SUBJECT TO COMPLETION, DATED , 2024.
PROSPECTUS
US$300,000,000
Class A Ordinary Shares
Preferred Shares
Warrants
Debt Securities
Subscription Rights Units
We may from time to time in one or more offerings offer and sell our preferred shares, warrants, subscription rights and/or units, debt securities, or Class A ordinary shares, including Class A ordinary shares represented by American depositary shares, or ADSs, with each ADS representing 15 Class A ordinary shares.
We will provide specific terms of any offered securities and offering in a supplement to this prospectus. Any prospectus supplement may also add, update, or change information contained in this prospectus. You should carefully read this prospectus and the applicable prospectus supplement as well as the documents incorporated or deemed to be incorporated by reference in this prospectus before you purchase any of the securities offered hereby.
These securities may be offered and sold in the same offering or in separate offerings; to or through underwriters, dealers, and agents; or directly to purchasers. The names of any underwriters, dealers, or agents involved in the sale of our securities, their compensation and any over-allotment options held by them will be described in the applicable prospectus supplement. For a more complete description of the plan of distribution of these securities, see the section entitled “Plan of Distribution” beginning on page 49 of this prospectus. The ADSs are listed on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbol “CAN.” On April 16, 2024, the last reported sale price of the ADSs on the NASDAQ Global Market was US$1.10 per ADS.
As of the date of this prospectus, our issued and outstanding share capital consists of Class A ordinary shares,Class B ordinary shares and Series A Preferred Shares. Holders of Class A ordinary shares and Class B ordinary shares have the same rights except for voting and conversion rights. Except in relation to the negative covenants, affirmative covenants and vote to change the terms of or issue Series A preferred shares as stipulated in the SPA, no voting rights are carried by the Series A Preferred Shares. In respect of matters requiring a shareholder vote, each Class A ordinary share will be entitled to one vote and each Class B ordinary share will be entitled to 15 votes. Each Class B ordinary share is convertible into one class A ordinary share at any time by the holder thereof. . At any time or times on or after the applicable issuance date, any holder of Series A Preferred Shares shall be entitled to convert any portion of the outstanding and unpaid conversion amount into fully paid and non-assessable Class A ordinary shares at the conversion rate that shall be deposited for delivery of ADSs, subject to the terms and conditions of the deposit agreement. Conversion amount (the “Conversion Amount”) means the sum of (i) the portion of the stated value, meaning US$1,072.80 per Series A Preferred Share, to be converted, (ii) the accrued and unpaid dividends with respect to such stated value, if any, and (iii) accrued and unpaid late charges with respect to such stated value, if any. Conversion price (the “Conversion Price”) means, as of any conversion date or other date of determination, the lower of (i) 120% of the Weighted Average Price of the ADSs on the trading day immediately preceding the applicable issuance date of the Series A Preferred Shares being converted, and (ii) 92.50% of the lowest daily Weighted Average Price of the ADSs during the five consecutive trading day period immediately preceding the applicable conversion date, subject to adjustment as provided in the Certificate of Designations, Preferences and Rights. As used herein, “ADS ratio” means the number of Class A Ordinary Shares represented by one (1) ADS, which, as of the date hereof, equals fifteen (15). No holder of Series A Preferred Shares shall have the right to any Class A ordinary shares (or ADSs on subsequent deposit thereof) otherwise issuable and such issuance shall be null and void and treated as if never made, to the extent that after giving effect to such issuance, such holder together with its other attribution parties collectively would beneficially own in excess of 4.99% or 9.99%, as such holder shall have indicated in the Securities Purchase Agreement or as any subsequent transferee of Series A Preferred Shares indicates in a written notice to the Company, (the “Maximum Percentage”) of the Class A ordinary shares issued and outstanding immediately after giving effect to such issuance, such Maximum Percentage to be set by each Buyer as to such Buyer and its other attribution parties. The number of Class A ordinary shares, issuable upon conversion of Series A Preferred Shares, is indeterminate. Class A ordinary shares are not convertible into Class B ordinary shares under any circumstances. See “Description of Share Capital.”
We are a Cayman Islands holding company and conduct all of our operations through our operating subsidiaries. Investors in the ADSs are not purchasing equity securities of our operating subsidiaries but instead are purchasing equity securities of a Cayman Islands holding company. We face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties associated with being based in or having a portion of our operations in China and the complex and evolving PRC laws and regulations. For example, we face risks associated with regulatory approvals on offerings conducted overseas and foreign investment in China-based issuers, anti-monopoly regulatory actions, regulatory actions for virtual currency-related business activities and mining activities and oversight on cybersecurity and data privacy, which may negatively impact our ability to conduct certain businesses, access foreign investments, or list on foreign stock exchange. These risks could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of our ADSs, significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors, or cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. For a detailed description of risks relating to doing business in China, see “Item 3. Key Information — 3.D. Risk Factors — Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC.” in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Our auditor, KPMG Huazhen LLP, is independent registered public accounting firms that issue the audit report included elsewhere in this prospectus. Our securities will be prohibited from trading on a national securities exchange or in the over-the-counter trading market in the United States under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or the HFCAA, if the Securities and Exchange Commission determines that Canaan has filed audit reports issued by a registered public accounting firm that has not been subject to inspections by the PCAOB for two consecutive years. 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 auditors were subject to this determination. Consequently, we were conclusively identified as a “Commission-Identified Issuer” on May 4, 2022. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced that it was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong in 2022. 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 its 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 HFCAA, 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 it is identified as a Commission- Identified Issuer for two consecutive years in the future. If our securities 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 securities will develop outside of the United States. In the event of such prohibition, the Nasdaq may determine to delist our securities. The delisting of our securities, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment. See “Item 3. Key Information — 3.D. Risk Factors-Risks Relating to Doing Business in the PRC-Our ADSs may be delisted under the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act if the PCAOB is unable to inspect auditors who are located in China. The delisting of our ADSs, or the threat of their being delisted, may materially and adversely affect the value of your investment.” in our annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2023, which is incorporated by reference in this prospectus.
Investing in these securities involves risks. See the “Risk Factors” section contained in the applicable prospectus supplement and the documents we incorporate by reference in this prospectus to read about factors you should consider before investing in our securities.
This prospectus may not be used to offer or sell any securities unless accompanied by a prospectus supplement.
Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved of securities or passed upon the accuracy or adequacy of the disclosures in this prospectus, including any prospectus supplement and documents incorporated by reference. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
The date of this prospectus is , 2024