Future FinTech Signs Equity Acquisition Frame Agreement for Guang Dong Hi-Card Business Service Co., Ltd.

Rhea-AI Summary

Future FinTech Group (NASDAQ: FTFT) announced an equity acquisition frame agreement to acquire 60% of Guang Dong Hi-Card Business Service Co., Ltd. on March 22, 2021. The acquisition costs approximately RMB 60 million ($9.2 million), with half in cash and half in FTFT stock. Hi-Card specializes in payment settlement services for SMEs and was recognized as a national high-tech enterprise in China. With over 400,000 merchants and substantial annual transaction volumes, Hi-Card's integration aims to enhance FTFT's presence in the financial technology sector.

Positive

• Acquisition of 60% of Hi-Card enhances market presence in financial technology.
• Hi-Card serves over 400,000 merchants, indicating strong market position.
• Potential for synergies in blockchain technology applications and payment solutions.

Negative

• None.

NEW YORK, March 23, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Future FinTech Group Inc. (NASDAQ: FTFT) ("hereinafter referred to as Future FinTech", "FTFT" or "the Company"), a leading blockchain e-commerce company and a service provider for financial technology, today announced that on March 22, 2021, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company, Future Commercial Group Co., Ltd., signed an equity acquisition frame agreement ("Frame Agreement") with Guang Zhou Hi-Card Computer Network Service Co., Ltd. ("Guang Zhou") to acquire 60% of the shares of Guang Dong Hi-Card Business Service Co., Ltd. ("Hi-Card"). The Frame Agreement is non-binding except for the 'Confidentiality and Exclusivity' and 'Applicable Law and Dispute Resolution' sections of the Frame Agreement.

Hi-Card is a financial technology service provider that provides payment settlement services primarily for small and medium-sized enterprises as well as financial institutions. It is recognized as a national high-tech enterprise and holds a payment business license issued by the People's Bank of China and the Central Bank of China. Hi-Card was named one of "China's Potential Enterprises" from 2013 - 2015 by Forbes China. 

Hi-Card achieved net profit of RMB 4.8 million (approximately $0.7 million) for fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 based on its audited financials under Chinese GAAP. The acquisition price for the 60% equity interest of Hi-Card is estimated to be RMB 60.0 million (approximately $9.2 million) subject to the results of due diligence by the Company and final negotiation by the parties, with 50% of the payment to be made in cash and 50% in FTFT's common stock, the price of which will be based upon the average closing price of FTFT's common stock on the Nasdaq during the 10 trading days before the signing date of the final definitive share purchase agreement.

Mr. Yi Yang, Chairman of Hi-Card, said, "Hi-Card currently serves more than 400,000 merchants, and over the last three years it has recorded an average of processed payments of RMB 20 billion which is approximately US$3 billion per year with average annual transaction volume of RMB 110 billion which is approximately US$17 billion over the last three years. Hi-Card serves many companies in China and has established strong business relationships with China UnionPay, major commercial banks and industry associations, and it has established an excellent reputation in the industry. Future FinTech has a highly experienced management team as well as a team of experts in blockchain technology which will help Hi-Card to expand its growth and market penetration."

Mr. Yang continued, "Hi-Card has focused on the field of electronic transaction payments and information processing for many years and we believe that the cooperation between the two parties will deepen block chain technology applications in the payment and settlement field. We will continue to provide first-class network design, systems integration, technical support, terminal market promotion and other solutions for the finance, public services and electronic payment fields to form a comprehensive financial payment ecological chain."

Mr. Shanchun Huang, Chief Executive Officer of Future FinTech, said, "Hi-Card is a highly active player in the payment processing space in China. It has accumulated a great deal of experience and has translated this into success in financial technology, especially in the development and promotion of application systems in the electronic payment field. We are pleased to have entered into this initial frame agreement as it represents yet another major step in expanding our footprint in financial technology services."

Mr. Huang continued, "We are confident that we will be able to create synergies to further capitalize upon Hi-Card's success in China to date. Our goal is to build a sustainable and dynamic financial technology services for enterprises, financial institutions and supply chains that offer safe and cost-effective solutions that encompass a wide variety of business and management needs."

About Future FinTech Group Inc.

Future FinTech Group Inc. ("Future FinTech", "FTFT" or the "Company") is a leading blockchain e-commerce company and a service provider for financial technology incorporated in Florida. The Company's operations include a blockchain-based online shopping mall platform, Chain Cloud Mall ("CCM"), a cross-border e-commerce platform (NONOGIRL), an incubator for blockchain based application projects. The Company is also engaged in the development of blockchain based e-Commerce technology as well as financial technology. For more information, please visit http://www.ftftex.com/.

Safe Harbor Statement

Certain of the statements made in this press release are "forward-looking statements" within the meaning and protections of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, or the Exchange Act. Forward-looking statements include statements with respect to our beliefs, plans, objectives, goals, expectations, anticipations, assumptions, estimates, intentions, and future performance, and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors, which may be beyond our control, and which may cause the actual results, performance, capital, ownership or achievements of the Company to be materially different from future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. All statements other than statements of historical fact are statements that could be forward-looking statements. You can identify these forward-looking statements through our use of words such as "may," "will," "anticipate," "assume," "should," "indicate," "would," "believe," "contemplate," "expect," "estimate," "continue," "plan," "point to," "project," "could," "intend," "target" and other similar words and expressions of the future.

All written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary notice, including, without limitation, those risks and uncertainties described in our annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2019 and otherwise in our SEC reports and filings, including the final prospectus for our offering. Such reports are available upon request from the Company, or from the Securities and Exchange Commission, including through the SEC's Internet website at http://www.sec.gov. We have no obligation and do not undertake to update, revise or correct any of the forward-looking statements after the date hereof, or after the respective dates on which any such statements otherwise are made.

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SOURCE Future FinTech Group Inc.

FAQ

What is the purpose of Future FinTech's acquisition of Hi-Card?

The acquisition aims to enhance FTFT's market presence in the financial technology sector by integrating Hi-Card's payment services.

What are the financial details of the Hi-Card acquisition by Future FinTech?

Future FinTech will acquire 60% of Hi-Card for approximately RMB 60 million ($9.2 million), paying half in cash and half in FTFT stock.

How will the acquisition of Hi-Card benefit Future FinTech?

The acquisition is expected to create synergies in blockchain technology applications and expand FTFT's reach in electronic payment services.

When was the acquisition agreement for Hi-Card signed?

The equity acquisition frame agreement with Hi-Card was signed on March 22, 2021.

What is Hi-Card's business model?

Hi-Card provides payment settlement services primarily for small and medium-sized enterprises and financial institutions.