EVO Payments (EVOP) S-3ASRAutomatic shelf registration

The following description summarizes important terms of our capital stock and is qualified in its entirety by reference to our amended and restated certificate of incorporation (our “certificate of incorporation”) and our amended and restated bylaws (our “bylaws”), which have been filed as exhibits to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part, as well as the relevant portions of the Delaware General Corporation Law (“DGCL”). This summary does not purport to be complete and may not contain all the information that is important to you.

Our certificate of incorporation authorizes the issuance of 286 million shares of capital stock, including 200 million shares of Class A common stock par value $0.0001 per share, 40 million shares of Class B common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class B common stock”), 4 million shares of Class C common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class C common stock”), 32 million shares of Class D common stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “Class D common stock”), and 10 million shares of preferred stock, par value $0.0001 per share (the “preferred stock”).

Prior to May 25, 2021, the Company had four class of common stock outstanding: our Class A common stock, Class B common stock, Class C common stock and Class D common stock. On May 25, 2021, pursuant to the Company’s certificate of incorporation, all outstanding shares of Class B common stock were automatically cancelled for no consideration, and each outstanding share of Class C common stock was automatically converted into one share of Class D common stock. As a result, following May 25, 2021 and as of the date of this prospectus, no shares of our Class B common stock or Class C common stock remain outstanding.

Holders of shares of our Class A common stock and Class D common stock vote together as a single class on all matters presented to our stockholders for their vote or approval, except as otherwise required by applicable law.

Holders of shares of our Class A common stock are entitled to one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors. The holders of our Class A common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Holders of shares of our Class A common stock are entitled to receive dividends when and if declared by our board of directors out of funds legally available therefor, subject to any statutory or contractual restrictions on the payment of dividends and to any restrictions on the payment of dividends imposed by the terms of any outstanding preferred stock.

Upon our dissolution or liquidation or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets, after payment in full of all amounts required to be paid to creditors and to the holders of preferred stock having liquidation preferences, if any, the holders of shares of our Class A common stock will be entitled to receive pro rata our remaining assets available for distribution. Holders of shares of our Class A common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There will be no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to our Class A common stock.

Holders of shares of our Class D common stock are entitled to cast one vote for each share held of record on all matters submitted to a vote of stockholders, including the election of directors, with the number of shares of Class D common stock held by each holder being equivalent to the number of LLC Interests held by such holder.

Our Class D common stock is non-transferable, other than in connection with a transfer of LLC Interests to a permitted transferee under the EVO LLC Agreement, in which case a like number of shares of Class D common stock must be transferred to the permitted transferee.

The holders of our Class D common stock do not have cumulative voting rights in the election of directors. Holders of our Class D common stock do not have any right to receive dividends or to receive a distribution upon a dissolution or liquidation or the sale of all or substantially all of our assets. Additionally,

holders of shares of our Class D common stock do not have preemptive, subscription, redemption or conversion rights. There are no redemption or sinking fund provisions applicable to the Class D common stock.

The provisions of the DGCL, and our certificate of incorporation and bylaws, could have the effect of discouraging others from attempting an unsolicited offer to acquire our company. Such provisions may also have the effect of preventing changes in our management. It is possible that these provisions could make it more difficult to accomplish transactions that our stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

These provisions could have the effect of delaying until the next stockholder meeting any stockholder actions, even if they are favored by the holders of a majority of our outstanding voting securities.

Generally, a “business combination” includes a merger, asset or stock sale or other transaction resulting in a financial benefit to the interested stockholder. Subject to certain exceptions, an “interested stockholder” is a person who, together with that person’s affiliates and associates, owns, or within the previous three years owned, 15% or more of our voting stock.

Under certain circumstances, this provision will make it more difficult for a person who would be an “interested stockholder” to effect various business combinations with a corporation for a three-year period. This provision may encourage companies interested in acquiring our company to negotiate in advance with our board of directors because the stockholder approval requirement would be avoided if our board of directors approves either the business combination or the transaction which results in the stockholder becoming an interested stockholder. These provisions also may have the effect of preventing changes in our board of directors and may make it more difficult to accomplish transactions which stockholders may otherwise deem to be in their best interests.

Our certificate of incorporation provides that Blueapple, MDP and any of their respective affiliates and any of their respective permitted transferees receiving 15% or more of our outstanding voting stock will not constitute “interested stockholders” for purposes of this provision.

In addition, we agree under the Registration Right Agreement to maintain a registration statement with respect to the issuance of the Class A common stock to be issued upon exchange of any outstanding LLC Interests pursuant to the exchange rights described above.

Any time we purchase LLC Interests from any Continuing LLC Owner, our ownership of LLC Interests will increase. Whether by purchase or redemption, we are obligated to ensure that at all times the number of LLC Interests that we own equals the number of our outstanding shares of Class A common stock (subject to certain exceptions for treasury shares and shares underlying certain convertible or exchangeable securities).

In connection with any purchase or redemption of LLC Interests from a Continuing LLC Owner other than Blueapple, the Continuing LLC Owner is required to surrender a number of shares of our Class D common stock registered in the name of such Continuing LLC Owner, which we will cancel for no consideration on a one-for-one basis with the number of LLC Interests purchased or redeemed.

rights in stock), we have the right to acquire from EVO LLC a number of LLC Interests equal to the number of our shares of Class A common stock being issued in connection with the exercise of such options or issuance of other types of equity compensation. When we issue shares of Class A common stock in settlement of stock options granted to persons that are not officers or employees of EVO LLC or its subsidiaries, we will make, or be deemed to make, a capital contribution in EVO LLC equal to the aggregate value of such shares of Class A common stock and EVO LLC will issue to us a number of LLC Interests equal to the number of shares we issued. When we issue shares of Class A common stock in settlement of stock options granted to persons that are officers or employees of EVO LLC or its subsidiaries, then we will be deemed to have sold directly to the person exercising such award a portion of the value of each share of Class A common stock equal to the exercise price per share, and we will be deemed to have sold directly to EVO LLC (or the applicable subsidiary of EVO LLC) the difference between the exercise price and market price per share for each such share of Class A common stock. In cases where we grant other types of equity compensation to employees of EVO LLC or its subsidiaries, on each applicable vesting date we will be deemed to have sold to EVO LLC (or such subsidiary) the number of vested shares at a price equal to the market price per share, EVO LLC (or such subsidiary) will deliver the shares to the applicable person, and we will be deemed to have made a capital contribution in EVO LLC equal to the purchase price for such shares in exchange for an equal number of LLC Interests.

In connection with the completion of the IPO, we entered into the Registration Rights Agreement, which was amended on April 21, 2020 in connection with the issuance of our Series A convertible preferred stock. The agreement provides MDP with customary demand registration rights that require us to register shares of Class A common stock held by it, including any Class A common stock received upon our exchange of its LLC Interests or conversion of the Series A convertible preferred stock. MDP may exercise these registration rights at any time following the expiration of any related lock-up period. MDP is not entitled to demand registration of shares of Class A common stock it holds or receives in exchange for LLC Interests more than four times during any twelve-month period. The delivery of any sale notice by Blueapple pursuant to the EVO LLC Agreement settled by our undertaking a public offering in which MDP participates also counts as a demand registration for purposes of this limitation.

All Continuing LLC Owners (other than Blueapple) also received customary piggyback registration rights with respect to any public offering by us, including the right to participate on a pro rata basis in any public offering we conduct in response to our receipt of a sale notice from Blueapple.

In connection with the IPO, we and MDP entered into a director nomination agreement. This agreement was subsequently amended and restated in connection with MDP’s investment in our Series A convertible preferred stock. As amended and restated, the director nomination agreement provides MDP with the right to designate two directors until MDP no longer holds at least 15% of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock and one director until MDP no longer holds at least 5% of the voting power of our outstanding voting stock. MDP is entitled to designate the replacement of any of its board designees should a designee’s service terminate prior to the end of the director’s term, regardless of MDP’s voting power at the time.

We are required, to the extent permitted by applicable law, to take all necessary action to cause our board of directors and the nominating and corporate governance committee to include such designees in the slate of director nominees for election by our stockholders. MDP’s current designees are Matthew W. Raino, a Group II director, and Vahe A. Dombalagian, a Group III director. Pursuant to the director nomination agreement, we also agreed not to, without MDP’s prior consent, take any action to (1) increase the size of our board of directors to more than nine, (2) declassify our board of directors or (3) amend our bylaws to provide for a voting standard in the election of directors other than plurality voting. MDP provided its consent to increase the size of our board of directors from nine to ten directors, and subsequently from ten to eleven directors.

For purposes of this discussion of the tax receivable agreement dated as of May 25, 2018 (the “TRA”), the Continuing LLC Owners include the MDP affiliate who owns the call option and the MDP affiliate that owns the LLC Interests subject to the call option described above. We used all of the net proceeds from our initial public offering to purchase LLC Interests directly from EVO LLC. We expect to obtain an increase in our share of the tax basis of the assets of EVO LLC from future purchases or redemptions of LLC Interests that result from Continuing LLC Owners exercising their rights to have LLC Interests purchased by us (including through the call option held by an affiliate of MDP as described above) or redeemed by EVO LLC, which we intend to treat, to the extent the law allows, as our direct purchase of LLC Interests from a

In connection with the transactions described above, we entered into the TRA with the Continuing LLC Owners that provides for the payment by us to such persons of 85% of the amount of tax benefits, if any, that we actually realize, or in some circumstances are deemed to realize, as a result of the transactions described above, including increases in the tax basis of the assets of EVO LLC attributable to payments made under the TRA and deductions attributable to imputed interest payments pursuant to the TRA. EVO LLC intends to have in effect an election under Section 754 of the Internal Revenue Code effective for each taxable year in which a purchase or redemption of LLC Interests for cash occurs. These tax benefit payments are not conditioned upon one or more of the Continuing LLC Owners maintaining a continued ownership interest in either EVO LLC or us. The Continuing LLC Owners’ rights under the TRA are assignable to permitted transferees of their LLC Interests (other than EVO LLC or us as transferee pursuant to a purchase or redemption of LLC Interests). We will benefit from the remaining 15% of the tax benefits, if any, that we may actually realize.

The actual Basis Adjustments, as well as any amounts paid to the Continuing LLC Owners under the TRA will vary depending on a number of factors, including:

For purposes of the TRA, cash tax savings in income tax and franchise tax in lieu of income tax will be computed by comparing our actual income and franchise tax liability to the amount of such taxes that we would have been required to pay had there been no Basis Adjustments and had the TRA not been entered into. The amount of state and local taxes that would have been paid in that case will be determined using an estimated rate of tax that approximates the overall state and local tax rate that would have been applied. The TRA generally applies to each of our taxable years, beginning with the first taxable year ending after the consummation of the IPO. There is no maximum term for the TRA; however, the TRA may be terminated by us pursuant to an early termination procedure that requires us to pay the Continuing LLC Owners an agreed upon amount equal to the estimated present value of the remaining payments to be made under the agreement (calculated with certain assumptions).

The TRA provides that if certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combination, or other changes of control were to occur, or that if, at any time, we elect an early termination of the TRA, then the TRA will terminate and our obligations, or our successor’s obligations, under the TRA would accelerate and become due and payable, based on certain assumptions, including an assumption that we would have sufficient taxable income to fully utilize all potential future tax benefits that are subject to the TRA. We may elect to completely terminate the TRA early only with the written approval of a majority of our “independent directors” ​(within the meaning of Rule 10A-3 promulgated under the Exchange Act and the corresponding rules of Nasdaq). The Continuing LLC Owners that are members of our board, are not “independent directors” for this purpose and will not have the ability to cause us to elect an early termination of the TRA.

Decisions made by us in the course of running our business, such as with respect to mergers, asset sales, tax planning, other forms of business combinations or other changes in control, may influence the timing and amount of payments that are received by a Continuing LLC Owner under the TRA. For example, the earlier disposition of assets following an exchange or acquisition transaction will generally accelerate payments under the TRA and increase the present value of such payments.

As a result of a change in control or our election to terminate the TRA early, (1) we could be required to make cash payments to the Continuing LLC Owners that are greater than the specified percentage of the actual benefits we ultimately realize in respect of the tax benefits that are subject to the TRA, and (2) we would be required to make an immediate cash payment equal to the present value of the anticipated future tax benefits that are the subject of the TRA, based on certain assumptions, which payment may be made significantly in advance of the actual realization, if any, of such future tax benefits. In these situations, our obligations under the TRA could have a material adverse effect on our liquidity and could have the effect of delaying, deferring or preventing certain mergers, asset sales, other forms of business combination, or other changes of control. There can be no assurance that we will be able to finance our obligations under the TRA.

Payments under the TRA are based on tax reporting positions that we take. We will not be reimbursed for any cash payments previously made to the Continuing LLC Owners pursuant to the TRA if any tax benefits initially claimed by us are subsequently challenged by a taxing authority and ultimately disallowed. Instead, any excess cash payments made by us to a Continuing LLC Owner will be netted against any future cash payments that we might otherwise be required to make to that Continuing LLC Owner under the terms of the TRA. However, a challenge to any tax benefit initially claimed by us might not arise for a number of years following the initial time of such payment or, even if challenged early, such excess payments may be greater than future cash payments that could be offset under the TRA. As a result, it is possible that we could make cash payments under the TRA that are substantially greater than our actual cash tax savings.

We have full responsibility for, and sole discretion over, all EVO Payments, Inc. tax matters, including the filing and amendment of all tax returns and claims for refund and defense of all tax contests, subject to certain participation and approval rights held by the Continuing LLC Owners.

Under the TRA, we are required to provide the Continuing LLC Owners with a schedule showing the calculation of payments that are due under the TRA with respect to each taxable year with respect to which a payment obligation arises within 90 days after filing our U.S. federal income tax return for such taxable year. This calculation will be based upon the advice of our tax advisors. Payments under the TRA are generally made to the Continuing LLC Owners within five business days after this schedule becomes final pursuant to the procedures set forth in the TRA, although interest on such payments will begin to accrue

We and any selling stockholder (which as used herein includes donees, pledgees, transferees or other successors-in-interest selling shares of Class A common stock after the date of this prospectus from a selling stockholder as a gift, pledge, limited liability company or partnership distribution or other transfer) may sell the shares of our Class A common stock under this prospectus in one or more of the following ways (which may involve underwritten offerings on a firm commitment or best efforts basis, cross sales or block transactions) from time to time:

There can be no assurance that we or any selling stockholder will sell any or all of the shares of our Class A common stock registered pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus or any applicable prospectus supplement forms a part.

If underwriters or dealers are used in the sale, the shares of our Class A common stock will be acquired by the underwriters or dealers for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions, including:

As applicable, we, any selling stockholders and our underwriters, dealers or agents, reserve the right to accept or reject all or part of any proposed purchase of the shares of our Class A common stock. We will set forth in a prospectus supplement the terms and offering of the shares by us or any selling stockholders, including:

details regarding over-allotment options under which underwriters may purchase additional shares, if any;

the purchase price of the shares being offered and the proceeds we or any selling stockholders will receive from the sale; and

We and any selling stockholders may enter into derivative transactions with third parties or sell securities not covered by this prospectus to third parties in privately negotiated transactions from time to time. If the applicable prospectus supplement indicates, in connection with those derivative transactions, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may sell the shares of our Class A common stock covered by this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement, including in short sale transactions. If so, such third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) may use shares pledged by us or borrowed from us or others to settle those sales or to close out any related open borrowings of shares, and may use shares received from us in settlement of those derivative transactions to close out any related open borrowings of shares. The third parties (or affiliates of such third parties) in such sale transactions will be underwriters and will be identified in an applicable prospectus supplement (or a post-effective amendment).

We or any selling stockholders may indemnify underwriters, dealers or agents against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act. Underwriters, dealers or agents, or their affiliates, may be customers of, engage in transactions with or perform services for us or our respective affiliates or the selling stockholders, in the ordinary course of business.

A selling stockholder that is an entity may elect to make a pro rata in-kind distribution of our shares of Class A common stock to its members, partners or stockholders pursuant to the registration statement of which this prospectus is a part by delivering a prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement. Such members, partners or stockholders would thereby receive freely tradeable shares of Class A common stock pursuant to the distribution through a registration statement. To the extent a distributee is an affiliate of ours (or to the extent otherwise required by law), we may file a prospectus supplement in order to permit the distributees to use the prospectus to resell our shares of Class A common stock acquired in the distribution.

We and the selling stockholders may loan or pledge shares of our Class A common stock to a financial institution or other third party that in turn may sell the shares using this prospectus and an applicable prospectus supplement. Such financial institution or third party may transfer its economic short position to investors in our shares or in connection with a simultaneous offering of other shares offered by this prospectus.

If underwriters are used in the sale of our shares of Class A common stock, the shares will be acquired by the underwriters for their own account and may be resold from time to time in one or more transactions described above. The shares may be offered to the public either through underwriting syndicates represented by managing underwriters or directly by underwriters. Generally, the underwriters’ obligations to purchase the shares will be subject to conditions precedent and the underwriters will be obligated to purchase all of the shares if they purchase any of the shares. We and any selling stockholders may use underwriters with which or such selling stockholders we have a material relationship and, if so, we will name the underwriter and describe the nature of the relationship in the prospectus supplement.

We and any selling stockholders may sell the shares of our Class A common stock through agents from time to time. When we or any selling stockholders sell shares through agents, the prospectus supplement will name any agent involved in the offer or sale of shares and any commissions paid to them. Generally, any agent will be acting on a best efforts basis for the period of its appointment.

We and any selling stockholders may authorize underwriters, dealers or agents to solicit offers by certain purchasers to purchase our shares of Class A common stock at the public offering price set forth in

the prospectus supplement pursuant to delayed delivery contracts providing for payment and delivery on a specified date in the future. The contracts will be subject only to those conditions set forth in the prospectus supplement, and the prospectus supplement will set forth any commissions paid for solicitation of these contracts.

The following table itemizes the expenses incurred by us in connection with the issuance and registration of the shares of our Class A common stock being registered hereunder. We will pay all of the costs identified below.

Applicable SEC registration fees have been deferred in accordance with Rules 456(b) and 457(r) of the Securities Act and will be paid at the time of any particular offering under this registration statement and are therefore not estimable at this time.

These fees and expenses are incurred in connection with the issuance of shares of our Class A common stock and will vary based on the number of shares offered and number of issuances and, accordingly, are not estimable at this time. An estimate of the aggregate fees and expenses in connection with the issuance and distribution of the shares being offered will be included in the applicable prospectus supplement.

Section 145 of the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware (“DGCL”) provides that a corporation may indemnify directors and officers as well as other employees and individuals against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement actually and reasonably incurred by such person in connection with any threatened, pending or completed actions, suits or proceedings in which such person is made a party by reason of such person being or having been a director, officer, employee or agent to the registrant. The DGCL provides that Section 145 is not exclusive of other rights to which those seeking indemnification may be entitled under any bylaw, agreement, vote of stockholders or disinterested directors, or otherwise. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation and amended and restated bylaws provide for indemnification by us of our directors and officers to the fullest extent permitted by the DGCL.

Section 102(b)(7) of the DGCL permits a corporation to provide in its certificate of incorporation that a director of the corporation shall not be personally liable to the corporation or its stockholders for monetary damages for breach of fiduciary duty as a director, except for liability (i) for any breach of the director’s duty of loyalty to the corporation or its stockholders, (ii) for acts or omissions not in good faith or which involve intentional misconduct or a knowing violation of law, (iii) for unlawful payments of dividends or unlawful stock repurchases, redemptions or other distributions, or (iv) for any transaction from which the director derived an improper personal benefit. Our amended and restated certificate of incorporation provides for such limitation of liability.

We maintain standard policies of insurance under which coverage is provided (i) to our directors and officers against loss arising from claims made by reason of breach of duty or other wrongful act, and (ii) to us with respect to payments which may be made by us to such officers and directors pursuant to the above indemnification provision or otherwise as a matter of law.

We have entered into customary indemnification agreements with each of our directors and officers. The indemnification agreements provide the executive officers and directors with contractual rights to indemnification and expense reimbursement, to the fullest extent permitted under the DGCL. Our

indemnification agreements also require us to advance expenses to our directors and officers as incurred in connection with legal proceedings against them for which they may be indemnified and that the rights conferred in the indemnification agreements are not exclusive.

The following exhibits are filed as part of, or incorporated by reference into, this registration statement on Form S-3:

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, the registrant certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that the registrant meets all of the requirements for filing on Form S-3 and has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of Atlanta, State of Georgia, on this 5th day of May, 2022.

/s/ James G. Kelly

Each person whose signature appears below hereby constitutes and appoints each of James G. Kelly, Thomas E. Panther and Kelli E. Sterrett as his or her true and lawful attorney-in-fact and agents, with full power of substitution and resubstitution, for him or her and in his or her name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this registration statement, and to file the same, with all exhibits thereto and all other documents in connection therewith, with the Securities and Exchange Commission, granting unto each said attorneys-in-fact and agents full power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully to all intents and purposes as he or she might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all that said attorneys-in-fact and agents or either of them, or their or his substitutes or substitute, may lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue hereof.