling
prices for loan facilitation service as a percentage of total
consideration increased/decreased by 100 basis points while holding all
other estimates constant, our loan facilitation service revenue would increase/decrease by approximately
RMB23 million. Our estimate
of the key assumptions related to revenue recognition did not change significantly throughout the periods presented.
 
123

 
 
Allowance
for Credit Losses
 
We
have the following types of financial assets and liabilities that are subject to credit losses of borrowers: accounts receivable and
contract assets, quality assurance
receivable, loans receivable and liability from quality assurance commitment.
 
Nature
of estimate: Measurement of credit losses on financial instruments, which requires us to record the full amount of expected credit losses
for the life of a financial
asset at the time it is originated or acquired and adjusted for changes in expected lifetime credit losses
subsequently, which requires earlier recognition of credit losses.
 
Assumptions:
The credit losses related to these financial assets and liabilities are estimated mainly based on historical default experience, known
or inherit risks in the
portfolio, current economic conditions, and macroeconomic forecasts as well as other factors surrounding the
credit risk of borrowers. The estimate of expected credit losses is
sensitive to our assumptions in these factors. When change in one
of our estimates or a combined effect of changes of multiple estimates, which results in a 100 basis points
increase/decrease in our
default rate while holding all other estimates constant, there would be approximately RMB1,775 million pre-tax impact to our consolidated
results of
operations. Our estimate of the key assumptions related to credit losses did not change significantly throughout the periods
presented.
 
ITEM 6.
DIRECTORS, SENIOR MANAGEMENT
AND EMPLOYEES
 
A.
Directors and Senior Management
 
The
following table sets forth information regarding our directors and executive officers as of the date of this annual report.
 
Directors
and Executive Officers
 
Age
 
Position/Title
Shaofeng
Gu
 
46
 
Chairman
of the Board and Chief Innovation Officer
Tiezheng
Li
 
40
 
Vice
Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer
Jun
Zhang
 
47
 
Director
Honghui
Hu
 
47
 
Director
Simon
Tak Leung Ho
 
51
 
Independent
Director
Jimmy
Y. Lai
 
68
 
Independent
Director
Bing
Xiang
 
62
 
Independent
Director
Pingping
Chen
 
41
 
President
and Chief Compliance Officer
Jiayuan
Xu
 
44
 
Chief
Financial Officer
Yuxiang
Wang
 
45
 
Chief
Operating Officer and Chief Technology Officer
 
Mr.
Shaofeng Gu is one of our four co-founders and has been serving as our director since April 2009, chief innovation officer since
March 2019 and chairman of our board
of directors since March 2020. Mr. Gu served as our strategy adviser from December 2016 to March
2019, chief strategy officer from August 2014 to December 2016, chief
technology officer from January 2011 to August 2014 and chief executive
officer from 2007 to 2011. Prior to founding our company, Mr. Gu was the founder and the chief executive
officer of Shanghai Jufei Internet
Technology Co., Ltd. (Podlook), a startup running podcast aggregation business, from 2005 to 2007. Prior to founding Podlook, Mr. Gu
served as a
technical lead of Microsoft Corporation from 2000 to 2005. Mr. Gu received his bachelor’s degree in communication science
and engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University in
China.
 
Mr.
Tiezheng Li is one of our four co-founders and has been serving as our chief executive officer since March 2023, vice chairman of
the board since September 2018, and
director since March 2015. Mr. Li also served as our president from May 2020 to March 2024, our chief
strategy officer from July 2017 to April 2020, our chief operating officer
from April 2015 to July 2017 and our chief risk officer from
January 2011 to April 2015. Prior to founding our company, Mr. Li served as a risk manager at China Minsheng
Banking Corporation Limited
from 2006 to 2011. Mr. Li received his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Shanghai Jiaotong University in China and FMBA
degree from
China Europe International Business School in China.
 
124

 
 
Mr.
Jun Zhang is one of our four co-founders and has been serving as our director since September 2011 and our adviser since March 2020.
Mr. Zhang was our chairman of
our board of directors from December 2016 to March 2020, co-chief executive officer from September 2018
to March 2020 and chief executive officer from January 2011 to
September 2018. Mr. Zhang served as the operation manager at Wicresoft,
a provider of “Internet +” transition service jointly founded by Microsoft Corporation and Shanghai
Alliance Investment Limited,
from October 2008 to July 2010. Prior to that, Mr. Zhang served as a technical lead of Microsoft Global Technical Engineering Center
since 2001.
Prior to that, Mr. Zhang worked at Shanghai Online E-Biz Co., Ltd. as a coder and programmer from 2000 to 2001. Mr. Zhang
received his bachelor’s degree in communication
science and engineering and master’s degree in industrial engineering from
Shanghai Jiaotong University in China.
 
Mr.
Honghui Hu is one of our four co-founders and has been serving as our director since September 2011. Mr. Hu served as our president
from January 2011 to May 2020.
Prior to founding our company, Mr. Hu worked in the legal industry as a lawyer and a senior partner at
several PRC law firms from 2001 to 2009. From 2000 to 2001, Mr. Hu
served as a loan officer in Shanghai Branch of Industrial and Commercial
Bank of China Limited. Mr. Hu received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Shanghai Jiaotong
University in China and master’s
degree in economics from Fudan University in China.
 
Mr.
Simon Tak Leung Ho has been serving as our director since November 2020 and transitioned to an independent director in March 2025.
Mr. Ho currently serves as the
group chief financial officer of PT GoTo Gojek Tokopedia Tbk in Indonesia. Prior to this, Mr. Ho served
as the group chief financial officer of Maya Philippines from April 2023 to
July 2024. Mr. Ho served as our chief financial officer from
September 2016 to November 2020. Prior to joining us, Mr. Ho served various positions at Citigroup Global Markets
Asia Limited from 2008
to 2016 including managing director and head of Asian financials research. Mr. Ho received his bachelor’s degree in engineering
from Northwestern
University, Illinois. Mr. Ho is also a Chartered Financial Analyst.
 
Mr.
 Jimmy Y. Lai has been serving as our independent director since November 2017. Mr. Lai also serves as an independent director of
 several other NYSE-listed
companies, including Zepp Corporation (NYSE: ZEPP). Mr. Lai served as the chief financial officer of China
Online Education Group, a leading online education platform in China
listed on the NYSE, from June 2015 to December 2018. Prior to joining
China Online Education Group in 2015, Mr. Lai served as the chief financial officer for several companies,
including Chukong Technologies
Corp., a leading mobile entertainment platform company in China, from 2013 to 2015, Gamewave Corporation, a leading webgame company in
China, from 2011 to 2013, Daqo New Energy Corp., an NYSE-listed company and a leading polysilicon manufacturer based in China, from 2009
 to 2011, Linktone Ltd., a
NASDAQ-listed company and a leading provider of wireless interactive entertainment services to consumers in
China, from 2008 to 2009 and Palm Commerce Holdings, a leading
information technology solution provider for the China lottery industry,
from 2006 to 2008. Prior to that, Mr. Lai served as an associate vice president of investor relations at
Semiconductor Manufacturing
International Corporation, a company listed on the NYSE and the Main Board of the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, from 2002 to 2006, and as
a
controller and director of financial planning at AMX Corporation from 1997 to 2001. Mr. Lai received his MBA from the University of
Texas at Dallas and his bachelor’s degree in
statistics from the National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. Mr. Lai is a certified
public accountant licensed in the State of Texas.
 
Mr.
Bing Xiang has been serving as our independent director since November 2017. Mr. Xiang currently serves as an independent director
of multiple public companies
listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, including Sinolink Worldwide Holdings Limited and Longfor Properties
Co. Ltd. Mr. Xiang is the founding dean of the Cheung Kong
Graduate School of Business and has been a professor there since 2002. Prior
to that, Mr. Xiang was a professor, a PhD adviser and the director of EMBA at Guanghua School of
Management, Peking University, from
1999 to 2001. He has also taught at Chinese University of Hong Kong, China Europe International Business School, Hong Kong University
of Science and Technology and the University of Calgary. Mr. Xiang received his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from
Xi’an Jiaotong University and a PhD degree in
finance and accounting from the University of Alberta.
 
125

 
 
Ms.
Pingping Chen has been serving as our president and chief compliance officer since March 2024, maintaining her existing responsibilities
across legal, compliance,
human resources, and internal controls, which she has held since 2019. Ms. Chen was the chief executive officer
of Pai Pai Xin, from 2016 to 2018. Prior to that, she held the
position of vice president of our company, overseeing the legal, compliance,
government relations, and innovation departments from 2013 to 2016. Ms. Chen received her master’s
degree in law from Fudan University
and her EMBA from the China Europe International Business School.
 
Mr.
Jiayuan Xu has been serving as our chief financial officer since December 2020. Prior to serving as our chief financial officer,
Mr. Xu served various positions at our
company from June 2015 to November 2020, including our senior vice president for finance, head
of financial institutions department and our financial controller. Prior to joining
us, Mr. Xu served as the head of financial management
 department of Nanyang Commercial Bank (China) Co., Ltd. from 2008 to 2015. Mr. Xu was an audit manager at
PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong
Tian LLP from 2003 to 2008. Mr. Xu received his bachelor’s degree in international trade and finance from Shanghai Jiaotong University
and
FMBA degree from China Europe International Business School. Mr. Xu is also a member of Chinese Institute of Certified Public Accountants.
 
Mr.
Yuxiang Wang has been serving as our chief operating officer since March 2023 and our chief technology officer since October 2019.
Mr. Wang served as our chief
product officer from June 2015 to March 2023. Prior to joining us, Mr. Wang served as the vice president
of product at Opera Software ASA, a Norwegian software company, from
2013 to 2015. Mr. Wang worked at Baidu.com as a product head of
Baidu mobile browser from 2012 to 2013. Mr. Wang served as the product director at TeleNav, a company
providing location-based services
including navigation, from 2009 to 2012. Prior to that, Mr. Wang served as a senior product manager at MiTAC Research (Shanghai) Ltd.,
an
electronics company, from 2002 to 2009. Mr. Wang received his bachelor’s degree in communication engineering from Jiangsu University,
 his master’s degree in software
engineering from Fudan University and his EMBA degree from China Europe International Business
School.
 
B.
Compensation
 
For
the fiscal year ended December 31, 2024, we paid an aggregate of approximately RMB20.6 million (US$2.8 million) in cash to our directors
and officers. 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 and the consolidated variable
interest entities 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.
 
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. The executive
officer may resign at any time with a three-month advance
written notice.
 
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.
 
126

 
 
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 our suppliers, clients, customers or contacts 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 entered into indemnification agreements with each of our directors and executive officers. Under these agreements, we may 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.
 
Share
Incentive Plan
 
In
October 2017, we adopted our 2017 Share Incentive Plan, or the 2017 Plan, which allows us to offer a variety of share-based incentive
awards to employees, officers,
directors and individual consultants who render services to us. The plan permits the grant of three types
 of awards: options, restricted shares and restricted share units. The
maximum number of our shares that may be issued pursuant to all
awards under the 2017 Plan is 1,000,000,000 ordinary shares after giving effect to the 100-for-1 share split we
effected in October 2017.
As of March 31, 2025, options to purchase a total of 3,858,450 Class A ordinary shares were outstanding under the 2017 Plan, and restricted
share units to
receive a total of 76,153,295 Class A ordinary shares were outstanding under the 2017 Plan.
 
The
following paragraphs summarize the terms of the 2017 Plan:
 
Plan
administration. Our board of directors, or a committee designated by our board of directors, will administer the plan. The committee
or the full board of directors, as
appropriate, will determine the provisions and terms and conditions of each option grant.
 
Award
agreements. Options and other awards granted under the plan are evidenced by an award agreement that sets forth the terms, conditions
and limitations for each
grant, which may include the term of the award and the provisions applicable in the event of the grantee’s
employment or service terminates. The exercise price of granted options
may be amended or adjusted in the absolute discretion of our
board of directors, or a committee designated by our board of directors, without the approval of our shareholders or the
recipients of
the options.
 
Eligibility.
We may grant awards to employees, directors and consultants of our company or any of our affiliates, which include our parent company,
subsidiaries and any
entities in which our parent company or a subsidiary of our company holds a substantial ownership interest.
 
Vesting
schedule. In general, the plan administrator determines the vesting schedule, which is specified in the award agreement.
 
Acceleration
of awards upon change in control. If a change-of-control corporate transaction occurs, the plan administrator may, in its sole discretion,
provide for (i) all
awards outstanding to terminate at a specific time in the future and give each participant the right to exercise
the vested portion of such awards during a specific period of time, or
(ii) the purchase of any award for an amount of cash equal to
the amount that could have been attained upon the exercise of such award, or (iii) the replacement of such award with
other rights or
property selected by the plan administrator in its sole discretion, or (iv) payment of award in cash based on the value of ordinary shares
on the date of the change-of-
control corporate transaction plus reasonable interest.
 
Term
of options. The term of each option grant shall be stated in the award agreement, provided that the term may not exceed ten
years from the date of the grant.
 
Transfer
 restrictions. Subject to certain exceptions, awards may not be transferred by the recipient, except as otherwise provided by applicable
 laws or the award
agreement.
 
127

 
 
Termination
of the plan. Unless terminated earlier, the plan will terminate automatically in 2027. Our board of directors has the authority to
amend or terminate the plan
subject to shareholder approval to the extent necessary to comply with applicable law. However, no such action
may impair the rights of any award recipient unless agreed by the
recipient.
 
The
following table summarizes, as of March 31, 2025, the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the options that we granted (excluding
those that were canceled,
forfeited, or expired) to our directors, executive officers, and other grantees under the 2017 Plan.
 
Name
 
Class A Ordinary
Shares Underlying
Options Awarded  
Exercise Price
(US$/Share)
   
Date of Grant
 
Date of Expiration
Tiezheng Li
 
*
 
 
1.400   
February 1, 2018
 
January 31, 2028
 
 
*
 
 
0.794   
April 10, 2023
 
April 9, 2028
Jiayuan Xu
 
*
 
 
0.330   
April 6, 2020
 
April 5, 2025
Other grantees as a Group
 
*
 
 
0.330   
April 6, 2020
 
April 5, 2025
 
 
*
Less than 1% of our total outstanding shares.
 
The
following table summarizes, as of March 31, 2025, the number of Class A ordinary shares underlying the restricted share units that we
granted (excluding those that
were canceled, forfeited, or expired) to our directors, executive officers, and other grantees under the
2017 Plan.
 
Name
 
Class A Ordinary Shares

Underlying Restricted

Share Units Awarded
 
Date of Grant
 
Date of Expiration
Tiezheng Li
 
*
 
October 6, 2020
 
October 5, 2025
 
 
*
 
June 1, 2022
 
May 31, 2027
 
 
*
 
January 23, 2023
 
January 22, 2028
 
 
*
 
April 3, 2024
 
April 2, 2029
Bing Xiang
 
*
 
May 24, 2021
 
May 23, 2026
Jimmy Y. Lai
 
*
 
May 24, 2021
 
May 23, 2026
Jiayuan Xu
 
*
 
April 6, 2020
 
April 5, 2025
 
 
*
 
October 6, 2020
 
October 5, 2025
 
 
*
 
April 10, 2023
 
April 9, 2028
 
 
*
 
April 3, 2024
 
April 2, 2029
Yuxiang Wang
 
*
 
April 6, 2020
 
April 5, 2025
 
 
*
 
October 6, 2020
 
October 5, 2025
 
 
*
 
April 10, 2023
 
April 9, 2028
 
 
*
 
April 3, 2024
 
April 2, 2034
Pingping Chen
 
*
 
April 6, 2020
 
April 5, 2025
 
 
*
 
October 6, 2020
 
October 5, 2025
 
 
*
 
April 10, 2023
 
April 9, 2028
 
 
*
 
February 5, 2024
 
February 4, 2029
 
 
*
 
April 3, 2024
 
April 2, 2034
Other grantees as a Group
 
104,541,885
 
From April 6, 2020 to

March 17, 2025
 
From April 5, 2025 to

March 16, 2030
 
 
*
Less than 1% of our total outstanding shares.
 
128

 
 
C.
Board Practices
 
Our
board of directors consists of seven directors. A director is not required to hold any shares in our company to qualify to serve as a
director. A director may vote with
respect to any contract, proposed contract or arrangement notwithstanding that he may be interested
therein, and if he does so his vote shall be counted and he may be counted in the
quorum at any meeting of our directors at which any
such contract or proposed contract or arrangement is considered, provided (a) such director, if his interest (whether direct or
indirect)
in such contract or arrangement is material, has declared the nature of his interest at the earliest meeting of the board at which it
is practicable for him to do so, either
specifically or by way of a general notice and (b) if such contract or arrangement is a transaction
with a related party, such transaction has been approved by the audit committee.
The directors may exercise all the powers of the company
to borrow money, to mortgage or charge its undertaking, property and uncalled capital, and to issue debentures or other
securities whenever
money is borrowed or as 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.
 
Audit
Committee. Our audit committee consists of Jimmy Y. Lai and Bing Xiang. Jimmy Y. Lai is the chairman of our audit committee. We
have determined that both
Jimmy Y. Lai and Bing Xiang satisfy the “independence” requirements of Section 303A of the Corporate
Governance Rules of the New York Stock Exchange and Rule 10A-3 under
the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. In addition, we have determined
that Jimmy Y. Lai 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 response;
 
 
 
 
●
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 transactions;
 
 
 
 
●
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 Jimmy Y. Lai and Bing Xiang. Jimmy Y. Lai is the chairman of our compensation committee.
We have
determined that Jimmy Y. Lai and Bing Xiang satisfy the “independence” requirements of Section 303A of the Corporate
Governance Rules of the New York Stock Exchange. 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;
 
129

 
 
 
●
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 Jimmy Y. Lai and Bing Xiang. Jimmy
Y. Lai is the
chairperson of our nominating and corporate governance committee. We have determined that Jimmy Y. Lai and Bing Xiang
satisfy the “independence” requirements of Section
303A of the Corporate Governance Rules of the New York Stock Exchange.
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 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;
 
 
 
 
●
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 the skill they actually
possess and such care and diligence that a reasonably prudent
person would exercise in comparable circumstances. 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, and the class rights vested thereunder in the
holders of the shares. Our
company has the right to seek damages if a duty owed by our directors is breached. A shareholder may in certain
limited exceptional circumstances have the right to seek damages
in our name if a duty owed by the 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;
 
 
 
 
●
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 register of members.
 
130

 
 
Terms
of Directors and Officers
 
Our
directors may be appointed by a resolution of our board of directors, or by a special resolution of our shareholders. Our directors are
not subject to a term of office
(unless this is expressly set out in the director’s appointment) and hold office until such time
as they are removed from office by special resolution of the shareholders. 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 and our directors resolve that his office be vacated, or (v) is removed from
 office pursuant to our currently effective articles of association. Our officers are
appointed by and serve at the discretion of the
board of directors.
 
D.
Employees
 
We
had 4,144 employees as of December 31, 2022, 3,648 employees as of December 31, 2023, and 3,623 employees as of December 31, 2024.
 
As
of December 31, 2024, 1,564 of our employees were located in Shanghai while the remaining employees were located in other regions in
China or other countries. The
following table sets forth the numbers of our employees categorized by function as of December 31, 2024.
 
 
 
As
of December 31, 2024
 
 
 
Number
of employees
   
%
of total
 
Functions:
 
 
   
 
 
Operations
 
 
709   
 
19.6%
Risk Management
 
 
1,163   
 
32.1%
Research
and Development
 
 
780   
 
21.5%
Sales
and Marketing
 
 
621   
 
17.1%
General
and Administration
 
 
350   
 
9.7%
Total
number of employees
 
 
3,623   
 
100.0%
 
As
required by laws and regulations in China, we participate in various employee social security plans that are organized by municipal and
provincial governments,
including, among other things, housing, pension, medical insurance and unemployment insurance. We are required
under PRC 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
typically enter into standard employment, confidentiality and non-compete agreements with our senior management and core personnel. These
contracts include a
standard non-compete covenant that prohibits the employee from competing with us, directly or indirectly, during
his or her employment and for two years after the termination of
his or her employment, provided that we pay compensation equal
to 30% of the employee’s salary during the restriction period.
 
We
believe that we maintain a good working relationship with our employees and labor unions, and we have not experienced any material labor
disputes.
 
E.
Share Ownership
 
Except
as specifically noted, the following table sets forth information with respect to the beneficial ownership of our ordinary shares as
of March 31, 2025 by:
 
 
●each
of our directors and executive officers; and
 
 
 
 
●each
of our principal shareholders who beneficially own more than 5% of our total outstanding ordinary shares.
 
131

 
 
We
 have adopted a dual class ordinary share structure. The calculations in the table below are based on 1,267,069,304 outstanding ordinary
 shares (consisting of
700,369,304 Class A ordinary shares and 566,700,000 Class B ordinary shares) as of March 31, 2025.
 
Beneficial
ownership is determined in accordance with the rules and regulations of the SEC. In computing the number of shares beneficially owned
by a person and the
percentage ownership of that person, we have included shares that the person has the right to acquire within 60 days.
These shares, however, are not included in the computation of
the percentage ownership of any other person.
 
 
 
Ordinary Shares Beneficially Owned as of March 31, 2025
 
 
 
Class A ordinary
shares
 
 
Class B ordinary
shares
 
 
Percentage of
total ordinary
shares†
 
 
Percentage of
aggregate voting
power††
 
Directors and Executive Officers**:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Shaofeng Gu(1)
 
 
33,781,250   
 
394,818,900   
 
33.8% 
 
65.9%
Tiezheng Li(2)
 
 
12,815,710   
 
27,987,900   
 
3.2% 
 
4.8%
Jun Zhang(3)
 
 
20,669,945   
 
65,209,800   
 
6.8% 
 
11.0%
Honghui Hu(4)
 
 
—   
 
52,383,400   
 
4.1% 
 
8.7%
Simon Tak Leung Ho
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
—   
 
— 
Jimmy Y. Lai
 
 
*   
 
—   
 
*   
 
* 
Bing Xiang
 
 
*   
 
—   
 
*   
 
* 
Pingping Chen
 
 
*   
 
—   
 
*   
 
* 
Jiayuan Xu
 
 
*   
 
—   
 
*   
 
* 
Yuxiang Wang
 
 
*   
 
—   
 
*
 
 
* 
All directors and executive officers as a group
 
 
89,939,175   
 
540,400,000   
 
49.4% 
 
90.5%
Principal Shareholders:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
PPD Investment Limited(1)
 
 
33,781,250   
 
394,818,900   
 
33.8% 
 
65.9%
Metallica Holding Limited(3)
 
 
20,669,945   
 
65,209,800   
 
6.8% 
 
11.0%
Susquehanna Entities(6)
 
 
82,661,230   
 
—   
 
6.5% 
 
0.7%
 
 
*
Less than 1% of our total outstanding shares.
 
†
For each person and group included in this column, percentage
ownership is calculated by dividing the number of shares beneficially owned by such person or group by the sum
of the total number of
shares outstanding and the number of shares such person or group has the right to acquire upon exercise of option, warrant or other right
within 60 days
after March 31, 2025.
 
††
For each person and group included in this column, percentage
of voting power is calculated by dividing the voting power beneficially owned by such person or group by the
voting power of all of our
Class A and Class B ordinary shares as a single class. Each holder of Class A ordinary shares is entitled to one vote per share and each
holder of our
Class B ordinary shares is entitled to twenty votes per share on all matters submitted to them for vote. Our Class B ordinary
shares are convertible at any time by the holder
thereof into Class A ordinary shares on a one-for-one basis.
 
(1) Represents (i) 394,818,900 Class B ordinary shares directly
held by PPD Investment Limited, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, and (ii) 33,781,250
Class A
ordinary shares owned by PPD Investment Limited. Mr. Shaofeng Gu is the sole shareholder and the sole director of PPD
Investment Limited. The registered office address of
PPD Investment Limited is Geneva Place, Waterfront Drive, P.O. Box 3469, Road Town,
Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
 
(2) Represents (i) 27,987,900 Class B ordinary shares directly
held by Happyariel Holding Limited, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, (ii) 7,031,650
Class A
ordinary shares, directly held by Happyariel Holding Limited, (iii) 3,420,845 Class A ordinary shares,
directly held by Mr. Tiezheng Li, and (iv) 2,363,215 Class A ordinary
shares that Mr. Tiezheng Li may purchase upon exercise of share-based
awards within 60 days after March 31, 2025. Mr. Tiezheng Li is the sole shareholder and the sole
director of Happyariel Holding Limited.
The registered office address of Happyariel Holding Limited is Geneva Place, Waterfront Drive, P.O. Box 3469, Road Town, Tortola,
British
Virgin Islands.
 
(3) Represents (i) 65,209,800
Class B ordinary shares directly held by Metallica Holding Limited, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands, and (ii) 20,669,945 Class A
ordinary shares, directly held by Metallica Holding Limited. Mr. Jun Zhang is the sole shareholder
and the sole director of Metallica Holding Limited. The registered office
address of Metallica Holding Limited is Geneva Place, Waterfront
Drive, P.O. Box 3469, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
 
(4) Represents 52,383,400 Class B ordinary shares directly held by Emma &
Oliver Holding Limited, a company incorporated in the British Virgin Islands. Mr. Honghui Hu is the
sole shareholder and the sole
director of Emma & Oliver Holding Limited. The registered office address of Emma & Oliver Holding Limited is Geneva Place, Waterfront
Drive,
P.O. Box 3469, Road Town, Tortola, British Virgin Islands.
 
(5) Represents (i) 38,884 ADSs, representing 194,420 Class A ordinary
shares beneficially owned by Susquehanna Fundamental Investments, LLC, a company incorporated in
Delaware, and (ii) 16,493,362 ADSs,
representing 82,454,310 Class A ordinary shares beneficially
owned by Susquehanna Securities, LLC, as reported in a Schedule 13G/A
filed by Susquehanna Fundamental Investments, LLC and Susquehanna
Securities, LLC on February 13, 2025. Susquehanna Fundamental Investments, LLC and Susquehanna
Securities, LLC are collectively referred
to as Susquehanna Entities. Susquehanna Securities, LLC, an independent broker-dealer, and Susquehanna Fundamental Investments,
LLC may
be deemed a group. The address of the principal business office of each of Susquehanna Entities is 401 E. City Avenue, Suite 220, Bala
Cynwyd, PA 19004.
 
132

 
 
As
of March 31, 2025, none of our outstanding Class A or Class B ordinary shares were held by record holders 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.
 
ITEM
7.
MAJOR
SHAREHOLDERS AND RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS
 
A.
Major Shareholders
 
Please
refer to “Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—E. Share Ownership.”
 
B.
Related Party Transactions
 
Contractual
Arrangements
 
PRC
 laws and regulations currently restrict foreign ownership and investment in value-added telecommunications services in China. As a result,
 we operate certain
business through Beijing Paipairongxin, Shanghai Zihe, and Shanghai Ledao, the consolidated variable interest entities,
 and their subsidiaries based on series of contractual
arrangements. For a description of these contractual arrangements, see “Item
4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure.”
 
Employment
Agreements and Indemnification Agreements
 
See
“Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—B. Compensation—Employment Agreements and Indemnification Agreements.”
 
Share
Incentive Plans
 
See
“Item 6. Directors, Senior Management and Employees—B. Compensation—Share Incentive Plans.”
 
Transactions
with PPcredit
 
We
use data collection services from PPcredit, a company controlled by our founders, based on arm’s length transaction terms and conditions.
In 2020, we and PPcredit
agreed to extend the term of the original service agreement to December 31, 2022. In 2022, we incurred RMB37.0
thousand expenses for such services. In 2023, this service
agreement was terminated and no expenses were incurred in 2023 and 2024. As
of December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the amount due to PPcredit was RMB1.0 million, RMB10.0
thousand and RMB6.0 thousand, respectively.
As of December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the amount due from PPcredit was nil, RMB3.9 million and RMB444 thousand,
respectively.
 
133

 
 
Transactions
with Gouya
 
Shanghai Gouya Technology
Co., Ltd., which we refer to as Gouya, was founded in November 2020 by our founders to provide smart vending machine services. In August
2023, we disposed of 70% of the equity interest in Gouya, and Gouya became a related party of our company since then. As of December 31,
2023 and 2024, the amount due to
Gouya was RMB124 thousand and RMB124 thousand, respectively.
 
Transactions with Halodo
Limited
 
Halodo Limited, which we
refer to as Halodo, was founded in 2019 as a holding company within our group. In September 2024, we disposed of our equity interest in
Halodo but still hold significant influence over its management and operating policies. As a result, Halodo became a related party of
our company since then. As of December 31,
2024, the amount due to and due from Halodo was RMB13.2 million and 16.8 million, respectively.
 
Transactions with Fuzhou
Rongheng
 
Fuzhou Rongheng Information
Technology Co., Ltd., which we refer to as Fuzhou Rongheng, was founded in July 2023 to provide mediation services. In January 2024, we
purchased a 40% equity interest in Fuzhou Rongheng, and Fuzhou Rongheng has been a related party of our company since then. As of December
31, 2024, the amount due from
Fuzhou Rongheng was RMB508 thousand.
 
C.
Interests of Experts and Counsel
 
Not
applicable.
 
ITEM
8.
FINANCIAL
INFORMATION
 
A.
Consolidated Statements and Other Financial Information
 
Consolidated
Financial Statements
 
We
have appended consolidated financial statements filed as part of this annual report.
 
Legal
Proceedings
 
We
may from time to time be subject to various legal or administrative claims and proceedings arising in the ordinary course of business.
In September 2018, our company
and certain of our current and former officers and directors, the underwriters of our company’s
initial public offering in November 2017, and our agent for the service of process in
the U.S. were named as defendants in putative securities
class actions. In 2020 and 2021, the parties ultimately reached an agreement to settle the lawsuits, with a total settlement
amount of
US$9 million. The matter was closed in 2022.
 
Litigation
or any other legal or administrative proceeding, regardless of the outcome, is likely to result in substantial cost and diversion of
our resources, including our
management’s time and attention.
 
Dividend
Policy
 
Our
board of directors declared dividends in every March from 2019 to 2025. In addition, in March 2025, our board of directors approved a
revised annual cash dividend
policy, under which we will declare and distribute a recurring cash dividend of between 20% and 30% of the
Company’s net income after tax from the previous fiscal year going
forward. Our board of directors has discretion on 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 account, 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 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
are a holding company incorporated in the Cayman Islands. We may 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—Regulations in the PRC—Regulations Relating
to Dividend Distribution” and “Item 10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—People’s Republic of China Taxation.”
If we pay any dividends, we will pay our ADS holders to the same extent as holders of our ordinary shares, subject to the terms of the
deposit agreement, including the fees and
expenses payable thereunder. See “Item 12. Description of Securities Other Than Equity
Securities—D. American Depositary Shares.” Cash dividends on our ordinary shares, if
any, will be paid in U.S. dollars.
 
134

 
 
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
 
Our
ADSs, each representing five of our Class A ordinary shares, have been listed on the NYSE since November 10, 2017. Our ADSs trade under
the symbol “FINV.”
 
B.
Plan and Distribution
 
Not
applicable.
 
C.
Markets
 
Our
ADSs have been listed on the NYSE since November 10, 2017 under the symbol “PPDF.” We changed our symbol from “PPDF”
to “FINV” in November 2019.
 
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
 
We
are a Cayman Islands exempted company with limited liability and our corporate affairs are governed by our memorandum and articles of
association, as amended from
time to time and the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands, which we refer to as the Companies
Act below, and the common law of the Cayman Islands.
 
The
following are summaries of material provisions of our currently effective memorandum and articles of association and of the Companies
Act, insofar as they relate to
the material terms of our ordinary shares.
 
Objects
of Our Company. Under our currently effective memorandum and articles of association, the objects of our company are unrestricted
and we have the full power
and authority to carry out any object not prohibited by the law of the Cayman Islands.
 
Ordinary
Shares. Our ordinary shares are issued in registered form and are issued when registered in our register of members. Our shareholders
who are non-residents of
the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their shares.
 
135

 
 
Dividend.
The holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. 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, our company may declare and pay a dividend
only out of funds legally available therefor, namely out of either profit
or our share premium account, provided that in no circumstances may we pay a dividend if this would result
in our company being
unable to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business.
 
Voting
Rights. In respect of all matters subject to a shareholders’ vote, each holder of Class A ordinary share is entitled to one
vote for each Class A ordinary share
registered in his or her name on our register of members, and each holder of Class B ordinary share
is entitled to twenty votes for each Class B ordinary share registered in his or her
name on our register of members. Holders of Class
A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares shall, at all times, vote together on all resolutions submitted to a vote of the
members.
Voting at any shareholders’ meeting is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by the chairman of such
meeting or any shareholders present
in person or by proxy.
 
A
quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of one or more shareholders present and holding shares which represent, in aggregate,
not less than one-third of
the votes attaching to the issued and outstanding voting shares in our company. Shareholders may be present
in person or by proxy or, if the shareholder is a legal entity, by its duly
authorized representative. Shareholders’ meetings may
be convened by the chairman of our board of directors or a majority of our directors or upon a request to the directors by
shareholders
holding shares which represent, in aggregate, no less than one-third of the votes attaching to the issued and outstanding shares that
as at the date of the deposit of the
shareholder’s requisition carry the right to vote at general meetings of our company. Advance
notice of at least seven days is required for the convening of our annual general
shareholders’ meeting and any other general shareholders’
meeting.
 
An
ordinary resolution to be passed at a meeting by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attached
to the ordinary shares cast by
those shareholders entitled to vote who are present in person or by proxy at a general meeting, while
a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of
the votes attached to the ordinary shares cast by those
shareholders entitled to vote who are present in person or by proxy at 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 amended and restated
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 amended and restated
memorandum and articles of association. Holders of the ordinary shares
may, among other things, divide or combine their shares by ordinary resolution.
 
Conversion.
Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time by the holder thereof. Class A ordinary shares
are not convertible into
Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. Upon any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of any Class
B ordinary share by a shareholder to any person who is not an
affiliate of such shareholder, or upon a change of ultimate beneficial
ownership of any Class B ordinary share to any person who is not an affiliate of the registered shareholder of
such share, such Class
B ordinary shares shall be automatically and immediately converted into the equivalent number of Class A ordinary shares.
 
Transfer
of Ordinary Shares. Subject to the restrictions 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 of directors.
 
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 board
of 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;
 
136

 
 
 
●
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; and
 
 
 
 
●
a
fee of such maximum sum as the NYSE may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as our directors may from time to time require
is paid to us in respect
thereof.
 
If
our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within three months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged,
send to each of the transferor and
the transferee notice of such refusal.
 
The
registration of transfers may, after compliance with any notice required of the NYSE, 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
may not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any
year as our board may determine.
 
Liquidation.
On a winding up of our company, if the assets available for distribution among our shareholders shall be more than sufficient to
repay the whole of the share
capital at the commencement of the winding up, the surplus will be distributed among our shareholders in
 proportion to the par value of the shares held by them at the
commencement of the winding up, subject to a deduction from those shares
in respect of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to our company for unpaid calls or
otherwise. If our assets available
for distribution are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by
our shareholders in
proportion to the par value of the shares held by them. We are a “limited liability” company registered
under the Companies Act, and under the Companies Act, the liability of our
members is limited to the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares
respectively held by them. Our memorandum of association contains a declaration that the liability of our members is
so limited.
 
Calls
on Shares and Forfeiture of Shares. Our board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid
on their shares in a notice
served to such shareholders at least 14 days prior to the specified time and place of payment. The shares
that have been called upon and remain unpaid 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 provided that the
manner and terms of such purchase have been approved by our board of directors or by 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 our company’s profits or out of the proceeds of a fresh issue of shares made for the purpose of such redemption
or repurchase, or out of capital (including share premium account
and capital redemption reserve) if the company can, immediately following
such payment, pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the
Companies 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
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. The rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights may not,
unless otherwise expressly
provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue
of further shares ranking pari passu with such existing class of shares.
 
Issuance
of Additional Shares. Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association authorizes our board of directors to issue additional
ordinary shares from
time to time as our board of directors shall determine, to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares.
 
137

 
 
Our
currently effective memorandum and articles of association also authorizes our board of directors to establish from time to time one
or more series of preferred shares
and to determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series,
including:
 
 
●
the
designation of the series;
 
 
 
 
●
the
number of shares of the series;
 
 
 
 
●
the
dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights; and
 
 
 
 
●
the
rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences.
 
Our
board of directors may issue preferred shares without action by our shareholders to the extent authorized but unissued. Issuance of these
shares may dilute the voting
power of holders of ordinary shares.
 
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 (other than the memorandum and articles of association and any special resolutions
passed by such companies, and the registers of mortgages and charges
of such companies). Under Cayman Islands law, the names of our current
directors can be obtained from a search conducted at the Registrar of Companies. However, we will
provide our shareholders with annual
audited financial statements.
 
Anti-Takeover
Provisions. Some provisions of our amended and restated 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 provisions that:
 
 
●
authorize
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; and
 
 
 
 
●
limit
the ability of shareholders to requisition and convene general meetings of shareholders.
 
However,
under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our amended and restated 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.
 
General
Meetings of Shareholders and Shareholder Proposals. Our shareholders’ general meetings may be held in such place within or
outside the Cayman Islands as our
board of directors considers appropriate.
 
As
a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Companies Act to call shareholders’ annual general meetings. Our currently
effective 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.
 
Shareholders’
annual general meetings and any other general meetings of our shareholders may be convened by a majority of our board of directors or
our chairman.
Advance notice of at least seven days is required for the convening of our annual general shareholders’ meeting and
any other general meeting of our shareholders. A quorum
required for a general meeting of shareholders consists of at least one shareholder
present or by proxy, representing not less than one-third of the votes attaching to the issued and
outstanding shares in our company
entitled to vote at general meetings.
 
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 currently effective memorandum and articles of association allow our
shareholders holding shares representing in aggregate not less
than one-third of the votes attaching to the 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 directors are obliged to call such meeting and to put the resolutions
so requisitioned
to a vote at such meeting; however, our currently effective 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.
 
Appointment
and Removal of Directors. Unless otherwise determined by our company in general meeting, our articles provide that our board will
consist of not less than
three directors. There are no provisions relating to retirement of directors upon reaching any age limit.
 
138

 
 
The
directors have the power to appoint any person as a director either to fill a casual vacancy on the board or as an addition to the existing
board. Our shareholders may
also appoint any person to be a director by way of special resolution.
 
A
director may be removed with or without cause by special resolution.
 
In
addition, the office of any director shall be vacated if the director (i) becomes bankrupt or makes any arrangement or composition with
his creditors, (ii) dies or is found
to be or becomes of unsound mind, (iii) resigns his office by notice in writing to our company,
or (iv) without special leave of absence from our board, is absent from three
consecutive board meetings and our board resolves that
his office be vacated.
 
Proceedings
of Board of Directors. Our currently effective memorandum and articles of association provide that our business is to be managed
and conducted by our board
of directors. The quorum necessary for board meetings may be fixed by the board and, unless so fixed at another
number, will be a majority of the directors.
 
Our
currently effective memorandum and articles of association provide that the board may from exercise all the powers of our company to
borrow money, to mortgage or
charge all or any part of the undertaking, property and uncalled capital of our company and to issue debentures
and other securities whenever money is borrowed, or as security for
any debt, liability or obligation of our company or of any third
party.
 
Changes
in Capital. Our shareholders may from time to time by ordinary resolution:
 
 
●
increase our share capital
by such sum, to be divided into shares of such classes and amount, as the resolution shall prescribe;
 
 
 
 
●
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, provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount paid and
the
amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced share shall 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 canceled.
 
Our
shareholders may by special resolution, subject to confirmation by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands on an application by our company
for an order confirming
such reduction, reduce our share capital or any capital redemption reserve in any manner permitted by law.
 
Exempted
Company. We are an exempted company 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 company except that an exempted company:
 
 
●
does
not have to file an annual return of its shareholders with the Registrar of Companies;
 
 
 
 
●
is
not required to open its register of members for inspection;
 
 
 
 
●
does
not have to hold an annual general meeting;
 
 
 
 
●
may
issue negotiable or bearer shares or shares with no par value;
 
 
 
 
●
may
obtain an undertaking against the imposition of any future taxation (such undertakings are usually given for 20 years in the first
instance);
 
 
 
 
●
may
register by way of continuation in another jurisdiction and be deregistered in the Cayman Islands;
 
 
 
 
●
may
register as a limited duration company; and
 
 
 
 
●
may
register as a segregated portfolio company.
 
139

 
 
“Limited
liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on that shareholder’s
shares of the company (except in
exceptional circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an
illegal or improper purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be
prepared to pierce or lift the corporate veil).
 
Register
of Members. Under Cayman Islands law, we must keep a register of members and there should be entered therein:
 
 
●
the
names and addresses of the members, a statement of the shares held by each member, and of the amount paid or agreed to be considered
as paid, on the shares of
each member, and confirmation on whether shares held by each member carries voting rights under our articles
of association, 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) and a member registered in the register
of members should be deemed as a matter of Cayman Islands law to
have legal title to the shares as set against its name in the register
of members. The shareholders recorded in the register of members are deemed to have legal title to the shares set
against their name
in the register of members.
 
If
the name of any person is incorrectly entered in or omitted from our register of members, or if there is any default or unnecessary delay
in entering on the register the fact
of any person having ceased to be a member of our company, the person or member aggrieved (or any
member of our company or our company itself) may apply to the Grand Court
of the Cayman Islands for an order that the register be rectified,
and the Court may either refuse such application or it may, if satisfied of the justice of the case, make an order for
the rectification
of the register.
 
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 in the PRC—Regulations Relating to Foreign
Exchange.”
 
E.
Taxation
 
The
following summary of the material Cayman Islands, PRC and United States federal income tax consequences of an investment in our ADSs
or ordinary shares is based
upon laws and applicable 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 our ADSs or 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 People’s Republic of China 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 holders of our ADSs or
ordinary shares 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 by our company. There are no exchange control regulations or currency restrictions in the Cayman
Islands.
 
140

 
 
Payments
of dividends and capital in respect of the ADSs and ordinary shares 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 the Shares, nor will gains derived from the disposal of the
shares be subject to Cayman Islands income or corporation.
 
People’s
Republic of China Taxation
 
Under
the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC and its implementation rules, an enterprise established outside of the PRC with a “de
facto management body” within the
PRC is considered a resident enterprise and will be subject to the enterprise income tax at the
rate of 25% on its global income. The implementation rules define the term “de facto
management body” as the body that exercises
full and substantial control over and overall management of the business, productions, personnel, accounts and properties of an
enterprise.
In April 2009, the State Administration of Taxation issued a circular, 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 regulation 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 State Administration of Taxation’s general
position on
how the “de facto management body” test should be applied in determining the tax resident status of all offshore
enterprises. According to this circular, 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 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 voting board members or senior executives habitually reside in the PRC.
 
We
do not believe that FinVolution Group meets all of the conditions above. FinVolution Group is a company incorporated outside the PRC.
As a holding company, its key
assets are its ownership interests in its subsidiaries, and its key assets are located, and its records
(including the resolutions of its board of directors and the resolutions of its
shareholders) are maintained, outside the PRC. For the
same reasons, we believe our other entities outside of China are not PRC resident enterprises either. 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.” There can be no assurance that the PRC government will ultimately take a view that is
consistent with ours.
 
However,
if the PRC tax authorities determine that FinVolution Group is a PRC resident enterprise for enterprise income tax purposes, we may be
required to withhold a
10% withholding tax from dividends we pay to our shareholders that are non-resident enterprises, including the
holders of our ADSs. Such 10% tax rate could be reduced by
applicable tax treaties or similar arrangements between China and the jurisdiction
of our shareholders. For example, for shareholders eligible for the benefits of the tax treaty
between China and Hong Kong, the tax rate
is reduced to 5% for dividends if relevant conditions are met. In addition, non-resident enterprise shareholders (including our ADS
holders)
may be subject to a 10% PRC tax 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. It
is unclear whether our non-PRC individual shareholders (including our ADS holders) would be subject
to any PRC tax on dividends or gains obtained by such non-PRC individual
shareholders in the event we are determined to be a PRC resident
enterprise. If any PRC tax were to apply to such dividends or gains, it would generally apply at a rate of 20%
unless a reduced rate
is available under an applicable tax treaty. However, it is also unclear whether non-PRC shareholders of FinVolution Group would be able
to claim the benefits
of any tax treaties between their country of tax residence and the PRC in the event that FinVolution Group is treated
as a PRC resident enterprise.
 
Provided
that our Cayman Islands holding company, FinVolution Group, is not deemed to be a PRC resident enterprise, holders of our ADSs and ordinary
shares who are
not PRC residents will not be subject to PRC income tax on dividends distributed by us or gains realized from the sale
or other disposition of our shares or ADSs. However, under
SAT Circular 698 and SAT Public Notice 7, where a non-resident enterprise
conducts an “indirect transfer” by transferring taxable assets, including, in particular, equity interests in
a PRC resident
enterprise, indirectly by disposing of the equity interests of an overseas holding company, the non-resident enterprise, being the transferor,
or the transferee or the
PRC entity which directly owned such taxable assets may report to the tax authority such indirect transfer.
Using a “substance over form” principle, the PRC tax authority may
disregard the existence of the overseas holding company
if it lacks a reasonable commercial purpose and was established for the purpose of reducing, avoiding or deferring PRC tax.
As a result,
gains derived from such indirect transfer may be subject to PRC enterprise income tax, and the transferor obligated to withhold the applicable
taxes, currently at a rate of
10% for the transfer of equity interests in a PRC resident enterprise. We and our non-PRC resident investors
may be at risk of being required to file a return and being taxed under
SAT Circular 698 and SAT Public Notice 7, and we may be required
to expend valuable resources to comply with SAT Circular 698 and SAT Public Notice 7, or to establish that we
should not be taxed under
these circulars. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Doing Business in China—We face
uncertainty with respect to indirect
transfers of equity interests in PRC resident enterprises by their non-PRC holding companies.”
 
141

 
 
U.S.
Federal Income Tax Considerations
 
The
following discussion is a summary of United States federal income tax considerations generally applicable to the ownership and
disposition of our ADSs or ordinary
shares by a U.S. holder (as defined below) that holds our ADSs or ordinary shares as
“capital assets” (generally, property held for investment) under the United States Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as
amended, or the Code. This summary is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations promulgated thereunder, or the Regulations,
judicial decisions,
administrative pronouncements, the income tax treaty between the United States and China, or the Treaty, and
other relevant authorities, all as in effect as of the date hereof and all
of which are subject to differing interpretations and
change, possibly with retroactive effect. There can be no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service will not take, or that a
court
will not sustain a contrary position. This discussion, moreover, does not address the United States federal estate, gift, Medicare,
and any minimum tax considerations, or any
state, local and non-United States tax considerations, relating to the ownership or
disposition of our ADSs or ordinary shares. The following summary does not address all aspects of
United States 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;
 
 
 
 
●
traders
that elect to use a mark-to-market method of accounting;
 
 
 
 
●
certain
former United States citizens or long-term residents;
 
 
 
 
●
tax-exempt
entities (including private foundations);
 
 
 
 
●
persons
liable for minimum tax;
 
 
 
 
●
persons
who acquire their ADSs or ordinary shares pursuant to any employee share option or otherwise as compensation;
 
 
 
 
●
investors
that will hold their ADSs or ordinary shares as part of a straddle, hedge, conversion, constructive sale or other integrated transaction
for United States federal
income tax purposes;
 
 
 
 
●
investors
that have a functional currency other than the United States dollar;
 
 
 
 
●
persons
that actually or constructively own ADSs or ordinary shares representing 10% or more of our stock (by vote or value); or
 
 
 
 
●
partnerships
or other entities taxable as partnerships for United States 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.
 
142

 
 
Each
U.S. holder should consult its tax adviser regarding the application of United States federal taxation to its particular circumstances,
and the state, local, non-United
States and other tax considerations of the ownership and disposition of our ADSs or ordinary shares.
 
General
 
For
purposes of this discussion, a “U.S. holder” is a beneficial owner of our ADSs or ordinary shares that is, for United States
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 United States federal income tax purposes) created in, or organized under
the laws of, the United States or any
state thereof or the District of Columbia;
 
 
 
 
●
an
estate the income of which is subject to United States federal income taxation regardless of its source; or
 
 
 
 
●
a
trust (A) the administration of which is subject to the primary supervision of a United States court and which has one or more United
States 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 United States person under the United States Internal
Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, or applicable United States
Treasury regulations.
 
If
a partnership (or other entity or arrangement treated as a partnership for United States federal income tax purposes) is a beneficial
owner of our 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 our ADSs or ordinary
shares and partners in such partnerships should consult their tax advisors as to the particular United States federal income tax consequences of an investment in our ADSs or
ordinary shares.
 
For
United States federal income tax purposes, a U.S. holder of ADSs will generally 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 our ADSs will be treated as the beneficial
owner of the underlying shares represented by the ADSs. Accordingly,
deposits or withdrawals of ordinary shares for ADSs will generally
not be subject to United States federal income tax.
 
Passive
Foreign Investment Company Considerations
 
A
non-United States corporation, such as our company, will be a PFIC for United States federal income tax purposes, if, in 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 (generally determined on the basis of a quarterly
average) during such year produce or are held
for the production of passive income. Cash is categorized as a passive asset and the company’s goodwill and other unbooked
intangibles
associated with active business activities may generally be classified as active assets. Passive income generally includes, among other
things, dividends, interest, rents,
royalties, and gains from the disposition of passive assets. 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.
 
Although
the law in this regard is unclear, we intend to treat the consolidated variable interest entities (including their subsidiaries) as being
owned by us for United States
federal income tax purposes, and we treat them that way, not only because we are able to direct the activities
of operation of such entities but also because we are entitled to
substantially all of their economic benefits, and, as a result, we
consolidate their results of operations in our consolidated financial statements.
 
Based
upon the nature and composition of our income and assets (in particular, the retention of a substantial amount of cash, deposits,
and investments) and the market
price of our ADSs, we believe that we were likely a PFIC for United States federal income tax
purposes for the taxable year ended December 31, 2024, and we will likely be a PFIC
for our current taxable year unless the market
price of our ADSs increases and/or we invest a substantial amount of the cash and other passive assets we hold in assets that
produce
or are held for the production of active income. If we are a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. holder holds our ADSs or
ordinary shares, we generally will continue to be treated
as a PFIC for all succeeding years during which such U.S. holder holds our
ADSs or ordinary shares.
 
If
we are a PFIC for any year during which a U.S. holder holds our ADSs or ordinary shares, we generally will continue to be treated as
a PFIC for all succeeding years
during which such U.S. holder holds our ADSs or ordinary shares. However, if we cease to be a PFIC, provided
that you have not made a mark-to-market election, as described
below, you may avoid some of the adverse effects of the PFIC regime by
making a “deemed sale” election with respect to the ADSs or ordinary shares, as applicable. If such
election is made, you
will be deemed to have sold our ADSs or ordinary shares you hold at their fair market value and any gain from such deemed sale would
be subject to the rules
described below under “Passive Foreign Investment Company Rules.” After the deemed sale election,
so long as we do not become a PFIC in a subsequent taxable year, your ADSs
or ordinary shares with respect to which such election was
made will not be treated as shares in a PFIC and you will not be subject to the rules described below with respect to any
“excess
distribution” you receive from us or any gain from an actual sale or other disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares. The rules
dealing with deemed sale elections are very
complex. Each U.S. holder should consult its tax advisors regarding the possibility and considerations
of making a deemed sale election.
 
143

 
 
Passive
Foreign Investment Company Rules
 
As
mentioned above, we believe that we were likely a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2024, and we will likely be classified
as a PFIC for our current
taxable year. If we are a PFIC for any taxable year during which a U.S. holder holds our 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, for subsequent taxable years,
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% 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, including, under certain circumstances,
a pledge, of ADSs or ordinary shares. Under the PFIC rules:
 
●
such
excess distribution and/or gain will be allocated ratably over the U.S. holder’s holding
period for the ADSs or ordinary shares;
●
such
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 a PFIC, or
pre-PFIC year,
will be taxable as ordinary income;
●
such
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 that year; and
●
an
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 our ADSs or ordinary shares and any of our non-United States subsidiaries
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 advised to
consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the PFIC
rules to any of our subsidiaries.
 
As
an alternative to the foregoing rules, a U.S. holder of “marketable stock” in a PFIC may make a mark-to-market election with
respect to such stock, provided that such
stock is regularly traded on a qualified exchange or other market, as defined in the applicable
United States Treasury regulations. For those purposes, our ADSs, but not our ordinary
shares, are listed on the NYSE, which is a qualified
exchange. We anticipate that our ADSs should qualify as being regularly traded, but no assurances may be given in this regard.
Because
a mark-to-market election cannot technically be made for any lower-tier PFICs that a PFIC may own, a U.S. holder who makes a mark-to-market
election with respect to
our ADSs will generally continue to be subject to the foregoing 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 United States federal income tax
purposes.
 
If
a mark-to-market election is made with respect to our ADSs, the U.S. 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 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 only to the extent of the net 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 an effective mark-to-market election, in each year that we are a PFIC
any gain recognized upon the sale or other disposition of the ADSs will
be treated as ordinary income and loss will be treated as ordinary
loss, but only to the extent of the net amount previously included in income as a result of the mark-to-market
election. If a U.S. holder
makes a mark-to-market election it will be effective for the taxable year for which the election is made and all subsequent taxable years
unless the ADSs
are no longer regularly traded on a qualified exchange or the Internal Revenue Service’s consents to the revocation
of the election. It should also be noted that only the ADSs, and
not the ordinary shares, are listed on the NYSE. Consequently, if a
U.S. holder holds ordinary shares that are not represented by ADSs, such holder generally will not be eligible to
make a mark-to-market
election if we are or were to become a PFIC.
 
144

 
 
If
a U.S. holder makes a mark-to-market election in respect of a PFIC and such corporation ceases to be a PFIC, the U.S. holder will not
be required to take into account the
mark-to-market gain or loss described above during any period that such corporation is not a PFIC.
 
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 our ADSs or ordinary shares during any taxable year that we are a PFIC, such holder would generally be required to
file an annual IRS Form 8621.
Each U.S. holder should consult its tax advisors regarding the potential tax consequences to such holder
if we are or become a PFIC, including the possibility of making a mark-to-
market election.
 
Dividends
 
As noted above, we were likely a PFIC for our most recent taxable year ended December 31, 2024 and may also be a
PFIC for our current taxable year. Accordingly, the
treatment most likely to apply to a U.S. holder is set forth above in “—Passive
Foreign Investment Company Rules.” If our ADSs or ordinary shares are not treated as stock of a
PFIC with respect to a particular
U.S. holder, the following rules will generally apply. Any cash distributions (including the amount of any tax withheld) paid on our 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 paid will generally be reported as a dividend for U.S.
federal income tax purposes. A non-corporate recipient of dividend income from a “qualified foreign corporation” will
generally be subject to tax at a reduced tax rate rather than
the marginal tax rates generally applicable to ordinary
income provided that certain holding period and other requirements are met.
 
A
non-United States corporation (other than a corporation that is a PFIC for the taxable year in which the dividend is paid or the preceding
taxable year) will generally be
considered to be a qualified foreign corporation (a) if it is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive
tax treaty with the United States which the Secretary of Treasury of the United
States determines is satisfactory for purposes of this
provision and which includes an exchange of information program, or (b) with respect to any dividend it pays on stock (or
ADSs in respect
of such stock) which is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Our ADSs (but not our ordinary shares)
are listed on the NYSE and
is considered readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States. Since we do not expect
that our ordinary shares will be listed on established securities
markets, we do not believe that dividends that we pay on our ordinary
shares that are not backed by ADSs currently meet the conditions required for the reduced tax rate. There can
be no assurance that our
ADSs will continue to be considered readily tradable on an established securities market in later years. As described in “—People’s Republic of China
Taxation,” if we are deemed to
be a resident enterprise under the Enterprise Income Tax Law of the PRC, we may be eligible for the benefits of the Treaty and in that case we would
be treated
as a qualified foreign corporation with respect to dividends paid on our ordinary shares or ADSs. Each non-corporate U.S. holder should consult its tax advisors regarding
the availability of the reduced tax rate applicable to qualified dividend income for any dividends
we pay with respect to our ADSs or ordinary shares. Dividends received on the
ADSs or ordinary shares will not be eligible for the dividends
received deduction allowed to corporations.
 
145

 
 
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 Enterprise Income Tax
Law of the PRC, a U.S. holder may be subject to PRC withholding taxes on
dividends paid on our ADSs or ordinary shares. See “Item
10. Additional Information—E. Taxation—People’s Republic of China Taxation.” In that case, a U.S. holder may
be
eligible, subject to a number of complex limitations, to claim a foreign tax credit in respect of any foreign withholding taxes imposed
on dividends received on 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 United States federal income tax purposes, in
respect of such withholdings, but only for a year in
which such U.S. holder elects to do so for all creditable foreign income taxes. The rules governing the foreign tax credit are
complex.
U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the availability of the foreign tax credit under their particular circumstances.
 
As
mentioned above, we believe that we were likely a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2024, and we will likely be
classified as a PFIC for our current
taxable year. U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the availability
of the reduced tax rate on dividends with respect to the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares in
their particular
circumstances.
 
Sale
or Other Disposition of ADSs or Ordinary Shares
 
As
noted above, we were likely a PFIC for our most recent taxable year ended December 31, 2024, and may also be a PFIC for our current
taxable year. Accordingly, the
treatment most likely to apply to a U.S. holder is set forth above in “—Passive Foreign
Investment Company Rules.” If our ADSs or ordinary shares are not treated as stock of a
PFIC with respect to a particular U.S.
holder, the following rules will generally apply. A U.S. holder will generally recognize capital gain or loss upon the sale or other
disposition of
ADSs or ordinary shares in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized upon the disposition and the
U.S. holder’s adjusted tax basis in such ADSs or ordinary
shares. Any such gain or loss will generally be long-term capital
gain or loss if the U.S. holder’s holding period in the ADSs or ordinary shares exceeds one year at the time of
disposition. Any such gain or loss will
generally be treated as U.S. source income or loss for U.S. foreign tax credit purposes. Long-term capital gain of
non-corporate U.S. holders
is generally eligible for a reduced rate of taxation. The deductibility of a capital loss may be subject
to limitations. In the event that we are treated as a PRC “resident enterprise”
under the Enterprise Income Tax Law of
the PRC and gain from the disposition of the ADSs or ordinary shares is subject to tax in the PRC, a U.S. holder that is eligible
for the
benefits of the Treaty may elect to treat the gain as PRC source income.
However, if a U.S. Holder is not eligible for the benefits of the Treaty or does not elect to apply the Treaty,
then such holder may not be able to claim a foreign tax credit arising
from any PRC tax imposed on the disposition of ADSs or ordinary shares. The rules regarding foreign tax
credits and deduction of
foreign taxes are complex. U.S. Holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the availability of a foreign tax credit or
deduction in light of their
particular circumstances, including their eligibility for benefits under the Treaty and the potential impact of the Regulations.
 
As
mentioned above, we believe that we were a PFIC for the taxable year ended December 31, 2024, and we will likely be classified as a PFIC
for our current taxable year.
U.S. holders should consult their tax advisors regarding the tax considerations of the sale or other
 disposition of the ADSs or Class A ordinary shares in their particular
circumstances.
 
146

 
 
F.
Dividends and Paying Agents
 
Not
applicable.
 
G.
Statement by Experts
 
Not
applicable.
 
H.
Documents on Display
 
We
are subject to periodic reporting and other informational requirements of the Exchange Act as applicable to foreign private issuers,
and are required to file reports and
other information with the SEC. Specifically, we are required to file annually an annual report
on Form 20-F within four months after the end of each fiscal year, which is December
31. All information we file with the SEC can be
obtained over the internet at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. As a foreign private issuer, we are exempt from the rules
under the
Exchange Act prescribing the furnishing and content of quarterly reports and proxy statements, and officers, directors and
principal shareholders are exempt from the reporting and
short-swing profit recovery provisions contained in Section 16 of the Exchange
Act.
 
We
will furnish Citibank, N.A., the depositary of our ADSs, 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’ meetings 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 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.
 
I.
Subsidiary Information
 
Not
applicable.
 
J.
Annual Report to Security Holders
 
Not
applicable.
 
147

 
 
ITEM
11.
QUANTITATIVE
AND QUALITATIVE DISCLOSURES ABOUT MARKET RISK
 
Foreign
Exchange Risk
 
The
majority of our revenues and our expenses are denominated in Renminbi. The conversion of Renminbi into other currencies, including U.S.
dollars, is based on rates
set by the People’s Bank of China. The Renminbi has fluctuated against other currencies, at times significantly
and unpredictably. The value of Renminbi against 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
government policies
may impact the exchange rate between Renminbi and other currencies in the future.
 
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.
 
The
fluctuation of interest rates may affect the demand for loan services on our platforms. For example, a decrease in interest rates may
cause potential borrowers to seek
lower-priced loans from other channels. A high interest rate environment will likely increase the funding
costs for our institutional funding partners, which may lead to a higher rate
of return required by such institutional funding partners
and thereby dampen their desire to invest on our platforms. We do not expect that the fluctuation of interest rates will have a
material
impact on our financial condition. However, we cannot provide assurance that we will not be exposed to material risks due to changes
in market interest rate in the future.
See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks Related to Our Business—Fluctuations
in interest rates could negatively affect transaction volume facilitated through our
platforms.” We may invest our cash in interest-earning
instruments. Investments in both fixed rate and floating rate interest earning instruments carry a degree of interest rate risk.
Fixed
rate securities may have their fair market value adversely impacted due to a rise in interest rates, while floating rate securities may
produce less income than expected if
interest rates fall.
 
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
 
As
an ADS holder, you will be required to pay the following fees under the terms of the deposit agreement:
 
 
Service
 
Fees
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Issuance
of ADSs (e.g., an issuance of ADS upon a deposit of Class A ordinary shares,
upon a change in the ADS(s)-to-Class A ordinary share(s)
 ratio, or for any other
reason), excluding ADS issuances as a result of distributions of Class A ordinary
shares
 
Up
to US$0.05 per ADS issued
 
148

 
 
 
Service
 
Fees
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Cancelation
of ADSs (e.g., a cancelation of ADSs for delivery of deposited property,
upon a change in the ADS(s)-to-Class A ordinary share(s)
 ratio, or for any other
reason)
 
Up
to US$0.05 per ADS canceled
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Distribution
of cash dividends or other cash distributions (e.g., upon a sale of rights
and other entitlements)
 
Up
to US$0.05 per ADS held
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Distribution
of ADSs pursuant to (i) stock dividends or other free stock distributions,
or (ii) exercise of rights to purchase additional ADSs
 
Up
to US$0.05 per ADS held
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Distribution
of securities other than ADSs or rights to purchase additional ADSs (e.g.,
upon a spin-off)
 
Up
to US$0.05 per ADS held
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
ADS
Services
 
Up
to US$0.05 per ADS held on the applicable record date(s) established by the
depositary bank
 
As
an ADS holder you will also be responsible to pay certain charges such as:
 
 
●
taxes
(including applicable interest and penalties) and other governmental charges;
 
 
 
 
●
the
registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of Class A ordinary shares on the share register and
applicable to transfers of Class A
ordinary shares to or from the name of the custodian, the depositary bank or any nominees upon
the making of deposits and withdrawals, respectively;
 
 
 
 
●
certain
cable, telex and facsimile transmission and delivery expenses;
 
 
 
 
●
the
expenses and charges incurred by the depositary bank in the conversion of foreign currency;
 
 
 
 
●
the
fees and expenses incurred by the depositary bank in connection with compliance with exchange control regulations and other regulatory
requirements applicable
to Class A ordinary shares, ADSs and ADRs; and
 
 
 
 
●
the
fees and expenses incurred by the depositary bank, the custodian, or any nominee in connection with the servicing or delivery of
deposited property.
 
ADS
fees and charges payable upon (i) the issuance of ADSs, and (ii) the cancelation of ADSs are charged to the person to whom the ADSs are
issued (in the case of ADS
issuances) and to the person whose ADSs are canceled (in the case of ADS cancelations). In the case of ADSs
issued by the depositary bank into DTC, the ADS issuance and
cancelation fees and charges may be deducted from distributions made through
DTC, and may be charged to the DTC participant(s) receiving the ADSs being issued or the DTC
participant(s) holding the ADSs being canceled,
as the case may be, on behalf of the beneficial owner(s) and will be charged by the DTC participant(s) to the account of the
applicable
beneficial owner(s) in accordance with the procedures and practices of the DTC participants as in effect at the time. ADS fees and charges
in respect of distributions and
the ADS service fee are charged to the holders as of the applicable ADS record date. In the case of distributions
of cash, the amount of the applicable ADS fees and charges is
deducted from the funds being distributed. In the case of (i) distributions
other than cash and (ii) the ADS service fee, holders as of the ADS record date will be invoiced for the
amount of the ADS fees and charges
and such ADS fees and charges may be deducted from distributions made to holders of ADSs. For ADSs held through DTC, the ADS fees and
charges for distributions other than cash and the ADS service fee may be deducted from distributions made through DTC, and may be charged
to the DTC participants in accordance
with the procedures and practices prescribed by DTC and the DTC participants in turn charge the
amount of such ADS fees and charges to the beneficial owners for whom they hold
ADSs.
 
149

 
 
In
the event of refusal to pay the depositary bank fees, the depositary bank may, under the terms of the deposit agreement, refuse the requested
service until payment is
received or may set off the amount of the depositary bank fees from any distribution to be made to the ADS holder.
Certain of the depositary fees and charges (such as the ADS
services fee) may become payable shortly after the closing of the ADS offering.
Note that the fees and charges you may be required to pay may vary over time and may be changed
by us and by the depositary bank. You
will receive prior notice of such changes. The depositary bank may reimburse us for certain expenses we incurred in respect of the ADR
program, by making available a portion of the ADS fees charged in respect of the ADR program or otherwise, upon such terms and conditions
as we and the depositary bank agree
from time to time.
 
Fees
and Other Payments Made by the Depositary to Us
 
The
depositary bank may reimburse us for certain expenses we incurred in respect of the ADR program, by making available a portion of the
ADS fees charged in respect
of the ADR program or otherwise, upon such terms and conditions as we and the depositary bank agree from
time to time. For the year ended December 31, 2024, we received
US$3.5 million in reimbursement from the depositary.
 
PART
II
 
ITEM
13.
DEFAULTS,
DIVIDEND ARREARAGES AND DELINQUENCIES
 
None.
 
ITEM
14.
MATERIAL
MODIFICATIONS TO THE RIGHTS OF SECURITY HOLDERS AND USE OF PROCEEDS
 
Material
Modifications to the Rights of Security Holders
 
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
 
None.
 
ITEM
15.
CONTROLS
AND PROCEDURES
 
Disclosure
Controls and Procedures
 
Our
management, with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, 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, with the participation of our chief executive officer and chief financial officer, has concluded
that, as of December 31, 2024,
our disclosure controls and procedures were effective in ensuring that the information required to be
disclosed by us in the reports that we filed and furnished 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 filed or submitted under the Exchange Act was accumulated and communicated to our management, including our chief executive officer
and chief financial officer,
to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure.
 
150

 
 
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.
Our internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding
the reliability of our financial reporting and the preparation of financial
statements for external purposes in accordance with Generally
Accepted Accounting Principles in the United States of America and includes those policies and procedures that (i)
pertain to the maintenance
of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of our company;
(ii) provide reasonable
assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of consolidated financial statements
in accordance with GAAP, and that receipts and expenditures of our
company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of our
management and directors; and (iii) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of
the unauthorized acquisition,
use or disposition of our company’s assets that could have a material effect on the consolidated financial statements.
 
Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of
any evaluation of effectiveness to
future periods are subject to the risks that controls may become inadequate because of changes in
conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may
deteriorate.
 
As
required by Section 404 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 and related rules as promulgated by the SEC, our management including our chief
executive officer and
chief financial officer assessed the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting as of December
31, 2024 using the criteria set forth in the report “Internal Control—
Integrated Framework (2013)” published by the
Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway Commission. Based on this evaluation, management concluded that our
internal control
over financial reporting was effective as of December 31, 2024.
 
Attestation
Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Zhong Tian LLP has audited the effectiveness of our internal control over financial reporting as of December 31, 2024 as stated in its
report,
which appears on page F-2 of this annual report on Form 20-F.
 
Changes
in Internal Control over Financial Reporting
 
There
were no changes in our internal controls over financial reporting that occurred during the period covered by this annual report on Form
20-F 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 Mr. Jimmy Y. Lai, an independent director (under the standards set forth under Section 303A
of the Corporate Governance Rules
of the New York Stock Exchange and Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act) and a member of our audit committee,
is an “audit committee financial expert.”
 
ITEM
16B. CODE
OF ETHICS
 
Our
board of directors adopted a code of business conduct and ethics that applies to our directors, officers and employees in October 2017.
We have posted a copy of our
code of business conduct and ethics on our website at ir.finvgroup.com.
 
151

 
 
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 PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong
Tian LLP, our principal external auditors, and its affiliates for the periods indicated.
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$
 
 
 
(in
thousands)
 
Audit fees(1)
 
 
10,344   
 
10,328   
 
1,415 
Audit-related fees(2)
 
 
—   
 
—   
 
— 
Tax fees(3)
 
 
160   
 
244   
 
33 
All other fees(4)
 
 
1,510   
 
2,082   
 
285 
 
 
*
The US$ amounts are translated from corresponding RMB amounts using a rate of RMB7.2993 = US$1.00, the noon buying rate on December 31, 2024 set forth in the H.10
statistical release of the U.S. Federal Reserve Board.
 
 
(1) “Audit fees” mean the aggregate fees billed or to be billed for each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for the audit of the
registrant’s annual financial statements or services that are normally provided by the accountant in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements for those
fiscal years.
 
 
(2) “Audit-related fees” mean the aggregate fees billed or to be billed in each of the last two fiscal years for assurance and related services by the principal accountant that are
reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the registrant’s financial statements and are not reported under footnote (1) above.
 
 
(3) “Tax fees” mean the aggregate fees billed or to be billed in each of the last two fiscal years for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for tax compliance, tax
advice, and tax planning.
 
 
(4) “All other fees” mean the aggregate fees billed or to be billed in each of the last two fiscal years for products and services provided by the principal accountant, other than the
services reported in footnotes (1) through (3).
 
The
policy of our audit committee is to pre-approve all audit and non-audit services provided by PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP, including
audit services, audit-
related services, tax services and other services as described above.
 
ITEM
16D. EXEMPTIONS
FROM THE LISTING STANDARDS FOR AUDIT COMMITTEES
 
Not
applicable.
 
152

 
 
ITEM
16E. PURCHASES
OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY THE ISSUER AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS
 
On
August 28, 2023, our board of directors approved a new share repurchase program, under which we may repurchase our own Class A ordinary
shares in the form of
ADSs with an aggregate value of up to US$150 million until August 29, 2025, which we refer to as the 2023 Share
Repurchase Program. This share repurchase program was
publicly announced on August 28, 2023.
 
As
of March 31, 2025, we had repurchased a total of approximately 24.3 million ADSs under the 2023 Share Repurchase Program. The table below
is a summary of the
shares we repurchased in the year 2024 and in the year 2025 up to March 31, 2025 under the 2023 Share Purchase Program.
All shares were repurchased in the open market
pursuant to the 2023 Share Repurchase Program.
 
Period
 
Total number of
ADSs purchased
   
Average price
paid per ADS
   
Total number of
ADSs purchased as
part
of the publicly
announced plan (1)    
Approximate dollar
value of ADSs that
may yet be purchased
under the plan
 
January 1, 2024 – January 31, 2024
 
 
2,265,267   
 
4.75   
 
8,502,109   
 
109,765,696 
February 1, 2024 – February 29, 2024
 
 
1,845,871   
 
4.94   
 
10,347,980   
 
100,653,644 
March 1, 2024 – March 31, 2024
 
 
1,471,807   
 
5.08   
 
11,819,787   
 
93,179,123 
April 1, 2024 – April 30, 2024
 
 
1,971,619   
 
4.97   
 
13,791,406   
 
83,379,899 
May 1, 2024 – May 31, 2024
 
 
1,909,980   
 
4.93   
 
15,701,386   
 
73,966,017 
June 1, 2024 – June 30, 2024
 
 
2,200,186   
 
4.76   
 
17,901,572   
 
63,487,840 
July 1, 2024 – July 31, 2024
 
 
1,675,970   
 
5.05   
 
19,577,542   
 
55,030,873 
August 1, 2024 – August 31, 2024
 
 
999,424   
 
5.42   
 
20,576,966   
 
49,614,403 
September 1, 2024 – September 30, 2024
 
 
1,957,069   
 
5.39   
 
22,534,035   
 
39,061,734 
October 1, 2024 – October 31, 2024
 
 
737,666   
 
6.05   
 
23,271,701   
 
34,596,389 
November 1, 2024 – November 30, 2024
 
 
722,135   
 
6.10   
 
23,993,836   
 
30,194,239 
December 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024
 
 
32,917   
 
6.84   
 
24,026,753   
 
29,969,208 
January 1, 2025 – January 31, 2025
 
 
272,207   
 
6.84   
 
24,298,960   
 
28,107,486 
February 1, 2025 – February 28, 2025
 
 
5,344   
 
7.50   
 
24,304,304   
 
28,067,383 
March 1, 2025 – March 31, 2025
 
 
-   
 
-   
 
24,304,304   
 
28,067,383 
Total
 
 
18,067,462   
 
5.12   
 
24,304,304   
 
28,067,383 
 
 
Note:
 
(1) The total number of ADSs purchased as part of the publicly announced plan in this column represents the cumulative
total of ADSs bought under this share repurchase program
as of the end of the given month.
 
On
March 14, 2025, our board of directors approved a new share repurchase program, effective on March 20, 2025, under which we may
repurchase our own Class A
ordinary shares in the form of ADSs with an aggregate value of up to US$150 million during the period from
March 20, 2025 to March 19, 2027. We refer to this new share
repurchase program as the 2025 Share Repurchase Program. The 2025 Share
Repurchase Program was publicly announced on March 17, 2025. As of the date of this annual report,
the Company has not repurchased any
ADSs under the 2025 Share Repurchase Program.
 
153

 
 
Members
of senior management have informed us that they purchased approximately US$2.1 million of our ADSs in 2024. All the ADSs purchased
were independent of
our company’s share repurchase programs and were made during an open window period in full compliance with
all our company’s policy and legal guidelines.
 
ITEM
16F. CHANGE
IN REGISTRANT’S CERTIFYING ACCOUNTANT
 
Not
applicable.
 
ITEM
16G. CORPORATE
GOVERNANCE
 
Section
303A.12(a) of the NYSE Listed Company Manual requires each listed company’s chief executive officer to certify to the NYSE each
year that he or she is not
aware of any violation by the company of NYSE corporate governance listing standards. We are a Cayman Islands
exempted company, and our chief executive officer is not
required under applicable Cayman Islands law to make such a certification. Pursuant
to the exceptions granted to foreign private issuers under Section 303A.00 of the NYSE Listed
Company Manual, we have followed our home
country practice in this regard and have not in the past submitted the certification set forth in Section 303A.12(a) of the NYSE Listed
Company Manual.
 
Section
303A.01 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual requires a listed company to have a majority of independent directors. Section 303A.07(a) of
the NYSE Listed
Company Manual requires a listed company to have an audit committee composed a minimum of three members. Section 303A.05(a)
of the NYSE Listed Company Manual
requires a listed company to have a compensation committee composed entirely of independent directors.
 We are a Cayman Islands exempted company, and there are no
requirements under applicable Cayman Islands law that correspond to these
sections of the NYSE Listed Company Manual. Pursuant to the exceptions granted to foreign private
issuers under Section 303A.00 of the
NYSE Listed Company Manual, we have followed our home country practice and are exempted from the requirements of Sections 303A.01,
303A.07(a)
and 303A.05(a) of the NYSE Listed Company Manual.
 
Section
302.00 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual requires a listed company to hold an annual meeting during each fiscal year. We are a Cayman
Islands exempted
company, and we are not required under applicable Cayman Islands law to hold an annual meeting during each fiscal year.
Pursuant to the exceptions granted to foreign private
issuers under Section 303A.00 of the NYSE Listed Company Manual, we have followed
our home country practice and are exempted from the requirements of Section 302.00 of
the NYSE Listed Company Manual.
 
Other
 than the requirements discussed above, there are no significant differences between our corporate governance practices and those followed
 by domestic listed
companies as required under the NYSE Listed Company Manual. Since we have chosen to follow our home country practice,
our shareholders may be afforded less protection than
they otherwise would enjoy under the NYSE corporate governance listing standards
applicable to U.S. domestic issuers. See “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Our American Depositary
Shares—As a company incorporated in the Cayman Islands, we are permitted to adopt certain home country practices for corporate
governance
matters that differ significantly from the NYSE corporate governance listing standards; these practices may afford less protection
to shareholders than they would enjoy if we
complied fully with the NYSE corporate governance listing standards.”
 
ITEM
16H. MINE
SAFETY DISCLOSURE
 
Not
applicable.
 
ITEM
16I.
DISCLOSURE
REGARDING FOREIGN JURISDICTIONS THAT PREVENT INSPECTIONS
 
Not
applicable.
 
ITEM
16J. INSIDER
TRADING POLICIES
 
Our
board of directors has established insider trading policies and procedures to provide guidance on the purchases, sales, and other dispositions
of our securities by our
directors, officers, employees, and consultants, with the goal of promoting compliance with applicable insider
trading laws, rules, and regulations.
 
154

 
 
The
Second Amended and Restated Statement of Policies Governing Material Non-Public Information and the Prevention of Insider Trading, adopted
by our board of
directors on November 16, 2023, is filed as Exhibit 11.2 to this annual report on Form 20-F.
 
ITEM
16K. CYBERSECURITY
 
Risk
Management and Strategy
 
We
 have implemented robust processes for assessing, identifying and managing material risks from cybersecurity threats and monitoring the
 prevention, detection,
mitigation and remediation of material cybersecurity incident. We have also integrated cybersecurity risk management
into our overall enterprise risk management system.
 
We
have established a multi-layered cybersecurity defense system to mitigate both internal and external cyber threats. This comprehensive
system spans multiple security
domains, including network, host, and application layers. It integrates a range of security capabilities
 such as threat defense, continuous monitoring, in-depth analysis, rapid
response, as well as strategic deception and countermeasures.
 Our approach to managing cybersecurity risks and safeguarding sensitive data is multi-faceted, involving
technological safeguards, procedural
 protocols, a rigorous program of surveillance on our corporate network, ongoing internal evaluations of our security measures, external
evaluations conducted by third-party vendors, a solid incident response framework, and regular cybersecurity training sessions for our
employees. Our IT department is actively
engaged in continuous monitoring of our applications, platforms and infrastructure to ensure
 prompt identification and response to potential issues, including emerging
cybersecurity threats.
 
As
of the date of this annual report, we have not experienced any material cybersecurity incidents or identified any material cybersecurity
threats that have affected or are
reasonably likely to materially affect us, our business strategy, results of operations or financial
condition.
 
Governance
 
Our
nominating and corporate governance committee of the board of directors is responsible for overseeing our cybersecurity risk management.
Our nominating and
corporate governance committee shall (i) maintain oversight of the disclosure related to cybersecurity matters in
current reports or periodic reports of our company, (ii) review
updates to the status of any material cybersecurity incidents or material
risks from cybersecurity threats to our company, and the associated disclosure issues, if any, presented by our
chief executive officer,
chief financial officer and cybersecurity officer on a quarterly basis, and (iii) review disclosure concerning cybersecurity matters
in our annual report on
Form 20-F presented by our chief executive officer, chief financial officer and cybersecurity officer.
 
At
management level, our chief executive officer, chief financial officer, and the principal officer in charge of the cybersecurity matters
who has experience in dealing with
information security and cybersecurity issues, which are collectively referred to as the Cybersecurity
Risk Management Officers, are responsible for assessing, identifying and
managing material risks from cybersecurity threats to our company
and monitoring the prevention, detection, mitigation and remediation of material cybersecurity incident. Our
Cybersecurity Risk Management
 Officers report to our nominating and corporate governance committee on (i) a quarterly basis on updates to the status of any material
cybersecurity incidents or material risks from cybersecurity threats to our company, and the associated disclosure issues, if any, and
(ii) on disclosure concerning cybersecurity
matters in our annual report on Form 20-F.
 
If
a cybersecurity incident occurs, our Cybersecurity Risk Management Officers will promptly organize personnel for internal assessment
and if it is determined that the
incident could potentially be a material cybersecurity event, our Cybersecurity Risk Management Officers
will promptly report the incident and assessment results to our disclosure
committee, our nominating and corporate governance committee,
and other members of senior management and external legal counsel, to the extent appropriate. Our Cybersecurity
Risk Management Officers
shall prepare disclosure material on the cybersecurity incident for review and approval by the disclosure committee and cybersecurity
committee, and
other members of senior management (if necessary), before it is disseminated to the public.
 
155

 
 
PART
III
 
ITEM
17.
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
 
We
have elected to provide financial statements pursuant to Item 18.
 
ITEM
18.
FINANCIAL
STATEMENTS
 
The
consolidated financial statements of FinVolution Group, its subsidiaries and the consolidated variable interest entities are included
at the end of this annual report.
 
ITEM
19.
EXHIBITS
 
Exhibit
Number
 
Description
of Document
1.1
 
Fourth Amended and Restated Memorandum and Articles of Association of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 3.2 to the registration statement
on Form F-1 (File No. 333-220954), as amended, initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 13, 2017)
 
 
 
1.2
 
Certificate of Incorporation on Change of Name as of November 6, 2019 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 1.2 to the Form 20-F filed on April 28, 2021 (File
No. 001-38269))
 
 
 
2.1
 
Registrant’s Specimen American Depositary Receipt (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-220954),
as amended, initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 13, 2017)
 
 
 
2.2
 
Registrant’s Specimen Certificate for Class A Ordinary Shares (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.3 to the registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-
274381) filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 7, 2023)
 
 
 
2.3
 
Deposit Agreement dated November 14, 2017, among the Registrant, the depositary and holder of the American Depositary Receipts (incorporated herein by reference
to Exhibit 4.3 to the registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-224011), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on March 29, 2018)
 
 
 
2.4*
 
Description of Securities
 
 
 
4.1
 
The 2017 Share Incentive Plan of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.2 to the registration statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-220954), as
amended, initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 13, 2017)
 
 
 
4.2
 
Employment Agreement between the Registrant and its executive officers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.3 to the registration statement on Form F-1
(File No. 333-220954), as amended, initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 13, 2017)
 
 
 
4.3
 
Indemnification Agreement between the Registrant and its directors and executive officers (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 10.4 to the registration
statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-220954), as amended, initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 13, 2017)
 
 
 
4.4
 
English translation of the Loan Agreement between Shanghai Guangjian and the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin dated March 21, 2018 (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4.16 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2018)
 
4.5
 
English translation of the Restated Equity Pledge Agreement among Shanghai Guangjian, Beijing Paipairongxin, Beijing Prosper and the shareholders of Beijing
Paipairongxin dated March 21, 2018 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.17 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2018)
 
156

 
 
Exhibit
Number
 
Description
of Document
4.6
 
English translation of the Restated Business Operation Agreement among Shanghai Guangjian, Shanghai Shanghu, Beijing Paipairongxin, Beijing Prosper, and the
shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin dated March 21, 2018 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.18 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269),
filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.7
 
English translation of the Restated Power of Attorney granted by the shareholders of Beijing Paipairongxin dated March 21, 2018 (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.19 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.8
 
English translation of the Restated Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Agreement among Shanghai Guangjian, Shanghai Shanghu, Beijing Prosper,
Shanghai PPDai, and Beijing Paipairongxin dated March 21, 2018 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.20 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-
38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.9
 
English translation of the Restated Option Agreement among Shanghai Guangjian, Beijing Prosper, Beijing Paipairongxin and the shareholders of Beijing
Paipairongxin dated March 21, 2018 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.21 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.10
 
English translation of the Loan Agreement between Shanghai Manyin and shareholders of Shanghai Zihe dated March 21, 2018 (incorporated herein by reference to
Exhibit 4.22 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.11
 
English translation of the Equity Pledge Agreement among Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Zihe and the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe dated March 21, 2018
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.23 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April
27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.12
 
English translation of the Business Operation Agreement among Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Zihe and the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe dated March 21, 2018
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.24 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April
27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.13
 
English translation of the Power of Attorney granted by the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe dated March 21, 2018 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.25 to
the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.14
 
English translation of the Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Framework Agreement between Shanghai Manyin and Shanghai Zihe dated March 21, 2018
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.26 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April
27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.15
 
English translation of the Exclusive Call Option Agreement among Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Zihe and the shareholders of Shanghai Zihe dated March 21, 2018
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.27 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April
27, 2018)
 
 
 
4.16
 
English translation of the Loan Agreement between Shanghai Manyin and the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao dated January 14, 2019 (incorporated herein by
reference to Exhibit 4.28 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 25, 2019)
 
157

 
 
Exhibit
Number
 
Description
of Document
4.17
 
English translation of the Equity Pledge Agreement among Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Ledao and the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao dated January 14, 2019
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.29 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April
25, 2019)
 
 
 
4.18
 
English translation of the Business Operation Agreement among Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Ledao and the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao dated January 14, 2019
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.30 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April
25, 2019)
 
 
 
4.19
 
English translation of the Power of Attorney granted by the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao dated January 14, 2019 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.31
to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 25, 2019)
 
 
 
4.20
 
English translation of the Exclusive Technology Consulting and Service Framework Agreement between Shanghai Manyin and Shanghai Ledao dated January 14,
2019 (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.32 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on
April 25, 2019)
 
 
 
4.21
 
English translation of the Exclusive Call Option Agreement among Shanghai Manyin, Shanghai Ledao and the shareholders of Shanghai Ledao dated January 14, 2019
(incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 4.33 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April
25, 2019)
 
 
 
8.1*
 
Principal Subsidiaries and Variable Interest Entities of the Registrant
 
 
 
11.1
 
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-
220954), as amended, initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on October 13, 2017)
 
 
 
11.2*
 
Insider Trading Policy
 
 
 
12.1*
 
Certification by Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
 
 
12.2*
 
Certification by Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
 
 
13.1**  
Certification by Principal Executive Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
 
 
13.2**  
Certification by Principal Financial Officer Pursuant to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
 
 
15.1*
 
Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm
 
 
 
15.2*
 
Consent of Hui Ye Law Firm
 
 
 
15.3*
 
Consent of Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP
 
 
 
97.1
 
Clawback Policy of the Registrant (incorporated herein by reference to Exhibit 97.1 to the annual report on Form 20-F (File No. 001-38269), filed with the Securities
and Exchange Commission on April 25, 2024)
 
 
 
101.INS*  
Inline
XBRL Instance Document—this instance document does not appear in the Interactive Data File because its XBRL tags are embedded
within the Inline XBRL
document
 
 
 
101.SCH* 
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Schema Document
 
 
 
101.CAL* 
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Calculation Linkbase Document
 
 
 
101.DEF* 
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Definition Linkbase Document
 
 
 
101.LAB* 
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Label Linkbase Document
 
 
 
101.PRE* 
Inline
XBRL Taxonomy Extension Presentation Linkbase Document
 
 
 
104
 
Cover
Page Interactive Data File (embedded within the Inline XBRL document)
 
 
 
*
Filed herewith
 
**
Furnished herewith
 
158

 
 
SIGNATURES
 
The
registrant hereby certifies that it meets all of the requirements for filing its annual report on Form 20-F and that it has duly caused
and authorized the undersigned to
sign this annual report on its behalf.
 
 
FinVolution
Group
 
 
 
 
By:
/s/
Tiezheng Li
 
Name:
Tiezheng
Li
 
Title:
Chief
Executive Officer
 
 
 
Date:
April 18, 2025
 
 
 
159

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
 
INDEX
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
 
 
Page
 
 
Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm (PCAOB ID: 1424)
F-2
 
 
Consolidated Balance Sheets as of December 31, 2023 and 2024
F-5
 
 
Consolidated Statements of Comprehensive Income for the Years Ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024
F-7
 
 
Consolidated Statements of Changes in Shareholders’ Equity for the Years Ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024
F-9
 
 
Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows for the Years Ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024
F-12
 
 
Notes to the Consolidated Financial Statements
F-14
 
F-1

 
 
Report
of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
 
To
the Board of Directors and Shareholders of FinVolution Group
 
Opinions
on the Financial Statements and Internal Control over Financial Reporting
 
We
have audited the accompanying consolidated balance sheets of FinVolution Group and its subsidiaries (the “Company”) as of
December 31, 2024 and 2023, and the related
consolidated statements of comprehensive income, of changes in shareholders’ equity
 and of cash flows for each of the three years in the period ended December 31, 2024,
including the related notes (collectively referred
to as the “consolidated financial statements”). We also have audited the Company’s internal control over financial
reporting as of
December 31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the
 Committee of Sponsoring Organizations of the Treadway
Commission (COSO).
 
In
our opinion, the consolidated financial statements referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position
of the Company as of December 31, 2024 and
2023, and the results of its operations and its cash flows for each of the three years in
the period ended December 31, 2024 in conformity with accounting principles generally
accepted in the United States of America. Also
in our opinion, the Company maintained, in all material respects, effective internal control over financial reporting as of December
31, 2024, based on criteria established in Internal Control - Integrated Framework (2013) issued by the COSO.
 
Basis
for Opinions
 
The
Company’s management is responsible for these consolidated financial statements, for maintaining effective internal control over
financial reporting, and for its assessment of
the effectiveness of internal control over financial reporting, included in Management’s
Annual Report on Internal Control over Financial Reporting appearing under Item 15. Our
responsibility is to express opinions on the
Company’s consolidated financial statements and on the Company’s internal control over financial reporting 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 audits to obtain
reasonable assurance about whether
the consolidated financial statements are free of material misstatement, whether due to error or fraud,
and whether effective internal control over financial reporting was maintained
in all material respects.
 
F-2

 
 
Our
audits of the consolidated financial statements 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. Our audit of internal control over financial reporting included obtaining an understanding
of internal control over
financial reporting, assessing the risk that a material weakness exists, and testing and evaluating the design
and operating effectiveness of internal control based on the assessed risk.
Our audits also included performing such other procedures
as we considered necessary in the circumstances. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinions.
 
Definition
and Limitations of Internal Control over Financial Reporting
 
A
company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed 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. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies
and procedures that (i) pertain to the
maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the
company; (ii)
provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements
in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles,
and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in
accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (iii) provide reasonable
assurance regarding prevention
 or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use, or disposition of the company’s assets that could have a material effect
 on the financial
statements.
 
Because
of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of
any evaluation of effectiveness to future
periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions,
 or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may
deteriorate.
 
Critical
Audit Matters
 
The
critical audit matter communicated below is a matter arising from the current period audit of the consolidated financial statements that
was communicated or required to be
communicated to the audit committee and that (i) relates to accounts or disclosures that are material
 to the consolidated financial statements and (ii) involved our especially
challenging, subjective, or complex judgments. The communication
of critical audit matter does not alter in any way our opinion on the consolidated financial statements, taken as a
whole, and we are
not, by communicating the critical audit matter below, providing a separate opinion on the critical audit matter or on the accounts or
disclosures to which it
relates.
 
F-3

 
 
Measurement
of expected credit losses for certain financial assets and guarantee liabilities
 
As
described in Notes 2(s), 4 and 8 to the consolidated financial statements, the Company had the following accounts associated with expected
credit losses measurement as of
December 31, 2024:
 
 
●
Accounts receivable and contract assets
 
RMB2,405.9 million, net of credit loss allowance of RMB290.3 million
 
●
Quality assurance receivable
 
RMB1,639.6 million, net of credit loss allowance of RMB426.9 million
 
●
Loans receivable
 
RMB4,157.6 million, net of credit loss allowance of RMB226.5 million
 
●
Liability from quality assurance commitment
 
RMB2,964.1 million
 
Management
determined the amounts of the provisions and liabilities relating to the above accounts using an expected credit losses methodology that
was based on (i) historical
default experience; (ii) known and inherent risks in the portfolio; (iii) current economic conditions; and
(iv) future macroeconomic forecasts as well as other factors surrounding the
credit risks of borrowers. When forecasting macroeconomic
factors, management primarily considered gross domestic product, consumer price index and other pertinent factors
such as money supply
wherein M1 money supply was determined to be the most relevant to the Company’s business.
 
The
principal considerations for our determination that performing procedures relating to measurement of expected credit losses for certain
financial assets and guarantee liabilities
is a critical audit matter are (i) there was significant judgment and estimation by management
in determining the modeling techniques utilized in their expected credit losses
methodology and in determining the underlying estimates,
which in turn led to a high degree of auditor judgment, subjectivity, and audit effort in performing procedures and
evaluating audit
evidence related to estimates used in the expected credit losses methodology and (ii) the audit effort involved the use of professionals
with specialized skill and
knowledge.
 
Addressing
the matter involved performing procedures and evaluating audit evidence in connection with forming our overall opinion on the consolidated
financial statements. These
procedures included testing the effectiveness of controls relating to management’s estimate of expected
credit losses, including controls over the Company’s models, significant
assumptions, and underlying data used by management. The
procedures also included, among other things, testing management’s process for developing the estimate of expected
credit losses,
which involved (i) evaluating the appropriateness of management’s methodology; (ii) testing the completeness, accuracy and relevance
of underlying data used in the
estimate; and (iii) evaluating the reasonableness of management’s forward-looking adjustments made
 to historical default experience. These procedures also included the
involvement of professionals with specialized skill and knowledge
to assist in evaluating the appropriateness of certain models, methodologies and inputs used in developing the
estimate of the expected
credit losses.
 
/s/
PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP
Shanghai,
the People’s Republic of China
 
April 18, 2025
 
We
have served as the Company’s auditor since 2016.
 
F-4

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
AS
OF DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2024
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
 
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
Note
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$ Note 2(f)
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
Assets
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Cash and cash equivalents
 
2(h)
 
 
4,969,319   
 
4,672,772   
 
640,167 
Restricted cash
 
2(i)
 
 
1,800,071   
 
2,074,300   
 
284,178 
Short-term investments
 
2(j)
 
 
2,960,821   
 
2,832,382   
 
388,035 
Accounts receivable and contract assets, net of credit loss allowance
for accounts receivable and contract assets of RMB310,394 and
RMB290,267 as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively
 
8
 
 
2,208,538   
 
2,405,880   
 
329,604 
Quality assurance receivable, net of credit loss allowance for quality
assurance receivable of RMB529,392 and RMB426,949 as of
December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively
 
2(s)
 
 
1,755,615   
 
1,639,591   
 
224,623 
Loans receivable, net of credit loss allowance for loans receivable of
RMB214,550 and RMB226,467 as of December 31, 2023 and 2024,
respectively
 
4
 
 
1,127,388   
 
4,157,621   
 
569,592 
Property, equipment and software, net
 
6
 
 
140,933   
 
623,792   
 
85,459 
Right of use assets
 
16
 
 
38,110   
 
36,826   
 
5,045 
Intangible assets
 
7
 
 
98,692   
 
137,298   
 
18,810 
Goodwill
 
 
 
 
50,411   
 
50,411   
 
6,906 
Investments
 
2(l)
 
 
1,135,133   
 
1,173,003   
 
160,701 
Deferred tax assets
 
12
 
 
1,624,325   
 
2,513,865   
 
344,398 
Prepaid expenses and other assets
 
5
 
 
3,384,317   
 
1,289,380   
 
176,644 
Total assets
 
 
 
 
21,293,673   
 
23,607,121   
 
3,234,162 
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity:
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Deferred guarantee income (including deferred guarantee income of
the consolidated VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries including consolidated
trusts without recourse to the Company of RMB1,603,682 and
RMB1,283,000 as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
2(s)
 
 
1,882,036   
 
1,515,950   
 
207,684 
Liability from quality assurance commitment (including liability from
quality assurance commitment of the consolidated VIE and VIE’s
subsidiaries including consolidated trusts without recourse to the
Company of RMB2,985,013 and RMB2,591,768 as of December 31,
2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
2(s)
 
 
3,306,132   
 
2,964,116   
 
406,082 
Payroll and welfare payable (including payroll and welfare payable of
the consolidated VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries including consolidated
trusts without recourse to the Company of RMB142,614 and
RMB153,686 as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
9
 
 
261,528   
 
290,389   
 
39,783 
Taxes payable (including taxes payable of the consolidated VIE and
VIE’s subsidiaries including consolidated trusts without recourse to
the Company of RMB133,473 and RMB561,475 as of December 31,
2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
 
 
 
207,477   
 
705,928   
 
96,712 
Funds payable to investors of consolidated trusts (including funds
payable to investors of consolidated trusts of the consolidated VIE
and VIE’s subsidiaries including consolidated trusts without recourse
to the Company of RMB436,322 and RMB793,720 as of December
31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
4
 
 
436,352   
 
796,122   
 
109,068 
Contract liabilities (including contract liabilities of the consolidated
VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries including consolidated trusts without
recourse to the Company of RMB5,109 and RMB10,185 as of
December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
2(t)
 
 
5,109   
 
10,185   
 
1,395 
 
The
accompanying notes form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
 
F-5

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
CONSOLIDATED
BALANCE SHEETS
AS OF DECEMBER 31, 2023 AND 2024 (Continued)
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
 
 
 
 
As
of December 31,
 
 
 
Note
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$
Note 2(f)
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
Liabilities and Shareholders’
Equity (Continued)
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Short-term
borrowings
 
 
 
 
5,756   
 
5,594   
 
766 
Amounts due to related
parties (including amounts due to related
parties of the consolidated VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries including
consolidated trusts
without recourse to the Company of RMB134 and
RMB130 as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
11
 
 
134   
 
13,314   
 
1,824 
Leasing liabilities (including
leasing liabilities of the consolidated
VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries including consolidated trusts without
recourse to the Company
of RMB32,811 and RMB22,673 as of
December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
 16
 
 
35,878   
 
28,765   
 
3,941 
Deferred tax liabilities
(including deferred tax liabilities of the
consolidated VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries including consolidated trusts
without recourse
to the Company of RMB65,201 and RMB112,604
as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
12
 
 
340,608   
 
491,213   
 
67,296 
Accrued expenses and other
liabilities (including accrued expenses
and other liabilities of the consolidated VIE and VIE’s subsidiaries
including consolidated
trusts without recourse to the Company of
RMB702,030 and RMB878,881 as of December 31, 2023 and 2024,
respectively)
 
10
 
 
941,765   
 
1,231,870   
 
168,766 
Total liabilities
 
 
 
 
7,422,775   
 
8,053,446   
 
1,103,317 
Commitments and contingencies
 
17
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
FinVolution Group shareholders’
equity:
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Class A ordinary shares (US$0.00001 par value;
10,000,000,000
shares authorized as of December 31, 2023 and 2024; 980,871,169
and 983,371,169 issued as of December 31, 2023 and
2024;
757,194,939 and 699,550,724 outstanding as of December 31, 2023
and 2024)
 
13
 
 
64   
 
64   
 
9  
Class B ordinary shares (US$0.00001 par value;
10,000,000,000
shares authorized as of December 31, 2023 and 2024; 569,200,000
and 566,700,000 issued and outstanding as of December
31, 2023 and
2024)
 
13
 
 
39   
 
39   
 
5 
Additional paid-in capital
 
 
 
 
5,748,734   
 
5,815,437   
 
796,712 
Treasury stock (223,676,230 and 283,820,445
shares as of December
31, 2023 and 2024, respectively)
 
13
 
 
(1,199,683)  
 
(1,765,542)  
 
(241,878)
Statutory reserves
 
2(af)
 
 
762,472   
 
852,723   
 
116,823 
Accumulated other comprehensive
income
 
 
 
 
80,006   
 
92,626   
 
12,689 
Retained earnings
 
 
 
 
8,357,153   
 
10,208,717   
 
1,398,588 
Total FinVolution Group
shareholders’ equity
 
 
 
 
13,748,785   
 
15,204,064   
 
2,082,948 
Non-controlling interest
 
 
 
 
122,113   
 
349,611   
 
47,897 
Total shareholders’equity
 
 
 
 
13,870,898   
 
15,553,675   
 
2,130,845 
Total
liabilities and shareholders’ equity
 
 
 
 
21,293,673   
 
23,607,121   
 
3,234,162 
 
The
accompanying notes form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
 
F-6

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR
THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022, 2023 AND 2024
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
 
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
Note
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$
Note 2(f)
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
    
  
Operating
revenue:
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Loan
facilitation service fees
 
2(t)
 
 
4,430,778   
 
4,520,504   
 
4,694,380   
 
643,127 
Post-facilitation
service fees
 
2(t)
 
 
1,929,913   
 
1,969,705   
 
1,740,241   
 
238,412 
Guarantee
income
 
2(s)
 
 
3,064,440   
 
4,478,995   
 
5,085,296   
 
696,683 
Net
interest income
 
2(n)
 
 
1,174,204   
 
1,049,379   
 
853,779   
 
116,967 
Other
revenue
 
2(t)
 
 
534,868   
 
528,862   
 
692,128   
 
94,821 
Net
revenues
 
 
 
 
11,134,203   
 
12,547,445   
 
13,065,824   
 
1,790,010 
Operating
expenses:
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Origination,
servicing expenses and other cost of
revenue
 
2(u)
 
 
(2,038,587)  
 
(2,111,515)  
 
(2,381,839)  
 
(326,311)
Origination,
servicing expenses and other cost of
revenue-related party
 
2(u)
 
 
(37)  
 
-   
 
-   
 
- 
Sales
and marketing expenses
 
2(v)
 
 
(1,685,022)  
 
(1,887,442)  
 
(2,014,254)  
 
(275,952)
General
and administrative expenses
 
2(w)
 
 
(401,731)  
 
(390,022)  
 
(413,548)  
 
(56,656)
Research
and development expenses
 
2(x)
 
 
(491,484)  
 
(510,986)  
 
(496,740)  
 
(68,053)
Credit
losses for quality assurance commitment
 
2(s)
 
 
(3,195,220)  
 
(4,422,802)  
 
(4,587,254)  
 
(628,451)
Provision
for loans receivable
 
4
 
 
(415,902)  
 
(586,843)  
 
(320,013)  
 
(43,842)
Provision
for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
8
 
 
(390,882)  
 
(253,948)  
 
(317,049)  
 
(43,436)
Total
operating expenses
 
 
 
 
(8,618,865)  
 
(10,163,558)  
 
(10,530,697)  
 
(1,442,701)
Other
income
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Other
income, net
 
 
 
 
220,693   
 
394,698   
 
310,123   
 
42,487 
Profit
before income tax expenses
 
 
 
 
2,736,031   
 
2,778,585   
 
2,845,250   
 
389,796 
Income
tax expenses
 
12
 
 
(454,775)  
 
(395,100)  
 
(457,405)  
 
(62,664)
Net
profit
 
 
 
 
2,281,256   
 
2,383,485   
 
2,387,845   
 
327,132 
Net
profit attributable to non-controlling interest
shareholders
 
 
 
 
(14,874)  
 
(42,650)  
 
(4,699)  
 
(644)
Net
profit attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary
shareholders
 
 
 
 
2,266,382   
 
2,340,835   
 
2,383,146   
 
326,488 
 
F-7

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF COMPREHENSIVE INCOME
FOR THE YEARS
ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022, 2023 AND 2024 (Continued)
(All amounts
in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
 
 
 
 
For
the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
Note
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$
Note 2(f)
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
Net profit
 
 
 
2,281,256   
 
2,383,485   
 
2,387,845   
 
327,132 
Foreign
currency translation adjustment, net of nil tax
 
 
 
69,006   
 
27,769   
 
12,620   
 
1,729 
Total comprehensive income
 
 
 
2,350,262   
 
2,411,254   
 
2,400,465   
 
328,861 
Total comprehensive income
attributable to non-
controlling interest shareholders
 
 
 
(14,874)  
 
(42,650)  
 
(4,699)  
 
(644)
Total
comprehensive income attributable to FinVolution
Group’s ordinary shareholders
 
 
 
2,335,388   
 
2,368,604   
 
2,395,766   
 
328,217 
 
 
  
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Weighted average number of ordinary shares
used in
computing net profit per share
 
  
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Basic
 
  
 
1,412,648,862   
 
1,374,713,018   
 
1,287,853,207   
 
1,287,853,207 
Diluted
 
 
 
1,454,291,316   
 
1,402,947,561   
 
1,320,229,492   
 
1,320,229,492 
 
 
  
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Net profit per share attributable
to FinVolution
Group’s ordinary shareholders
 
  
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Basic
 
  
 
1.60   
 
1.70   
 
1.85   
 
0.25 
Diluted
 
  
 
1.56   
 
1.67   
 
1.81   
 
0.25 
 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Net profit per ADS attributable
to FinVolution Group’s
ordinary shareholders (one ADS equals to five ordinary
shares)
 
  
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Basic
 
 
 
8.02   
 
8.51   
 
9.25   
 
1.27 
Diluted
 
  
 
7.79   
 
8.34   
 
9.03   
 
1.24 
 
The
accompanying notes form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
 
F-8

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR
THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022, 2023 AND 2024
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
 
 
   
Issued
ordinary shares
   
Additional
paid-in
   
Treasury
stock
   
Accumulated
other
comprehensive     Statutory     Retained    
Non-
controlling    
Total
shareholders’  
 
  Note    
Share
    Amount    
capital
   
Share
    Amount    
income
   
reserve
    earnings    
interest
   
equity
 
 
 
 
   
 
    RMB    
RMB
   
 
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
Balance
as of December 31, 2021
   
 
      1,550,071,169     
103     
5,694,733      (116,279,765)     (324,171)    
(16,769)    
610,403      4,690,951     
54,360     
10,709,610 
Repurchase of ordinary shares
   
13      
-     
-     
-     
(59,088,885)     (343,817)    
-     
-     
-     
-     
(343,817)
Share-based compensation
   
14      
-     
-     
89,030     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
89,030 
Exercise of share-based compensation plans
   
14      
-     
-     
(91,060)    
38,494,250     
99,393     
-     
-     
-     
-     
8,333 
Net profit
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-      2,266,382     
14,874     
2,281,256 
Dividends paid to shareholders
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
(372,483)    
-     
(372,483)
Foreign currency translation
adjustment
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
69,006     
-     
-     
-     
69,006 
Appropriation to statutory
reserve
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
87,998     
(87,998)    
-     
- 
Capital
injection from non-controlling interest
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
3,554     
3,554 
Balance
as of December 31, 2022
   
 
      1,550,071,169     
103     
5,692,703      (136,874,400)     (568,595)    
52,237     
698,401      6,496,852     
72,788     
12,444,489 
 
F-9

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE YEARS
ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022, 2023 AND 2024 (Continued)
(All amounts
in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
 
 
   
Issued
ordinary shares
   
Additional
paid-in
   
Treasury
stock
   
Accumulated
other
comprehensive     Statutory     Retained    
Non-
controlling    
Total
shareholders’  
 
  Note    
Share
    Amount    
capital
   
Share
   
Amount
   
income
   
reserve
    earnings    
interest
   
equity
 
 
 
 
   
 
    RMB    
RMB
   
 
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
Balance
as of December 31, 2022
   
 
      1,550,071,169     
103     
5,692,703      (136,874,400)    
(568,595)    
52,237     
698,401      6,496,852     
72,788     
12,444,489 
Repurchase of ordinary shares
   
13      
-     
-     
-      (107,601,530)    
(691,464)    
-     
-     
-     
-     
(691,464)
Share-based compensation
   
14      
-     
-     
116,407     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
116,407 
Exercise of share-based compensation plans
   
14      
-     
-     
(60,376)    
20,799,700     
60,376     
-     
-     
-     
-     
- 
Net profit
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-      2,340,835     
42,650     
2,383,485 
Dividends paid to shareholders
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
(416,463)    
(13,890)    
(430,353)
Foreign currency translation
adjustment
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
27,769     
-     
-     
-     
27,769 
Appropriation to statutory
reserve
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
64,071     
(64,071)    
-     
- 
Capital
injection from non-controlling interest
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
20,565     
20,565 
Balance
as of December 31, 2023
   
 
      1,550,071,169     
103     
5,748,734      (223,676,230)     (1,199,683)    
80,006     
762,472      8,357,153     
122,113     
13,870,898 
 
F-10

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
FOR THE YEARS
ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022, 2023 AND 2024 (Continued)
(All amounts
in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
 
 
   
Issued
ordinary shares
   
Additional
paid-in
   
Treasury
stock
   
Accumulated
other
comprehensive     Statutory    
Retained
   
Non-
controlling    
Total
shareholders’  
 
  Note    
Share
    Amount    
capital
   
Share
   
Amount
   
income
   
reserve
   
earnings
   
interest
   
equity
 
 
 
 
   
 
    RMB    
RMB
   
 
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
   
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
 
Balance
as of December 31, 2023
   
 
      1,550,071,169     
103     
5,748,734      (223,676,230)     (1,199,683)    
80,006     
762,472     
8,357,153     
122,113     
13,870,898 
Repurchase of ordinary shares
   
13      
-     
-     
-     
(88,949,555)    
(643,208)    
-     
-     
-     
-     
(643,208)
Share-based compensation
   
14      
-     
-     
144,052     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
144,052 
Exercise of share-based compensation plans
   
14      
-     
-     
(77,349)    
28,805,340     
77,349     
-     
-     
-     
-     
- 
Net profit
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
2,383,146     
4,699     
2,387,845 
Dividends paid to shareholders
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
(441,331)    
-     
(441,331)
Foreign currency translation
adjustment
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
12,620     
-     
-     
-     
12,620 
Appropriation to statutory
reserve
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
90,251     
(90,251)    
-     
- 
Capital
reduction by non-controlling interest
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
(142)    
(142)
Business
Combination
   
 
     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
-     
222,941     
222,941 
Balance
as of December 31, 2024
   
 
      1,550,071,169     
103     
5,815,437      (283,820,445)     (1,765,542)    
92,626     
852,723      10,208,717     
349,611     
15,553,675 
 
The
accompanying notes form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
 
F-11

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS
FOR
THE YEARS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022, 2023 AND 2024
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
 
 
For
the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$
Note 2(f)
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
Cash
flows from operating activities:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Net
profit
 
 
2,281,256   
 
2,383,485   
 
2,387,845   
 
327,132 
Adjustments
to reconcile net profit to net cash provided by
(used in) operating activities:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Provision
for loans receivable
 
 
415,902   
 
586,843   
 
320,013   
 
43,842 
Provision
for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
390,882   
 
253,948   
 
317,049   
 
43,436 
Provision
for quality assurance receivable
 
 
176,310   
 
354,366   
 
378,695   
 
51,881 
Depreciation
and amortization
 
 
23,825   
 
22,515   
 
69,491   
 
9,520 
Amortization
of right-of-use asset and interest of leasing
liabilities
 
 
41,181   
 
46,575   
 
16,761   
 
2,296 
Change
in fair value of short-term investments
 
 
(9,806)  
 
(32,462)  
 
(45,589)  
 
(6,246)
Gain
or loss from investments
 
 
6,890   
 
722   
 
(7,752)  
 
(1,062)
Net
gain from investment in loans
 
 
(1,174,204)  
 
(1,049,379)  
 
(853,779)  
 
(116,967)
Share-based
compensation
 
 
89,030   
 
116,407   
 
144,052   
 
19,735 
Impairment
of intangible assets
 
 
255   
 
-   
 
-   
 
- 
Interest
expense on short-term borrowings
 
 
-   
 
-   
 
168   
 
23 
Changes
in operating assets and liabilities:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Accounts
receivable and contract assets
 
 
(717,481)  
 
(245,041)  
 
(514,391)  
 
(70,471)
Quality
assurance receivable
 
 
(914,367)  
 
(440,126)  
 
(262,671)  
 
(35,986)
Deferred
tax assets
 
 
(463,620)  
 
(704,964)  
 
(863,303)  
 
(118,272)
Prepaid
expenses and other assets
 
 
(1,152,660)  
 
124,972   
 
1,705,744   
 
233,686 
Deferred
guarantee income
 
 
715,661   
 
76,872   
 
(366,086)  
 
(50,154)
Liability
from quality assurance commitment
 
 
367,057   
 
(249,486)  
 
(342,016)  
 
(46,855)
Payroll
and welfare payable
 
 
21,490   
 
(12,880)  
 
28,385   
 
3,889 
Taxes
payable
 
 
(66,621)  
 
73,450   
 
499,086   
 
68,375 
Contract
liabilities
 
 
(3,327)  
 
-   
 
5,076   
 
695 
Leasing
liabilities
 
 
(40,837)  
 
(43,539)  
 
(22,908)  
 
(3,139)
Deferred
tax liabilities
 
 
94,556   
 
108,420   
 
141,665   
 
19,408 
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities
 
 
155,545   
 
(9,826)  
 
157,625   
 
21,595 
Net
cash provided by operating activities
 
 
236,917   
 
1,360,872   
 
2,893,160   
 
396,361 
Cash
flows from investing activities:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Collection
of loans originated and held by the Group
 
 
10,812,431   
 
7,338,026   
 
6,853,291   
 
938,896 
Investment
in loans originated and held by the Group
 
 
(10,075,218)  
 
(5,829,136)  
 
(9,352,176)  
 
(1,281,243)
Proceeds
from disposal of investments
 
 
3,158   
 
6,029   
 
7,583   
 
1,039 
Purchase
of investments
 
 
(119,858)  
 
(67,800)  
 
(35,165)  
 
(4,818)
Proceeds
from short-term investments
 
 
15,013,648   
 
12,430,443   
 
7,517,922   
 
1,029,951 
Purchase
of short-term investments
 
 
(17,134,614)  
 
(11,929,977)  
 
(7,343,894)  
 
(1,006,109)
Purchase
of property, equipment and software
 
 
(52,775)  
 
(538,095)  
 
(27,757)  
 
(3,803)
Net
funds paid on behalf of customers
 
 
-   
 
(1,498)  
 
(16,354)  
 
(2,240)
Proceeds
from disposal of a subsidiary
 
 
-   
 
4,000   
 
(703)  
 
(96)
Cash
paid for business combinations, net of cash acquired
 
 
-   
 
-   
 
101,437   
 
13,897 
Net
cash (used in) provided by investing activities
 
 
(1,553,228)  
 
1,411,992   
 
(2,295,816)  
 
(314,526)
 
F-12

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
CONSOLIDATED
STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS (Continued)
FOR THE YEARS
ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2022, 2023 AND 2024
(All amounts
in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
 
 
For
the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
 
 
2023
 
 
2024
 
 
 
RMB
 
 
RMB
 
 
RMB
 
 
US
Note 2(f)
 
 
 
    
    
    
  
Cash
flows from financing activities:
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Cash
received from investors - consolidated trusts
 
 
1,339,459   
 
1,272,700   
 
780,000   
 
106,860 
Cash
paid to investors - consolidated trusts
 
 
(1,436,195)  
 
(2,735,478)  
 
(439,599)  
 
(60,225)
Net
funds held for customers
 
 
31,916   
 
54,049   
 
121,733   
 
16,677 
Cash
received from short-term borrowings
 
 
-   
 
5,756   
 
28,094   
 
3,849 
Repayment
of short-term borrowings
 
 
-   
 
-   
 
(28,262)  
 
(3,872)
Cash
paid for dividends
 
 
(372,483)  
 
(430,353)  
 
(441,331)  
 
(60,462)
Repurchase
of ordinary shares
 
 
(340,781)  
 
(694,521)  
 
(643,208)  
 
(88,119)
Proceeds
from exercise of share options
 
 
10,590   
 
2,280   
 
-   
 
- 
Capital
(reduction by) injection from non-controlling interest
shareholders
 
 
3,554   
 
20,565   
 
(142)  
 
(20)
Net
cash used in financing activities
 
 
(763,940)  
 
(2,505,002)  
 
(622,715)  
 
(85,312)
Effect
of exchange rate changes on cash, cash equivalents and
restricted cash
 
 
67,797   
 
22,441   
 
3,053   
 
419 
Net
(decrease) increase in cash, cash equivalents and
restricted cash
 
 
(2,012,454)  
 
290,303   
 
(22,318)  
 
(3,058)
Cash,
cash equivalents and restricted cash at beginning of year 
 
8,491,541   
 
6,479,087   
 
6,769,390   
 
927,403 
Cash,
cash equivalents and restricted cash at end of year
 
 
6,479,087   
 
6,769,390   
 
6,747,072   
 
924,345 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Supplemental
disclosure of cash investing and financing
activities
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Cash
paid for interest including interest paid to investors of
consolidated trusts
 
 
(83,410)  
 
(87,100)  
 
(38,310)  
 
(5,248)
Cash
paid for income taxes
 
 
(963,249)  
 
(960,477)  
 
(673,736)  
 
(92,301)
Supplemental
disclosure of non-cash investing and financing
activities
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Payable for purchase of
property, equipment and software
 
 
1,132   
 
-   
 
-   
 
- 
Payable for purchase of
intangible assets
 
 
5,000   
 
5,000   
 
5,000   
 
685 
Payable for repurchase
of ordinary shares
 
 
3,057   
 
-   
 
-   
 
- 
Receivable from exercise
of share options
 
 
2,280   
 
-   
 
-   
 
- 
 
The
following table sets forth cash, cash equivalents and restricted cash by category within the Consolidated Balance Sheets:
 
 
 
As
of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$ Note
2(f)
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
Cash and cash equivalents
 
 
4,969,319   
 
4,672,772   
 
640,167 
Restricted cash
 
 
1,800,071   
 
2,074,300   
 
284,178 
Total cash, cash equivalents
and restricted cash
 
 
6,769,390   
 
6,747,072   
 
924,345 
 
The
accompanying notes form an integral part of these consolidated financial statements.
 
F-13

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
1.
Principal activities and organization
 
FinVolution
Group (the “Company”) is an investment holding company and with its consolidated subsidiaries and the consolidated
variable interest entities (“VIEs”) (collectively
referred to as the “Group”) operates an online consumer
finance platforms through its platform (www.ppdai.com) and PPDai mobile application registered in the People’s Republic
of
China (the “PRC” or “China”). The Company has been listed on the New York Stock Exchange in the United
States of America since November 2017. The Company had power
to direct activities of a number of VIEs through a series of commercial
agreements (the “VIE Agreements”) entered into between certain subsidiaries of the Group (the “WOFEs”),
the
VIEs and nominal shareholders of the VIEs.
 
As
of December 31, 2024, the Company’s principal subsidiaries and the consolidated VIEs are as follows:
 
Name
 
Percentage
of
direct
or indirect
economic
interest
 
 
Date
of
incorporation
 
Place of incorporation
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Subsidiaries
 
 
  
 
  
 
FinVolution (HK) Limited (“FinVolution
HK”)
 
 
100%  
June 12, 2012
 
Hong Kong, China
Bluebottle Limited
 
 
100%  
December 12, 2017
 
Hong Kong, China
Beijing Prosper Investment Consulting Co.,
Ltd. (“Beijing Prosper”)
 
 
100%  
August 21, 2012
 
Beijing, China
Shanghai Guangjian Information Technology
Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai Guangjian”)
 
 
100%  
June 5, 2017
 
Shanghai, China
Shanghai Shanghu Information Technology
Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai Shanghu”)
 
 
100%  
June 15, 2017
 
Shanghai, China
Shanghai Manyin Information Technology Co.,
Ltd. (“Shanghai Manyin”)
 
 
100%  
February 12, 2018
 
Shanghai, China
PT Pembiayaan Digital Indonesia
 
 
80%  
June 5, 2018
 
Jakarta, Indonesia
Hainan Shanghu Information Technology Co.,
Ltd. (“Hainan Shanghu”)
 
 
100%  
August 1, 2018
 
Hainan, China
Consolidated
VIEs
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Beijing Paipairongxin Investment Consulting
Co., Ltd. (“Beijing Paipairongxin”)  
 
100%* 
June 15, 2012
 
Beijing, China
Shanghai Zihe Information Technology Group
Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai Zihe”)
 
 
100%* 
July 6, 2017
 
Shanghai, China
Shanghai Ledao Technology Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai
Ledao”)
 
 
100%* 
January 10, 2019
 
Shanghai, China
Consolidated
VIEs’ principal subsidiaries
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Shanghai PPDai Financial Information Services
Co., Ltd. (“Shanghai PPDai”)
 
 
100%* 
January 18, 2011
 
Shanghai, China
Hefei PPDai Information Technology Co.,
Ltd.
 
 
100%* 
December 19, 2016
 
Anhui, China
Shanghai Erxu Information Technology Co.,
Ltd. (“Shanghai Erxu”)
 
 
100%* 
April 28, 2018
 
Shanghai, China
Fujian Zhiyun Financing Guarantee Co., Ltd.
(“Fujian Zhiyun”)
 
 
100%* 
November 21, 2019
 
Fujian, China
 
 
* Have power to direct
activities via contractual relationships
 
 
F-14

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies
 
(a)
Basis of presentation
 
The
Group’s consolidated financial statements are prepared in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United
States of America (“U.S. GAAP”). The
preparation of financial statements in conformity with U.S. GAAP requires management
to make estimates and assumptions that affect the amounts reported in the accompanying
consolidated financial statements and related
disclosures. Actual results may differ from those estimates.
 
Reclassifications
 
Certain
prior period amounts have been reclassified in order to conform with the current period presentation. These reclassifications have no
impact on the Company’s previously
reported consolidated net results.
 
Change
in Presentation of Consolidated Statements of Cash Flows
 
During
the fourth quarter of 2024, the Company elected to change its presentation of the cash flows associated with net funds received on behalf of customers
that disbursed out
later as financing activities and net funds paid in advance on behalf of customers that were subsequently reimbursed as investing activities within its consolidated statements of cash
flows.
 
Following on this change, the
amount of RMB54,049 and RMB31,916 for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 respectively was adjusted from change in accrued
expenses and other
 liabilities to net funds held for customers. The net cash used in financing activities is therefore changed from RMB2,559,051 as previously
 reported to
RMB2,505,002 for the year ended December 31, 2023 and from RMB795,856 as previously reported to RMB763,940 for the year ended
December 31, 2022.
 
The
amount of RMB1,498
and nil
for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2022 respectively was adjusted from change in prepaid expenses and other assets to net
funds
paid on behalf of customers. The net cash provided by investing activities is therefore changed from RMB1,413,490
to RMB1,411,992
for the year ended December 31, 2023 and
stay unchanged for the year ended December 31, 2022.
 
The net cash provided by operating
activities is adjusted from RMB1,413,423 and RMB268,833 as previously reported to RMB1,360,872 and RMB236,917 for the years ended
December
31, 2023 and 2022 respectively.
 
(b)
Principle of consolidation
 
The
consolidated financial statements include the financial statements of the Company and its subsidiaries, which include the WOFEs and the
consolidated VIEs, for which the
Company is the ultimate primary beneficiary. 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.
 
The
Company depends on a series of contractual arrangements to provide the WOEFs with a “controlling financial interest” in the
VIEs, as defined in FASB ASC 810, making
it the primary beneficiary of the VIEs. The contractual arrangements provide the Company with
the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic
performance of the VIEs and with the obligation to absorb
losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIEs that could potentially be significant to the VIEs and as such they are
the primary
beneficiary and consolidate the VIEs for financial reporting.
 
All
transactions and balances among the Company, its subsidiaries, the VIEs and the VIEs’ subsidiaries have been eliminated upon consolidation.
 
F-15

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(b)
Principle of consolidation (continued)
 
Details
of the VIE structure are set forth below:
 
i)
VIE Agreements that give the Company the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the
VIEs
 
Business
Operation Agreement
 
Pursuant
to the relevant business operation agreements, the shareholders of the VIEs agree that to the extent permitted by law, they will accept
and unconditionally execute the
WOFEs’ instructions on business operations, such as appointment of directors and executive officers.
They further agree that, without the WOFEs’ prior written consent, the VIEs
will not take any action that may have material adverse
effects on their assets, businesses, human resources, rights, obligations, or business operations. The shareholders of the VIEs
agree
to transfer any dividends or other similar income or interests they receive as the shareholders of the VIEs, if any, immediately and
unconditionally to the WOFEs. This
agreement also requires each of the shareholders of the VIEs to issue an irrevocable power of attorney
authorizing the WOFEs or any person(s) designated by the WOFEs to execute
shareholders’ rights on behalf of such shareholder. Unless
 the WOFEs terminate this agreement in advance, the agreement will remain effective until the VIEs are dissolved
pursuant to PRC law.
 
Power
of Attorney
 
Pursuant
to each power of attorney, each shareholder of the VIEs have irrevocably appointed the WOFEs or any persons designated by the WOFEs to
act as such shareholder’s
attorney-in-fact to exercise all shareholder rights under PRC law and the relevant articles of association,
including but not limited to, appointing directors, supervisors and officers of
the VIEs as well as the right to sell, transfer, pledge
and dispose all or a portion of the shares held by Nominee Shareholder. The power of attorney will remain in force for ten years
unless
early terminated by the WOFEs. The term of the power of attorney can be extended at the WOFEs’ option until the VIEs are dissolved
in accordance with PRC law and
regulation.
 
Exclusive
Option Agreement
 
Pursuant
 to the exclusive option agreements, the Nominee Shareholders of the VIEs granted the WOFEs or any third party designated by the WOFEs
the exclusive and
irrevocable right to purchase from the Nominee Shareholders, to the extent permitted by PRC law and regulations, all
or part of its respective equity interests in the VIEs for a
purchase price equal to the registered capital. The Nominee Shareholders
will then return the purchase price to the WOFEs or any third party designated by the WOFEs after the
option is exercised. The WOFEs
may transfer all or part of its option to a third party at its own option. The VIEs and the Nominee Shareholders agree that without prior
written
consent of the WOFEs, they may not transfer or otherwise dispose the equity interests or declare any dividend. The exclusive
option agreement will remain effective until the
WOFEs or any third party designated by the WOFEs acquire all equity interest of the
VIEs.
 
F-16

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(b)
Principle of consolidation (continued)
 
i)
VIE Agreements that give the Company the power to direct the activities that most significantly impact the economic performance of the
VIEs (continued)
 
Equity
Pledge Agreement
 
Pursuant
to relevant equity pledge agreements, each shareholder of the VIEs has pledged all of his or her equity interest held in the VIEs to
the WOFEs to guarantee his or her
obligations under the business operation agreement, the power of attorney, exclusive option agreement
and the exclusive technology consulting and service agreement. In the event
that the VIEs breach any obligations under these agreements,
the WOFEs as the pledgee, will be entitled to request immediate disposal of the pledged equity interests and have
priority to be compensated
by the proceeds from the disposal of the pledged equity. The Nominee Shareholders may not dispose of the equity interests or create or
permit any
pledges which may have an adverse effect on the rights or benefits of the WOFEs without the prior written consent of the WOFEs.
The relevant share pledge agreements will remain
effective until the VIEs and its Nominee Shareholders discharge all of their obligations
under the VIE Agreements and the pledgee consents such discharge in writing.
 
ii)
VIE Agreement that give the Company the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits from the VIEs that could
potentially be significant to the VIEs
 
Exclusive
technology consulting and service agreement
 
Pursuant
to the exclusive technology consulting and service agreements, WOFEs have the exclusive right to provide the VIEs and their subsidiaries
(as designated in the
agreement) with technical support, consulting services and other services. The WOFEs shall exclusively own any
 intellectual property arising from the performance of the
agreement. During the term of this agreement, the VIEs and their designated
subsidiaries may not accept any services covered by this agreement provided by any third party. The
VIEs and their designated subsidiaries
agree to pay service fees equal to 100% of the net profit generated or otherwise determined by the WOFEs. Except by mutual agreement
upon
early termination by parties in writing, the exclusive business cooperation agreement will remain effective until the VIEs and their
 designated subsidiaries are dissolved in
accordance with PRC law and regulation.
 
Based
on these contractual agreements, the Company believes that the VIEs as described above should be considered as VIEs because the equity
holders do not have significant
equity at risk nor do they have the characteristics of a controlling financial interest. Given that the
Company, through the WOFEs, is the primary beneficiary of these VIEs, the
Company believes that these VIEs should be consolidated based
on the structure as described above.
 
F-17

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(b)
Principle of consolidation (continued)
 
The
Group has established a series of trusts administrated by third-party trust companies. Since these trusts make loans solely to
borrowers referred by the Group to provide
returns to the trust beneficiaries, the Group has power to direct the activities of the
trusts. In addition, the Group has the obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive benefits
from the trusts that could
potentially be significant to the trusts. As a result, the Group is considered the primary beneficiary of the trusts and their
assets including loans receivable
(Note 4), liabilities, results of operations and cash flows are consolidated under Accounting
Standards Codification (“ASC”) 810.
 
The
following table sets forth the assets, liabilities, results of operations and cash flows of the VIEs and their subsidiaries (including
the consolidated trusts), which are included
in the Group’s consolidated financial statements. Transactions between the VIEs (including
the consolidated trusts) and their subsidiaries are eliminated in the balances presented
below:
 
 
 
As
of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
Cash and cash equivalents
 
 
2,106,153   
 
2,343,220 
Restricted cash
 
 
1,502,159   
 
1,889,665 
Short-term investments
 
 
1,639,762   
 
1,653,847 
Accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
1,935,393   
 
2,106,533 
Quality assurance receivable
 
 
1,485,333   
 
1,100,960 
Property, equipment and software, net
 
 
15,717   
 
489,931 
Intangible assets
 
 
34,932   
 
48,932 
Right of use assets
 
 
31,213   
 
23,995 
Loans and receivables, net of credit loss allowance
for loans receivables
 
 
649,839   
 
3,499,667 
Investments
 
 
964,755   
 
972,952 
Investment in subsidiaries
 
 
108,800   
 
113,571 
Deferred tax assets
 
 
1,079,307   
 
2,042,468 
Amounts due from Group companies
 
 
2,544,968   
 
2,457,600 
Amounts due from related parties
 
 
4,867   
 
952 
Prepaid expenses and other
assets
 
 
3,096,253   
 
816,569 
Total
assets
 
 
17,199,451   
 
19,560,862 
 
 
 
    
 
  
Deferred guarantee income
 
 
1,603,682   
 
1,283,000 
Liability from quality assurance commitment
 
 
2,985,013   
 
2,591,768 
Payroll and welfare payable
 
 
142,614   
 
153,686 
Taxes payable
 
 
133,473   
 
561,475 
Funds payable to investors of consolidated
trusts
 
 
436,322   
 
793,720 
Contract liabilities
 
 
5,109   
 
10,185 
Deferred tax liabilities
 
 
65,201   
 
112,604 
Leasing liabilities
 
 
32,811   
 
22,673 
Amounts due to Group companies
 
 
6,248,306   
 
7,533,335 
Amounts due to related parties
 
 
134   
 
130 
Accrued expenses and other
liabilities
 
 
702,030   
 
878,881 
Total
liabilities
 
 
12,354,695   
 
13,941,457 
 
F-18

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(b)
Principle of consolidation (continued)
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
    
  
Third-party revenues
 
 
9,340,431   
 
9,859,539   
 
9,796,032 
Group company revenues
 
 
535,053   
 
498,189   
 
391,348 
Net revenues
 
 
9,875,484   
 
10,357,728   
 
10,187,380 
Third-party expenses
 
 
(3,567,004)  
 
(3,633,284)  
 
(3,777,621)
Group company expenses
 
 
(3,343,680)  
 
(3,542,004)  
 
(2,414,323)
Related party expenses
 
 
(37)  
 
-   
 
- 
Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
(284,384)  
 
(78,148)  
 
(137,321)
Provision for loans receivable
 
 
(92,790)  
 
(30,394)  
 
(38,823)
Credit losses for quality assurance commitment
 
 
(2,981,336)  
 
(3,557,174)  
 
(3,584,954)
Total operating expenses
 
 
(10,269,231)  
 
(10,841,004)  
 
(9,953,042)
Income from subsidiaries
 
 
2,379   
 
3,719   
 
6,099 
Income (loss) from operations
 
 
(391,368)  
 
(479,557)  
 
240,437 
Other income, net
 
 
158,724   
 
232,074   
 
197,116 
Profit (loss) before income tax expense
 
 
(232,644)  
 
(247,483)  
 
437,553 
Income tax expenses
 
 
(23,242)  
 
(35,112)  
 
(88,667)
Net profit (loss)
 
 
(255,886)  
 
(282,595)  
 
348,886 
  
 
 
For
the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
    
  
Cash used in operating activities
under service agreements for Group companies
 
 
(3,598,761)  
 
(2,132,263)  
 
(828,977)
Cash provided by operating activities under
service agreements for Group
companies
 
 
650,751   
 
555,623   
 
599,941 
Net cash provided by operating
activities for third-parties
 
 
1,298,627   
 
985,102   
 
3,146,094 
Net
cash provided by (used in) operating activities
 
 
(1,649,383)  
 
(591,538)  
 
2,917,058 
Capital contribution to Group companies
 
 
(10,020)  
 
-   
 
- 
Collection of loans from Group companies
 
 
72,373   
 
122,365   
 
228,155 
Cash paid as loans extended to Group companies
 
 
(304,533)  
 
(408,030)  
 
(215,882)
Other investing activities
 
 
(756,382)  
 
1,579,038   
 
(2,566,463)
Net
cash provided by (used in) investing activities
 
 
(998,562)  
 
1,293,373   
 
(2,554,190)
Repayment of loans to Group companies
 
 
(134,307)  
 
(1,667,749)  
 
(3,655,152)
Cash received as loans from Group companies
 
 
1,533,401   
 
1,357,249   
 
3,576,456 
Other financing activities
 
 
(96,736)  
 
(1,462,779)  
 
340,401 
Net
cash provided by (used in) provided by financing activities
 
 
1,302,358   
 
(1,773,279)  
 
261,705 
 
F-19

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(b)
Principle of consolidation (continued)
 
Under
the VIE Arrangements, the Company has the power to direct activities of the VIEs and can have assets transferred out of the VIEs. Therefore,
the Company considers
that there is no asset in the VIEs that can be used only to settle obligations of the VIEs, except for registered
capital and PRC statutory reserves, if any. As the VIEs are incorporated
as limited liability company under the Company Law of the PRC,
creditors of the VIEs do not have recourse to the general credit of the Company for any of the liabilities of the
VIEs.
 
Currently
 there is no contractual arrangement which requires the Company to provide additional financial support to the VIEs. However, as the Company
 conducts its
businesses primarily based on the licenses and approvals held by the VIEs and their subsidiaries, the Company has provided
and will continue to provide financial support to the
VIEs. VIEs’ assets comprise both recognized and unrecognized revenue-producing
assets. The recognized revenue-producing assets include leasehold improvements, computers and
network equipment and purchased intangible
assets which are recognized in the Company’s consolidated balance sheet. The unrecognized revenue-producing assets mainly consist
of copyrights, trademarks and operation licenses which are not recorded in the financial statements of VIEs as they did not meet the
recognition criteria set in ASC 350-30-25.
 
(c)
Business combinations and non-controlling 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 values of the assets transferred and liabilities incurred by the Company
to the sellers and equity instruments issued. Transaction
costs directly attributable to the acquisition are expensed as incurred. Identifiable assets and liabilities acquired or assumed
are
measured separately at their fair values as of the acquisition date, irrespective of the extent of any non-controlling interests. The
excess of (i) the total costs of acquisition, fair
value of the non-controlling 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 income statements. 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. Upon the conclusion
of the measurement period or final determination of the values of assets acquired or liabilities
assumed, whichever comes first, any
subsequent adjustments are recorded to the consolidated statements of operations.
 
In
 a business combination achieved in stages, the Company re-measures the previously held equity interest in the acquiree immediately before
 obtaining control at its
acquisition-date fair value and the re-measurement gain or loss, if any, is recognized in the consolidated income
statements.
 
When
there is a change in ownership interests that result in a loss of control of a subsidiary, the Company deconsolidates the subsidiary
from the date control is lost. Any
retained non-controlling investment in the former subsidiary is measured at fair value and is included
in the calculation of the gain or loss upon deconsolidation of the subsidiary.
 
F-20

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(c)
Business combinations and non-controlling interests (continued)
 
For
 the Company’s majority-owned subsidiaries and the consolidated VIEs, a non-controlling interest is recognized to reflect the portion
 of their equity which is not
attributable, directly or indirectly, to the Company. Consolidated net income (loss) on the consolidated
 income statements includes the net income (loss) attributable to non-
controlling interests and mezzanine equity holders when applicable.
Net income (loss) attributable to mezzanine equity holders is included in net income (loss) attributable to non-
controlling interests
on the consolidated income statements, while it is excluded from the consolidated statements of changes in shareholders’ equity.
The cumulative results of
operations attributable to non-controlling interests, along with adjustments for share-based compensation expense
 arising from outstanding share-based awards relating to
subsidiaries’ shares, are also recorded as non-controlling interests in
the Company’s consolidated balance sheets. Cash flows related to transactions with non-controlling interests are
presented under
financing activities in the consolidated statements of cash flows.
 
(d)
Use of estimates
 
The
preparation of consolidated financial statements in accordance with U.S. GAAP requires management to make estimates and assumptions that
affect the amounts reported
and disclosed in the consolidated financial statements and accompanying notes.
 
Financial
statements amounts that reflect accounting estimates and assumptions include revenue recognition, measurement for provisions
and liabilities in scope for ASC Topic
326 including credit loss provision for quality assurance receivables, loan receivables and accounts
 receivable and contract assets as well as liability from quality assurance
commitment, valuation allowance for deferred tax assets, determination
of uncertain tax positions, and valuation of share-based awards. Such accounting estimates are impacted by
judgements and
assumptions used in the preparation of the Group’s consolidated financial statements, and actual results could differ materially
from these estimates. Changes in
estimates are recorded in the period they are identified.
 
(e)
Foreign currency and foreign currency translation
 
The
Group uses Renminbi (“RMB”) as its reporting currency. The US$ is the functional currency of the Group’s entities
incorporated in Cayman Islands and Hong Kong, the
Indonesian Rupiah (IDR Rp) is the functional currency of the Group’s
Indonesia subsidiaries and the RMB is the functional currency of the Group’s PRC subsidiaries.
 
Transactions
denominated in other than the functional currencies are re-measured into the functional currency of the entity at the exchange rates
prevailing on the transaction
dates. Financial assets and liabilities denominated in other than the functional currency are re-measured
at the balance sheet date exchange rate. The resulting exchange differences
are recorded in the consolidated statements of comprehensive
income.
 
The
financial statements of the Group are translated from the functional currency to the reporting currency, RMB assets and liabilities
of the subsidiaries are translated into
RMB using the exchange rate in effect at each balance sheet date. Income and expenses items
are generally translated at the average exchange rates prevailing during the fiscal year.
Foreign currency translation adjustments
arising from these are accumulated as a separate component of shareholders’ equity on the consolidated financial statements.
The exchange
rates used for translation on December 31, 2023 and 2024 were US$1.00= RMB7.0827
 and RMB7.1884,
 IDR Rp1.00 = RMB0.000461 and RMB0.000451, respectively,
representing the index rates stipulated by the People’s Bank of
China.
 
F-21

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(f)
Convenience translation
 
Translations
of balances in the Group’s consolidated balance sheet, consolidated statement of operations and comprehensive income and consolidated
statement of cash flows
from RMB into US$ as of and for year ended December 31, 2024 are solely for the convenience of the readers and
were calculated at the rate of US$1.00=RMB7.2993, representing
the noon buying rate set forth in the H.10 statistical release of the
U.S. Federal Reserve Board on December 31, 2024. No representation is made that the RMB amounts could have
been, or could be, converted,
realized or settled into US$ at that rate on December 31, 2024, or at any other rate.
 
(g)
Significant risks and uncertainties
 
Risk
of concentration
 
As
of December 31, 2023 and 2024, the majority of the Group’s cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash and short-term investments
were held in major financial institutions
located in the PRC, Indonesia and the Philippines, which management considers to be of high
credit quality. Accounts receivable and contract assets are generally unsecured and
denominated in RMB, and are derived from revenues
earned from operations arising primarily in the PRC. No individual customer accounted for more than 10% of net revenues for
the years
ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024. No individual customer accounted for more than 10% of accounts receivable and contract assets
as of December 31, 2023 and
2024. As of December 31, 2024, approximately 85% of the Group’s cash and cash equivalents, restricted
cash and short-term investments were held in the financial institutions in
the PRC and the remaining cash and cash equivalents and restricted
cash were held in financial institutions outside the PRC.
 
Risk
of uncertainties
 
In
October 2019, the China Banking and Insurance Regulatory Commission, together with eight other regulatory agencies jointly promulgated
the Supplemental Rules to the
Administration of Financing Guarantee Companies (“Circular 37”), which provides that any entity
providing client referral or credit assessment services to the lending institutions
may not provide financing guarantee services in a
 direct or a disguised form without the regulatory approval. If any entity operates financing guarantee business or provide
financing
guarantee services in a disguised form without appropriate approval, its business operations will be banned by the regulatory authorities
and it will be required to properly
settle existing business. Such entity might also be subject to penalties including fines and confiscation
of illegal gains if applicable. In the Group’s collaboration with institutional
funding partners, in order to attract and maintain
such business relationship, the Group currently provides quality assurance commitment mainly through (i) repurchase of default
loans
 from third-party guarantee companies which provide guarantee for the loans from institutional funding partners and (ii) setting aside
 security deposits with third-party
guarantee companies to ensure the Group has enough cash to perform its repurchase obligation if the
 borrowers introduced by the Group default. Due to the lack of legal
interpretation for financing guarantee in a disguised form, there
is uncertainty related to whether such quality assurance commitment provided to institutional funding partners
constitutes a financing
guarantee in a disguised form. If the quality assurance commitment provided by the Group were determined to be a financing guarantee
in a disguised form,
the Group’s business, financial condition, results of operations and liquidity will be materially and adversely
affected.
 
In
order to reduce the compliance risk under Circular 37, the Group incorporated three licensed financial guarantee companies since 2019,
which, since the incorporation,
provide direct guarantees for certain loans funded by the institutional funding partners. The Group increased the registered capital of the guarantee subsidiaries from RMB1.9 billion
as of December
31, 2020 to RMB2.9 billion as of December 31, 2024. The Group will continue its effort to increase its guarantee capability by increasing
the capital of its financial
guarantee subsidiaries to continue reducing its risk of noncompliance.
 
F-22

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(h)
Cash and cash equivalents
 
Cash
 and cash equivalents represent cash on hand, demand deposits placed with banks or other financial institutions, which are unrestricted
 to withdrawal or use. As of
December 31, 2023 and 2024, the Group did not have any cash equivalents.
 
(i)
Restricted cash
 
Restricted
cash includes:
 
(i)
Cash
in quality assurance managed by the Group through designated bank accounts under the new
quality assurance program. These funds are used for making payments
to institutional funding
partners for default loans that are subject to quality assurance protection. As of December
31, 2023 and 2024, the restricted cash related to quality
assurance obligations were RMB342,163
and nil, respectively.
 
 
 
(ii)
Cash
held in escrow accounts that is jointly managed by the Group and institutional funding partners.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2024, the restricted cash managed by
the Group and institutional
funding partners amounted to RMB608,185 and RMB864,440, respectively.
 
 
 
(iii) Cash
received via consolidated trusts that has not yet been distributed. As of December 31, 2023
and 2024, the restricted cash related to cash not yet distributed amounted
to RMB265,924
and RMB701,928, respectively.
 
 
 
(iv) Cash
held in capital escrow account as paid-in capital. As of December 31, 2023 and 2024, the
restricted cash held in escrow capital account amounted to RMB90,000
and nil, respectively.
 
 
 
(v)
Cash
received from borrowers that has not yet been disbursed to institutional funding partners.
As of December 31, 2023 and 2024, the restricted cash held as related to
cash not yet disbursed
amounted to RMB415,033 and RMB396,523, respectively.
 
The
rest of the balance in restricted cash also includes cash received from investors or borrowers that has not yet been disbursed due to
a settlement time lag.
 
(j)
Short-term Investments
 
Short-term
investments consist of investments in time deposits and wealth management products. Time deposits can be withdrawn at any time in full
before maturity, and the
interest rate would be different from the original agreed rate. The wealth management products are certain financial
products with variable interest rates and principal not guaranteed
with certain financial institutions. As of December 31, 2023 and 2024,
the balance of short-term investments are RMB2,960,821 and RMB2,832,382, respectively, of which, the
restricted balances are RMB540,000
and RMB412,974, respectively.
 
Realized
 and unrealized gain related to the short-term investments is recorded as other income in the consolidated statements of comprehensive
 income. RMB101,153,
RMB110,831 and RMB104,842 was recognized for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
 
F-23

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(k)
Accounts receivable, contract assets and credit loss allowance
 
Accounts
receivable and contract assets is related to the facilitation and post-facilitation service in relation to loans facilitated by the Group.
Contract assets represent the
Group’s right to consideration in exchange for services that the Group has transferred to the customer
before payment is due. The Group only recognizes accounts receivable and
contract assets to the extent that the Group believes it is
probable that it will collect substantially all of the consideration to which it will be entitled to in exchange for the services
transferred
to the customer.
 
Accounts
receivable and contract assets is stated at the historical carrying amount net of write-offs and credit risk allowance. The Group establishes
a credit loss allowance
based on expectations of lifetime credit losses based on historical default experience, known or inherent risks
in the portfolio, current economic conditions and macroeconomics
forecasts as well as other factors surrounding the credit risk of borrowers.
 
(l)
Investments
 
The
Group has classified its investments into equity method investments and non-marketable equity investments.
 
The
Group applies equity method in accounting for its investments in entities in which the Group has the ability to exercise significant
influence but does not have control and
the investments are in either common stock or in-substance common stock. Unrealized gains on
transactions between the Group and an affiliated entity are eliminated to the extent
of the Group’s interest in the affiliated
entity, unrealized losses are also eliminated unless the transaction provides evidence of an impairment of the asset transferred. The
Group
accounts for private equity funds using the equity method of accounting unless the Group’s interest is so minor that the
Group may have virtually no influence over partnership
operating and financial policies.
 
Non-marketable
equity investments are investments in privately held companies without readily determinable market values. They are measured at cost
minus impairments, if
any, plus or minus changes resulting from observable price changes in orderly transactions for identical or a similar
investment of the same issuer. The changes in the fair value of
non-marketable equity investments are recognized in the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income.
 
The
following table sets forth the investments that the Group holds as of December 31, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
 
 
 
As
of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
Equity method investments
 
 
179,966   
 
193,062 
Non-marketable equity
investments
 
 
955,167   
 
979,941 
 
 
1,135,133   
 
1,173,003 
 
Equity
method investments
 
For
the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the Group made investments in several private equity funds and accounted these investments
as equity method
investments as the Group has ability to significantly influence the operations or financial activities of the investees.
For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the
Group recognized an impairment loss of RMB6,000, nil and nil for equity method
investments, respectively.
 
F-24

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted) 
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(l)
Investments (continued)
 
Non-marketable
equity investments
 
For
the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the Group primarily made investments of no more than 10% of equity interest in several
non-listed companies. These
investments were accounted for as non-marketable equity investment using measurement alternative because
these investments do not have readily determinable fair value and the
Group does not have significant influence over the investees. For
the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the Group recognized an impairment loss of nil, RMB2,479
and nil for non-marketable
equity investments, respectively.
 
(m)
Fair value measurement
 
Fair
value is 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.
When determining the fair value measurements for assets and liabilities required or permitted to
be recorded at fair value, the Group considers the principal or most advantageous
market in which it would transact and it considers
assumptions that market participants would use when pricing the asset or liability.
 
The
established fair value hierarchy 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 that may be used to measure fair value include:
 
Level
1: Quoted prices (unadjusted) in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
 
Level
2: Observable, market-based inputs, other than quoted prices, in active markets for identical assets or liabilities.
 
Level
3: Unobservable inputs to the valuation methodology that are significant to the measurement of the fair value of the assets or liabilities.
 
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.
 
The
Group does not have any non-financial assets or liabilities that are recognized or disclosed at fair value in the financial statements
on a recurring basis.
 
The
Group’s financial instruments consist principally of cash and cash equivalents, restricted cash, short-term investments, quality
assurance receivable, loans receivable,
accounts receivable, quality assurance payable, deferred guarantee income, liability from quality
assurance commitment, short-term borrowings and other liabilities.
 
Short-term
investments
 
The
short-term investments consist of time deposits and wealth management products. The short-term investments are measured at fair value.
 
Other
financial instruments
 
The
carrying amounts of financial instruments other than short-term investments, approximate their fair values due to the short-term maturities
of these instruments.
 
F-25

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(m)
Fair value measurement (continued)
 
Assets
and liabilities measured at fair value on a recurring basis
 
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, 2023
 
 
 
Level 1 Inputs
   
Level 2 Inputs
   
Level 3 Inputs
   
Balance at Fair value  
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
Assets
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Short-term investments
 
 
-   
 
2,960,821   
 
-   
 
2,960,821 
 
December
31, 2024
 
 
 
Level 1 Inputs
   
Level 2 Inputs
   
Level 3 Inputs
   
Balance at Fair value  
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
Assets
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Short-term investments
 
 
-   
 
2,832,382   
 
-   
 
2,832,382 
 
The
 Group values its short-term investments held in certain banks using quoted rate of return or quoted subscription/redemption prices published
 by the banks for these
products, and accordingly, the Group classifies such short-term investments as Level 2 within the fair value hierarchy
based on the nature of the fair value inputs.
 
Assets
and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis
 
Non-marketable
equity investments are measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis. The following table sets forth the unrealized gains and losses
from remeasurement
(referred to as upward or downward adjustments) recorded as adjustments to the carrying value of non-marketable equity
investments held as of December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024
based on the observable price in an orderly transaction for the same or similar
security of the same issuers:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
    
    
  
Upward adjustments
 
 
-   
 
-   
 
- 
Downward adjustments (including impairment)
 
 
-   
 
(2,479)  
 
- 
Total unrealized gain (losses)
 
 
-   
 
(2,479)  
 
- 
 
F-26

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(m)
Fair value measurement (continued)
 
Assets
and liabilities measured at fair value on a non-recurring basis (continued)
 
The
following table sets forth the total carrying value of the Group’s non-marketable equity investments at fair value on a non-recurring
basis held as of December 31, 2023 and
2024 including cumulative unrealized upward and downward adjustments made to the initial cost
basis of the securities:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
    
  
Initial cost basis
 
 
990,927   
 
1,015,701 
Upward adjustments
 
 
3,319   
 
3,319 
Downward adjustments (including impairment)
 
 
(39,079)  
 
(39,079)
Total carrying value at the end of the period
 
 
955,167   
 
979,941 
 
(n)
Net interest income
 
The
Group, through consolidated trust plans (See Note 4), subsidiaries and consolidated VIEs, originate and hold loans.
 
Interest
on loans receivable is accrued based on the contractual interest rates of the loan as earned. Accrual of interest is generally discontinued
when reasonable doubt exists as
to the full, timely collection of interest or principal. When a loan is discontinued from interest accrual,
the Group stops accruing interest and reverses all accrued but unpaid interest
as of such date.
 
As
the Group is the primary beneficiary of the trusts, the return of the other trust parties is recorded as interest expense. The interest
expense is accrued based on the expected
rate of return during the contractual term of the alternative investment products and the trusts.
 
The
net interest income recorded in the consolidated statement of comprehensive income related to the loans originated by the Group recorded
for the years ended December
31, 2022, 2023 and 2024 are as follows:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
    
  
Interest income
 
 
1,320,510   
 
1,102,493   
 
873,148 
Less: Interest expense
 
 
(146,306)  
 
(53,114)  
 
(19,369)
Net interest income
 
 
1,174,204   
 
1,049,379   
 
853,779 
 
(o)
Property and equipment, net
 
Property
and equipment are stated at cost less accumulated depreciation and amortization. Property and equipment are depreciated over the estimated
useful lives of the assets
using the straight-line method taking into account the estimated residual value, if any. The following table
sets forth the estimated useful life and residual value:
 
Category
 
Estimated useful life
 
Residual value
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Office building
 
30 years 
 
5%
Office furniture and equipment
 
3-5 years 
 
5%
Computer and electronic equipment
 
3-5 years 
 
5%
Leasehold improvement
 
shorter of remaining lease period or estimated useful life 
 
Nil 
Software
 
1-5 years 
 
Nil 
 
F-27

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(o)
Property and equipment, net (continued)
 
Expenditures
 for maintenance and repairs are expensed as incurred. Upon retirement or sale, the cost of assets disposed of and the related accumulated
 depreciation
amortization are removed from the accounts and any resulting gain or loss is recognized in consolidated statement of comprehensive
income.
 
(p)
Intangible assets
 
As
of December 31, 2024, the intangible assets held by the Group includes micro-lending license, factoring license, multi-finance license,
collection license and insurance
brokerage license which have indefinite useful life. The Group evaluates these indefinite-lived intangible
 assets each reporting period to determine whether events and
circumstances continue to support an indefinite useful life. If an intangible
asset that is not being amortized is subsequently determined to have a finite useful life, the asset is tested
for impairment. Impairment
losses of long-lived assets related to intangible assets recognized for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024 were RMB255,
nil, and nil
respectively.
 
(q)
Goodwill
 
Goodwill
represents the excess of the purchase consideration over the fair value of the identifiable tangible and intangible assets acquired and
liabilities assumed of the acquired
entity as a result of the Company’s acquisitions of interests in its subsidiaries and the consolidated
VIEs. Goodwill is not amortized but is tested for impairment in accordance with
ASC Subtopic 350-20 (“ASC 350-20”), Intangibles
- Goodwill and Other: Goodwill on an annual basis, or more frequently if events or changes in circumstances indicate that it
might be
impaired. The guidance provides option that the Company may first assesse qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to
perform quantitative goodwill
impairment test. In the qualitative assessment, the Company considers primary factors such as industry
and market considerations, overall financial performance of the reporting
unit, and other specific information related to the operations.
Based on the qualitative assessment, if it is more likely than not that the fair value of each reporting unit is less than the
carrying
amount, the quantitative impairment test is performed. The quantitative impairment test consists of a comparison of the fair value of
each reporting unit with its carrying
amount, including goodwill. If the carrying amount of a reporting unit exceeds its fair value,
an impairment loss equal to the difference between the fair value and the carrying value
is recognized. Application of a goodwill impairment
test requires significant management judgment, including the identification of reporting units, assigning assets and liabilities to
reporting
units, assigning goodwill to reporting units, and determining the fair value of each reporting unit. Changes in these estimates and assumptions
could materially affect the
determination of fair value for each reporting unit.
 
(r)
Impairment of long-lived assets other than goodwill
 
The
Group evaluates its long-lived assets other than goodwill and intangible assets with indefinite useful life for impairment whenever events
or changes in circumstances
indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. Recoverability is measured by comparison
of the carrying amounts to the expected future undiscounted cash
flows attributable to these assets. If it is determined that an asset
is not recoverable, an impairment loss is recorded in the amount by which the carrying amount of the assets exceeds
the expected discounted
cash flows arising from those assets.
 
F-28

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(s)
Quality assurance obligations
 
For
off-balance sheet loans funded by institutional funding partners, the Group provides quality assurance commitment to compensate them
in the event of borrowers’ default in
the form of 1) guarantee provided by third-party financial guarantee companies or financial
guarantee company within the Group; or 2) insurance provided by third-party insurance
company, if the insurance coverage is exhausted,
a third party guarantee company will repay the institutional funding partner in full. In either cases, after the third-party guarantee
companies repay the overdue amount, the Group is obligated to compensate the third-party guarantee companies at an amount equal to the
repayment made to the institutional
funding partners. In certain cases, the Group is also required to provide a security deposit at an
amount equal to a certain percentage of the outstanding balance of loans the
institutional funding partners funded to the borrowers referred
by the Group. The Group might also be required to replenish such security deposit in the event the security deposit is
used by the institutional
funding partners to make up for the loss they incurred.
 
Deferred
guarantee income and liability from quality assurance commitment
 
In
accordance with ASC Topic 326, deferred guarantee income represents the stand ready component of the guarantee contracts that are determined
in accordance with ASC
Topic 460. At initial recognition, deferred guarantee income is recorded at the fair value of the guarantee contract.
Subsequent to initial recognition, deferred guarantee income is
released systematically as guarantee income in revenue in the consolidated
statement of comprehensive income as the Group is released from the underlying risk.
 
Liability
from quality assurance commitment represents the expected life time credit losses of the guarantee contract that are determined in accordance
with ASC Topic 326,
which are initially recorded separate from and in addition to deferred guarantee income at the amount equal to the
expected lifetime credit losses of the underlying loans covered by
the quality assurance obligation. The expected credit losses are determined
based on historical default experience, known and inherent risks in the portfolio, current economic
conditions and future macroeconomic
forecasts as well as other factors surrounding the credit risk of borrowers. The liability is calculated at portfolio-level since the
loan portfolio
is typically of smaller balance homogenous loans and is collectively evaluated for impairment. Subsequent to initial recognition,
the expected credit losses are adjusted for changes
in expected lifetime credit losses. The initial recognition and adjustments made
to liability from quality assurance commitment are recorded as provision for quality assurance
commitment in the consolidated statement
of comprehensive income. The table below sets forth the movement of deferred guarantee income and liability from quality assurance
commitment
for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024:
 
Deferred guarantee income:
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
    
 
   
  
Opening balance
 
 
1,089,503   
 
1,805,164   
 
1,882,036 
Newly undertaken quality assurance obligations
 
 
3,780,101   
 
4,555,867   
 
4,719,210 
Release of quality assurance obligations upon repayment
 
 
(3,064,440)  
 
(4,478,995)  
 
(5,085,296)
Ending balance
 
 
1,805,164   
 
1,882,036   
 
1,515,950 
 
Liability from quality assurance commitment:
 
  
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
    
    
  
Opening balance
 
 
3,188,561   
 
3,555,618   
 
3,306,132 
Provision for credit losses of quality assurance obligations
 
 
3,018,912   
 
4,068,436   
 
4,208,559 
Payouts during the year
 
 
(9,301,920)  
 
(11,440,275)  
 
(11,035,006)
Recoveries during the year
 
 
6,650,065   
 
7,122,353   
 
6,484,431 
Ending balance
 
 
3,555,618   
 
3,306,132   
 
2,964,116 
 
F-29

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(s)
Quality assurance obligations (continued)
 
As
 of December 31, 2024, the maximum potential future payments, including all outstanding principal and interests covered by the quality
 assurance obligations were
RMB43,901,691.
 
Quality
assurance receivable
 
A
quality assurance receivable is recognized at loan inception at its fair value on a loan-by-loan basis. The Group establishes a credit
loss allowance based on expectations of
lifetime credit losses based on historical default experience, known or inherent risks in the
portfolio, current economic conditions and macroeconomics forecasts as well as other
factors surrounding the credit risk of borrowers.
 
The
following table presents the Group’s quality assurance receivable as of December 31, 2023 and 2024:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
    
  
Quality assurance receivable
 
 
2,285,007   
 
2,066,540 
Allowance for credit losses for quality assurance receivable
 
 
(529,392)  
 
(426,949)
Quality assurance receivable, net
 
 
1,755,615   
 
1,639,591 
 
The
 Group evaluates expected credit losses of quality assurance receivable on a collective basis based on the type of borrowers and delinquency
 pattern. Credit quality
indicators are updated quarterly, and the credit quality of any given customer can change during the life of
the portfolio. The following table presents quality assurance receivables
based on type of borrowers and delinquency as of December 31,
2023 and 2024:
 
 
 
1-89 days 
past due
   
90-119 days 
past due
   
120-149 days 
past due
   
150-179 days 
past due
   
Total past due   
Current
   
Total quality
assurance
receivable  
December 31, 2023
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
New borrowers
 
 
18,339   
 
2,540   
 
2,338   
 
2,046   
 
25,263   
 
429,137   
 
454,400 
Repeat borrowers
 
 
62,011   
 
12,610   
 
11,276   
 
10,339   
 
96,236   
 
1,734,371   
 
1,830,607 
Total
 
 
80,350   
 
15,150   
 
13,614   
 
12,385   
 
121,499   
 
2,163,508   
 
2,285,007 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
December 31, 2024
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
New borrowers
 
 
15,289   
 
1,980   
 
1,878   
 
1,990   
 
21,137   
 
545,255   
 
566,392 
Repeat borrowers
 
 
44,905   
 
10,349   
 
10,177   
 
10,422   
 
75,853   
 
1,424,295   
 
1,500,148 
Total
 
 
60,194   
 
12,329   
 
12,055   
 
12,412   
 
96,990   
 
1,969,550   
 
2,066,540 
 
As
the average tenor of loans facilitated on domestic and overseas platform are around 8.1 months and 87.3 days, respectively, substantially
 all of the quality assurance
receivable balance as of December 31, 2024 are originated in 2024.
 
F-30

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(s)
Quality assurance obligations (continued)
 
The
following table sets forth the movement in the allowance for credit losses for quality assurance receivable as of December 31, 2023 and
2024, respectively:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
Beginning balance
 
 
239,506   
 
374,304   
 
529,392 
Provision for credit losses
 
 
176,310   
 
354,366   
 
378,695 
Write-offs
 
 
(41,512)  
 
(199,278)  
 
(481,138)
Ending balance
 
 
374,304   
 
529,392   
 
426,949 
 
(t)
Revenue recognition
 
The
 Group engages primarily in operating an online consumer finance marketplace by providing an online platform which matches borrowers with
 institutional funding
partners, and assisting facilitation of loans to institutional funding partners on certain third-party online platforms.
The Group determines that it is not the legal lender or legal
borrower in the above process. Therefore, the Group generally does not
record loan receivable and payable arising from the loans between institutional funding partners and
borrowers on its balance sheets
other than consolidated trusts (Note 4). Revenue comprises the fair value of the consideration received or receivable for the provision
of services in
the ordinary course of the Group’s activities and is recorded net of value-added tax (“VAT”).
 
Revenue
recognition policies for each type of services under ASC Topic 606 are discussed as follows:
 
Revenue
from Single Loans
 
In
accordance with a series contracts entered into among the borrowers, institutional funding partners and the Group, the Group generally
provides the following services to the
borrowers and institutional funding partners:
 
 
●
The
Group operates a platform that enables borrowers and institutional funding partners to exchange information;
 
●
The
Group collects information from borrowers, conduct credit assessment and match borrowers with institutional funding partners;
 
●
Once
borrowers and institutional funding partners are matched, the Group is responsible for collect and transfer funds between borrowers
and institutional funding partners;
 
●
The
Group will also provide institutional funding partners with collection services upon borrowers’ default;
 
●
On
monthly basis, the borrowers are obligated to pay transaction service fee and quality assurance contribution/guarantee fee on top
of the principle and interest payment.
In the event of early prepayment, the service fee and quality assurance contribution is adjusted
accordingly.
 
F-31

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(t)
Revenue recognition (continued)
 
The
Group determines its customers to be both institutional funding partners and borrowers. The Group charges the transaction service fee
as part of the borrowers’ monthly
repayment. In accordance with the relevant guidance in ASC Topic 606, the amounts associated
with the quality assurance obligation is within the scope of ASC Topic 460 and
should be accounted for in accordance with the provisions
of that Topic. The services not within the scope of other Topics should be accounted for in accordance with the remaining
provisions
of ASC Topic 606 and the applicable revenue recognition guidance. The Group considers loan facilitation services (covering matching of
institutional funding partners to
borrowers and facilitating the execution of loan agreement between institutional funding partners and
borrowers) and post-facilitation services (covering cash processing services
and collection services) as two distinctive performance
obligations in accordance with ASC Topic 606. The transaction price is first allocated to the quality assurance commitment
and quality
assurance program, if any, which is recorded at fair value in accordance with ASC Topic 460. Then the remaining considerations are allocated
to the loan facilitation and
post-facilitation services using their relative standalone selling prices. When estimating total consideration,
the Group considers early termination scenarios based on historical early
payment and other termination scenarios as the Group cannot
receive the full contractual service fee amount under early termination, given the service fee is collected on a pro-rata
basis upon
early loan termination. Such service fee is determined to be variable consideration that meets the “probable of not reversing”
threshold. As such, the Group recognizes
revenue related to early termination based on its best estimate and true up adjustments are
made from time to time. The Group does not have observable standalone selling price for
the loan facilitation services or post-facilitation
 services because it does not provide loan facilitation services or post-facilitation services on a standalone basis in similar
circumstances
to similar customers. There is no direct observable standalone selling price for similar services in the market that is reasonably available
to the Group. As a result, the
estimation of standalone selling price involves management judgment. The Group uses an expected cost
plus margin approach to estimate the standalone selling prices of loan
facilitation services and post facilitation services as the basis
of revenue allocation. When estimating the selling prices, the Group makes certain assumptions mainly including
estimates of the cost
of providing the services.
 
The
 transaction price allocated to loan facilitation is recognized as revenue upon execution of loan agreements between institutional funding
 partners and borrowers; the
consideration allocated to post-facilitation services is recognized over the period of the loan on a straight
line method, which approximates the pattern of when the underlying
services are performed.
 
In
addition to transaction service fee, the Group also receives fees on future events, such as collection fees. For loans with quality assurance
obligation, as the quality assurance
will compensate the institutional funding partners should the borrowers are delinquent, the collection
fee is considered a variable consideration for the loan facilitation and post-
facilitation performance obligations and therefore is included
in the total transaction price which is allocated to these two performance obligation based on their relative standalone
selling price.
The collection fee is only probable of not reversing upon successful collection and as such is not included in the transaction price
until then.
 
For
the off-balance sheet loans funded by certain other institutional funding partners, where the Group does not provide credit enhancement
to the institutional funding partners
for the borrowers referred by the Group and takes no credit risks of borrowers in respect of principal
and interests, the Group charges the service fees for loan facilitation at
predetermined rates based on the performance of the underlying
off-balance sheet loans. Such service fee is determined to be variable consideration that meets the “probable of not
reversing”
threshold. As such, the Group recognizes revenue related to such services based on its best estimate and true up adjustments are made
when service fee amounts are
confirmed by institutional funding partners.
 
F-32

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(t)
Revenue recognition (continued)
 
Other
revenue
 
Other
revenue primarily includes borrower referral fees. The Group refers borrowers that do not meet the Group’s risk appetite to other
lending platforms, and charges a referral
fee based on the loan origination volume, cost per-click or other performance based criteria.
Such fee is recognized as other revenue upon loan origination, each click or other
performance obligation is satisfied.
 
Revenue
disaggregation analysis
 
The
following table sets forth the Group’s operating revenue from different service types:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
With quality
assurance
obligation
   
Without quality
assurance
obligation
   
With quality
assurance
obligation
   
Without quality
assurance
obligation
   
With quality
assurance
obligation
   
Without quality
assurance
obligation
 
 
 
    
    
    
    
    
  
Loan facilitation service fees
 
 
4,106,467   
 
324,311   
 
4,187,976   
 
332,528   
 
3,951,236   
 
743,144 
Post-facilitation service fees
 
 
1,798,815   
 
131,098   
 
1,869,214   
 
100,491   
 
1,610,744   
 
129,497 
Other revenue
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
-borrowers referral fee
 
 
-   
 
168,430   
 
-   
 
220,480   
 
-   
 
269,536 
-others
 
 
110,244   
 
256,194   
 
101,293   
 
207,089   
 
115,538   
 
307,054 
 
 
 
6,015,526   
 
880,033   
 
6,158,483   
 
860,588   
 
5,677,518   
 
1,449,231 
 
Net
interest income (Note 2(n)) and guarantee income (Note 2(s)) is not included in the table above as it is not accounted for under ASC
Topic 606.
 
Contract
balances
 
Contract
assets represent the Group’s right to consideration in exchange for facilitation and post-facilitation service that the Company
has transferred to the customer before
payment is due. Contract liabilities represent the Group’s obligation to transfer facilitation
and post-facilitation service to the customer due to received payment. The timing of
revenue recognition, scheduled payments, and cash
collections results in contract assets and contract liabilities.
 
Practical
expedient and exemptions
 
The
Group generally expenses sales commission when incurred for loans with a term for one year or less. These costs are recorded within sales
and marketing expenses.
 
The
Group does not disclose the value of unsatisfied performance obligation as most of the loans facilitated through its platform with an
original term of one year or less.
 
(u)
Origination, servicing expenses and other cost of revenue
 
Origination,
servicing expenses and other cost of revenue primarily consist of salaries and benefits of employees who facilitate loan origination,
which include performing risk
pricing, debt-collection service, customer service data processing, and data analysis, collection expenses
for outsourced services, and other cost of revenue.
 
F-33

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.Summary
of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(v)
Sales and marketing expenses
 
Sales
 and marketing expenses consist primarily of advertising and online marketing promotion expenses. Advertising and online marketing expenses,
 amounting to
approximately RMB1,675,488,
RMB1,871,392
and RMB1,994,134
for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively,
are charged to the consolidated statements
of comprehensive income as incurred.
 
(w)
General and administrative expenses
 
General
 and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and benefits for general management, finance and administrative personnel,
 share-based compensation
expenses, rental, professional service fees and other expenses.
 
(x)
Research and development expenses
 
Research
and development expenses consist primarily of payroll and related expenses for IT professionals involved in developing technology platform
and website, server and
other equipment depreciation, bandwidth and data center costs. All research and development costs have been expensed
as incurred as the costs qualifying for capitalization have
been insignificant.
 
(y)
Share-based compensation
 
The
Group follows ASC Topic 718, which requires all share-based payments to employees and directors, including grants of employee stock options,
to be recognized as share-
based compensation expense in the financial statements over the vesting period of the award based on the fair
value of the award determined at the grant date. Under ASC Topic
718, the number of share-based awards for which the service is not expected
to be rendered for the requisite period should be estimated, and the related compensation cost is not
recorded for that number of awards.
 
In
accordance with ASC Topic 718, the Group recognize share-based compensation expenses, net of a forfeiture rate, using the straight-line
method for awards with services
conditions only, and using the graded-vesting attribution method for awards with graded vesting features
and performance conditions. Compensation cost is accrued if it is probable
that a performance condition will be achieved.
 
(z)
Leases
 
The
Group determines if an arrangement is a lease or contains a lease at inception. Operating leases are included in operating lease right-of-use
(“ROU”) assets and operating
lease liabilities, in the Group’s consolidated balance sheets. The Group does not have
any finance leases for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
 
ROU
assets represent the Group’s right to use an underlying asset for the lease term and lease liabilities represent the Group’s
obligation to make lease payments arising from
the lease. Operating lease ROU assets and liabilities are recognized at commencement date
based on the present value of lease payments over the lease term. When determining the
lease term, the Group includes options to extend
or terminate the lease when it is reasonably certain that it will exercise that option, if any. As the Group’s leases do not provide
an
implicit rate, the Group uses its incremental borrowing rate, which it calculates based on the credit quality of the Group and by
comparing interest rates available in the market for
similar borrowings, and adjusting this amount based on the impact of collateral
over the term of each lease.
 
The
Group has elected to adopt the following lease practical expedients: (i) elect for each lease to not separate non-lease components from
lease components and instead to
account for each separate lease component and the non-lease components associated with that lease component
as a single lease component; (ii) for leases that have lease terms of
12 months or less and does not include a purchase option that is
reasonably certain to exercise, the Group elected not to apply ASC 842 recognition requirements.
 
F-34

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.Summary
of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(aa)
Government grants and subsidy income
 
The
Group receives government grants and subsidies in the PRC from various levels of local governments from time to time which are granted
for general corporate purposes
and to support its ongoing operations in the region. The grants are determined at the discretion of the
relevant government authority and there are no restrictions on their use. The
government subsidies are recorded as other income in the
consolidated statement of comprehensive income in the period the cash is received. The government grants received by the
Group amounting
to RMB84,957, RMB164,907 and RMB150,685 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
 
(ab)
Taxation
 
Current
income taxes are provided on the basis of net income for financial reporting purposes, adjusted for income and expense items which are
not assessable or deductible for
income tax purposes, in accordance with the regulations of the relevant tax jurisdictions.
 
Deferred
 income taxes are recognized for temporary differences between the tax bases of assets and liabilities and their reported amounts in the
 consolidated financial
statements, net operating loss carry forwards and credits. Deferred tax assets are reduced by a valuation allowance
when, in the opinion of management, it is more likely than not
that some portion or all of the deferred tax assets will not be realized.
Current income taxes are provided in accordance with the laws of the relevant taxing authorities. Deferred tax
assets and liabilities
are measured using enacted rates expected to apply to taxable income in which temporary differences are expected to be received or settled.
The effect on
deferred tax assets and liabilities of changes in tax rates is recognized in the statement of comprehensive income in the
period of the enactment of the change.
 
The
Group considers positive and negative evidence when determining whether a portion or all of its deferred tax assets will more likely
than not be realized. This assessment
considers, among other matters, the nature, frequency and severity of current and cumulative losses,
forecasts of future profitability, the duration of statutory carry-forward periods,
its experience with tax attributes expiring unused,
and its tax planning strategies. The ultimate realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon its ability to generate sufficient
future taxable income within the carry-forward periods provided for in the tax law and during the periods in which the temporary differences
become deductible. When assessing the
realization of deferred tax assets, the Group has considered possible sources of taxable income
including (i) future reversals of existing taxable temporary differences, (ii) future
taxable income exclusive of reversing temporary
differences and carry-forwards, (iii) future taxable income arising from implementing tax planning strategies, and (iv) specific
known
trend of profits expected to be reflected within the industry.
 
The
 Group recognizes a tax benefit associated with an uncertain tax position when, in its judgment, it is more likely than not that the position
 will be sustained upon
examination by a taxing authority. For a tax position that meets the more-likely-than-not recognition threshold,
the Group initially and subsequently measures the tax benefit as the
largest amount that the Group judges to have a greater than 50%
likelihood of being realized upon ultimate settlement with a taxing authority. The Group’s liability associated with
unrecognized
tax benefits is adjusted periodically due to changing circumstances, such as the progress of tax audits, case law developments and new
or emerging legislation. Such
adjustments are recognized entirely in the period in which they are identified. The Group’s effective
tax rate includes the net impact of changes in the liability for unrecognized tax
benefits and subsequent adjustments as considered appropriate
by management. The Group classifies interest and penalties recognized on the liability for unrecognized tax benefits
as income tax expenses.
 
F-35

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.Summary
of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(ac)
Net profit per share
 
Basic
net profit per share is computed by dividing net profit attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary shareholders by the weighted
average number of ordinary shares
outstanding during the period using the two-class method. Under the two-class method, net profit is
allocated between ordinary shares and other participating securities based on
their participating rights. Net loss is not allocated to
other participating securities if based on their contractual terms they are not obligated to share in the losses. Diluted net profit
per share is calculated by dividing net profit attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary shareholders 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 using the if-converted method and shares
issuable upon the exercise of share options
using the treasury stock method. Ordinary equivalent shares are not included in the denominator of the diluted loss per share calculation
when inclusion of such shares would be anti-dilutive.
 
(ad)
Segment reporting
 
The
Group’s chief operating decision maker (CODM), the Chief Executive Officer, reviews the consolidated results when making decisions
about allocating resources and
assessing performance of the Group as a whole and therefore, the Group only has one reportable segment
 at the consolidated level. Accordingly, the Group’s CODM uses
consolidated net profit to measure segment profit or loss, allocate
resources and assess performance. Significant segment expenses are the same as these presented under operating
expenses in the consolidated
statements of comprehensive income, and the difference between net revenue less the significant segment expenses and consolidated net
profit are the
other segment items. Most of the Group’s long-lived assets are located in the PRC and most of the Group’s
revenues are derived from within the PRC. For geographic information,
please refer to Note 20.
 
(ae)
Treasury shares
 
The
Group accounts for treasury shares using the cost method. Under this method, the cost incurred to purchase the shares is recorded in
the treasury shares account in the
consolidated balance sheets. At retirement, the ordinary shares account is charged only for the aggregate
par value of the shares. The excess of the acquisition cost of treasury shares
over the aggregate par value is allocated between additional
paid-in capital (up to the amount credited to the additional paid-in capital upon original issuance of the shares) and
retained earnings.
In the event that treasury shares are reissued at an amount different from the cost the Company paid to repurchase the treasury shares,
the Company will recognize
the difference in additional paid-in capital by using first-in, first-out method. The treasury shares account
includes 223,676,230 and 283,820,445 ordinary shares mainly for the
purpose of exercise of share-based compensation plans as of December
31, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
 
(af)
Statutory reserves
 
In
accordance with the relevant regulations and their articles of association, subsidiaries of the Company incorporated in the PRC are required
to allocate at least 10% of their
after-tax profit determined based on the PRC accounting standards and regulations to the general reserve
until such reserve has reached 50% of the relevant subsidiary’s registered
capital. These reserves can only be used for specific
purposes and are not transferable to the Company in the form of loans, advances or cash dividends. During the years ended
December 31,
2022, 2023 and 2024, appropriations to the general reserve amounted to RMB87,998, RMB64,071 and RMB90,251, respectively.
 
F-36

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
2.
Summary of significant accounting policies (continued)
 
(ag)
Recently issued accounting standards
 
Adoption
of new accounting standards
 
In
November 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-07, Segment Reporting (Topic 280)-Improvements to Reportable Segment Disclosures. ASU No.
2023-07 requires an
enhanced disclosure of significant segment expenses that are regularly provided to the CODM and included within each
reported measure of segment profit or loss, on an annual and
interim basis. The guidance is effective for fiscal years beginning after
December 15, 2023, and interim periods within fiscal years beginning after December 15, 2024. Adoption of
this guidance should be applied
retrospectively to all prior periods presented. Early adoption is permitted. The Group’s adoption of this standard did not have
a material impact on
its consolidated financial statements.
 
New
accounting standards not yet adopted
 
In
 December 2023, the FASB issued ASU No. 2023-09, Income Taxes (Topic 740)-Improvements to Income Tax Disclosures. ASU No. 2023-09 requires
 disaggregated
information about a reporting entity’s effective tax rate reconciliation as well as additional information on income
taxes paid. The guidance is effective for annual periods beginning
after December 15, 2024 on a prospective basis. Early adoption is
permitted. The Group did not adopt ASU No. 2023-09 early and is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this
standard
on its consolidated financial statements.
 
In
November 2024, the FASB issued ASU No. 2024-03, Income Statement(Topic 220)- Reporting Comprehensive Income-Expense Disaggregation Disclosures
(Subtopic 220-
40). ASU No. 2024-03 requires publicly-traded business entities to disclose specified information about the components
of certain costs and expenses that are currently disclosed in
the financial statements. The guidance is effective for annual reporting
periods beginning after December 15, 2026, and interim reporting periods beginning after December 15,
2027. Early adoption is permitted.
The Group does not expect to adopt ASU No. 2024-03 early and is currently evaluating the impact of adopting this standard on its
consolidated
financial statements.
 
F-37

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
3.
Business Combination
 
In
2024, the Group entered into share purchase agreements to purchase equity interest in several entities, of which major ones are described
as follows. In accordance with ASC
805, the acquisition of those entities had been accounted for as a business combination. The Group
has consolidated all of the relevant entities since their respective acquisitioin
dates, and has incorporated the results of operations
since the acquisition dates in the Group’s consolidated financial statements.
 
The
Group purchased 65% of the common shares of Yonghui Yunjin Technology Co., Ltd. and two of its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Chongqing Yonghui
Small Loan Co., Ltd.
(“Yonghui Small Loan”) and Yonghui Qinghe Commercial Factoring (Chongqing) Co., Ltd. (“Yonghui
 Qinghe”) (together as “Yonghui Yunjin”) in 2024 for a total cash
consideration of RMB382.8 million. As of December
31, 2024, the Group is able to control 65% of the voting rights of Yonghui Yunjin thus controlling Yonghui Yunjin.
 
The
Group, through one of its subsidiaries, has entered into a deal to purchase common shares of PT Pratama Interdana Finance (“PIF”).
As of December 31, 2024, the Group
has paid cash consideration of IDR197.2 billion (around RMB89.4 million) and is entitled to 83.75%
of interest in PIF. As of December 31, 2024, the Group is able to control
83.75% of the voting rights of PIF thus controlling PIF.
 
The
allocation of the purchase price in aggregate is as follows:
 
 
 
As of acquisition date
   
Amortization years
 
 
RMB
   
 
Identifiable assets acquired
 
 
    
 
Identifiable intangible assets
*
 
 
38,606   
Indefinite
Cash
 
 
552,685   
 
Deferred tax asset
 
 
26,237   
 
Other asset
 
 
104,896   
 
Identifiable liabilities assumed
 
 
    
 
Deferred tax liability
 
 
(8,940)  
 
Other liability
 
 
(14,425)  
 
Non-controlling interest
 
 
(222,941)  
 
Total purchase price
 
 
476,118   
 
 
* The intangible assets mainly refers to the Micro-Lending License of Yonghui Small Loan and the Multi-finance License of PIF that qualify the “contractual-legal” criterion.
They are recognized and measured at fair value.
 
F-38

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
4.
Loans receivable, net
 
Loans
receivable originated and retained by the Group consist of the following:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
Loans
 
 
1,341,938   
 
4,384,088 
Credit loss allowance for loans receivable
 
 
(214,550)  
 
(226,467)
Loans receivable, net
 
 
1,127,388   
 
4,157,621 
 
As
of December 31, 2023 and 2024, the entire loans receivable balance represents the outstanding loans made to the borrowers from consolidated
trusts and subsidiaries of the
Group. As part of the Group’s efforts to develop new product offerings, a series of trusts were
established and administrated by third-party trust companies. These trusts make loans
solely to borrowers referred by the Group to provide
returns to the trust beneficiaries. As such, the Group has power to direct the activities of the trusts. In addition, the Group has
the
obligation to absorb losses or the right to receive residual benefits from certain trusts that could potentially be significant to these
trusts. As a result, the Group is considered the
primary beneficiary of the trusts and their assets, liabilities, results of operations
and cash flows are consolidated accordingly.
 
The
following table sets forth the activity in the allowance for loan losses for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
    
  
Beginning balance
 
 
427,873   
 
294,355   
 
214,550 
Provision for loans receivable
 
 
415,902   
 
586,843   
 
320,013 
Current period write off
 
 
(549,420)  
 
(666,648)  
 
(308,096)
Ending balance
 
 
294,355   
 
214,550   
 
226,467 
 
F-39

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
4.
Loans receivable, net (continued)
 
The
Group evaluates expected credit losses of loans receivable on a collective basis based on the type of borrowers and delinquency pattern.
Credit quality indicators are updated
quarterly, and the credit quality of any given customer can change during the life of the portfolio.
The following table presents loans receivable based on type of borrowers and
delinquency as of December 31, 2023 and December 31, 2024:
 
 
 
1-89 days 
past due
   
90-119 days 
past due
   
120-149 days 
past due
   
150-179 days 
past due
   
Total past due   
Current
   
Total loans
receivable  
December 31, 2023
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
New borrowers
 
 
17,546   
 
1,668   
 
581   
 
304   
 
20,099   
 
303,028   
 
323,127 
Repeat borrowers
 
 
44,358   
 
6,270   
 
6,317   
 
4,040   
 
60,985   
 
957,826   
 
1,018,811 
Total
 
 
61,904   
 
7,938   
 
6,898   
 
4,344   
 
81,084   
 
1,260,854   
 
1,341,938 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
December 31, 2024
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
New borrowers
 
 
23,755   
 
1,422   
 
1,501   
 
1,427   
 
28,105   
 
537,047   
 
565,152 
Repeat borrowers
 
 
54,461   
 
4,645   
 
3,687   
 
3,702   
 
66,495   
 
3,752,441   
 
3,818,936 
Total
 
 
78,216   
 
6,067   
 
5,188   
 
5,129   
 
94,600   
 
4,289,488   
 
4,384,088 
 
As
the average tenor of loans facilitated on domestic and overseas platform are around 8.3 months and 92.2 days, respectively, substantially
all of the loans receivable balance
as of December 31, 2024 are originated in 2024.
 
As
of December 31, 2023 and 2024, loans receivable amounting to RMB19,180 and RMB 16,384 were past due for 90 days or more with no interest
accrued. Interest income
for non-accrual loans receivable is recognized on a cash basis. For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023
and 2024, interest income earned from non-accrual loans receivable
were not material.
 
Management
performs a quarterly evaluation of the adequacy of credit loss allowance for loans receivable based on expectations of lifetime credit
losses based on historical
default experience, known or inherent risks in the portfolio, current economic conditions and macroeconomic
forecasts as well as other factors surrounding the credit risk of
borrowers. When forecasting macroeconomic factors, management primarily
considered gross domestic product, consumer price index and other pertinent factors such as money
supply wherein M1 money supply was
determined to be the most relevant to the Group’s business. The allowance is calculated at portfolio-level since the loan portfolio
is typically
of smaller balance homogenous loans and is collectively evaluated for impairment.
 
F-40

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
5.
Prepaid expenses and other assets
 
Receivables,
prepayments and other assets consist of the following:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
Security deposits and other deposits1
 
 
2,638,019   
 
848,495 
Deductible value-added taxes
 
 
38,628   
 
78,310 
Prepaid online marketing expenses
 
 
8,859   
 
12,417 
Advances2
 
 
531,894   
 
93,190 
Trust statutory deposits
 
 
7,592   
 
46,488 
Others
 
 
159,325   
 
210,480 
 
 
3,384,317   
 
1,289,380 
 
 
1 Security deposits
and other deposits primarily include security deposits and rental deposits. Security deposits were set aside as requested by certain
institutional funding
partners, held in deposit accounts with the institutional funding partners. As of December 31, 2023 and 2024, security
 deposits set aside by the Group amounted to
RMB2,599,603 and RMB785,348, respectively.
 
2 Advances primarily
include down payment for purchasing office premises for the Group of RMB514,860 and nil as of December 31, 2023 and 2024.
 
6.
Property, equipment and software, net
 
Property,
equipment and software, net consist of the following:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
Computer and electronic equipment
 
 
293,824   
 
314,619 
Office building2
 
 
-   
 
483,817 
Office furniture and equipment
 
 
23,191   
 
29,027 
Leasehold improvement
 
 
33,890   
 
33,708 
Software
 
 
63,464   
 
78,011 
Total
 
 
414,369   
 
939,182 
Less: Accumulated depreciation and amortization1
 
 
(273,436)  
 
(315,390)
Property, equipment and software, net
 
 
140,933   
 
623,792 
 
 
1 Depreciation and
amortization expenses for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024 was RMB23,825, RMB22,515 and RMB69,491 respectively.
2  The Company purchased the building of the Group’s principle executive offices at Building G1, No. 999 Dangui
Road, Pudong New District, Shanghai 201203, the People’s
Republic of China in 2024.
 
F-41

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
7.
Intangible assets
 
Intangible
assets consist of the following:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
Micro-Lending License
 
 
63,760   
 
77,760 
Insurance Brokerage License
 
 
34,667   
 
34,667 
Multi-finance License
 
 
-   
 
19,490 
Collection License
 
 
-   
 
5,116 
Factoring License
 
 
265   
 
265 
Total
 
 
98,692   
 
137,298 
Less: impairment
 
 
-   
 
- 
Intangible assets
 
 
98,692   
 
137,298 
 
8.
Accounts receivable and contract assets
 
The
following table presents the accounts receivable and contract assets as of December 31, 2023 and 2024:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
Accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
2,518,932   
 
2,696,147 
Credit loss allowance for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
(310,394)  
 
(290,267)
Accounts receivable and contract assets, net
 
 
2,208,538   
 
2,405,880 
 
The
Group evaluates expected credit losses of accounts receivable and contract assets on a collective basis based on the type of customers
and delinquency pattern. Credit
quality indicators are updated quarterly, and the credit quality of any given customer may change during
the life of the portfolio. The following table presents accounts receivable
and contract assets based on type of customers and delinquency
as of December 31, 2023 and 2024:
 
 
 
1-89 days 
past due
   
90-119 days 
past due
   
120-149 days 
past due
   
150-179 days 
past due
   
Total past due   
Current
   
Total
accounts
receivable
and contract
assets
 
December 31, 2023
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
New borrowers
 
 
37,936   
 
7,878   
 
7,581   
 
6,898   
 
60,293   
 
393,265   
 
453,558 
Repeat borrowers
 
 
127,002   
 
30,126   
 
27,264   
 
25,409   
 
209,801   
 
1,628,173   
 
1,837,974 
Institutions
 
 
-   
 
-   
 
-   
 
-   
 
-   
 
227,400   
 
227,400 
Total
 
 
164,938   
 
38,004   
 
34,845   
 
32,307   
 
270,094   
 
2,248,838   
 
2,518,932 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
December 31, 2024
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
New borrowers
 
 
14,634   
 
2,221   
 
2,027   
 
2,013   
 
20,895   
 
255,828   
 
276,723 
Repeat borrowers
 
 
59,548   
 
13,705   
 
13,259   
 
13,479   
 
99,991   
 
1,695,512   
 
1,795,503 
Institutions
 
 
-   
 
-   
 
-   
 
-   
 
-   
 
623,921   
 
623,921 
Total
 
 
74,182   
 
15,926   
 
15,286   
 
15,492   
 
120,886   
 
2,575,261   
 
2,696,147 
 
As
the average tenor of loans facilitated on domestic and overseas platform are around 8.2 months and 87.3 days, respectively, substantially
all of the accounts receivable and
contract assets balance as of December 31, 2024 are originated in 2024.
 
F-42

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
8.
Accounts receivable and contract assets (continued)
 
As
disclosed in note 2(k), the Company writes-off the domestic and overseas accounts receivable and contract assets and the related allowance
when the accounts receivables
and contract assets are delinquent for 180 days or more and 30 days or more, respectively.
 
The
following table sets forth the movement of credit loss allowance for accounts receivable and contract assets for the years ended December
31, 2022, 2023 and 2024,
respectively:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
    
  
Beginning balance
 
 
250,696   
 
496,918   
 
310,394 
Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets
 
 
390,882   
 
253,948   
 
317,049 
Current period write-off
 
 
(144,660)  
 
(440,472)  
 
(337,176)
Ending balance
 
 
496,918   
 
310,394   
 
290,267 
 
9.
Employee benefits
 
The
full time employees of the Group are entitled to staff welfare benefits, including medical insurance, basic pensions, unemployment insurance,
work injury insurance,
maternity insurance and housing funds. The Group is required to accrue for these benefits based on certain percentages
of the employees’ salaries in accordance with the relevant
regulations and to make contribution to the state-sponsored pension
and medical plans. The total amounts charged to the consolidated statements of comprehensive income for such
employee benefits amounted
to approximately RMB199,411, RMB199,002 and RMB224,170 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, respectively.
 
10.
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
 
Accrued
expenses and other liabilities consist of the following:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
Funds payable to institutional funding partners1
 
 
415,033   
 
504,353 
Accrued marketing expense
 
 
241,139   
 
312,749 
Accrued credit reference expense
 
 
35,623   
 
67,146 
Accrued collection service fee
 
 
37,139   
 
41,975 
Accrued technical services expense
 
 
30,079   
 
43,697 
Accrued payment channel expenses
 
 
34,577   
 
35,426 
Accrued professional service fee
 
 
26,028   
 
37,527 
Payable to platform users
 
 
78,766   
 
111,409 
Others
 
 
43,381   
 
77,588 
 
 
941,765   
 
1,231,870 
 
 
1 The balance of
payable mainly includes funds received from borrowers but not yet transferred to the institutional funding partners due to the settlement
time lag.
 
 
F-43

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
11.
Related party balances and transactions
 
The
Group conducts transactions with multiple related parties, and only amounts and balances of major transactions are shown below:
 
Amounts
incurred by the Group
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
    
  
PPcredit
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Data collection service expense1
 
 
37   
 
-   
 
- 
 
Amounts
due to related parties
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
PPcredit
 
 
10   
 
6 
Gouya2
 
 
124   
 
124 
Halodo3
 
 
-   
 
13,184 
Total
 
 
134   
 
13,314 
 
Amounts
due from related parties
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
PPcredit
 
 
3,900   
 
444 
Halodo3
 
 
-   
 
16,755 
Fuzhou Rongheng4
 
 
-   
 
508 
Total
 
 
3,900   
 
17,707 
 
 
1
PPcredit Data Service (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (“PPcredit”) was founded in April 2016 by the founders of the Group to provide
data collection services. The Group mainly uses
PPcredit as a data provider since PPcredit was established. The price for the service
is determined based on the price charged by other market participants.
 
2
Shanghai Gouya Technology Co., Ltd. (“Gouya”) was founded in Novemeber 2020 by the founders of the Group to provide smart
vending machine services. In August 2023, the
Group disposed of 70% of the interest it held in Gouya and Gouya became one of the related
parties of the Group thereof.
 
3
Halodo Limited (“Halodo”) was founded in 2019 as a holding company within the Group. In September 2024, the Group disposed
of 100% of the interest in Halodo but still holds
significant influence over its management and operating policies and Halodo became
one of the related parties of the Group thereof.
 
4
Fuzhou Rongheng Information Technology Co., Ltd. (“Fuzhou Rongheng”) was founded in July 2023 to provide mediation service.
In January 2024, the Group, through one of its
subsidiaries, purchased 40% of the interest in Fuzhou Rongheng and Fuzhou Rongheng became
one of the related parties of the Group thereof.
 
F-44

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
12.
Taxation
 
Cayman
Islands
 
Under
the current laws of the Cayman Islands, the Company is not subject to tax on income or capital gain. Additionally, upon payments of dividends
to the shareholders, no
Cayman Islands withholding tax will be imposed.
 
Hong
Kong
 
Under
the current Hong Kong Inland Revenue Ordinance, the Company’s subsidiaries incorporated in Hong Kong are subject to 16.5% income
tax on their taxable income
generated from operations in Hong Kong. Additionally, payments of dividends by the subsidiaries incorporated
in Hong Kong to the Company are not subject to any Hong Kong
withholding tax. Commencing from the year of assessment of 2018, the first
HK$2 million of profits earned by the Company’s subsidiaries incorporated in Hong Kong will be taxed
at half the current tax rate
(i.e. 8.25%) while the remaining profits will continue to be taxed at the existing 16.5% tax rate. No Hong Kong profits tax was provided
for as there was
no estimated assessable profits tax during the relevant periods.
 
Indonesia
 
Under
the current laws of Indonesia, the Company’s subsidiaries incorporated in Indonesia are subject to 22% income tax on their taxable
income generated from operations in
Indonesia.
 
The
PRC
 
On
March 16, 2007, the National People’s Congress of the PRC enacted an Enterprise Income Tax Law (“EIT Law”), under which
Foreign Investment Enterprises (“FIEs”) and
domestic companies would be subject to EIT at a uniform rate of 25%. The EIT
law became effective on January 1, 2008. On April 14, 2008, relevant governmental regulatory
authorities released qualification criteria,
 application procedures and assessment processes for “high and new technology enterprises” (“HNTE”), which will
 be entitled to a
favorable statutory tax rate of 15%. An enterprise’s qualification as a HNTE is reassessed by the relevant PRC
governmental authorities every three years. In December 2023,
Shanghai Shanghu was qualified as HNTE and was entitled to a preferential
income tax rate of 15% from 2024 to 2026. In 2020, Hainan Shanghu applied for Software Enterprise
Status and obtained Software Enterprise
Status in 2021. In accordance with PRC EIT Law, Hainan Shanghu is entitled to enjoy full exemption from EIT for two years beginning
from
2020 to 2021, and a preferential income tax rate of 12.5% from 2022 to 2024. In July 2023, Hainan Shenxin was recognized as Hainan encouraged
industrial enterprise and
was entitled to a preferential income tax rate of 15%.
 
The
EIT Law also 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 be treated
as a resident enterprise for the PRC tax purposes and consequently be subject to the PRC
income tax at the rate of 25% for its global income. The Implementing Rules of the EIT
Law merely define the location of the “de
facto management body” as “the place where the exercising, in substance, of the overall management and control of the production
and
business operation, personnel, accounting, properties, etc., of a non-PRC company is located.” Based on management’s
review of surrounding facts and circumstances, the Group
does not believe that it is likely that its entities registered outside of the
PRC should be considered as resident enterprises for the PRC tax purposes.
 
F-45

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
12.
Taxation (continued)
 
The
PRC (continued)
 
The
EIT Law also imposes a withholding income tax of 10% on dividends distributed by a FIE to its immediate holding company outside of China,
if such immediate holding
company is considered as a non-resident enterprise without any establishment or place within China or if the
received dividends have no connection with the establishment or place
of such immediate holding company within China, unless such immediate
holding company’s jurisdiction of incorporation has a tax treaty with China that provides for a different
withholding arrangement.
The Cayman Islands, where the Company incorporated, does not have such tax treaty with China. According to the arrangement between the
mainland
China and Hong Kong Special Administrative Region on the Avoidance of Double Taxation and Prevention of Fiscal Evasion in August
2006, starting from January 1, 2018,
dividends paid by an FIE in China to its immediate holding company in Hong Kong will be subject
to withholding tax at a rate of no more than 5% (if the foreign investor owns
directly at least 25% of the shares of the FIE). In accordance
with accounting guidance, all undistributed earnings are presumed to be transferred to the parent company and are
subject to the withholding
taxes.
 
Starting
from 2020, the Company decided to remit certain percentage of the annual profits of its PRC subsidiaries to their overseas parent
company for dividend distribution
purposes. Following on the recognition of Hong Kong tax resident status for a certain subsidiary
and profit distribution plan, the Company recognized the withholding tax for the
undistributed profit that will be distributed
 through this Hong Kong resident company at 5%,
 and the rest at 10%.
 The Group accrued RMB88
 million and RMB7
 million
withholding tax liabilities in 2023 and 2024, respectively. As of December 31, 2023 and 2024, apart from the subsidiaries
mentioned above, no
deferred tax liabilities were provided
for the accumulated undistributed profits of PRC subsidiaries, respectively. The Group still
 intends to indefinitely reinvest these remaining undistributed earnings in its PRC
subsidiaries.
 
The
Group has not accrued any tax for the outside basis difference represented by the accumulated undistributed profits of the consolidated
VIEs, which amounted to RMB5,095
million at December 31, 2024 as, after review, it was determined that relevant tax laws and regulations
 provide for tax-free transfer of such amounts to the Group’s PRC
subsidiaries.
 
Composition
of income tax expenses
 
The
current and deferred portions of income tax expenses included in the consolidated statements of comprehensive income during the years
ended December 31, 2022, 2023
and 2024 are as follows:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
    
  
Current income tax expenses
 
 
823,839   
 
991,644   
 
1,179,042 
Deferred income tax expense
 
 
(369,064)  
 
(596,544)  
 
(721,637)
Total
 
 
454,775   
 
395,100   
 
457,405 
 
F-46

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
12.
Taxation (continued)
 
Reconciliation
of the differences between statutory tax rate and the effective tax rate
 
The
Group did not identify significant unrecognized tax benefits for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024 and does not anticipate
any significant change in
unrecognized tax benefits within 12 months from December 31, 2024.
 
The
following table sets forth reconciliation between the computed expected tax expenses (benefit) rate and the effective income tax rate:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
 
 
2023
 
 
2024
 
 
 
RMB
 
 
RMB
 
 
RMB
 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
Statutory tax rate1
 
 
25%  
 
25%  
 
25%
Research and development tax credit
 
 
(3)% 
 
(2)% 
 
(2)%
Effect of tax holiday2
 
 
(10)% 
 
(13)% 
 
(9)%
Change in valuation allowance
 
 
1%  
 
(1)% 
 
0%
Non-deductible expenses
 
 
1%  
 
1%  
 
2%
Withholding tax
 
 
3%  
 
4%  
 
0%
Effective income tax rate
 
 
17%  
 
14%  
 
16%
 
1The PRC statutory income tax rate is used for the reconciliation as the majority of the Group’s
operations are based in the PRC.
 
2As Hainan Shenxin obtained encouraged industrial enterprise status in 2023, the Group reversed
a total of RMB14.7 million tax expenses in the fourth quarter of 2023 including
RMB4.2 million related to 2022 and RMB7.9 million related
to the first half of 2023.
 
The
aggregate amount and per share effect of the tax holidays are as follows
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
    
  
Tax holiday effect
 
 
279,033   
 
356,159   
 
259,755 
Net profit per share effect
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
- Basic
 
 
0.20   
 
0.27   
 
0.20 
- Diluted
 
 
0.19   
 
0.26   
 
0.20 
 
F-47

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
12.
Taxation (continued)
 
Deferred
tax assets
 
The
following table sets forth the significant components of the deferred tax assets:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
Deferred tax assets:
 
 
    
 
  
Timing difference in revenue recognition
 
 
1,085,749   
 
2,375,253 
Provision for accounts receivable and contract assets and loans receivable
 
 
383,871   
 
330,493 
Accumulated tax losses-carry forward
 
 
182,155   
 
179,809 
Payroll and welfare payable and other temporary differences
 
 
60,407   
 
69,024 
Quality assurance obligations
 
 
7,069   
 
126,706 
Less: Valuation allowance
 
 
(94,926)  
 
(75,810)
Total deferred tax assets
 
 
1,624,325   
 
3,005,475 
 
 
 
    
 
  
Deferred tax liabilities:
 
 
    
 
  
Intangible assets arisen from business combination and asset acquisition
 
 
(24,607)  
 
(33,520)
Timing difference in revenue recognition
 
 
-   
 
(140,144)
Quality assurance obligations
 
 
-   
 
(395,868)
Fair value changes and other temporary difference
 
 
-   
 
(35,949)
Unrealized gain in consolidated trusts
 
 
(56,535)  
 
(110,783)
Withholding tax for undistributed earnings
 
 
(259,466)  
 
(266,559)
Total deferred tax liabilities
 
 
(340,608)  
 
(982,823)
 
Movement
of valuation allowances
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
    
  
At beginning of year
 
 
89,117   
 
115,754   
 
94,926 
Current year additions
 
 
42,322   
 
44,113   
 
34,490 
Current year reversals
 
 
(15,685)  
 
(64,941)  
 
(53,606)
At end of year
 
 
115,754   
 
94,926   
 
75,810 
 
Valuation
allowances have been provided on deferred tax assets due to the uncertainty surrounding their realization. As of December 31, 2023 and
2024, valuation allowances
on deferred tax assets mainly arising from tax loss carry forwards were provided because it was more likely
than not that the Group will not be able to utilize tax loss carry forwards
and certain deductible expenses generated by certain unprofitable
subsidiaries.
 
As
of December 31, 2024, total tax loss carry forwards of the Company’s subsidiaries in the PRC of approximately RMB707,462 will expire
if not used between 2025 and
2029. The applicable carry-forward limitation period is 5 years under the PRC EIT law.
 
Uncertain
tax positions
 
The
Group evaluates the level of authority for each uncertain tax position (including the potential application of interest and penalties)
based on the technical merits, and
measures the unrecognized benefits associated with the tax positions. As of December 31, 2023 and
2024, the Group did not have any significant unrecognized uncertain tax
positions.
 
F-48

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
13.
Ordinary shares and treasury stock
 
FinVolution
Group adopted a dual class share structure. For the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, the Company repurchased 59,088,885,
107,601,530 and
88,949,555 Class A ordinary shares on the open market for an aggregate cash consideration of US$51.0 million (RMB343.8
million), US$97.9 million (RMB691.5 million) and
US$90.6 million (RMB643.2 million). The weighted average price of these shares repurchased
were US$0.86, US$0.91 and US$1.02 per share. These issued and repurchased
shares are considered not outstanding and therefore were accounted
for under the cost method and includes such treasury stock as a component of the shareholder’s equity.
 
For
the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, certain Class B ordinary shareholders sold 10,000,000, nil and 2,500,000 Class B ordinary
shares on the open market
which were automatically transferred into Class A ordinary shares upon completion of the transactions.
 
As
of December 31, 2024, 1,550,071,169 ordinary shares have been issued at par value of US$0.00001, including (i) 983,371,169 Class A ordinary
shares and (ii) 566,700,000
Class B ordinary shares.
 
14.
Share-based compensation
 
The
Group recognizes share-based compensation, net of estimated forfeitures, on a straight line basis over the vesting term of the awards.
All the share-based awards granted by
the Group are service conditions only. There was no income tax benefit recognized on the consolidated statements of comprehensive income for share-based compensation and the
Group did not capitalize any of the share-based compensation as part of
the cost of any asset in the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024.
 
In
June 2013 and October 2017, the Group adopted 2013 Share Incentive Plan (the “2013 plan”) and 2017 Share Incentive Plan (the
“2017 plan”), which allows the Group to
offer share based incentive awards to employees, officers, directors and individual
consultants who render services to the Group by granting options, restricted shares or restricted
share units. Awards granted under 2013
plan or 2017 plan are generally subject to a four-year vesting
schedule as determined by the administrator of the plans.
 
F-49

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
14.
Share-based compensation (continued)
 
Share
Options
 
The
following table sets forth the stock option shares activities under all the option plans for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023
and 2024:
 
 
 
Options 
Outstanding
   
Weighted 
Average 
Exercise Price
   
Weighted 
Average 
Remaining 
Contractual Life
   
Aggregate 
Intrinsic Value
 
 
 
 
 
 
US$
 
 
 
 
 
US$
 
 
 
    
    
    
  
Outstanding at December 31, 2022
 
 
3,090,700   
 
0.8064   
 
1.07   
 
836 
Granted
 
 
5,144,600   
 
0.7940   
 
-   
 
- 
Expired
 
 
(150,000)  
 
1.4000   
 
-   
 
- 
Exercised
 
 
(186,560)  
 
0.3300   
 
-   
 
- 
Outstanding at December 31, 2023
 
 
7,898,740   
 
0.7983   
 
2.90   
 
1,782 
Expired
 
 
(125,000)  
 
1.4000   
 
-   
 
- 
Exercised
 
 
(2,679,140)  
 
0.6201   
 
-   
 
- 
Outstanding at December 31, 2024
 
 
5,094,600   
 
0.8773   
 
2.83   
 
1,942 
Vested and expected to vest at December 31, 2024
 
 
5,020,747   
 
0.8773   
 
2.83   
 
1,914 
Exercisable as of December 31, 2024
 
 
1,236,150   
 
1.1372   
 
1.42   
 
237 
 
For
the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024, total share-based compensation expenses recognized related to the share options were
RMB365, RMB2,889 and
RMB2,894, respectively. As of December 31, 2024, the unrecognized compensation cost was RMB7,713. These amounts
are expected to be recognized over a weighted average
period of 2.59 years. Total compensation cost may be adjusted for future changes
in estimated forfeitures.
 
The
aggregate intrinsic value as of December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024 is calculated as the difference between the exercise prices of the options
and the per-share market price.
 
The
weighted average grant-date per-share fair value of options granted during the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024 was nil,
US$0.37 and nil, respectively.
 
F-50

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
14.
Share-based compensation (continued)
 
RSUs
 
The
following table sets forth the Company’s RSUs activities under all incentive plans for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023
and 2024:
 
 
 
Number of RSUs
   
Weighted- average
grant date fair value  
 
 
 
   
US$
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
Unvested at December 31, 2022
 
 
53,293,740   
 
0.6510 
Granted
 
 
42,890,835   
 
0.8108 
Vested
 
 
(20,613,140)  
 
0.6130 
Canceled/Forfeited
 
 
(7,377,125)  
 
0.6478 
Unvested at December 31, 2023
 
 
68,194,310   
 
0.7724 
Granted
 
 
39,910,390   
 
1.0244 
Vested
 
 
(26,126,200)  
 
0.6618 
Canceled/Forfeited
 
 
(6,633,360)  
 
0.7744 
Unvested at December 31, 2024
 
 
75,345,140   
 
0.9374 
 
Total
 share-based compensation cost for the RSUs amounted to RMB88,665 , RMB113,518 and RMB141,158 for the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023
 and 2024,
respectively. As of December 31, 2024, there was RMB337,646 unrecognized compensation cost, net of estimated forfeitures, related
to unvested restricted shares, which are to be
recognized over a weighted average vesting period of 2.69 years. Total unrecognized compensation
cost may be adjusted for future changes in estimated forfeitures. The Company
determined the fair value of RSUs based on its stock price
on the date of grant.
 
F-51

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
15.
Net profit per share
 
Basic
net profit per share is computed using the weighted average number of the ordinary shares outstanding during the period. Diluted net
profit per share is computed using
the weighted average number of ordinary shares and potential ordinary shares outstanding during the
period under the treasury stock method.
 
Basic
net profit per share and diluted net profit per share have been calculated in accordance with ASC Topic 260 on computation of earnings
per share for the years ended
December 31, 2022, 2023 and 2024 as follows:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
Basic net profit per share calculation:
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Numerator:
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Net profit attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary shareholders
 
 
2,266,382   
 
2,340,835   
 
2,383,146 
Denominator:
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding—basic
 
 
1,412,648,862   
 
1,374,713,018   
 
1,287,853,207 
Net profit per share attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary shareholders —basic  
 
1.60   
 
1.70   
 
1.85 
 
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Diluted net profit per share calculation:
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Numerator:
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Net profit attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary shareholders
 
 
2,266,382   
 
2,340,835   
 
2,383,146 
  
 
    
 
    
 
  
Denominator:
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding—basic
 
 
1,412,648,862   
 
1,374,713,018   
 
1,287,853,207 
Ordinary shares issuable upon the exercise of outstanding stock options using the treasury
stock method
 
 
2,330,707   
 
1,395,803   
 
814,226 
Ordinary shares issuable upon the vesting of outstanding RSUs using the treasury stock
method
 
 
39,311,747   
 
26,838,740   
 
31,562,059 
Weighted average number of ordinary shares outstanding—diluted
 
 
1,454,291,316   
 
1,402,947,561   
 
1,320,229,492 
Net profit per share attributable to FinVolution Group’s ordinary shareholders —
diluted
 
 
1.56   
 
1.67   
 
1.81 
 
F-52

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
16.
Leases
 
The
Company leases facilities under non-cancellable operating leases expiring on different dates. The terms of substantially all of these
leases are four years or less. When
determining the lease term, the Group includes options to extend or terminate the lease when it is
reasonably certain that it will exercise that option, if any. All of the Group’s leases
qualify as operating leases. With the adoption
of the new leasing standard, the Group has recorded a right-of-use asset and corresponding lease liability, by calculating the present
value of future lease payments, discounted at additional borrowing rate.
 
(a)
The following table sets forth the breakdown of leasing expenses:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
Lease cost:
 
 
    
 
  
Amortization of right-of-use assets
 
 
39,311   
 
12,646 
Interest of lease liabilities
 
 
7,246   
 
1,263 
Expenses for short-term leases within 12 months
 
 
5,394   
 
3,753 
Total lease cost
 
 
51,951   
 
17,662 
 
(b)
The following table sets forth the supplemental cash flow information related to leases:
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
Other information:
 
 
    
 
  
Cash paid for amounts included in the measurement of lease liabilities:
 
 
    
 
  
Operating lease payments
 
 
43,539   
 
22,908 
 
(c)
The following table sets forth the weighted-average remaining lease term and discount rate:
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
Weighted-average remaining lease term
 
 
    
 
  
Operating leases
 
 
2.71 years   
 
1.71 years 
Weighted-average discount rate
 
 
    
 
  
Operating leases
 
 
4.66% 
 
4.99%
 
F-53

 
 
16.
Leases (continued)
 
(d)
The following table sets forth the movement of right of use assets for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2024:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
Beginning balance
 
 
192,428   
 
38,110 
Recognition of additional leasing contract
 
 
28,349   
 
20,467 
De-recognition of leasing contract
 
 
(143,356)  
 
(9,312)
Amortization of right of use assets
 
 
(39,311)  
 
(12,646)
Business combination
 
 
-   
 
207 
Ending balance
 
 
38,110   
 
36,826 
 
(e)
The following table sets forth the movement of leasing liabilities for the years ended December 31, 2023 and 2024:
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
 
 
 
    
  
Beginning balance
 
 
176,990   
 
35,878 
Recognition of additional leasing contract
 
 
28,349   
 
20,467 
De-recognition of leasing contract
 
 
(133,168)  
 
(6,015)
Interest of lease liabilities
 
 
7,246   
 
1,263 
Leasing payment
 
 
(43,539)  
 
(22,908)
Business combination
 
 
-   
 
80 
Ending balance
 
 
35,878   
 
28,765 
 
(f)
The following table sets forth the maturities of lease liabilities:
 
 
 
As of
 
 
 
December 31, 2024
 
 
 
RMB
 
 
 
 
 
2025
 
 
16,777 
2026
 
 
12,406 
2027
 
 
1,753 
2028
 
 
228 
2029
 
 
- 
Total undiscounted lease payments
 
 
31,164 
Less: Imputed interest
 
 
(2,399)
Total lease liabilities
 
 
28,765 
 
F-54

 
 
17.
Commitments and contingencies
 
(a)
Capital and other commitments
 
The
 Company was obligated to pay up to RMB72 million and RMB59 million for equity investments under various
 arrangements as of December 31, 2023 and 2024,
respectively. The commitment balance as of December 31, 2023 and 2024 primarily includes
the remaining committed capital of certain investment funds. The Company has also
entered into business acquisition agreements under which the Company was obligated to pay up
to nil and RMB400 million as of December 31, 2023 and 2024 respectively.
 
(b)
Contingencies
 
i)
VIE
Arrangements
 
From
time to time, the Group is involved in claims and legal proceedings that arise in the ordinary course of business. Based on currently
available information, management
does not believe that the ultimate outcome of these unresolved matters, individually and in the aggregate,
is likely to have a material adverse effect on the Group’s financial position,
results of operations or cash flows. However, litigation
is subject to inherent uncertainties and the Group’s view of these matters may change in the future. If an unfavorable
outcome
were to occur, there exists the possibility of a material adverse impact on the Group’s financial position, results of operations
and cash flows for the periods in which the
unfavorable outcome occurs.
 
The
Group accounts for loss contingencies in accordance with ASC Topic 450 “Contingencies” and other related guidance. Set forth
below is a description of certain loss
contingencies as well as the opinion of management as to the likelihood of loss.
 
Current
PRC laws and regulations include limitations on foreign ownership in PRC companies that conduct online business. Specifically, foreign
investors are not allowed to
own any equity interests in any entity conducting online business. Since the Company is incorporated in
the Cayman Islands, neither the Company nor its PRC subsidiary is eligible
to conduct online business in the PRC. To comply with PRC
laws and regulations, the Company conducts its operations in China through a series of contractual arrangements
entered into among its
wholly owned PRC subsidiaries, the WOFEs, its affiliated PRC entities, the VIEs and the VIEs’ shareholders.
 
The
VIEs and their subsidiaries hold the licenses that are essential to the operation of the Group’s business. In the opinion of management
and the Company’s PRC legal
counsel, (i) the ownership structure of the Company, the WOFE and the VIEs are in compliance with existing
PRC laws and regulations; (ii) the contractual arrangements with the
VIEs and their shareholders are valid and binding, and will not
result in any violation of PRC laws or regulations currently in effect; and (iii) the Group’s business operations are in
compliance
with existing PRC laws and regulations in all material respects. However, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the interpretation
and application of current and
future PRC laws and regulations. Accordingly, the Company cannot be assured that PRC regulatory authorities
will not ultimately take a contrary view to its opinion. If the current
ownership structure of the Company and its contractual arrangements
with the VIEs were found to be in violation of any existing or future PRC laws and regulations, the Company
may be required to restructure
its ownership structure and operations in the PRC to comply with the changing and new PRC laws and regulations.
 
Under
 PRC Ministry of Commerce (“MOFCOM”) security review rules promulgated in September 2011, a national security review is required
 for certain mergers and
acquisitions by foreign investors raising concerns regarding national defense and security. Foreign investors
 are prohibited from circumventing the national security review
requirements by structuring transactions through proxies, trusts, indirect
investment, leases, loans, control through contractual arrangements, or offshore transactions. Management,
in conjunction with its PRC
legal counsel, has concluded there is no need to submit the existing contractual arrangements with consolidated VIEs and its shareholders
to the
MOFCOM for national security review based upon analysis of the rules. However, there are substantial uncertainties regarding the
interpretation and application of the MOFCOM
security review rules, and any new laws, rules, regulations or detailed implementation measures
in any form relating to such rules. Therefore, the Company cannot be assured that
the relevant PRC regulatory authorities, such as the
MOFCOM, would not ultimately take a contrary view to the opinion of management and the Company’s PRC legal counsel. If
the MOFCOM
or other PRC regulatory authority determines that the Company needs to submit the existing contractual arrangements with the VIEs and
its shareholders for national
security review, the Company may face sanctions by the MOFCOM or other PRC regulatory authority, which
may include, among others, requiring the Company to restructure its
ownership structure, discontinuation or restriction of operations
in the PRC, or invalidation of the agreements that the VIEs have entered into with the VIEs and its shareholders.
 
F-55

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
17.
Commitments and contingencies (continued)
 
(b)
Contingencies (continued)
 
i)
VIE
Arrangements (continued)
 
In
such case, the Company may not be able to operate or control business in the same manner as it currently does, and therefore, may not
be able to consolidate the VIEs and
their subsidiaries. In addition, the relevant regulatory authorities would have broad discretion
in dealing with such violations which may adversely impact the financial statements,
operations and cash flows of the Company (including
restrictions on the Company to carry out business).
 
If
the VIEs and their respective shareholders fail to perform their respective obligations under the current contractual arrangements, the
Company may have to incur substantial
costs and expend significant resources to enforce those arrangements and rely on legal remedies
under PRC laws. The PRC laws, rules and regulations are relatively new, and
because of the limited volume of published decisions and
their non-binding nature, the interpretation and enforcement of these laws, rules and regulations involve substantial
uncertainties.
These uncertainties may impede the ability of the Company to enforce these contractual arrangements or suffer significant delay or other
obstacles in the process of
enforcing these contractual arrangements and may materially and adversely affect the results of operations
and the financial position of the Company.
 
In
the opinion of management, the likelihood of loss in respect of the Company’s contractual arrangements with the VIEs is remote.
 
In
accordance with the Interim Measures on Administration of Business Activities of Online Lending Information Intermediaries (Interim Measures)
jointly issued by China
Banking Regulatory Commission, or the CBRC, together with three other PRC regulatory agencies in August 2016,
a record-filing and licensing regime is introduced. It requires
online lending information intermediaries to register with the local
financial regulatory authority, update their industrial and commercial registration with the local commercial
registration authority
 to include “online lending information intermediary” in their business scope, and obtain telecommunication business license
 from the relevant
telecommunication regulatory authority. As of the date of this report, the local financial regulatory authorities are
still in the process of making detailed implementation rules
regarding the filing procedures and the Company has not been permitted to
submit such filing application.
 
ii)
VIE
Enforceability
 
In
the opinion of management and the Company’s PRC legal counsel, (i) the ownership structure of the Company, the WOFEs and the VIEs
are in compliance with existing
PRC laws and regulations; (ii) the contractual arrangements with the VIEs and their shareholders are
valid and binding and enforceable. However, uncertainties in the interpretation
and enforcement of the PRC laws, regulations and policies
could limit the Company’s ability to enforce these contractual arrangements. In addition, shareholders of certain VIEs are
founders
 of the Group, who collectively controls more than 50% of total voting power. Therefore, the enforceability of the contractual agreements
 between VIEs and their
shareholders depends on whether shareholders or their PRC holding entities will fulfill these contractual agreements.
As a result, the Company may be unable to consolidate the
VIEs and VIEs’ subsidiaries in the consolidated financial statements.
 
F-56

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
18.
Restricted net assets
 
Relevant
PRC laws and regulations permit PRC companies to pay dividends only out of their retained earnings, if any, as determined in accordance
with PRC accounting
standards and regulations. Additionally, the Company’s PRC subsidiaries can only distribute dividends upon
approval of the shareholders after they have met the PRC requirements
for appropriation to statutory reserves. The statutory general
 reserve fund requires annual appropriations of 10% of net after-tax income prior to payment of any dividends.
Furthermore, registered
share capital and capital reserve accounts are also restricted from distribution. As a result of these and other restrictions under PRC
laws and regulations, the
PRC subsidiaries and affiliates are restricted in their ability to transfer a portion of their net assets to
the Company either in the form of dividends, loans or advances, which
restricted portion amounted to approximately RMB8,590,540 or 55.2%
of the consolidated net assets of the Group as of December 31, 2024. Even though the Company currently
does not require any such dividends,
loans or advances from the PRC subsidiaries and affiliates for working capital and other funding purposes, the Company may in the future
require additional cash resources from its PRC subsidiaries and affiliates due to changes in business conditions, to fund future acquisitions
and developments, or merely declare and
pay dividends or distributions to the Company’s shareholders. Furthermore, cash transfers
from the Group’s PRC subsidiaries to their parent companies outside of China are subject
to PRC government control of currency
conversion. Shortages in the availability of foreign currency may temporarily delay the ability of the PRC subsidiaries and consolidated
affiliated entities to remit sufficient foreign currency to pay dividends or other payments to the Group, or otherwise satisfy their
foreign currency denominated obligations.
 
F-57

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
19.
Condensed financial information of the parent company
 
The
Company performed a test on the restricted net assets of consolidated subsidiaries in accordance with Securities and Exchange Commission
Regulation S-X Rule 4-08 (e)
(3), “General Notes to Financial Statements’ and concluded that it was applicable for the Company
to disclose the financial statements for the parent company.
 
The
subsidiaries did not pay any dividend to the Company for the years presented. For the purpose of presenting parent only financial information,
the Company records its
investments in its subsidiaries under the equity method of accounting. Such investments are presented on the
separate condensed balance sheets of the Company as “Investments in
subsidiaries” and the profit of the subsidiaries is presented
 as “share of profit of subsidiaries”. Certain information and footnote disclosures generally included in financial
statements
prepared in accordance with U.S. GAAP have been condensed and omitted. These statements should be read in conjunction with the notes
to the consolidated financial
statements of the Company.
 
The
Company did not have significant capital and other commitments, long-term obligations, or guarantees as of December 31, 2023 and 2024.
 
 
 
As of December 31,
 
 
 
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$ 
Note2(f)
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
 
Assets
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Cash and cash equivalents
 
 
67,403   
 
76,052   
 
10,419 
Short-term investments
 
 
-   
 
14,566   
 
1,997 
Prepaid expenses and other assets
 
 
18,290   
 
34,812   
 
4,769 
Amounts due from Group companies
 
 
1,108,198   
 
870,209   
 
119,218 
Amounts due from related parties
 
 
-   
 
16,726   
 
2,291 
Investment in subsidiaries1
 
 
15,373,634   
 
17,900,257   
 
2,452,325 
Total assets
 
 
16,567,525   
 
18,912,622   
 
2,591,019 
Liabilities and Shareholders’ Equity
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Accrued expenses and other liabilities
 
 
1,418   
 
1,493   
 
205 
Amounts due to Group companies
 
 
2,817,322   
 
3,707,065   
 
507,866 
Total liabilities
 
 
2,818,740   
 
3,708,558   
 
508,071 
Shareholders’ equity :
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
Class A ordinary shares (US$0.00001 par value; 10,000,000,000 shares authorized as of
December 31, 2023 and 2024; 980,871,169 and 983,371,169 issued as of December 31,
2023 and 2024; 757,194,939 and 699,550,724 outstanding as of December 31, 2023 and
2024)
 
 
64   
 
64   
 
9 
Class B ordinary shares (US$0.00001 par value; 10,000,000,000 shares authorized as of
December 31, 2023 and 2024; 569,200,000 and 566,700,000 issued and outstanding as of
December 31, 2023 and 2024)
 
 
39   
 
39   
 
5 
Additional paid-in capital
 
 
5,748,734   
 
5,815,437   
 
796,712 
Treasury stock (223,676,230 and 283,820,445 shares as of December 31, 2023 and 2024)
 
 
(1,199,683)  
 
(1,765,542)  
 
(241,878)
Statutory reserves
 
 
762,472   
 
852,723   
 
116,823 
Accumulated other comprehensive income
 
 
80,006   
 
92,626   
 
12,689 
Retained earnings
 
 
8,357,153   
 
10,208,717   
 
1,398,588 
Total shareholders’ equity
 
 
13,748,785   
 
15,204,064   
 
2,082,948 
Total liabilities and shareholders’ equity
 
 
16,567,525   
 
18,912,622   
 
2,591,019 
 
 
1 The subsidiaries
consolidate the VIEs and their subsidiaries (including the consolidated trusts).
 
F-58

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
19.
Condensed financial information of the parent company (continued)
 
Statements
of comprehensive income
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$ Note 2(f)
 
 
 
    
    
    
  
Operating expenses
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
General and administrative expenses
 
 
(20,027)  
 
(19,446)  
 
(11,636)  
 
(1,594)
Profits from operations
 
 
    
 
    
 
    
 
  
Other income, net
 
 
(1,100)  
 
34,670   
 
12,161   
 
1,665 
Income from subsidiaries
 
 
2,287,509   
 
2,325,611   
 
2,382,621   
 
326,417 
Net profit
 
 
2,266,382   
 
2,340,835   
 
2,383,146   
 
326,488 
Net profit attributable to ordinary shareholders
 
 
2,266,382   
 
2,340,835   
 
2,383,146   
 
326,488 
 
Statements
of cash flows
 
 
 
For the years ended December 31,
 
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
 
RMB
   
RMB
   
RMB
   
US$ Note 2(f)
 
 
 
 
   
 
   
 
   
 
 
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities for Third-
parties
 
 
(36,357)  
 
9,545   
 
(14,877)  
 
(2,038)
Net cash (used in) provided by operating activities
 
 
(36,357)  
 
9,545   
 
(14,877)  
 
(2,038)
Collection of loans from Group companies
 
 
455,144   
 
32,913   
 
251,998   
 
34,524 
Cash paid as loans extended to Group companies
 
 
(402,570)  
 
(499,562)  
 
(14,009)  
 
(1,919)
Other investing activities
 
 
(48,275)  
 
-   
 
(14,379)  
 
(1,970)
Net cash provided by (used in) investing activities
 
 
4,299   
 
(466,649)  
 
223,610   
 
30,635 
Repayment of loans to Group companies
 
 
(487,333)  
 
(74,346)  
 
(12,708)  
 
(1,741)
Cash received as loans from Group companies
 
 
1,240,317   
 
1,491,485   
 
902,451   
 
123,635 
Other financing activities
 
 
(702,674)  
 
(1,110,984)  
 
(1,084,539)  
 
(148,581)
Net cash (used in) provided by financing activities
 
 
50,310   
 
306,155   
 
(194,796)  
 
(26,687)
 
F-59

 
 
FINVOLUTION
GROUP
NOTES
TO CONSOLIDATED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
(All
amounts in thousands, except share data, or otherwise noted)
 
20.
Geographic information
 
The
following table presents revenue by geographic area, the PRC, Indonesia and all other countries, based on the geographic location for
the years ended December 31, 2022, 2023
and 2024. No revenue resulting from an individual country other than the PRC and Indonesia accounted
for more than 10% of revenue for the presented years.
 
 
2022
   
2023
   
2024
 
 
    
    
  
Total Revenue
 
 
    
 
    
 
  
The PRC
 
 
9,984,500   
 
10,410,574   
 
10,533,327 
Indonesia
 
 
1,067,429   
 
1,885,586   
 
1,887,770 
Others
 
 
82,274   
 
251,285   
 
644,727 
 
 
11,134,203   
 
12,547,445   
 
13,065,824 
 
21.
Subsequent events
 
On
March 17, 2025, the Board of Directors of the Company unanimously approved a cash dividend of US$ 0.277 (RMB2.02) per ADS, and is expected
to be distributed on or
around May 7, 2025 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on April 16, 2025.
 
On
September 18, 2024, the Group, through one of its subsidiaries, has entered into a share purchase agreement to purchase 100%
interest of Guangzhou Pingan Haodai
Microloan Co., Ltd (“Pingan Haodai” or the “investee”) from Ping An Financial
Technology Co., Ltd (“Ping An FinTech”). Up to March 31, 2025, the Group has paid the majority
of the consideration amounted
to RMB408 million in several installments to Ping An FinTech. Following on the change of articles of association and senior management
of Pingan
Haodai in March 2025, the Group obtained control over the investee and Pingan Haodai becomes the Company’s wholly-owned
subsidiary thereof.
 
F-60
 
 

 
Exhibit
2.4
 
Description
of Rights of Each Class of Securities Registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934
 
As
of December 31, 2024, FinVolution Group, (or “FinVolution,” “we,” “us,” “our company”
and “our”) had the following series of securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b)
of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act:
 
Title
of each class
 
Trading
Symbol
 
Name
of each exchange on which registered
American
depositary shares (one American depositary share
representing five Class A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 per
share)
 
FINV
 
New
York Stock Exchange
Class
A ordinary shares, par value US$0.00001 per share*
 
 
 
New
York Stock Exchange
 
 
*
Not for trading, but only in connection with the listing on the New York Stock Exchange of American depositary shares.
 
Description
of Class A Ordinary Shares
 
The
following is a summary of material provisions of our currently effective fourth amended and restated memorandum and articles of association
(the “Memorandum and Articles
of Association”), as well as the Companies Act (As Revised) of the Cayman Islands (the “Companies
Act”) insofar as they relate to the material terms of the Class A ordinary
shares. Notwithstanding this, because it is a summary,
it may not contain all the information that you may otherwise deem important. For more complete information, you should
read the entire
 Memorandum and Articles of Association, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) as an
 exhibit to our Registration
Statement on Form F-1 (File No. 333-220954), as amended, initially filed with the SEC on October 13, 2017.
 
Type
and Class of Securities (Item 9.A.5 of Form 20-F)
 
Each
Class A ordinary share has par value of US$0.00001. The number of Class A ordinary shares that have been issued as of the last day of
the fiscal year ended December 31,
2024 is provided on the cover of the annual report on Form 20-F filed on April 18, 2025 (the “Form
20-F”). Our Class A ordinary shares may be held in either certified or
uncertified form.
 
Preemptive
Rights (Item 9.A.3 of Form 20-F)
 
Our
shareholders do not have preemptive right.
 
Limitations
or Qualifications (Item 9.A.6 of Form 20-F)
 
We
have adopted a dual-class share structure. Our ordinary shares consist of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Holders
of Class A ordinary shares are entitled to
one vote per share in respect of matters requiring the votes of shareholders, while holders
of Class B ordinary shares are entitled to twenty votes per share. Each Class B ordinary
share is convertible into one Class A ordinary
share at any time by the holder thereof, while Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any
circumstances.
 
Due
to the super voting powers attached to the Class B ordinary shares, the voting power of holders of the Class A ordinary shares may be
materially limited.
 
Rights
of Other Types of Securities (Item 9.A.7 of Form 20-F)
 
Not
applicable.
 
1

 
 
Rights
of Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.3 of Form 20-F)
 
General
 
Our
ordinary shares are divided into Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares. Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B
ordinary shares have the same rights
except for voting and conversion rights (as described in more details below). Our ordinary shares
are issued in registered form, and are issued when registered in our register of
members (shareholders). Our shareholders who are non-residents
of the Cayman Islands may freely hold and vote their shares.
 
Dividends
 
The
holders of our ordinary shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors. 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, our company may declare and pay a dividend only out of funds
legally available therefor, namely out of either profit or our share
premium account, provided that in no circumstances may we pay a dividend if this would result in our company
being unable to pay its
debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business.
 
Voting
Rights
 
In
respect of all matters subject to a shareholders’ vote, each holder of Class A ordinary share is entitled to one vote for each
Class A ordinary share registered in his or her name on
our register of members, and each holder of Class B ordinary share is entitled
to twenty votes for each Class B ordinary share registered in his or her name on our register of
members. Holders of Class A ordinary
shares and Class B ordinary shares shall, at all times, vote together on all resolutions submitted to a vote of the members. Voting at
any
shareholders’ meeting is by show of hands unless a poll is demanded. A poll may be demanded by the chairman of such meeting
or any shareholders present in person or by proxy.
 
A
quorum required for a meeting of shareholders consists of one or more shareholders present and holding shares which represent, in aggregate,
not less than one-third of the votes
attaching to the issued and outstanding voting shares in our company. Shareholders may be present
in person or by proxy or, if the shareholder is a legal entity, by its duly authorized
representative. Shareholders’ meetings may
be convened by the chairman of our board of directors or a majority of our directors or upon a request to the directors by shareholders
holding shares which represent, in aggregate, no less than one-third of the votes attaching to the issued and outstanding shares that
as at the date of the deposit of the shareholder’s
requisition carry the right to vote at general meetings of our company. Advance
notice of at least seven days is required for the convening of our annual general shareholders’
meeting and any other general shareholders’
meeting.
 
An
ordinary resolution to be passed at a meeting by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of the votes attached
to the ordinary shares cast by those
shareholders entitled to vote who are present in person or by proxy at a general meeting, while
a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of no less than two-thirds of the
votes attached to the ordinary shares cast by those
shareholders entitled to vote who are present in person or by proxy at 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 amended and restated
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 amended and restated
memorandum and articles of association. Holders of the ordinary shares
may, among other things, divide or combine their shares by ordinary resolution.
 
Conversion
 
Each
Class B ordinary share is convertible into one Class A ordinary share at any time by the holder thereof. Class A ordinary shares are
not convertible into Class B ordinary
shares under any circumstances. Upon any sale, transfer, assignment or disposition of any Class
B ordinary share by a shareholder to any person who is not an affiliate of such
shareholder, or upon a change of ultimate beneficial
ownership of any Class B ordinary share to any person who is not an affiliate of the registered shareholder of such share, such
Class
B ordinary shares shall be automatically and immediately converted into the equivalent number of Class A ordinary shares.
 
2

 
 
Transfer
of Ordinary Shares
 
Subject
to the restrictions 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 of directors.
 
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 board of
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; and
 
 
 
 
●
a
fee of such maximum sum as the NYSE may determine to be payable or such lesser sum as our directors may from time to time require
is paid to us in respect
thereof.
 
If
our directors refuse to register a transfer they shall, within three months after the date on which the instrument of transfer was lodged,
send to each of the transferor and the
transferee notice of such refusal.
 
The
registration of transfers may, after compliance with any notice required of the NYSE, 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
may not be suspended nor the register closed for more than 30 days in any year as
our board may determine.
 
Liquidation
 
On
 a winding up of our company, if the assets available for distribution among our shareholders shall be more than sufficient to repay the
 whole of the share capital at the
commencement of the winding up, the surplus will be distributed among our shareholders in proportion
to the par value of the shares held by them at the commencement of the
winding up, subject to a deduction from those shares in respect
of which there are monies due, of all monies payable to our company for unpaid calls or otherwise. If our assets
available for distribution
are insufficient to repay all of the paid-up capital, the assets will be distributed so that the losses are borne by our shareholders
in proportion to the par
value of the shares held by them. We are a “limited liability” company registered under the Companies
Act, and under the Companies Act, the liability of our members is limited to
the amount, if any, unpaid on the shares respectively held
by them. Our memorandum of association contains a declaration that the liability of our members is so limited.
 
Calls
on Shares and Forfeiture of Shares
 
Our
board of directors may from time to time make calls upon shareholders for any amounts unpaid on their shares in a notice served to such
shareholders at least 14 days prior to
the specified time and place of payment. The shares that have been called upon and remain unpaid
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 provided
that the manner and terms of such purchase have been
 approved by our board of directors or by 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 our company’s profits or
out of the proceeds of a
fresh issue of shares made for the purpose of such redemption or repurchase, or out of capital (including share
premium account and capital redemption reserve) if the company can,
immediately following such payment, pay its debts as they fall due
in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Companies 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 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.
 
3

 
 
Issuance
of Additional Shares
 
Our
currently effective memorandum and articles of association authorizes our board of directors to issue additional ordinary shares from
time to time as our board of directors shall
determine, to the extent of available authorized but unissued shares.
 
Our
currently effective memorandum and articles of association also authorizes our board of directors to establish from time to time one
or more series of preferred shares and to
determine, with respect to any series of preferred shares, the terms and rights of that series,
including:
 
 
●
the
designation of the series;
 
 
 
 
●
the
number of shares of the series;
 
 
 
 
●
the
dividend rights, dividend rates, conversion rights, voting rights; and
 
 
 
 
●
the
rights and terms of redemption and liquidation preferences.
 
Our
board of directors may issue preferred shares without action by our shareholders to the extent authorized but unissued. Issuance of these
shares may dilute the voting power of
holders of ordinary shares.
 
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 (other than the
memorandum and articles of association and any special resolutions passed by our shareholders,
 and our registers of mortgages and charges). However, we will provide our
shareholders with annual audited financial statements.
 
Anti-Takeover
Provisions
 
Some
provisions of our Memorandum and Articles of Association may discourage, delay or prevent a change of control of our company or management
that shareholders may
consider favorable, including provisions that:
 
 
●
authorize
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; and
 
 
 
 
●
limit
the ability of shareholders to requisition and convene general meetings of shareholders.
 
However,
 under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under our amended and restated 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.
 
General
Meetings of Shareholders and Shareholder Proposals
 
Our
shareholders’ general meetings may be held in such place within or outside the Cayman Islands as our board of directors considers
appropriate.
 
As
a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obliged by the Companies Act to call shareholders’ annual general meetings. Our currently
effective 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.
 
4

 
 
Shareholders’
annual general meetings and any other general meetings of our shareholders may be convened by a majority of our board of directors or
our chairman. Advance notice
of at least seven days is required for the convening of our annual general shareholders’ meeting and
any other general meeting of our shareholders. A quorum required for a general
meeting of shareholders consists of at least one shareholder
present or by proxy, representing not less than one-third of the votes attaching to the issued and outstanding shares in our
company
entitled to vote at general meetings.
 
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 currently effective memorandum and articles of association allow our
shareholders holding shares representing in aggregate not less
than one-third of the votes attaching to the 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 directors are obliged to call such meeting and to put the resolutions
so requisitioned
to a vote at such meeting; however, our currently effective 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.
 
Requirements
to Change the Rights of Holders of Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.4 of Form 20-F)
 
Variations
of Rights of Shares
 
The
rights conferred upon the holders of the shares of any class issued with preferred or other rights may not, unless otherwise expressly
provided by the terms of issue of the shares
of that class, be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking
pari passu with such existing class of shares.
 
Limitations
on the Rights to Own Class A Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.6 of Form 20-F)
 
There
are no limitations under the laws of the Cayman Islands or under the Memorandum and Articles of Association that limit the right of shareholders
who are non-residents of
the Cayman Islands in holding or voting their Class A ordinary shares.
 
Provisions
Affecting Any Change of Control (Item 10.B.7 of Form 20-F)
 
Anti-Takeover
Provisions in the Memorandum and Articles of Association
 
Some
provisions of the Memorandum and Articles of Association may discourage, delay or prevent a change in control of our company or management
that shareholders may
consider favorable, including provisions that authorize 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 and limit the ability of shareholders to requisition and convene general meetings of
shareholders.
 
However,
under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under the 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.
 
Ownership
Threshold (Item 10.B.8 of Form 20-F)
 
There
 are no provisions under Cayman Islands law applicable to the Company, or under the Memorandum and Articles of Association that require
 our company to disclose
shareholder ownership above any particular ownership threshold.
 
Differences
Between the Law of Different Jurisdictions (Item 10.B.9 of Form 20-F)
 
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.
 
5

 
 
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 in the
Cayman Islands
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.
 
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.
 
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. The exercise of dissenter rights will
preclude the exercise by the dissenting shareholder of any other rights to which he
or she might otherwise be entitled by virtue of holding
shares, save for the right to seek relief on the grounds that the merger or consolidation is void or unlawful. Court approval is
not
required for a merger or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.
 
In
addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies by way of schemes of arrangement,
provided that the arrangement is
approved by a majority in number of each class of shareholders and creditors with whom the arrangement
is to be made, and who must in addition represent three-fourths in value of
each such class of shareholders or creditors, as the case
may be, that are present and voting either in person or by proxy at a meeting, or meetings, convened for that purpose. The
convening
of the meetings and subsequently the arrangement must be sanctioned by the Grand Court of the Cayman Islands. While a dissenting shareholder
has the right to express
to 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 takeover offer.
When a takeover 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.
 
6

 
 
If
the arrangement and reconstruction by way of scheme of arrangement is thus approved, or if a takeover offer is made and accepted, in
accordance with the foregoing statutory
procedures, the dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, save
that objectors to a takeover offer may apply to the Grand Court of the Cayman
Islands for various orders that the Grand Court of the
Cayman Islands has a broad discretion to make, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of
United States
corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.
 
Shareholders’
Suits
 
In
principle, we will normally be the proper plaintiff 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, there are exceptions
to the foregoing principle, including when:
 
 
●
a
company acts or proposes to act illegally or ultra vires;
 
 
 
 
●
the
act complained of, although not ultra vires, could only be effected duly if authorized by more than a simple majority vote that has
not been obtained; and
 
 
 
 
●
those
who control the company are perpetrating a “fraud on the minority.”
 
Indemnification
of Directors and Executive Officers and Limitation of Liability
 
The
ability of Cayman Islands companies to provide in their articles of association for indemnification of officers and directors is not
limited, except that any indemnity would not
be effective if it were held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy,
which would include any attempt to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the
consequences of committing a crime. The Memorandum
and Articles of Association provide that our directors and officers shall be indemnified against all actions, proceedings,
costs, charges,
expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by such director or officer, other than by reason of such person’s
own 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 each
of our directors and executive officers that will provide such
persons with additional indemnification beyond that provided in the 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 may 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.
 
7

 
 
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
the Memorandum and Articles of Association, directors who are in any way, whether directly or indirectly, interested in a contract or
proposed contract with our company
must declare the nature of their interest at a meeting of the board of directors. Following such declaration,
a director may vote in respect of any contract or proposed contract
notwithstanding his interest.
 
Shareholder
Proposals
 
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, a shareholder has the right to put any proposal before the annual meeting of shareholders, provided
that 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.
The 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 of directors is obliged
to convene an extraordinary
general meeting and to put the proposals so requisitioned to a vote at such meeting. Other than this right
to requisition a shareholders’ meeting, the 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 not called by such shareholders.
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 for
cumulative
voting under the laws of the Cayman Islands but the Memorandum and Articles of Association do not provide for cumulative voting.
 
Removal
of Directors
 
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, a director of a corporation may be removed with the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares
entitled to vote, unless the
certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under the 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) dies or is
found to be
or becomes of unsound mind; (iii) resigns his office by notice in writing to the company; (iv) without special leave of absence from
our board of directors, is absent
from three consecutive meetings of the board and the board resolves that his office be vacated or;
(v) is removed from office pursuant to any other provisions of the Memorandum
and Articles of Association.
 
8

 
 
Transactions
with Interested Shareholders
 
The
Delaware General Corporation Law contains a business combination statute applicable to Delaware public corporations whereby, unless the
corporation has specifically elected
not to be governed by such statute by amendment to its certificate of incorporation, it is prohibited
from engaging in certain business combinations with an “interested shareholder”
for three years following the date on which
such person becomes an interested shareholder. An interested shareholder generally is one which owns or owned 15% or more of the
target’s
outstanding voting shares within the past three years. This has the effect of limiting the ability of a potential acquiror to make a
two-tiered bid for the target in which all
shareholders would not be treated equally. The statute does not apply if, among other things,
prior to the date on which such shareholder becomes an interested shareholder, the
board of directors approves either the business combination
or the transaction that resulted in the person becoming an interested shareholder. This encourages any potential acquiror
of a Delaware
public corporation to negotiate the terms of any acquisition transaction with the target’s board of directors.
 
Cayman
Islands law has no comparable statute. As a result, we cannot avail ourselves of the types of protections afforded by the Delaware business
combination statute. However,
although Cayman Islands law does not regulate transactions between a company and its significant shareholders,
it does provide that such transactions entered into must be bona
fide in the best interests of the company, for a proper corporate purpose
and not with the effect of perpetrating a fraud on the minority shareholders.
 
Dissolution;
Winding Up
 
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, unless the board of directors approves the proposal to dissolve, dissolution must be approved by
shareholders holding 100% of the
total voting power of the corporation. Only if the dissolution is initiated by the board of directors
may it be approved by a simple majority of the corporation’s outstanding shares.
The Delaware General Corporation Law allows a
 Delaware corporation to include in its certificate of incorporation a supermajority voting requirement in connection with
dissolutions
initiated by the board of directors. Under the Companies Act, our company may be dissolved, liquidated or wound up by a special resolution,
or by an ordinary
resolution on the basis that our company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due. 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 the Memorandum and Articles of Association, if
our share capital is divided into more than
one class of shares, we may vary the rights attached to any class 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 that class.
 
Amendment
of Governing Documents
 
Under
the Delaware General Corporation Law, a corporation’s governing documents may be amended with the approval of a majority of the
outstanding shares entitled to vote,
unless the certificate of incorporation provides otherwise. Under the Companies Act, the Memorandum
and Articles of Association may only be amended by a special resolution of
our shareholders.
 
Anti-takeover
Provisions
 
Some
provisions of the 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 and limit the ability of shareholders to requisition and convene general
meetings of shareholders.
 
9

 
 
However,
under Cayman Islands law, our directors may only exercise the rights and powers granted to them under the 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 the 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 the Memorandum and Articles of Association
that require our company to disclose shareholder ownership above
any particular ownership threshold.
 
Directors’
Power to Issue Shares
 
Under
the Memorandum and Articles of Association, our board of directors is empowered to issue or allot shares or grant options and warrants
with or without preferred, deferred,
qualified or other special rights or restrictions.
 
Exempted
Company
 
The
Companies Act in the Cayman Islands 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 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’s register of members is not required to be open to 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 a limited duration company; and
 
 
 
 
●
an
exempted company may register as a segregated portfolio company.
 
“Limited
liability” means that the liability of each shareholder is limited to the amount unpaid by the shareholder on that shareholder’s
shares of the company (except in exceptional
circumstances, such as involving fraud, the establishment of an agency relationship or an
illegal or improper purpose or other circumstances in which a court may be prepared to
pierce or lift the corporate veil).
 
10

 
 
Changes
in Capital (Item 10.B.10 of Form 20-F)
 
Our
shareholders may from time to time by ordinary resolutions:
 
 
●
consolidate
and divide all or any of its share capital into shares of a larger amount than its existing shares;
 
 
 
 
●
convert
all or any of its paid up shares into stock and reconvert that stock into paid up shares of any denomination;
 
 
 
 
●
subdivide
its existing shares, or any of them into shares of a smaller amount provided that in the subdivision the proportion between the amount
paid and the
amount, if any, unpaid on each reduced share shall be the same as it was in case of the share from which the reduced
share is derived; and
 
 
 
 
●
cancel
any shares that, 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 its share
capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled.
 
Subject
to the Companies Act, our shareholders may by special resolution reduce our share capital and any capital redemption reserve in any manner
authorized by law.
 
Debt
Securities (Item 12.A of Form 20-F)
 
Not
applicable.
 
Warrants
and Rights (Item 12.B of Form 20-F)
 
Not
applicable.
 
Other
Securities (Item 12.C of Form 20-F)
 
Not
applicable.
 
American
Depositary Shares (Items 12.D.1 and 12.D.2 of Form 20-F)
 
Citibank,
N.A., as depositary, registers and delivers the ADSs. Each ADS represents ownership of five Class A ordinary shares, deposited with Citibank,
N.A.—Hong Kong, as
custodian for the depositary. Each ADS also represents ownership of any other securities, cash or other property
which may be held by the depositary. The office of the custodian is
located at 9/F., Citi Tower, One Bay East, 83 Hoi Bun Road, Kwun
Tong, Kowloon, Hong Kong. The principal executive office of the depositary is located at 388 Greenwich Street,
New York, New York, 10013.
 
The
Direct Registration System, or DRS, is a system administered by The Depository Trust Company, or DTC, pursuant to which the depositary
may register the ownership of
uncertificated ADSs, which ownership shall be evidenced by periodic statements issued by the depositary
to the ADS holders entitled thereto.
 
We
do not treat ADS holders as our shareholders and accordingly, you, as an ADS holder, do not have shareholder rights. Cayman Islands law
governs shareholder rights. The
depositary is the holder of the Class A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. As a holder of ADSs, you
have ADS holder rights. A deposit agreement among us, the depositary and
you, as an ADS holder, and the beneficial owners of ADSs sets
out ADS holder rights as well as the rights and obligations of the depositary. The laws of the State of New York
govern the deposit agreement
and the ADSs.
 
The
following is a summary of the material provisions of the deposit agreement. This summary description assumes you have opted to own the
ADSs directly by means of an ADS
registered in your name and, as such, we will refer to you as the “holder.” When we refer
to “you,” we assume the reader owns ADSs and will own ADSs at the relevant time. For
more complete information, you should
read the entire deposit agreement and the form of American Depositary Receipt (“ADR”) which contains the terms of your ADSs.
The
deposit agreement has been filed with the SEC as an exhibit to a Registration Statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-224011) for our
company on March 29, 2018. The form of ADR
is on file with the SEC (as a prospectus) and was filed on November 13, 2017.
 
11

 
 
Holding
the ADSs
 
Each
ADS represents the right to receive, and to exercise the beneficial ownership interests in, five Class A ordinary shares that is on deposit
with the depositary bank and/or
custodian. An ADS also represents the right to receive, and to exercise the beneficial interests in,
any other property received by the depositary bank or the custodian on behalf of
the owner of the ADS but that has not been distributed
to the owners of ADSs because of legal restrictions or practical considerations. We and the depositary bank may agree to
change the ADS-to-Class
A ordinary share ratio by amending the deposit agreement. This amendment may give rise to, or change, the depositary fees payable by
ADS owners. The
custodian, the depositary bank and their respective nominees will hold all deposited property for the benefit of the
holders and beneficial owners of ADSs. The deposited property
does not constitute the proprietary assets of the depositary bank, the
custodian or their nominees. Beneficial ownership in the deposited property will under the terms of the deposit
agreement be vested in
the beneficial owners of the ADSs. The depositary bank, the custodian and their respective nominees will be the record holders of the
deposited property
represented by the ADSs for the benefit of the holders and beneficial owners of the corresponding ADSs. A beneficial
owner of ADSs may or may not be the holder of ADSs.
Beneficial owners of ADSs will be able to receive, and to exercise beneficial ownership
interests in, the deposited property only through the registered holders of the ADSs, the
registered holders of the ADSs (on behalf of
the applicable ADS owners) only through the depositary bank, and the depositary bank (on behalf of the owners of the corresponding
ADSs)
directly, or indirectly, through the custodian or their respective nominees, in each case upon the terms of the deposit agreement.
 
If
you become an owner of ADSs, you will become a party to the deposit agreement and therefore will be bound to its terms and to the terms
of any ADR that represents your
ADSs. The deposit agreement and the ADR specify our rights and obligations as well as your rights and
obligations as owner of ADSs and those of the depositary bank. As an ADS
holder you appoint the depositary bank to act on your behalf
 in certain circumstances. The deposit agreement and the ADRs are governed by New York law. However, our
obligations to the holders of
Class A ordinary shares will continue to be governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands, which may be different from the laws in the United
States.
 
In
addition, applicable laws and regulations may require you to satisfy reporting requirements and obtain regulatory approvals in certain
circumstances. You are solely responsible
for complying with such reporting requirements and obtaining such approvals. Neither the depositary
bank, the custodian, us or any of their or our respective agents or affiliates
shall be required to take any actions whatsoever on your
behalf to satisfy such reporting requirements or obtain such regulatory approvals under applicable laws and regulations.
 
As
an owner of ADSs, we will not treat you as one of our shareholders and you will not have direct shareholder rights. The depositary bank
will hold on your behalf the shareholder
rights attached to the Class A ordinary shares underlying your ADSs. As an owner of ADSs you
will be able to exercise the shareholders rights for the Class A ordinary shares
represented by your ADSs through the depositary bank
only to the extent contemplated in the deposit agreement. To exercise any shareholder rights not contemplated in the deposit
agreement
you will, as an ADS owner, need to arrange for the cancelation of your ADSs and become a direct shareholder.
 
The
manner in which you own the ADSs (e.g., in a brokerage account vs. as registered holder, or as holder of certificated vs. uncertificated
ADSs) may affect your rights and
obligations, and the manner in which, and extent to which, the depositary bank’s services are
made available to you. As an owner of ADSs, you may hold your ADSs either by
means of an ADR registered in your name, through a brokerage
or safekeeping account, or through an account established by the depositary bank in your name reflecting the
registration of uncertificated
ADSs directly on the books of the depositary bank (commonly referred to as the “direct registration system” or “DRS”).
The direct registration system
reflects the uncertificated (book-entry) registration of ownership of ADSs by the depositary bank. Under
the direct registration system, ownership of ADSs is evidenced by periodic
statements issued by the depositary bank to the holders of
the ADSs. The direct registration system includes automated transfers between the depositary bank and The Depository
Trust Company (“DTC”),
the central book-entry clearing and settlement system for equity securities in the United States. If you decide to hold your ADSs through
your brokerage
or safekeeping account, you must rely on the procedures of your broker or bank to assert your rights as ADS owner. Banks
and brokers typically hold securities such as the ADSs
through clearing and settlement systems such as DTC. The procedures of such clearing
and settlement systems may limit your ability to exercise your rights as an owner of ADSs.
Please consult with your broker or bank if
you have any questions concerning these limitations and procedures. All ADSs held through DTC will be registered in the name of a
nominee
of DTC. This summary description assumes you have opted to own the ADSs directly by means of an ADS registered in your name and, as such,
we will refer to you as the
“holder.” When we refer to “you,” we assume the reader owns ADSs and will own ADSs
at the relevant time.
 
The
registration of the Class A ordinary shares in the name of the depositary bank or the custodian shall, to the maximum extent permitted
by applicable law, vest in the depositary
bank or the custodian the record ownership in the applicable Class A ordinary shares with the
beneficial ownership rights and interests in such Class A ordinary shares being at all
times vested with the beneficial owners of the
ADSs representing the Class A ordinary shares. The depositary bank or the custodian shall at all times be entitled to exercise the
beneficial
ownership rights in all deposited property, in each case only on behalf of the holders and beneficial owners of the ADSs representing
the deposited property.
 
12

 
 
Dividends
and Distributions
 
As
a holder of ADSs, you generally have the right to receive the distributions we make on the securities deposited with the custodian. Your
receipt of these distributions may be
limited, however, by practical considerations and legal limitations. Holders of ADSs will receive
such distributions under the terms of the deposit agreement in proportion to the
number of ADSs held as of the specified record date,
after deduction of the applicable fees, taxes and expenses.
 
Distributions
of Cash
 
Whenever
we make a cash distribution for the securities on deposit with the custodian, we will deposit the funds with the custodian. Upon receipt
of confirmation of the deposit of
the requisite funds, the depositary bank will arrange for the funds received in a currency other than
U.S. dollars to be converted into U.S. dollars and for the distribution of the U.S.
dollars to the holders, subject to the laws and regulations
of the Cayman Islands.
 
The
conversion into U.S. dollars will take place only if practicable and if the U.S. dollars are transferable to the United States. The depositary
bank will apply the same method for
distributing the proceeds of the sale of any property (such as undistributed rights) held by the
custodian in respect of securities on deposit.
 
The
distribution of cash will be made net of the fees, expenses, taxes and governmental charges payable by holders under the terms of the
deposit agreement. The depositary bank
will hold any cash amounts it is unable to distribute in a non-interest bearing account for the
benefit of the applicable holders and beneficial owners of ADSs until the distribution
can be effected or the funds that the depositary
bank holds must be escheated as unclaimed property in accordance with the laws of the relevant states of the United States.
 
Distributions
of Class A Ordinary Shares
 
Whenever
we make a free distribution of Class A ordinary shares for the securities on deposit with the custodian, we will deposit the applicable
number of Class A ordinary shares
with the custodian. Upon receipt of confirmation of such deposit, the depositary bank will either distribute
to holders new ADSs representing the Class A ordinary shares deposited
or modify the ADS-to-Class A ordinary share ratio, in which case
each ADS you hold will represent rights and interests in the additional Class A ordinary shares so deposited. Only
whole new ADSs will
be distributed. Fractional entitlements will be sold and the proceeds of such sale will be distributed as in the case of a cash distribution.
 
The
distribution of new ADSs or the modification of the ADS-to-Class A ordinary share ratio upon a distribution of Class A ordinary shares
will be made net of the fees, expenses,
taxes and governmental charges payable by holders under the terms of the deposit agreement. In
order to pay such taxes or governmental charges, the depositary bank may sell all or
a portion of the new Class A ordinary shares so
distributed.
 
No
such distribution of new ADSs will be made if it would violate a law (e.g., the U.S. securities laws) or if it is not operationally practicable.
If the depositary bank does not
distribute new ADSs as described above, it may sell the Class A ordinary shares received upon the terms
described in the deposit agreement and will distribute the proceeds of the
sale as in the case of a distribution of cash.
 
Distributions
of Rights
 
Whenever
we intend to distribute rights to subscribe for additional Class A ordinary shares, we will give prior notice to the depositary bank
and we will assist the depositary bank in
determining whether it is lawful and reasonably practicable to distribute rights to subscribe
for additional ADSs to holders.
 
13

 
 
The
depositary bank will establish procedures to distribute rights to subscribe for additional ADSs to holders and to enable such holders
to exercise such rights if it is lawful and
reasonably practicable to make the rights available to holders of ADSs, and if we provide
all of the documentation contemplated in the deposit agreement (such as opinions to
address the lawfulness of the transaction). You may
have to pay fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges to subscribe for the new ADSs upon the exercise of your
rights. The
depositary bank is not obligated to establish procedures to facilitate the distribution and exercise by holders of rights to subscribe
for new Class A ordinary shares other
than in the form of ADSs.
 
The
depositary bank will not distribute the rights to you if:
 
 
●
We
do not timely request that the rights be distributed to you or we request that the rights not be distributed to you; or
 
 
 
 
●
We
fail to deliver satisfactory documents to the depositary bank; or
 
 
 
 
●
 It
is not reasonably practicable to distribute the rights.
 
The
depositary bank will sell the rights that are not exercised or not distributed if such sale is lawful and reasonably practicable. The
proceeds of such sale will be distributed to
holders as in the case of a cash distribution. If the depositary bank is unable to sell
the rights, it will allow the rights to lapse.
 
Elective
Distributions
 
Whenever
we intend to distribute a dividend payable at the election of shareholders either in cash or in additional shares, we will give prior
notice thereof to the depositary bank and
will indicate whether we wish the elective distribution to be made available to you. In such
case, we will assist the depositary bank in determining whether such distribution is
lawful and reasonably practicable.
 
The
depositary bank will make the election available to you only if we timely request it to do so, if it is reasonably practicable and if
we have provided all of the documentation
contemplated in the deposit agreement. In such case, the depositary bank will establish procedures
to enable you to elect to receive either cash or additional ADSs, in each case as
described in the deposit agreement. The depositary
bank is not obligated to establish procedures to facilitate the distribution and exercise by holders of elective distributions to
subscribe
for new Class A ordinary shares other than in the form of ADSs.
 
If
the election is not made available to you, you will receive either cash or additional ADSs, depending on what a shareholder in the Cayman
Islands would receive upon failing to
make an election, as more fully described in the deposit agreement.
 
Other
Distributions
 
Whenever
we intend to distribute property other than cash, Class A ordinary shares or rights to subscribe for additional Class A ordinary shares
we will notify the depositary bank in
advance and will indicate whether we wish such distribution to be made to you. If so, we will assist
the depositary bank in determining whether such distribution to holders is lawful
and reasonably practicable.
 
If
it is reasonably practicable to distribute such property to you, if we timely request the depositary bank to do so and if we provide
to the depositary bank all of the documentation
contemplated in the deposit agreement, the depositary bank will distribute the property
to the holders in a manner it deems practicable.
 
The
distribution will be made net of fees, expenses, taxes and governmental charges payable by holders under the terms of the deposit agreement.
In order to pay such taxes and
governmental charges, the depositary bank may sell all or a portion of the property received.
 
The
depositary bank will not distribute the property to you and will sell the property if:
 
 
●
We
do not request that the property be distributed to you or if we request that the property not be distributed to you; or
 
 
 
 
●
We
do not deliver satisfactory documents to the depositary bank; or
 
 
 
 
●
The
depositary bank determines that all or a portion of the distribution to you is not reasonably practicable.
 
The
proceeds of such a sale will be distributed to holders as in the case of a cash distribution.
 
14

 
 
Redemption
 
Whenever
we decide to redeem any of the securities on deposit with the custodian, we will notify the depositary bank in advance. If it is practicable
and if we provide all of the
documentation contemplated in the deposit agreement, the depositary bank will provide notice of the redemption
to the holders.
 
The
custodian will be instructed to surrender the shares being redeemed against payment of the applicable redemption price. The depositary
bank will convert into U.S. dollars upon
the terms of the deposit agreement the redemption funds received in a currency other than U.S.
dollars and will establish procedures to enable holders to receive the net proceeds
from the redemption upon surrender of their ADSs
to the depositary bank. You may have to pay fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges upon the redemption of your
ADSs. If
less than all ADSs are being redeemed, the ADSs to be retired will be selected by lot or on a pro rata basis, as the depositary bank
may determine.
 
Changes
Affecting Class A Ordinary Shares
 
The
Class A ordinary shares held on deposit for your ADSs may change from time to time. For example, there may be a change in nominal or
par value, split-up, cancelation,
consolidation or any other reclassification of such Class A ordinary shares or a recapitalization,
reorganization, merger, consolidation or sale of assets of the Company.
 
If
any such change were to occur, your ADSs would, to the extent permitted by law and the deposit agreement, represent the right to receive
the property received or exchanged in
respect of the Class A ordinary shares held on deposit. The depositary bank may in such circumstances
deliver new ADSs to you, amend the deposit agreement, the ADRs and the
applicable Registration Statement(s) on Form F-6, call for the
exchange of your existing ADSs for new ADSs and take any other actions that are appropriate to reflect as to the
ADSs the change affecting
the Class A ordinary shares. You may have to pay fees, expenses, taxes and other governmental charges in connection with such actions.
If the depositary
bank may not lawfully distribute such property to you, the depositary bank may sell such property and distribute the
net proceeds to you as in the case of a cash distribution.
 
Issuance
of ADSs Upon Deposit of Class A Ordinary Shares
 
After
the completion of this offering, the Class A ordinary shares that are being offered for sale by us and by the selling shareholders pursuant
to this prospectus will be deposited
with the custodian. Upon receipt of confirmation of such deposit, the depositary bank will issue
ADSs to the underwriters named in this prospectus.
 
After
the closing of this offer, the depositary bank may create ADSs on your behalf if you or your broker deposit Class A ordinary shares with
the custodian. The depositary bank
will deliver these ADSs to the person you indicate only after you pay any applicable issuance fees
and any charges and taxes payable for the transfer of the Class A ordinary shares
to the custodian. Your ability to deposit Class A ordinary
shares and receive ADSs is subject to your provision of certain documentation, as described in the deposit agreement, and
may be limited
by U.S. and Cayman Islands legal considerations applicable at the time of deposit. Further, we have instructed the depositary bank not
to accept deposits of Class A
ordinary shares for the purpose of issuance of ADSs without our prior written consent.
 
The
issuance of ADSs may be delayed until the depositary bank or the custodian receives confirmation that all required approvals have been
given and that the Class A ordinary
shares have been duly transferred to the custodian. The depositary bank will only issue ADSs in whole
numbers.
 
When
you make a deposit of Class A ordinary shares, you will be responsible for transferring good and valid title to the depositary bank.
As such, you will be deemed to represent
and warrant that:
 
 
●
The
Class A ordinary shares are duly authorized, validly issued, fully paid, non-assessable and legally obtained.
 
 
 
 
●
All
preemptive (and similar) rights, if any, with respect to such Class A ordinary shares have been validly waived or exercised.
 
 
 
 
●
You
are duly authorized to deposit the Class A ordinary shares.
 
 
 
 
●
The
Class A ordinary shares presented for deposit are free and clear of any lien, encumbrance, security interest, charge, mortgage or
adverse claim, and are not,
and the ADSs issuable upon such deposit will not be, “restricted securities” (as defined
in the deposit agreement).
 
 
 
 
●
The
Class A ordinary shares presented for deposit have not been stripped of any rights or entitlements.
 
If
any of the representations or warranties are incorrect in any way, we and the depositary bank may, at your cost and expense, take any
and all actions necessary to correct the
consequences of the misrepresentations.
 
15

 
 
Transfer,
Combination and Split Up of ADRs
 
As
an ADR holder, you will be entitled to transfer, combine or split up your ADRs and the ADSs evidenced thereby. For transfers of ADRs,
you will have to surrender the ADRs to
be transferred to the depositary bank and also must:
 
 
●
ensure
that the surrendered ADR is properly endorsed or otherwise in proper form for transfer;
 
 
 
 
●
provide
such proof of identity and genuineness of signatures as the depositary bank deems appropriate;
 
 
 
 
●
provide
any transfer stamps required by the State of New York or the United States; and
 
 
 
 
●
pay
all applicable fees, charges, expenses, taxes and other government charges payable by ADR holders pursuant to the terms of the deposit
agreement, upon the
transfer of ADRs.
 
To
have your ADRs either combined or split up, you must surrender the ADRs in question to the depositary bank with your request to have
them combined or split up, and you must
pay all applicable fees, charges and expenses payable by ADR holders, pursuant to the terms of
the deposit agreement, upon a combination or split up of ADRs.
 
Withdrawal
of Class A Ordinary Shares Upon Cancelation of ADSs
 
As
a holder, you will be entitled to present your ADSs to the depositary bank for cancelation and then receive the corresponding number
of underlying Class A ordinary shares at the
custodian’s offices. Your ability to withdraw the Class A ordinary shares held in
respect of the ADSs may be limited by U.S. and Cayman Islands considerations applicable at the
time of withdrawal. In order to withdraw
the Class A ordinary shares represented by your ADSs, you will be required to pay to the depositary bank the fees for cancelation of
ADSs
and any charges and taxes payable upon the transfer of the Class A ordinary shares. You assume the risk for delivery of all funds
and securities upon withdrawal. Once canceled, the
ADSs will not have any rights under the deposit agreement.
 
If
you hold ADSs registered in your name, the depositary bank may ask you to provide proof of identity and genuineness of any signature
and such other documents as the
depositary bank may deem appropriate before it will cancel your ADSs. The withdrawal of the Class A ordinary
shares represented by your ADSs may be delayed until the
depositary bank receives satisfactory evidence of compliance with all applicable
laws and regulations. Please keep in mind that the depositary bank will only accept ADSs for
cancelation that represent a whole number
of securities on deposit.
 
You
will have the right to withdraw the securities represented by your ADSs at any time except for:
 
 
●
Temporary
delays that may arise because (i) the transfer books for the Class A ordinary shares or ADSs are closed, or (ii) Class A ordinary
shares are immobilized
on account of a shareholders’ meeting or a payment of dividends.
 
 
 
 
●
Obligations
to pay fees, taxes and similar charges.
 
 
 
 
●
Restrictions
imposed because of laws or regulations applicable to ADSs or the withdrawal of securities on deposit.
 
The
deposit agreement may not be modified to impair your right to withdraw the securities represented by your ADSs except to comply with
mandatory provisions of law.
 
Voting
Rights
 
As
a holder, you generally have the right under the deposit agreement to instruct the depositary bank to exercise the voting rights for
the Class A ordinary shares represented by your
ADSs. The voting rights of holders of Class A ordinary shares are described in “Description
of Share Capital.”
 
At
our request, the depositary bank will distribute to you any notice of shareholders’ meeting received from us together with information
explaining how to instruct the depositary
bank to exercise the voting rights of the securities represented by ADSs.
 
16

 
 
If
the depositary bank timely receives voting instructions from a holder of ADSs, it will endeavor to vote the securities (in person or
by proxy) represented by the holder’s ADSs in
accordance with such voting instructions as follows:
 
 
●
In
the event of voting by show of hands, the depositary bank will vote (or cause the custodian to vote) all Class A ordinary shares
held on deposit at that time,
including those represented by ADSs for which no timely voting instructions are received, in accordance
with the voting instructions received from a majority of
holders of ADSs who provide timely voting instructions.
 
 
 
 
●
In
the event of voting by poll, the depositary bank will vote (or cause the Custodian to vote) the Class A ordinary shares held on deposit
in accordance with the
voting instructions received from the holders of ADSs.
 
In
the event of voting by poll, holders of ADSs in respect of which no timely voting instructions have been received shall be deemed to
have instructed the depositary bank to give a
discretionary proxy to a person designated by us to vote the Class A ordinary shares represented
by such holders’ ADSs; provided, that no such instructions shall be deemed given
and no such discretionary proxy shall be given
with respect to any matter as to which we inform the depositary bank that we do not wish such proxy to be given; provided, further,
that
no such discretionary proxy shall be given (x) with respect to any matter as to which we inform the depositary that (i) there exists
substantial opposition, or (ii) the rights of
holders of ADSs or the shareholders of our company will be materially adversely affected,
and (y) in the event that the vote is on a show of hands.
 
Please
note that the ability of the depositary bank to carry out voting instructions may be limited by practical and legal limitations and the
terms of the securities on deposit. We
cannot assure you that you will receive voting materials in time to enable you to return voting
instructions to the depositary bank in a timely manner.
 
The
depositary bank will not join in demanding a vote by poll. A holder of ADSs will not be able to exercise any rights that may attach to
the Class A ordinary shares represented by
such ADSs to requisition a shareholder meeting or propose resolutions for a shareholder vote.
At our request, the depositary bank will represent deposited Class A ordinary shares
for the purpose of establishing a quorum regardless
of whether voting instructions have been provided with respect thereto.
 
Fees
and Charges
 
As
an ADS holder, you will be required to pay the following fees under the terms of the deposit agreement:
 
Service
 
Fees
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Issuance
of ADSs (e.g., an issuance of ADS upon a deposit of Class A ordinary shares,
upon a change in the ADS(s)-to-Class A ordinary share(s)
 ratio, or for any other
reason), excluding ADS issuances as a result of distributions of Class A ordinary
shares
 
Up
to U.S. 5¢ per ADS issued
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Cancelation
of ADSs (e.g., a cancelation of ADSs for delivery of deposited property,
upon a change in the ADS(s)-to-Class A ordinary share(s)
 ratio, or for any other
reason)
 
Up
to U.S. 5¢ per ADS canceled
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Distribution
of cash dividends or other cash distributions (e.g., upon a sale of rights
and other entitlements)
 
Up
to U.S. 5¢ per ADS held
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Distribution
of ADSs pursuant to (i) stock dividends or other free stock distributions,
or (ii) exercise of rights to purchase additional ADSs
 
Up
to U.S. 5¢ per ADS held
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
Distribution
of securities other than ADSs or rights to purchase additional ADSs (e.g.,
upon a spin-off)
 
Up
to U.S. 5¢ per ADS held
 
 
 
 
 
 
●
ADS
Services
 
Up
to U.S. 5¢ per ADS held on the applicable record date(s) established by the
depositary bank
 
17

 
 
As
an ADS holder you will also be responsible to pay certain charges such as:
 
 
●
taxes
(including applicable interest and penalties) and other governmental charges;
 
 
 
 
●
the
registration fees as may from time to time be in effect for the registration of Class A ordinary shares on the share register and
applicable to transfers of Class A
ordinary shares to or from the name of the custodian, the depositary bank or any nominees upon
the making of deposits and withdrawals, respectively;
 
 
 
 
●
certain
cable, telex and facsimile transmission and delivery expenses;
 
 
 
 
●
the
expenses and charges incurred by the depositary bank in the conversion of foreign currency;
 
 
 
 
●
the
fees and expenses incurred by the depositary bank in connection with compliance with exchange control regulations and other regulatory
 requirements
applicable to Class A ordinary shares, ADSs and ADRs; and
 
 
 
 
●
the
fees and expenses incurred by the depositary bank, the custodian, or any nominee in connection with the servicing or delivery of
deposited property.
 
ADS
fees and charges payable upon (i) the issuance of ADSs, and (ii) the cancelation of ADSs are charged to the person to whom the ADSs are
issued (in the case of ADS
issuances) and to the person whose ADSs are canceled (in the case of ADS cancellations). In the case of ADSs
issued by the depositary bank into DTC, the ADS issuance and
cancelation fees and charges may be deducted from distributions made through
DTC, and may be charged to the DTC participant(s) receiving the ADSs being issued or the DTC
participant(s) holding the ADSs being canceled,
as the case may be, on behalf of the beneficial owner(s) and will be charged by the DTC participant(s) to the account of the
applicable
beneficial owner(s) in accordance with the procedures and practices of the DTC participants as in effect at the time. ADS fees and charges
in respect of distributions and
the ADS service fee are charged to the holders as of the applicable ADS record date. In the case of distributions
of cash, the amount of the applicable ADS fees and charges is
deducted from the funds being distributed. In the case of (i) distributions
other than cash and (ii) the ADS service fee, holders as of the ADS record date will be invoiced for the
amount of the ADS fees and charges
and such ADS fees and charges may be deducted from distributions made to holders of ADSs. For ADSs held through DTC, the ADS fees and
charges for distributions other than cash and the ADS service fee may be deducted from distributions made through DTC, and may be charged
to the DTC participants in accordance
with the procedures and practices prescribed by DTC and the DTC participants in turn charge the
amount of such ADS fees and charges to the beneficial owners for whom they hold
ADSs.
 
In
the event of refusal to pay the depositary bank fees, the depositary bank may, under the terms of the deposit agreement, refuse the requested
service until payment is received or
may set off the amount of the depositary bank fees from any distribution to be made to the ADS holder.
Certain of the depositary fees and charges (such as the ADS services fee)
may become payable shortly after the closing of the ADS offering.
Note that the fees and charges you may be required to pay may vary over time and may be changed by us and by
the depositary bank. You
will receive prior notice of such changes. The depositary bank may reimburse us for certain expenses we incurred in respect of the ADR
program, by
making available a portion of the ADS fees charged in respect of the ADR program or otherwise, upon such terms and conditions
as we and the depositary bank agree from time to
time.
 
Amendments
and Termination
 
We
may agree with the depositary bank to modify the deposit agreement at any time without your consent. We undertake to give holders 30
days’ prior notice of any modifications
that would materially prejudice any of their substantial rights under the deposit agreement.
 We will not consider to be materially prejudicial to your substantial rights any
modifications or supplements that are reasonably necessary
for the ADSs to be registered under the Securities Act or to be eligible for book-entry settlement, in each case without
imposing or
increasing the fees and charges you are required to pay. In addition, we may not be able to provide you with prior notice of any modifications
or supplements that are
required to accommodate compliance with applicable provisions of law.
 
You
will be bound by the modifications to the deposit agreement if you continue to hold your ADSs after the modifications to the deposit
agreement become effective. The deposit
agreement cannot be amended to prevent you from withdrawing the Class A ordinary shares represented
by your ADSs (except as permitted by law).
 
We
have the right to direct the depositary bank to terminate the deposit agreement. Similarly, the depositary bank may in certain circumstances
on its own initiative terminate the
deposit agreement. In either case, the depositary bank must give notice to the holders at least 30
days before termination. Until termination, your rights under the deposit agreement
will be unaffected.
 
After
termination, the depositary bank will continue to collect distributions received (but will not distribute any such property until you
request the cancelation of your ADSs) and
may sell the securities held on deposit. After the sale, the depositary bank will hold the
proceeds from such sale and any other funds then held for the holders of ADSs in a non-
interest bearing account. At that point, the depositary
bank will have no further obligations to holders other than to account for the funds then held for the holders of ADSs still
outstanding
(after deduction of applicable fees, taxes and expenses).
 
18

 
 
Books
of Depositary
 
The
depositary bank will maintain ADS holder records at its depositary office. You may inspect such records at such office during regular
business hours but solely for the purpose
of communicating with other holders in the interest of business matters relating to the ADSs
and the deposit agreement.
 
The
depositary bank will maintain in New York facilities to record and process the issuance, cancelation, combination, split-up and transfer
of ADSs. These facilities may be closed
from time to time, to the extent not prohibited by law.
 
Limitations
on Obligations and Liabilities
 
The
deposit agreement limits our obligations and the depositary bank’s obligations to you. Please note the following:
 
 
●
We
and the depositary bank are obligated only to take the actions specifically stated in the deposit agreement without negligence or
bad faith. Without limiting the
foregoing, neither we nor the depositary bank is obligated to participate in any action, suit or
other proceeding relating to deposited property or the ADSs without
satisfactory indemnity.
 
 
 
 
●
The
depositary bank disclaims any liability for any failure to carry out voting instructions, for any manner in which a vote is cast
or for the effect of any vote,
provided it acts in good faith and in accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement.
 
 
 
 
●
The
depositary bank disclaims any liability for any failure to determine the lawfulness or practicality of any action, for the content
of any document forwarded to
you on our behalf or for the accuracy of any translation of such a document, for the investment risks
associated with investing in Class A ordinary shares, for the
validity or worth of the Class A ordinary shares, for any tax consequences
that result from the ownership of ADSs, for the credit-worthiness of any third party, for
allowing any rights to lapse under the
terms of the deposit agreement, for the timeliness of any of our notices or for our failure to give notice, for acts or omissions
of any successor or predecessor depositary bank, so long as the potential liability did not arise out of the depositary bank’s
negligence or bad faith, or for any
action of or failure to act by, or any information provided or not provided by, DTC or any DTC
Participant.
 
 
 
 
●
We
and the depositary bank will not be obligated to perform any act that is inconsistent with the terms of the deposit agreement.
 
 
 
 
●
We
and the depositary bank disclaim any liability if we or the depositary bank are prevented or forbidden from or subject to any civil
or criminal penalty or
restraint on account of, or delayed in, doing or performing any act or thing required by the terms of the
deposit agreement, by reason of any provision, present or
future of any law or regulation, or by reason of present or future provision
of any provision of our Articles of Association, or any provision of or governing the
securities on deposit, or by reason of any
act of God or war or other circumstances beyond our control.
 
 
 
 
●
We
and the depositary bank disclaim any liability by reason of any exercise of, or failure to exercise, any discretion provided for
in the deposit agreement or in our
Articles of Association or in any provisions of or governing the securities on deposit.
 
 
 
 
●
We
and the depositary bank further disclaim any liability for any action or inaction in reliance on the advice or information received
 from legal counsel,
accountants, any person presenting Class A ordinary shares for deposit, any holder of ADSs or authorized representatives
thereof, or any other person believed by
either of us in good faith to be competent to give such advice or information.
 
 
 
 
●
We
and the depositary bank also disclaim liability for the inability by a holder to benefit from any distribution, offering, right or
other benefit that is made
available to holders of Class A ordinary shares but is not, under the terms of the deposit agreement,
made available to you.
 
 
 
 
●
We
and the depositary bank may rely without any liability upon any written notice, request or other document believed to be genuine
and to have been signed or
presented by the proper parties.
 
 
 
 
●
We
and the depositary bank also disclaim liability for any consequential or punitive damages for any breach of the terms of the deposit
agreement.
 
 
 
 
●
No
disclaimer of any Securities Act liability is intended by any provision of the deposit agreement.
 
 
 
 
●
Nothing
in the deposit agreement gives rise to a partnership or joint venture, or establishes a fiduciary relationship, among us, the depositary
bank and you as ADS
holder.
 
 
 
 
●
Nothing
in the deposit agreement precludes the depositary bank (or its affiliates) from engaging in transactions in which parties adverse
to us or the ADS owners
have interests, and nothing in the deposit agreement obligates the depositary bank to disclose those transactions,
or any information obtained in the course of those
transactions, to us or to the ADS owners, or to account for any payment received
as part of those transactions.
 
19

 
 
Pre-Release
Transactions
 
Subject
to the terms and conditions of the deposit agreement, the depositary bank may issue to broker/dealers ADSs before receiving a deposit
of Class A ordinary shares or release
Class A ordinary shares to broker/dealers before receiving ADSs for cancelation. These transactions
are commonly referred to as “pre-release transactions,” and are entered into
between the depositary bank and the applicable
broker/dealer. The deposit agreement limits the aggregate size of pre-release transactions (not to exceed 30% of the Class A ordinary
shares on deposit in the aggregate), which limit may be changed or disregarded by the depositary bank, and imposes a number of conditions
on such transactions (e.g., the need to
receive collateral, the type of collateral required, the representations required from brokers,
etc.). The depositary bank may retain the compensation received from the pre-release
transactions.
 
Taxes
 
You
will be responsible for the taxes and other governmental charges payable on the ADSs and the securities represented by the ADSs. We,
the depositary bank and the custodian
may deduct from any distribution the taxes and governmental charges payable by holders and may
sell any and all property on deposit to pay the taxes and governmental charges
payable by holders. You will be liable for any deficiency
if the sale proceeds do not cover the taxes that are due.
 
The
depositary bank may refuse to issue ADSs, to deliver, transfer, split and combine ADRs or to release securities on deposit until all
taxes and charges are paid by the applicable
holder. The depositary bank and the custodian may take reasonable administrative actions
to obtain tax refunds and reduced tax withholding for any distributions on your behalf.
However, you may be required to provide to the
depositary bank and to the custodian proof of taxpayer status and residence and such other information as the depositary bank and
the
custodian may require to fulfill legal obligations. You are required to indemnify us, the depositary bank and the custodian for any claims
with respect to taxes based on any tax
benefit obtained for you.
 
Foreign
Currency Conversion
 
The
depositary bank will arrange for the conversion of all foreign currency received into U.S. dollars if such conversion is practical, and
it will distribute the U.S. dollars in
accordance with the terms of the deposit agreement. You may have to pay fees and expenses incurred
 in converting foreign currency, such as fees and expenses incurred in
complying with currency exchange controls and other governmental
requirements.
 
If
the conversion of foreign currency is not practical or lawful, or if any required approvals are denied or not obtainable at a reasonable
cost or within a reasonable period, the
depositary bank may take the following actions in its discretion:
 
 
●
Convert
the foreign currency to the extent practical and lawful and distribute the U.S. dollars to the holders for whom the conversion and
distribution is lawful and
practical.
 
 
 
 
●
Distribute
the foreign currency to holders for whom the distribution is lawful and practical.
 
 
 
 
●
Hold
the foreign currency (without liability for interest) for the applicable holders.
 
Governing
Law/Waiver of Jury Trial
 
The
deposit agreement and the ADRs will be interpreted in accordance with the laws of the State of New York. The rights of holders of Class
A ordinary shares (including Class A
ordinary shares represented by ADSs) are governed by the laws of the Cayman Islands.
 
By
holding an ADS or an interest therein, you irrevocably agree that any legal suit, action or proceeding against or involving us or the
Depositary, arising out of or based upon the
deposit agreement, ADSs or ADRs, may only be instituted by you in a state or federal court
in the City of New York, and you irrevocably waive any objection to the laying of venue
in, and irrevocably submit to the exclusive jurisdiction
of, such courts with respect to any such suit, action or proceeding instituted by any person.
 
As
a party to the deposit agreement, you irrevocably waive your right to trial by jury in any legal proceeding arising out of the deposit
agreement or the ADRs against us and/or the
depositary bank.
 
20
 
 

 
Exhibit
8.1
 
Principal
Subsidiaries, Consolidated Variable Interest Entities and Subsidiaries of Consolidated Variable Interest Entities
 
Principal
Subsidiaries:
 
FinVolution
(HK) Limited, a Hong Kong company
 
Bluebottle
Limited, a Hong Kong company
 
Beijing
Prosper Investment Consulting Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Shanghai
Guangjian Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Shanghai
Shanghu Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Shanghai
Manyin Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Hainan
Shanghu Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
PT
Pembiayaan Digital Indonesia, an Indonesia company
 
Consolidated
Variable Interest Entities:
 
Beijing
Paipairongxin Investment Consulting Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Shanghai
Zihe Information Technology Group Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Shanghai
Ledao Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Subsidiaries
of Consolidated Variable Interest Entities:
 
Shanghai
PPDai Financial Information Services Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Hefei
PPDai Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Fujian
Zhiyun Financing Guarantee Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
Shanghai
Erxu Information Technology Co., Ltd., a PRC company
 
 
 
 

 
Exhibit
11.2
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
Exhibit
12.1
 
Certification
by the Principal Executive Officer
Pursuant
to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
I,
Tiezheng Li, certify that:
 
1.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of FinVolution Group;
 
2.
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;
 
3.
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;
 
4.
The company’s other certifying officer(s) 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)
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;
 
(b)
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;
 
(c)
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
 
(d)
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(s) 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)
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
 
(b)
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 18, 2025
 
By:
/s/
Tiezheng Li
 
Name:  Tiezheng
Li
 
Title:
Chief
Executive Officer
 
 
 
 
 

 
Exhibit
12.2
 
Certification
by the Principal Financial Officer
Pursuant
to Section 302 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
I,
Jiayuan Xu, certify that:
 
1.
I have reviewed this annual report on Form 20-F of FinVolution Group;
 
2.
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;
 
3.
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;
 
4.
The company’s other certifying officer(s) 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)
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;
 
(b)
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;
 
(c)
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
 
(d)
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(s) 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)
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
 
(b)
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 18, 2025
 
By:
/s/
Jiayuan Xu
 
Name:  Jiayuan
Xu
 
Title:
Chief
Financial Officer
 
 
 
 
 

 
Exhibit
13.1
 
Certification
by the Principal Executive Officer
Pursuant
to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
In
connection with the annual report of FinVolution Group (the “Company”) on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024
as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Tiezheng Li, Chief Executive Officer
of the Company, hereby 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)
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
 
(2)
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations
of the Company.
 
Date:
April 18, 2025
 
By:
/s/
Tiezheng Li
 
Name:  Tiezheng
Li
 
Title:
Chief
Executive Officer
 
 
 
 
 

 
Exhibit
13.2
 
Certification
by the Principal Financial Officer
Pursuant
to Section 906 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002
 
In
connection with the annual report of FinVolution Group (the “Company”) on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024
as filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission on the date hereof (the “Report”), I, Jiayuan Xu, Chief Financial Officer
of the Company, hereby 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)
The Report fully complies with the requirements of Section 13(a) or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934; and
 
(2)
The information contained in the Report fairly presents, in all material respects, the financial condition and results of operations
of the Company.
 
Date:
April 18, 2025
 
By:
/s/
Jiayuan Xu
 
Name:  Jiayuan
Xu
 
Title:
Chief
Financial Officer
 
 
 
 
 

 
Exhibit
15.1
 
CONSENT
OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
We
hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in the Registration Statements on Form S-8 (No. 333-224011 and 333-274381) of FinVolution
Group of our report dated April
18, 2025 relating to the financial statements and the effectiveness of internal control over financial
reporting, which appears in this Form 20-F.
 
/s/
PricewaterhouseCoopers Zhong Tian LLP
 
Shanghai,
The People’s Republic of China
April
18, 2025
 
 
 
 

 
Exhibit
15.2
 
April
18, 2025
 
FinVolution
Group
Building
G1, No. 999 Dangui Road
Pudong
New District, Shanghai
People’s
Republic of China
 
Dear
Sirs,
 
Re:
The Annual Report of FinVolution Group
 
We
hereby consent to the references to our firm under the sections entitled “Item 3. Key Information—D. Risk Factors—Risks
Related to Our Corporate Structure”, “Item 3. Key
Information—Permissions Required from the PRC Authorities for Our
Operations” and “Item 4. Information on the Company—C. Organizational Structure” included in the Annual
Report
on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2024 (the “Annual Report”), which is filed by FinVolution Group with the Securities
and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”)
on April 18, 2025 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and further consent
to the incorporation by reference of the summaries of our opinions under these headings into
FinVolution Group’s registration statements
on Form S-8 (No. 333-224011 and 333-274381). We also consent to the filing with the SEC of this consent letter 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, as amended,
or the regulations promulgated thereunder.
 
Sincerely
yours,
 
/s/
Shanghai Hui Ye Law Firm
 
Shanghai
Hui Ye Law Firm
 
 
 
 

 
Exhibit
15.3
 
 
Our
ref
JVZ/722319-000001/31351745v1
 
FinVolution
Group
Building
G1, No. 999 Dangui Road
Pudong
New District, Shanghai 201203
The
People’s Republic of China
 
April
18, 2025
 
Dear
Sir or Madam
 
FinVolution
Group
 
We
have acted as legal advisers as to the laws of the Cayman Islands to FinVolution Group, an exempted company with limited liability incorporated
in the Cayman Islands (the
“Company”), in connection with the filing by the Company with the United States Securities
and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”) of an annual report on Form 20-F for the year
ended 31 December 2024 (the “Annual
Report”), which will be filed with the SEC in the month of April 2025.
 
We
consent to the reference to our firm under the heading “Item 3. Key Information - Enforceability of Civil Liabilities” in
the Annual Report. We consent to the incorporation by
reference of our opinion regarding the legality of certain ordinary shares being
registered into the Company’s registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-224011) that was
filed on 29 March 2018, and the
Company’s registration statement on Form S-8 (File No. 333-274381) that was filed on 7 September 2023. We also consent to the filing
with the
SEC of this consent letter 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
faithfully
 
/s/
Maples and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP
Maples
and Calder (Hong Kong) LLP