EX-2.1 3 ea020599001ex2-1_topwealth.htm DESCRIPTION OF SECURITIES

Exhibit 2.1

 

DESCRIPTION OF SECURITES REGISTERED UNDER SECTION 12 OF THE SECURITIES

EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934, AS AMENDED (the “Exchange Act”)

 

As of the date of the Annual Report on Form 20-F (the “Form 20-F”) of which this Exhibit 2.1 is a part, Top Wealth Group Holding Limited (the “Company”, “we”, “us” or “our”) has only one class of securities registered under Section 12 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended: the Company’s ordinary shares (the “Ordinary Shares”).

 

Description of Ordinary Shares

 

The following is a summary of material provisions of our currently effective memorandum and articles of association (our “Memorandum and Articles of Association”), as well as the Companies Law (2020 Revision) of the Cayman Islands (the “Companies Act”) insofar as they relate to the material terms of our Ordinary Shares. Notwithstanding this, because it is a summary, it may not contain all the information that you may otherwise deem important. It is subject to and qualified in its entirety by reference to our Memorandum and Articles, which are incorporated by reference as an exhibit to the Annual Report on Form 20-F of which this Exhibit 2.1 is a part.

 

Type and Class of Securities (Item 9.A.5 of Form 20-F)

 

Each Ordinary Share has US$0.0001 par value. The number of our Ordinary Share that have been issued as of the last day of the financial year ended December 31, 2023 is provided on the cover of the Form 20-F filed on May 28, 2024.

 

Preemptive Rights (Item 9.A.3 of Form 20-F)

 

Our shareholders do not have preemptive rights.

 

Limitations or Qualifications (Item 9.A.6 of Form 20-F)

 

Not applicable.

 

Rights of Other Types of Securities (Item 9.A.7 of Form 20-F)

 

Not applicable.

 

Rights of Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.3 of Form 20-F)

 

Class of Ordinary Shares

 

As of the date of this annual report, our authorized share capital is US$50,000, divided into 500,000,000 ordinary shares, par value US$0.0001 per share. All of our shares to be issued in the offering will be issued as fully paid.

 

Dividends

 

The holders of our Ordinary Shares are entitled to such dividends as may be declared by our board of directors, subject to the Companies Act. Subject to the provisions of the Companies Act and any rights attaching to any class or classes of shares under and in accordance with the articles, our articles provide that the directors may from time to time declare dividends (including interim dividends) and other distributions on shares of the Company in issue and authorize payment of the same out of the funds of the Company lawfully available therefor. Our shareholders may, by ordinary resolution, declare dividends but no such dividend shall exceed the amount recommended by the directors. No dividend shall be paid otherwise than out of profits or, subject to the restrictions of the Companies Act regarding the application of a company’s share premium account and with the sanction of an ordinary resolution, the share premium account. The directors when paying dividends to shareholders may make such payment either in cash or in specie.

 

Unless provided by the rights attached to a share, no dividend shall bear interest.

 

 

 

Voting Rights

 

Subject to any rights or restrictions as to voting attached to any shares, unless any share carries special voting rights, at each general meeting, on a show of hands each shareholder who is present in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) will have one (1) vote. On a poll, each shareholder who is present in person or by proxy (or, in the case of a shareholder being a corporation, by its duly authorized representative) shall have one (1) vote for each Ordinary Share.

 

An ordinary resolution to be passed by the shareholders requires the affirmative vote of a simple majority of shareholders who (being entitled to do so) vote in person (or, in the case of corporations, by their duly authorized representatives) or by proxy at a general meeting, while a special resolution requires the affirmative vote of a majority of not less than two-thirds of shareholders who (being entitled to do so) vote in person (or, in the case of corporations, by their duly authorized representatives) or by proxy at a general meeting or a meeting of holders of any class of shares. Both ordinary resolutions and special resolutions may also be passed by a unanimous written resolution signed by all the shareholders of our company, as permitted by the Companies Act and our memorandum and articles. A special resolution will be required for important matters such as a change of name or making changes to our memorandum and articles.

 

Cumulative Voting

 

Delaware law permits cumulative voting for the election of directors only if expressly authorized in the certificate of incorporation. There are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the laws of the Cayman Islands but our memorandum and articles do not provide for cumulative voting.

 

Pre-emptive Rights

 

There are no pre-emptive rights applicable to the issue by us of Ordinary Shares under our memorandum and articles of association.

  

Meetings of Shareholders

 

As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obligated by the Companies Act to call shareholders’ annual general meetings; accordingly, we may, but shall not be obliged to, in each year hold a general meeting as an annual general meeting. Any annual general meeting held shall be held at such time and place as may be determined by our board of directors. All general meetings other than annual general meetings shall be called extraordinary general meetings.

 

The directors may convene a meeting of shareholders whenever they think necessary or desirable. At least 5 clear days’ notice of a general meeting shall be given to shareholders entitled to attend and vote at such meeting. The notice shall specify the place, the day and the hour of the meeting and the general nature of that business. In addition, if a resolution is proposed as a special resolution, the text of that resolution shall be given to all shareholders. Notice of every general meeting shall also be given to the directors. Subject to the Cayman Companies Act and with the consent of the shareholders who, individually or collectively, hold at least 90 percent of the voting rights of all those who have a right to vote at a general meeting, a general meeting may be convened on shorter notice.

 

Our board of directors must convene a general meeting upon the written requisition of one or more shareholders entitled to attend and vote at a general meeting of the Company holding not less than 10% of the rights to vote at such general meeting in respect to the matter for which the meeting is requested, specifying the purpose of the meeting and signed by each of the shareholders making the requisition. If the directors do not convene such meeting within 21 clear days’ from the date of receipt of the written requisition, those shareholders who requested the meeting or any of them may convene the general meeting themselves within three months after the end of such period of 21 clear days in which case reasonable expenses incurred by them as a result of the directors failing to convene a meeting shall be reimbursed by us.

 

2

 

 

No business may be transacted at any general meeting unless a quorum is present at the time the meeting proceeds to business. A quorum shall consist of the presence (whether in person or represented by proxy) of one shareholder if the Company has one shareholder and two shareholders if the Company has more than one shareholder. If, within fifteen minutes from the time appointed for the meeting, a quorum is not present, the meeting, if convened upon the requisition of shareholders, shall be dissolved. In any other case, it shall stand adjourned to the same time and place seven days hence or to such other time or place as is determined by the directors, and if, at the adjourned meeting, a quorum is not present within fifteen minutes from the time appointed for the meeting, the shareholders present in person or by proxy at the meeting shall be a quorum. Subject to the articles, at every meeting, the shareholders present in person or by proxy may choose someone of their number to be the chairman.

 

A corporation that is a shareholder shall be deemed for the purpose of our memorandum and articles of association to be present at a general meeting in person if represented by its duly authorized representative. Where a duly authorized representative is present at a meeting that shareholder who is a corporate is deemed to be present in person; and the acts of the duly authorized representative are personal acts of that shareholder.

 

At any general meeting a resolution put to the vote of the meeting shall be decided on a show of hands, unless a poll is (before, or on, the declaration of the result of the show of hands) demanded by the chairman of the meeting or by one or more shareholders present who together hold not less than ten percent of the voting rights of all those who are entitled to vote on the resolution. Unless a poll is so demanded, a declaration by the chairman as to the result of a resolution and an entry to that effect in the minutes of the meeting, shall be conclusive evidence of the outcome of a show of hands, without proof of the number or proportion of the votes recorded in favor of, or against, that resolution.

 

If a poll is duly demanded it shall be taken in such manner as the chairman directs and the result of the poll shall be deemed to be the resolution of the meeting at which the poll was demanded.

 

In the case of an equality of votes, whether on a show of hands or on a poll, the chairman of the meeting at which the show of hands takes place or at which the poll is demanded, may if he wishes cast a second or casting vote.

 

Meetings of Directors

 

The business of our company is managed by the directors. Our directors are free to meet at such times and in such manner and places within or outside the Cayman Islands as the directors determine to be necessary or desirable. The quorum for the transaction of business at a meeting of directors shall be two unless the directors fix some other number. An action that may be taken by the directors at a meeting may also be taken by a resolution of directors consented to in writing by all of the directors. 

 

Winding Up

 

If we are wound up, the shareholders may, subject to the articles and any other sanction required by the Companies Act, pass a special resolution allowing the liquidator to do either or both of the following:

 

to divide in specie among the shareholders the whole or any part of our assets and, for that purpose, to value any assets and to determine how the division shall be carried out as between the shareholders or different classes of shareholders; and

 

to vest the whole or any part of the assets in trustees for the benefit of shareholders and those liable to contribute to the winding up.

 

Calls on Ordinary Shares and forfeiture of Ordinary Shares

 

Subject to the terms of allotment, the directors may make calls on the shareholders in respect of any monies unpaid on their shares including any premium and each shareholder shall (subject to receiving at least 14 clear days’ notice specifying when and where payment is to be made), pay to us the amount called on his shares. Shareholders registered as the joint holders of a share shall be jointly and severally liable to pay all calls in respect of the share. If a call remains unpaid after it has become due and payable the person from whom it is due and payable shall pay interest on the amount unpaid from the day it became due and payable until it is paid at the rate fixed by the terms of allotment of the share or in the notice of the call or if no rate is fixed, at the rate of ten percent per annum. The directors may waive payment of the interest wholly or in part.

 

3

 

 

We have a first and paramount lien on all shares (whether fully paid up or not) registered in the name of a shareholder (whether solely or jointly with others). The lien is for all monies payable to us by the shareholder or the shareholder’s estate:

 

either alone or jointly with any other person, whether or not that other person is a shareholder; and

 

whether or not those monies are presently payable.

 

At any time the directors may declare any share to be wholly or partly exempt from the lien on shares provisions of the articles.

 

We may sell, in such manner as the directors may determine, any share on which the sum in respect of which the lien exists is presently payable, if due notice that such sum is payable has been given (as prescribed by the articles) and, within 14 clear days of the date on which the notice is deemed to be given under the articles, such notice has not been complied with.

 

Redemption, Repurchase and Surrender of Ordinary Shares

 

We may issue shares on terms that such shares are subject to redemption, at our option, on such terms and in such manner as may be determined, before the issue of such shares, by our board of directors or by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders. 

 

The Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association permits us to purchase our own shares, subject to certain restrictions and requirements. Subject to the Companies Act and any rights for the time being conferred on the shareholders holding a particular class of shares, we may by action of our directors:

 

issue shares that are to be redeemed or liable to be redeemed, at our option or the shareholder holding those redeemable shares, on the terms and in the manner our directors determine before the issue of those shares;

 

with the consent by special resolution of the shareholders holding shares of a particular class, vary the rights attaching to that class of shares so as to provide that those shares are to be redeemed or are liable to be redeemed at our option on the terms and in the manner which the directors determine at the time of such variation; and

 

purchase all or any of our own shares of any class including any redeemable shares on the terms and in the manner which the directors determine at the time of such purchase.

 

Under the Companies Act, the repurchase of any share may be paid out of our Company’s profits, or out of the share premium account, or out of the proceeds of a fresh issue of shares made for the purpose of such repurchase, or out of capital. If the repurchase proceeds are paid out of our Company’s capital, our Company must, immediately following such payment, be able to pay its debts as they fall due in the ordinary course of business. In addition, under the Companies Act, no such share may be repurchased (1) unless it is fully paid up, and (2) if such repurchase would result in there being no shares outstanding other than shares held as treasury shares. The repurchase of shares may be effected in such manner and upon such terms as may be authorized by or pursuant to the articles. If the articles do not authorize the manner and terms of the purchase, a company shall not repurchase any of its own shares unless the manner and terms of purchase have first been authorized by a resolution of the company. In addition, under the Companies Act and our memorandum and articles of association, our Company may accept the surrender of any fully paid share for no consideration unless, as a result of the surrender, the surrender would result in there being no shares outstanding (other than shares held as treasury 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. However, we will provide our shareholders with annual audited financial statements

 

Requirements to Change the Rights of Holders of Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.4 of Form 20-F)

 

Variations of Rights of Shares

 

If at any time, our share capital is divided into different classes of shares, all or any of the rights attached to any class of our shares may (unless otherwise provided by the terms of issue of the shares of that class) be varied with the consent in writing of the holders of two-thirds of the issued shares of that class or with the sanction of a resolution passed by a majority of not less than two-thirds of holders of shares of that class as may be present in person or by proxy at a separate general meeting of the holders of shares of that class.

 

Unless the terms on which a class of shares was issued state otherwise, the rights conferred on the shareholder holding shares of any class shall not be deemed to be varied by the creation or issue of further shares ranking pari passu with the existing shares of that class.

 

4

 

 

Limitations on the Rights to Own Ordinary Shares (Item 10.B.6 of Form 20-F)

 

Rights of Non-Resident or Foreign Shareholders

 

There are no limitations imposed by our memorandum and articles of association on the rights of non-resident or foreign shareholders to hold or exercise voting rights on our shares. In addition, there are no provisions in our memorandum and articles of association governing the ownership threshold above which shareholder ownership must be disclosed.

 

Ownership Threshold (Item 10.B.8 of Form 20-F)

 

There are no provisions under the laws of the Cayman Islands which are applicable to our company or under our 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 derived, to a large extent, from the older Companies Acts of England and Wales but does not follow recent United Kingdom 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 United States corporations and their shareholders. Set forth below is a summary of certain significant differences between the provisions of the Companies Act applicable to us and the comparable laws applicable to companies incorporated in the State of Delaware in the United States.

 

    Delaware   Cayman Islands
Title of Organizational Documents   Certificate of Incorporation and Bylaws  

Certificate of Incorporation and Memorandum and Articles of Association

 

Duties of Directors   Under Delaware law, the business and affairs of a corporation are managed by or under the direction of its board of directors. In exercising their powers, directors are charged with a fiduciary duty of care to protect the interests of the corporation and a fiduciary duty of loyalty to act in the best interests of its shareholders. The duty of care requires that directors act in an informed and deliberative manner and inform themselves, prior to making a business decision, of all material information reasonably available to them. The duty of care also requires that directors exercise care in overseeing and investigating the conduct of the corporation’s employees. The duty of loyalty may be summarized as the duty to act in good faith, not out of self-interest, and in a manner which the director reasonably believes to be in the best interests of the shareholders.   As a matter of Cayman Islands law, a director owes three types of duties to the company: (i) statutory duties, (ii) fiduciary duties, and (iii) common law duties. The Companies Act imposes a number of statutory duties on a director. A Cayman Islands director’s fiduciary duties are not codified, however the courts of the Cayman Islands have held that a director owes the following fiduciary duties (a) a duty to act in what the director bona fide considers to be in the best interests of the company, (b) a duty to exercise their powers for the purposes they were conferred, (c) a duty to avoid fettering his or her discretion in the future and (d) a duty to avoid conflicts of interest and of duty. The common law duties owed by a director are those to act with skill, care and diligence that may reasonably be expected of a person carrying out the same functions as are carried out by that director in relation to the company and, also, to act with the skill, care and diligence in keeping with a standard of care commensurate with any particular skill they have which enables them to meet a higher standard than a director without those skills. 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. We have the right to seek damages if a duty owed by any of our directors is breached.’

 

5

 

 

    Delaware   Cayman Islands
Limitations on Personal Liability of Directors  

Subject to the limitations described below, a certificate of incorporation may provide for the elimination or limitation of the personal liability of a director to the corporation or its shareholders for monetary damages for a breach of fiduciary duty as a director. Such provision cannot limit liability for breach of loyalty, bad faith, intentional misconduct, unlawful payment of dividends or unlawful share purchase or redemption. In addition, the certificate of incorporation cannot limit liability for any act or omission occurring prior to the date when such provision becomes effective.

 

  The Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s articles of association may provide for indemnification of officers and directors, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against civil fraud or the consequences of committing a crime.
Indemnification of Directors, Officers, Agents, and Others   A corporation has the power to indemnify any director, officer, employee, or agent of corporation who was, is, or is threatened to be made a party who acted in good faith and in a manner he believed to be in the best interests of the corporation, and if with respect to a criminal proceeding, had no reasonable cause to believe his conduct would be unlawful, against amounts actually and reasonably incurred.  

Cayman Islands law does not limit the extent to which a company’s memorandum and articles of association may provide for indemnification of directors and officers, except to the extent any such provision may be held by the Cayman Islands courts to be contrary to public policy, such as to provide indemnification against the consequences of committing a crime, or against the indemnified person’s own fraud or dishonesty.

 

Our articles of association provide to the extent permitted by law, we shall indemnify each existing or former secretary, director (including alternate director), and any of our other officers (including an investment adviser or an administrator or liquidator) and their personal representatives against: (a) all actions, proceedings, costs, charges, expenses, losses, damages or liabilities incurred or sustained by the existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary or officer in or about the conduct of our business or affairs or in the execution or discharge of the existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary’s or officer’s duties, powers, authorities or discretions; and (b) without limitation to paragraph (a) above, all costs, expenses, losses or liabilities incurred by the existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary or officer in defending (whether successfully or otherwise) any civil, criminal, administrative or investigative proceedings (whether threatened, pending or completed) concerning us or our affairs in any court or tribunal, whether in the Cayman Islands or elsewhere.

 

6

 

 

    Delaware   Cayman Islands
       

No such existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary or officer, however, shall be indemnified in respect of any matter arising out of his own dishonesty.

 

To the extent permitted by law, we may make a payment, or agree to make a payment, whether by way of advance, loan or otherwise, for any legal costs incurred by an existing or former director (including alternate director), secretary or any of our officers in respect of any matter identified in above on condition that the director (including alternate director), secretary or officer must repay the amount paid by us to the extent that we are ultimately found not liable to indemnify the director (including alternate director), the secretary or that officer for those legal costs.

 

Interested Directors   Under Delaware law, a transaction in which a director who has an interest in such transaction would not be voidable if (i) the material facts as to such interested director’s relationship or interests are disclosed or are known to the board of directors and the board in good faith authorizes the transaction by the affirmative vote of a majority of the disinterested directors, even though the disinterested directors are less than a quorum, (ii) such material facts are disclosed or are known to the shareholders entitled to vote on such transaction and the transaction is specifically approved in good faith by vote of the shareholders, or (iii) the transaction is fair as to the corporation as of the time it is authorized, approved or ratified. Under Delaware law, a director could be held liable for any transaction in which such director derived an improper personal benefit.   Interested director transactions are governed by the terms of a company’s memorandum and articles of association.

 

Voting Requirements  

The certificate of incorporation may include a provision requiring supermajority approval by the directors or shareholders for any corporate action.

 

In addition, under Delaware law, certain business combinations involving interested shareholders require approval by a supermajority of the non-interested shareholders.

 

For the protection of shareholders, certain matters must be approved by special resolution of the shareholders as a matter of Cayman Islands law, including alteration of the memorandum or articles of association, appointment of inspectors to examine company affairs, reduction of share capital (subject, in relevant circumstances, to court approval), change of name, authorization of a plan of merger or transfer by way of continuation to another jurisdiction or consolidation or voluntary winding up of the company.

 

The Companies Act requires that a special resolution be passed by a majority of at least two-thirds or such higher percentage as set forth in the memorandum and articles of association, of shareholders being entitled to vote and do vote in person or by proxy at a general meeting, or by unanimous written consent of shareholders entitled to vote at a general meeting.

 

The Companies Act defines “special resolutions” only. A company’s memorandum and articles of association can therefore tailor the definition of “ordinary resolutions” as a whole, or with respect to specific provisions.

 

7

 

 

    Delaware   Cayman Islands
Voting for Directors  

Under Delaware law, unless otherwise specified in the certificate of incorporation or bylaws of the corporation, directors shall be elected by a plurality of the votes of the shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting and entitled to vote on the election of directors.

 

  Director election is governed by the terms of the memorandum and articles of association of a company.
Cumulative Voting   No cumulative voting for the election of directors unless so provided in the certificate of incorporation.  

There are no prohibitions in relation to cumulative voting under the Companies Act but our articles of association do not provide for cumulative voting.

 

Directors’ Powers Regarding Bylaws   The certificate of incorporation may grant the directors the power to adopt, amend or repeal bylaws.  

The memorandum and articles of association may only be amended by a special resolution of the shareholders.

 

Nomination and Removal of Directors and Filling Vacancies on Board  

Shareholders may generally nominate directors if they comply with advance notice provisions and other procedural requirements in company bylaws. Holders of a majority of the shares may remove a director with or without cause, except in certain cases involving a classified board or if the company uses cumulative voting. Unless otherwise provided for in the certificate of incorporation, directorship vacancies are filled by a majority of the directors elected or then in office.

 

  Nomination and removal of directors and filling of board vacancies are governed by the terms of the memorandum and articles of association.

8

 

 

    Delaware   Cayman Islands
Mergers and Similar Arrangements  

Under Delaware law, with certain exceptions, a merger, consolidation, exchange or sale of all or substantially all the assets of a corporation must be approved by the board of directors and a majority of the outstanding shares entitled to vote thereon. Under Delaware law, a shareholder of a corporation participating in certain major corporate transactions may, under certain circumstances, be entitled to appraisal rights pursuant to which such shareholder may receive cash in the amount of the fair value of the shares held by such shareholder (as determined by a court) in lieu of the consideration such shareholder would otherwise receive in the transaction.

 

Delaware law also provides that a parent corporation, by resolution of its board of directors, may merge with any subsidiary, of which it owns at least 90% of each class of capital stock without a vote by shareholders of such subsidiary. Upon any such merger, dissenting shareholders of the subsidiary would have appraisal rights.

 

The Companies Act permits mergers and consolidations between Cayman Islands companies and between Cayman Islands companies and non-Cayman Islands companies provided that the laws of the foreign jurisdiction permit such merger or consolidation. For these purposes, (a) “merger” means the merging of two or more constituent companies and the vesting of their undertaking, 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 undertaking, 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 plan must be filed with the Registrar of Companies together with a declaration as to the solvency of the consolidated or surviving company, a list of 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 shareholders and creditors of each constituent company and that notification of the merger or consolidation will be published in the Cayman Islands Gazette. Court approval is not required for a merger or consolidation which is effected in compliance with these statutory procedures.

 

A merger between a Cayman Islands parent company and its Cayman Islands 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 subsidiary is a company of which at least 90% of the issued shares entitled to vote are owned by the parent company.

 

       

The consent of each holder of a fixed or floating security interest of a constituent company is required unless this requirement is waived by a court in the Cayman Islands.

 

Except in certain limited circumstances, a dissenting shareholder of a Cayman Islands constituent company is entitled to payment of the fair value of his or her shares upon dissenting from a merger or consolidation. The exercise of such 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, except for the right to seek relief on the grounds that the merger or consolidation is void or unlawful.

 

        In addition, there are statutory provisions that facilitate the reconstruction and amalgamation of companies, provided that the arrangement is approved by seventy-five percent (75%) in value of the shareholders or 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: (a) the statutory provisions as to the required majority vote have been met; (b) 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; (c) 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 (d) the arrangement is not one that would more properly be sanctioned under some other provision of the Companies Act.

 

9

 

 

    Delaware   Cayman Islands
       

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.

 

If an arrangement and reconstruction is thus approved, or if a takeover offer is made and accepted, a dissenting shareholder would have no rights comparable to appraisal rights, which would otherwise ordinarily be available to dissenting shareholders of Delaware corporations, providing rights to receive payment in cash for the judicially determined value of the shares.

 

Shareholder Suits   Class actions and derivative actions generally are available to shareholders under Delaware law for, among other things, breach of fiduciary duty, corporate waste and actions not taken in accordance with applicable law. In such actions, the court generally has discretion to permit the winning party to recover attorneys’ fees incurred in connection with such action.  

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, the Cayman Islands courts can be expected to follow and apply the common law principles (namely the rule in Foss v. Harbottle and the exceptions thereto) so that a non-controlling shareholder may be permitted to commence a class action against or derivative actions in the name of the company to challenge: (a) an act which is illegal or ultra vires with respect to the company and is therefore incapable of ratification by the shareholders; (b) an act which, although not ultra vires, requires authorization by a qualified (or special) majority (that is, more than a simple majority) which has not been obtained; and (c) an act which constitutes a “fraud on the minority” where the wrongdoers are themselves in control of the company.

 

Inspection of Corporate Records   Under Delaware law, shareholders of a Delaware corporation have the right during normal business hours to inspect for any proper purpose, and to obtain copies of list(s) of shareholders and other books and records of the corporation and its subsidiaries, if any, to the extent the books and records of such subsidiaries are available to the corporation.   Shareholders of a Cayman Islands exempted company have no general right under Cayman Islands law to inspect or obtain copies of a list of shareholders or other 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) of the company. However, these rights may be provided in the company’s memorandum and articles of association.

 

10

 

 

    Delaware   Cayman Islands
Shareholder Proposals   Unless provided in the corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws, Delaware law does not include a provision restricting the manner in which shareholders may bring business before a meeting.  

The Companies Act provides shareholders with only limited rights to requisition a general meeting, and does not provide shareholders with any right to put any proposal before a general meeting. However, these rights may be provided in a company’s articles of association. Our articles of association provide that general meetings shall be convened on the written requisition of one or more of the shareholders entitled to attend and vote at our general meetings who (together) hold not less than 10 percent of the rights to vote at such general meeting in accordance with the notice provisions in the articles, specifying the purpose of the meeting and signed by each of the shareholders making the requisition. If the directors do not convene such meeting within twenty-one clear days’ from the date of receipt of the requisition, those shareholders who requested the meeting or any of them may convene the general meeting themselves within three months after the end of such period of twenty-one clear days in which case reasonable expenses incurred by them as a result of the directors failing to convene a meeting shall be reimbursed by us. Our articles of association provide no other right to put any proposals before annual general meetings or extraordinary general meetings. As a Cayman Islands exempted company, we are not obligated by law to call shareholders’ annual general meetings. However, our corporate governance guidelines require us to call such meetings every year.

 

Approval of Corporate Matters by Written Consent  

Delaware law permits shareholders to take action by written consent signed by the holders of outstanding shares having not less than the minimum number of votes that would be necessary to authorize or take such action at a meeting of shareholders.

 

  The Companies Act allows a special resolution to be passed in writing if signed by all the voting shareholders (if authorized by the memorandum and articles of association).
Calling of Special Shareholders Meetings  

Delaware law permits the board of directors or any person who is authorized under a corporation’s certificate of incorporation or bylaws to call a special meeting of shareholders.

 

  The Companies Act does not have provisions governing the proceedings of shareholders meetings which are usually provided in the memorandum and articles of association.
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. Delaware 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, the Company may be wound up by a special resolution of our shareholders, or if the winding up is initiated by our board of directors, by either a special resolution of our members or, if our company is unable to pay its debts as they fall due, by an ordinary resolution of our members. In addition, a company may be wound up by an order of the courts of the Cayman Islands. 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.

 

11

 

 

Changes in Capital (Item 10.B.10 of Form 20-F) 

 

We may from time to time by an ordinary resolution of our shareholders:

 

increase our share capital by new shares of the amount fixed by that ordinary resolution and with the attached rights, priorities and privileges set out in that ordinary resolution;

 

consolidate and divide all or any of our share capital into shares of larger amount than our existing shares;

 

convert all or any of our paid-up shares into stock, and reconvert that stock into paid up shares of any denomination;

 

subdivide our existing shares, or any of them, into shares of a smaller amount than that fixed by the memorandum, 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 our share capital by the amount of the shares so cancelled, or, in the case of shares without nominal par value, diminish the number of shares into which our capital is divided.

 

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 its share capital in any manner authorized by the Companies Act.

 

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)

 

Options Grants

 

Effective on August 1, 2022, Top Wealth (International) Limited (“TW HK”), the Operating Subsidiary of the Company, entered into a Corporate Development Consultant Appointment Agreement with Mr. Haitong, CHEN (the “Consultancy Agreement”), in which TW HK appointed Mr. Chen for a term of 10 months commencing from August 1, 2022 to June 30, 2023, subject to extension or early termination, to provide corporate development, project management, and capital financing consultancy services in connection to the Company’s IPO in the United States. Pursuant to the Consultancy Agreement, in addition to a fixed cash remuneration to Mr. Chen, TW HK will also cause Top Wealth Group Holding Limited to grant stock options to Mr. Chen to acquire an aggregate of 1,080,000 Ordinary Shares of Top Wealth Group Holding Limited after Company’s IPO, representing 4% of the Ordinary Shares of Top Wealth Group Holding Limited issued and outstanding prior to the initial public offering of the Company (the “Consultancy Stock Option”). The options granted to Mr. Chen will vest and become exercisable over a period of three years in three equal tranches, on the first, second, and third anniversary of the date of Company’s listing on Nasdaq capital market. All options shall be exercised after three anniversaries and within 60 months of Company’s listing, otherwise the unexercised options will be null and void. The applicable exercise price for the Consultancy Stock Option that to be granted to Mr. Chen is fifty percent (50%) of the offering price per Ordinary Shares offered by the Company in Company’s initial public offering.

 

Upon the expiration of the term of the Consultancy Agreement, Mr. Chen and the Company mutually agreed not to extend Consultancy Agreement.

 

Description of American Depositary Shares (Items 12.D.1 and 12.D.2 of Form 20-F)

 

Not applicable.

 

 

12