CUEN Cuentas Inc (CE)

RISK FACTORS

An investment in our securities involves substantial risks, including the risks described below. You should carefully consider the risks described below before purchasing our securities. The risks highlighted here are not the only ones that we may face. For example, additional risks presently unknown to us or that we currently consider immaterial or unlikely to occur could also impair our operations. If any of the risks or uncertainties described below or any such additional risks and uncertainties actually occur, our business, prospects, financial condition or results of operations could be negatively affected, and you might lose all or part of your investment.

Risks Related to Our Financial Position and Need for Additional Capital

We will require additional funding to progress our business. Such financing may only be available on disadvantageous terms, or may not be available at all. Any new equity financing could have a substantial dilutive effect on our existing stockholders.

At September 30, 2020, we had cash and cash equivalents of $343,000, a working capital deficit of $3,846,000 and an accumulated deficit of $24,543,000. Our cash position may decline in the future, and we may not be successful in maintaining an adequate level of cash resources. Accordingly, we will be required to seek additional debt or equity financing in order to support our growing operations. We may not be able to obtain additional financing on satisfactory terms, or at all, and any new equity financing could have a substantial dilutive effect on our existing stockholders. If we cannot obtain additional financing, we will not be able to achieve the sales growth that we need to cover our costs, and our results of operations would be negatively affected.

As a result of our current lack of financial liquidity, there is substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a “going concern,” within one year from the issuance date of our financial statements.

As a result of our current lack of financial liquidity, our auditors’ report for our 2019 consolidated financial statements, which are included as part of this prospectus, contains a statement concerning substantial doubt regarding our ability to continue as a going concern. Our lack of sufficient liquidity could make it more difficult for us to secure additional financing or enter into strategic relationships on terms acceptable to us, if at all, and may materially and adversely affect the terms of any financing that we may obtain and our public stock price generally.

Our continuation as a going concern is dependent upon, among other things, achieving positive cash flow from operations and, if necessary, augmenting such cash flow using external resources to satisfy our cash needs. However, we may be unable to achieve these goals and therefore may be unable to continue as a going concern.

Risks Related to the Company

We have a limited operating history and therefore we cannot ensure, either in the near- or long-term, that we will be able to generate cash flow or profit.

We have a limited operating history upon which you may evaluate our business and an investment in our Common Stock may entail significantly more risk than the shares of Common Stock of a company with a substantial operating history. Our ability to successfully develop our products, and to realize consistent, meaningful revenues and profit has not been established and cannot be assured. For us to achieve success, our products must receive broader market acceptance by consumers. Without this market acceptance, we will not be able to generate sufficient revenue to continue our business operation. If our products are not widely accepted by the market, our business may fail.

Our ability to achieve and maintain profitability and positive cash flow is dependent upon our ability to generate revenues, manage development costs and expenses, and compete successfully with our direct and indirect competitors.

Our business operations are subject to numerous risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties associated with early stage enterprises. You should consider an investment in our company in light of these risks, uncertainties, expenses and difficulties. Such risks include: the absence of a lengthy operating history; insufficient capital to fully realize our operating plan; our ability to anticipate and adapt to a developing market; a competitive environment characterized by well-capitalized competitors; our ability to identify, attract and retain qualified personnel; our reliance on key management personnel.

Because we are subject to these risks, evaluating our business may be difficult. We may be unable to successfully overcome these risks, which could harm our business and prospects. Our business strategy may be unsuccessful and we may be unable to address the risks we face in a cost-effective manner, if at all. If we are unable to successfully address these risks, there may be an adverse effect on our business, results of operations, financial condition and cash flows.

We may never achieve profitability from operations or generate sufficient cash flows to make or sustain distributions to our shareholders.

We may never achieve profitability from operations. Even if we do achieve profitability, we cannot assure you that we will be able to sustain or increase profitability on a quarterly or annual basis in the future. There can be no assurance that future operations will be profitable or that we will be able to make or sustain distributions to our shareholders from cash from operations. Revenues and profits, if any, will depend upon various factors, including whether we will be able to successfully implement our business plan and operating strategy. We may not achieve our business objectives and the failure to achieve such goals would have an adverse impact on us. In addition, an inability to achieve profitability could have a detrimental effect on the market value of our Common Stock.

We are an early entrant in an emerging industry, and the long-term viability of our business strategy is unproven.

As an early entrant in this emerging Fintech industry, we are subject to the risk that our business model and business plan may not prove to be a viable long-term business strategy. If it turns out that our strategy is not a viable long-term business strategy, we may not be able to generate meaningful cash flows, which would materially and adversely affect the viability of our business and stock price.

We may not be able to secure sufficient capital to effectively execute our business plan.

We may not be able to attract and obtain sufficient capital from the equity and debt markets, or any other capital markets, to execute our business plan and grow our business. If we do not have access to sufficient funding in the future, we may not be able to make necessary capital expenditures necessary to execute our business plan, and in that event our ability to generate revenue may be significantly impaired.

If we cannot obtain financing, our growth may be limited.

Recent events in the financial markets have had an adverse impact on the credit markets, and, as a result, credit has become significantly more expensive and difficult to obtain, if available at all. Some lenders are imposing more stringent credit terms and there has been and may continue to be a general reduction in the amount of credit available. Many banks are either unable or unwilling to provide new asset-based lending. Tightening credit markets may have an adverse effect on our ability to obtain financing on favorable terms, thereby increasing financing costs and/or requiring us to accept financing with increasing restrictions. If adverse conditions in the credit markets, in particular with respect to our industry, materially deteriorate, our business could be materially and adversely affected. Our long-term ability to grow through additional investments will be limited if we cannot obtain additional financing. Market conditions may make it difficult to obtain financing, and we cannot assure you that we will be able to obtain debt or equity financing or that we will be able to obtain it on favorable terms.

COVID-19 and its impact on businesses and financial markets could have a material adverse effect on our operations.

In December 2019, a novel strain of coronavirus was reported to have surfaced in Wuhan, China, which has and is continuing to spread throughout China and other parts of the world, including the United States. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization declared the outbreak of the coronavirus disease (“COVID-19”) a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern.” On January 31, 2020, U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex M. Azar II declared a public health emergency for the United States to aid the U.S. healthcare community in responding to COVID-19, and on March 11, 2020 the World Health Organization characterized the outbreak as a “pandemic”. A significant outbreak of COVID-19 and other infectious diseases could result in a widespread health crisis that could adversely affect the economies and financial markets worldwide, as well as our business and operations. The extent to which COVID-19 impacts our business and results of operations will depend on future developments, which are highly uncertain and cannot be predicted, including new information which may emerge concerning the severity of COVID-19 and the actions to contain COVID-19 or treat its impact, among others. If the disruptions posed by COVID-19 or other matters of global concern continue for an extensive period of time, our business and results of operations may be materially adversely affected.

We are involved in various litigation matters that are expensive and time consuming, and, if resolved adversely, could harm our business, financial condition, or results of operations.

Any litigation to which we are a party may result in an onerous or unfavorable judgment that may not be reversed upon appeal, or we may decide to settle lawsuits on similarly unfavorable terms. Any such negative outcome could result in payments of substantial monetary damages or fines, or changes to our products or business practices, and accordingly our business, financial condition, or results of operations could be materially and adversely affected. See “Business-Legal Proceedings” for a description of certain litigation involving the Company.

Although the results of lawsuits and claims cannot be predicted with certainty, we do not believe that the final outcome of those matters that we currently face will have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition, or results of operations. However, defending these claims is costly and can impose a significant burden on management and employees, and we may receive unfavorable preliminary or interim rulings in the course of litigation, which could adversely affect the market price of our securities. There can be no assurances that a favorable final outcome will be obtained in all cases.

Our business plan involves a number of assumptions that may prove inaccurate, which may cause us to realize substantially different operating results than we hope for.

In developing our business plan and business model, we made a number of assumptions, including assumptions related to annual operating costs, market size and demand, customer retention rates, customer drop-out rates, default rates, and local, national, and worldwide economic conditions. These assumptions may prove inaccurate, causing us our performance and operating results to differ significantly from the performance and operating results we have projected while developing our business plan and business model.

Operating our business on a larger scale could result in substantial increases in our expenses.

As our business grows in size and complexity, we can provide no assurance that we can successfully enter new markets or grow our business without incurring significant additional expenses, that our management platform will ultimately prove to be scalable, and/or that we will be able to achieve economies of scale or we will be able to operate our business on a larger scale than the scale on which we have historically operated.

Debt service obligations could adversely affect our operating results and could adversely affect our ability to make or sustain distributions to our stockholders and the market price of our Common Stock and Warrants.

Incurring debt could subject us to many risks, including the risks that: our cash flows from operations will be insufficient to make required payments of principal and interest; our debt may increase our vulnerability to adverse economic and industry conditions; we will be subject to restrictive covenants that require us to satisfy and remain in compliance with certain financial requirements or that impose limitations on the type or extent of activities we conduct; and we may be required to dedicate a substantial portion of our cash flows from operations to payments on our debt, thereby reducing cash available for distribution to our shareholders, funds available for operations and capital expenditures, future business opportunities or other purposes. Additionally, if we do not have sufficient funds to repay any debt we incur when it matures, we may need to refinance the debt or raise additional equity. If, at the time of any refinancing, prevailing interest rates or other factors result in higher interest rates on refinancing, increases in interest expense could adversely affect our cash flows and, consequently, cash available for distribution to our shareholders. To the extent we are required to raise additional equity to satisfy such debt, existing shareholders would see their interests diluted. If we are unable to refinance our debt or raise additional equity on acceptable terms, we may be forced to dispose of assets on disadvantageous terms, potentially resulting in losses or the incurrence of special taxes and fees that apply to dispositions of assets. To the extent we cannot meet any existing or future debt service obligations, we will risk losing some or all of our assets that may be pledged to secure our obligations to foreclosure. Any unsecured debt agreements we enter into may contain specific cross-default provisions with respect to specified other indebtedness, giving the unsecured lenders the right to declare a default if we are in default under other loans in some circumstances.

We are substantially dependent on the CIMA License Agreement, which may be terminated under certain circumstances. 

On December 31, 2019, the Company entered into the CIMA License Agreement, pursuant to which the Company has a perpetual, exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable, royalty-free license to access and use the CIMA Licensed Technology in the form provided to the Company via the Hosting Services. While the license agreement provides us with a license in perpetuity, if the license agreement is terminated in accordance with its terms, we will lose access to the licensed technology that comprise the Cuentas technology platform, which will have a significant impact on our business, operations and financial results. Further, if the license agreement is terminated, there is no guarantee that we will be able to enter into a new license agreement on the same or similar terms, if at all, and our competitors could license the technology, which would result in a significant market disadvantage to the Company.

CIMA and Dinar may exert significant influence over our business and affairs as a result of their corporate governance and other rights under the Side Letter Agreement, which may adversely affect the management of our Company.

Pursuant to the Side Letter Agreement, dated December 31, 2019, by and among the Company, Mr. Maimon, Mr. De Prado, Dinar and CIMA (the “Side Letter Agreement”), for as long as the CIMA License Agreement is in effect or CIMA is a shareholder of the Company and owns at least 5% of the Company’s Common Stock, in addition to any other vote or approval required under the Company’s articles of incorporation, bylaws, or any other agreement, each as amended from time to time, the Company has agreed not to take certain actions without certain approval thresholds of the directors appointed by CIMA, Dinar, Mr. Maimon and Mr. De Prado. These negative covenants restrict, among other things, the Company’s ability to incur additional debt, alter certain employment agreements currently in place, enter into any consolidation, combination, recapitalization or reorganization transactions, and issue additional capital stock. Further, CIMA has a co-sale right to participate in a sale of shares of the Common Stock, in the event that Mr. De Prado, Mr. Maimon or any other director or officer of the Company holding greater than 1% of the Common Stock (on a fully diluted basis) proposes to sell any of his, her or its shares of Common Stock. This may hinder our ability to raise the capital needed to improve our financial condition. These rights may limit the ability of our Board of Directors and our management team to make necessary personnel decisions, which may adversely affect the management of our company, particularly if disputes arise between us and CIMA or Dinar (which disputes in and of themselves could have a material adverse effect on our ability to conduct business).

Our financial results in future periods may not be reflective of our earning potential and may cause our stock price to decline.

Our financial results in future periods may not be representative of our future potential. Since we expect to experience rapid growth, we will have a greater percentage of our portfolio invested in assets in the process of stabilization than we would expect to have as a more mature operation. It will take time and significant cash resources to implement our business plan. In addition, future equity or debt financings may impact our financial results in the fiscal periods following such financings for the same reasons listed above.

Security breaches and other disruptions could compromise our information and expose us to liability, which would cause our business and reputation to suffer.

In the ordinary course of our business we use sophisticated call processing engines and other sophisticated telecommunications technology platforms, and we acquire and store sensitive data, including intellectual property, our proprietary business information and personally identifiable information of our prospective and current tenants, our employees and third-party service providers on our networks and website. The secure processing and maintenance of this information is critical to our operations and business strategy. Despite our security measures, our information technology and infrastructure may be vulnerable to attacks by hackers or breached due to employee error, malfeasance or other disruptions. Any such breach could compromise our networks and the information stored there could be accessed, publicly disclosed, lost or stolen. Any such access, disclosure or other loss of information could result in revenue losses, legal claims or proceedings, liability under laws that protect the privacy of personal information, regulatory penalties, disruption to our operations and the services we provide to customers or damage our reputation, which could adversely affect our results of operations and competitive position.

We are dependent on our executive officers and dedicated personnel, and the departure of any of our key personnel could materially and adversely affect us.

We rely on a small number of persons to carry out our business and investment strategies. An Executive Search Committee has been established to evaluate and propose qualified executive candidates for approval by the Board of Directors. Any member of our senior management may cease to provide services to us at any time. The loss of the services of any of our key management personnel, or our inability to recruit and retain qualified personnel in the future, could have an adverse effect on our business and financial results. As we expand, we will continue to need to attract and retain qualified additional senior management but may not be able to do so on acceptable terms or at all. Cuentas does not yet have but intends to have key man life insurance policies in place. Pursuant to the employment agreement, the CEO’s term expired in November 2020 (which term has been subsequently extended for 90 days and can be extended by the Board of Directors on a month-to-month basis with the approval of both Dinar and CIMA until a new CEO is appointed by the Board of Directors). The Company has formed an Executive Search Committee and it will begin the process of searching for key executive personnel, including a new CEO. The current CEO will remain as the Chairman of the Board after the hiring of a new CEO.

We are subject to regulation which may adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan.

We operate in an ever-evolving and complex legal and regulatory environment. We, the products and services that we offer and market, and those for which we provide processing services, are subject to a variety of federal, state and foreign laws and regulations, including, but not limited to: federal communications laws and regulations; foreign jurisdiction communications laws and regulations; federal anti-money laundering laws and regulations, including the USA PATRIOT Act (the Patriot Act), the Bank Secrecy Act (the BSA), anti-terrorist financing laws and anti-bribery and corrupt practice laws and regulations in the U.S., and similar international laws and regulations, including the Proceeds of Crime (Money Laundering) and Terrorist Financing Act in Canada); state unclaimed property laws and money transmitter or similar licensing requirements; federal and state consumer protection laws, including the Credit Card Accountability, Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 (the CARD Act), and the Durbin Amendment to Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act of 2010 (the Dodd-Frank Act), and regulations relating to privacy and data security; and foreign jurisdiction payment services industry regulations. We believe that we are currently operating in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, but there is no certainty that laws and regulations affecting our business will not change. Any such change of laws and regulations applicable to our business might adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan and achieve profitable operating results.

We are subject to Telecommunications Industry Regulation.

Our subsidiaries Cuentas Mobile and M&M are subject to regulation by the FCC and other government agencies and task forces. M&M holds International and Domestic Section 214 licenses issued by the FCC, which may be suspended or revoked by the FCC if M&M does not strictly comply with all applicable regulations and the terms and conditions under which the International and Domestic Section 214 licenses were issued. Cuentas Mobile and M&M are also subject to foreign jurisdiction communications laws and regulations. We believe that we, including our subsidiaries, are currently operating in compliance with all applicable laws and regulations, but there is no certainty that laws and regulations affecting our business will not change. Any such change of laws and regulations applicable to our business might adversely affect our ability to execute our business plan and achieve profitable operating results.

We are subject to Anti-Money Laundering Regulation.

We are subject to a comprehensive federal anti-money laundering regulatory regime that is constantly evolving. The anti-money laundering regulations to which we are subject include the BSA, as amended by the Patriot Act, which criminalizes the financing of terrorism and enhances existing BSA regimes through: (a) expanding AML program requirements to certain delineated financial institutions; (b) strengthening customer identification procedures; (c) prohibiting financial institutions from engaging in business with foreign shell banks; (d) requiring financial institutions to have due diligence procedures and, where appropriate, enhanced due diligence procedures for foreign correspondent and private banking accounts; and (e) improving information sharing between financial institutions and the U.S. government. Pursuant to the BSA, we have instituted a Customer Identification Program, (CIP). The CIP is incorporated into our BSA/anti-money laundering compliance program. We are increasingly facing more stringent anti-money laundering rules and regulations, compliance with which may increase our costs of operation, decrease our operating revenues and disrupt our business” for additional information. Cuentas is or may become subject to reporting and recordkeeping requirements related to anti-money laundering compliance obligations arising under the Patriot Act and its implementing regulations. In addition, provisions of the BSA enacted by the Prepaid Access Rule issued by the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (“FinCEN”), impose certain obligations, such as registration and collection of consumer information, on “providers” of certain prepaid access programs, including the prepaid products issued by Cuentas and our issuing banks for which we serve as program manager. In order to qualify for certain exclusions under the Prepaid Access Rule, some of our content providers were required to modify operational elements of their products, such as limiting the amount that can be loaded onto a card in any one day. In addition, pursuant to the Prepaid Access Rule, Cuentas and some of our retail distribution partners have adopted policies and procedures to prevent the sale of more than $10,000 in prepaid access (including closed loop and open loop products that fall under the monetary thresholds outlined above) to any one person during any one day.

We are subject to Anti-Terrorism and Anti-Bribery Regulation.

We are also subject to an array of federal anti-terrorism and anti-bribery legislation. For example, the U.S. Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”) administers a series of laws that impose economic and trade sanctions against targeted foreign countries and regimes, terrorists, international narcotics traffickers, those engaged in activities related to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, and other entities that pose threats to the national security, foreign policy or economy of the United States. As part of its enforcement efforts, OFAC publishes a list of individuals and companies owned or controlled by, or acting for or on behalf of, targeted countries, as well as those such as terrorists and narcotics traffickers designated under programs that are not country-specific and with whom U.S. persons are generally prohibited from dealing. The Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (“FCPA”), prohibits the payment of bribes to foreign government officials and political figures and includes anti-bribery provisions enforced by the Department of Justice and accounting provisions enforced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”). The statute has a broad reach, covering all U.S. companies and citizens doing business abroad, among others, and defining a foreign official to include not only those holding public office but also local citizens affiliated with foreign government-run or government-owned organizations. The statute also requires maintenance of appropriate books and records and maintenance of adequate internal controls to prevent and detect possible FCPA violations. Abuse of our prepaid products for purposes of financing sanctioned countries, terrorist funding, bribery or corruption could cause reputational or other harm that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition.

We are subject to Consumer Protection Regulation.

We are subject to various federal, state and foreign consumer protection laws, including those related to unfair and deceptive trade practices as well as privacy and data security. Failure to comply with, or further expansion of, consumer protection regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. A data security breach could expose us to liability and protracted and costly litigation, and could adversely affect our reputation and operating revenues.

We are subject to Federal Regulation.

At the federal level, Congress and federal regulatory agencies have enacted and implemented new laws and regulations that affect the prepaid industry, such the CARD Act and FinCEN’s Prepaid Access Rule. Moreover, there are currently proposals before Congress that could further substantially change the way banks, including prepaid card issuing banks and other financial services companies, are regulated and are permitted to offer their products to consumers. Non-bank financial services companies, including money transmitters and prepaid access providers, are now regulated at the federal level by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (the “CFPB”), which began operations in July 2011, bringing additional uncertainty to the regulatory system and its impact on our business. We are increasingly facing more stringent anti-money laundering rules and regulations, compliance with which may increase our costs of operation, decrease our operating revenues and disrupt our business. Abuse of our prepaid products for purposes of financing sanctioned countries, terrorist funding, bribery or corruption could cause reputational or other harm that could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Failure to comply with, or further expansion of, consumer protection regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. Failure by us to comply with federal banking regulation may subject us to fines and penalties and our relationships with our issuing banks may be harmed.

We are subject to State Unclaimed Property Regulations.

For some of our prepaid products, we or our issuing banks are required to remit unredeemed funds to certain (but not all) states pursuant to unclaimed property laws. However, unclaimed property laws are subject to change. Costs of compliance or penalties for failure to comply with or changes in state unclaimed property laws and regulations and changes in state tax codes could have a material adverse effect on our business, financial condition and results of operations.

We are subject to Money Transmitter Licenses or Permits.

Most states regulate the business of sellers of traveler’s checks, money orders, drafts and other monetary instruments, which we refer to collectively as money transmitters. While many states expressly exempt banks and their agents from regulation as money transmitters, others purport to regulate the money transmittal businesses of bank agents or do not extend exemptions to non-branch bank agents. In those states where we are required to be licensed, we are subject to direct supervision and regulation by the relevant state banking departments or similar agencies charged with enforcement of the money transmitter statutes and must comply with various restrictions and requirements, such as those related to the maintenance of certain levels of net worth, surety bonding, selection and oversight of our authorized delegates, permissible investments in an amount equal to our outstanding payment obligations with respect to some of the products subject to licensure, recordkeeping and reporting, and disclosures to consumers. We are also subject to periodic examinations by the relevant licensing authorities, which may include reviews of our compliance practices, policies and procedures, financial position and related records, various agreements that we have with our issuing banks, retail distribution partners and other third parties, privacy and data security policies and procedures, and other matters related to our business. As a regulated entity, Cuentas may incur significant costs associated with regulatory compliance. We anticipate that compliance costs and requirements will increase in the future for our regulated subsidiaries and that additional subsidiaries will need to become subject to these or new regulations. If we fail to maintain our existing money transmitter licenses or permits, or fail to obtain new licenses or permits in a timely manner, our business, results of operations and financial condition could be materially and adversely affected.

We are subject to Privacy Regulation.

In the ordinary course of our business, we collect and store or may collect and store personally identifiable information about customers, holders of our cards, subscribers, and users. This information may include names, addresses, email addresses, social security numbers, driver’s license numbers and account numbers. We also maintain or may maintain a database of cardholder data for our proprietary cards relating to specific transactions, including account numbers, in order to process transactions and prevent fraud. These activities subject us to certain privacy and information security laws, regulations and rules in the United States, including, for example, the privacy provisions of the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act and its implementing regulations, various other federal and state privacy and information security statutes and regulations, and the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. These federal and state laws, as well as our agreements with our issuing banks, contain restrictions relating to the collection, processing, storage, disposal, use and disclosure of personal information, and require that we have in place policies regarding information privacy and security. We have in effect a privacy policy relating to personal information provided to us in connection with requests for information or services, and we continue to work with our issuing banks and other third parties to update policies and programs and adapt our business practices in order to comply with applicable privacy laws and regulations. Certain state laws also require us to notify affected individuals of certain kinds of security breaches of computer databases that contain their personal information. These laws may also require us to notify state law enforcement, regulators or consumer reporting agencies in the event of a data breach. Failure to comply with, or further expansion of, consumer protection regulations could have a material adverse effect on our business, results of operations and financial condition. A data security breach could expose us to liability and protracted and costly litigation, and could adversely affect our reputation and operating revenues.

We are subject to Card Association and Network Organization Rules.

In addition to the federal, state, local, and foreign jurisdiction laws and regulations discussed above, we, Cuentas and our issuing banks, are also subject to card association and debit network rules and standards. The operating rules govern a variety of areas, including how consumers and merchants may use their cards and data security. Each card association and network organization audits us from time to time to ensure our compliance with these standards. Noncompliance with these rules or standards due to our acts or omissions or the acts or omissions of businesses that work with us could result in fines and penalties or the termination of the card association registrations held by us or any of our issuing banks. Changes in card association rules or standards set by Visa or Vanilla Reload, or changes in card association and debit network fees or products or interchange rates, could materially and adversely affect our business, financial condition and results of operations.

Our success depends, in part, upon our ability to hire and retain highly skilled managerial, and operational personnel, and the past performance of our senior management may not be indicative of future results.

The implementation of our business plan may require that we employ additional qualified personnel. Competition for highly skilled managerial, telecommunications, financial and operational personnel is intense, and we cannot assure our stockholders that we will be successful in attracting and retaining such skilled personnel. If we are unable to hire and retain qualified personnel as required, our growth and operating results could be adversely affected.

The Company and its subsidiaries have well-financed, well-managed competitors and may not be able to adequately compete in its market.

Most of our competitors are larger and have greater financial, technical, marketing, and other resources than we do. Some of our competitors have seasoned management teams with more experience and expertise in our industry than we do. Some competitors may enjoy significant competitive advantages that result from, among other things, having substantially more available capital, having a lower cost of capital, having greater economies of scale, and having enhanced operating efficiencies compared to ours.

Cuentas recently began e-commerce card operations and is much smaller than its competitors, faces competition in the prepaid financial services industry including competitors such as American Express, First Data, Total Systems Services, Green Dot, NetSpend, Money Network, Momentum, Blackhawk, Prepaid MasterCard, MasterCard RePower, PayPal, Apple Pay, Amex Serve, H&R Block Emerald, J.P. Morgan Chase, and others. Cuentas also faces intense competition from existing players in the prepaid card industry.

Cuentas Mobile faces competitors including, without limitation, AT&T, Sprint, Viber, WhatsApp, Skype, MetroPCS, TracFone, Telcel, StraightTalk, Simple Mobile, Virgin Mobile, Boost, Net 10, IDT, Boost, and others.

M&M faces competition from many strong and well-financed competitors and other competitors, engaged in the retail termination of domestic and international long distance as well a mobile voice, text, and data services, including, without limitation, IDT, NobelCom, Access Wireless, Boost Mobile, H2O mobile, Mint Mobile and others.

Cuentas Mobile is dependent on the performance of third-party network operators.

MVNO operators, including Cuentas Mobile, earn revenues by purchasing network capacity from other network operators and reselling it to end users. Cuentas Mobile uses Sprint’s network to offer its services, and is dependent on the performance of Sprint and its network.

To compete effectively, Cuentas needs to improve its offerings continuously.

Cuentas began operations recently and is substantially smaller than its competitors. As a result, to compete effectively, Cuentas needs to improve its offerings rapidly and continuously.

Cuentas may be unable to attract and retain users.

As of the date of this filing, Cuentas has an operating history of e-commerce card business of less than one year. If Cuentas cannot increase the number of cardholders using its Cuentas Mastercard and retain its existing cardholders, this will significantly adversely affect Cuentas’ operating results, revenues, financial condition, and ability to remain in business.

Cuentas may be adversely affected by fraudulent activity.

Criminals, including, without limitation, cyber-organized criminal syndicates, and others, use increasingly sophisticated methods to engage in illegal activities involving prepaid cards, reload products, and customer information. Cuentas relies on third parties for certain transaction processing services, which subjects Cuentas and its customers to risks related to the vulnerabilities of these third parties, as well as Cuentas’s own vulnerabilities to criminals engaged in fraudulent activities. Fraudulent activity could result in the imposition of regulatory sanctions, including significant monetary fines, which could adversely affect Cuentas’s business, operating results, and financial condition.

Risks Related to an Investment in Our Securities and this Offering

Our management has broad discretion as to the use of the net proceeds from this offering.

We intend to use the net proceeds from this offering for sales and marketing; purchase of chip-based debit card stock for GPR and Starter cards; repayment of $677,600 aggregate principal amount of outstanding notes issued in the Labrys Note and repayment of $355,000 aggregate principal amount of a loan from Dinar; research and development; and working capital and operating expenses purposes. We cannot specify with certainty, however, the particular uses of the net proceeds we will receive from this offering. Our management will have broad discretion in the application of the net proceeds, including for any of the purposes described in “Use of Proceeds.” Accordingly, you will have to rely upon the judgment of our management with respect to the use of the proceeds. Our management may spend a portion or all of the net proceeds from this offering in ways that holders of our securities may not desire or that may not yield a significant return or any return at all. The failure by our management to apply these funds effectively could harm our business. Pending their use, we may also invest the net proceeds from this offering in a manner that does not produce income or that loses value.

The NASDAQ Capital Market may not list our securities, which could limit investors’ ability to make transactions in our securities and subject us to additional trading restrictions.

We anticipate that our securities will be listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market, a national securities exchange, upon consummation of this offering. Although, after giving effect to this offering, we expect to meet, on a pro forma basis, The NASDAQ Capital Market’s minimum initial listing standards, which generally mandate that we meet certain requirements relating to stockholders’ equity, market capitalization, aggregate market value of publicly held shares and distribution requirements, we cannot assure you that we will be able to meet those initial listing requirements. If The NASDAQ Capital Market does not list our securities for trading on its exchange, we could face significant material adverse consequences, including:

The National Securities Markets Improvement Act of 1996, which is a federal statute, prevents or preempts the states from regulating the sale of certain securities, which are referred to as “covered securities.” Assuming our common stock will be listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market, our common stock will be covered securities. Although the states are preempted from regulating the sale of our securities, the federal statute does allow the states to investigate companies if there is a suspicion of fraud, and, if there is a finding of fraudulent activity, then the states can regulate or bar the sale of covered securities in a particular case. Furthermore, if we were no longer listed on The NASDAQ Capital Market, our common stock would not be covered securities and we would be subject to regulation in each state in which we offer our securities.

Our failure to meet the continued listing requirements of Nasdaq could result in a de-listing of our Common Stock.

If after listing of our Common Stock we fail to satisfy the continued listing requirements of Nasdaq, such as the corporate governance requirements or the minimum closing bid price requirement, Nasdaq may take steps to de-list our securities. Such a de-listing would likely have a negative effect on the price of our Common Stock and would impair your ability to sell or purchase our Common Stock when you wish to do so. In the event of a de-listing, we would take actions to restore our compliance with Nasdaq’s listing requirements, but we can provide no assurance that any such action taken by us would allow our Common Stock to become listed again, stabilize the market price or improve the liquidity of our Common Stock, prevent our Common Stock from dropping below the Nasdaq minimum bid price requirement or prevent future non-compliance with Nasdaq’s listing requirements.

The market price of our Common Stock and Warrants may be highly volatile, and you could lose all or part of your investment.

The trading price of our Common Stock and Warrants is likely to be volatile. This volatility may prevent you from being able to sell your securities at or above the price you paid for your securities. Our stock price could be subject to wide fluctuations in response to a variety of factors, which include:

In addition, the stock market in general has experienced extreme price and volume fluctuations that have often been unrelated or disproportionate to the operating performance of these companies. Broad market and industry factors may negatively affect the market price of our Common Stock, regardless of our actual operating performance.

If our shares become subject to the penny stock rules, it would become more difficult to trade our shares.

The SEC has adopted rules that regulate broker-dealer practices in connection with transactions in penny stocks. Penny stocks are generally equity securities with a price of less than $5.00, other than securities registered on certain national securities exchanges or authorized for quotation on certain automated quotation systems, provided that current price and volume information with respect to transactions in such securities is provided by the exchange or system. If we do not retain a listing on Nasdaq and if the price of our Common Stock is less than $5.00, our Common Stock will be deemed a penny stock. The penny stock rules require a broker-dealer, before a transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, to deliver a standardized risk disclosure document containing specified information. In addition, the penny stock rules require that before effecting any transaction in a penny stock not otherwise exempt from those rules, a broker-dealer must make a special written determination that the penny stock is a suitable investment for the purchaser and receive (i) the purchaser’s written acknowledgment of the receipt of a risk disclosure statement; (ii) a written agreement to transactions involving penny stocks; and (iii) a signed and dated copy of a written suitability statement. These disclosure requirements may have the effect of reducing the trading activity in the secondary market for our Common Stock, and therefore shareholders may have difficulty selling their shares.

The financial and operational projections and statements regarding future milestones that we may make from time to time are subject to inherent risks.

The projections and statements regarding future milestones that we provide herein or our management may provide from time to time reflect numerous assumptions made by management, including assumptions with respect to our specific as well as general business, regulatory, economic, market and financial conditions and other matters, all of which are difficult to predict and many of which are beyond our control. Accordingly, there is a risk that the assumptions made in preparing the projections, or the projections and targeted milestones themselves, will prove inaccurate or may not be achieved. There may be differences between actual and projected results, and actual results may be materially different from than those contained in the projections and statements regarding future milestones. The inclusion of the projections and statements regarding future milestones in this prospectus should not be regarded as an indication that we, our management or the underwriters considered or consider the projections or such statements to be a guaranteed prediction of future events, and the projections and such statements should not be relied upon as such.

Future sales of Common Stock by our shareholders may adversely affect our stock price and our ability to raise funds in new stock offerings.

Sales of our Common Stock by our shareholders and our Warrant or option holders following this offering, or the perception that these sales may occur, could adversely affect the price of the offered securities and impair our ability to raise capital through the sale of additional equity securities. Upon completion of this offering, we will have 14,776,419 shares of Common Stock outstanding (based on the assumed offering price, giving effect to a 1-for-2 reverse stock split and excluding any shares that may be issued upon exercise of any Warrants issued hereunder or exercise by the underwriters’ over-allotment option). Of these outstanding shares, the shares of Common Stock sold in this offering along with approximately 1,872,709 shares of Common Stock will be freely tradable, without restriction, in the public market unless purchased by our “affiliates,” as defined under Rule 144 of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Of the remaining outstanding shares of Common Stock, 11,365,249 shares will be “restricted securities,” as that term is defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act, and will be freely tradable subject to the applicable holding period, volume, manner of sale and other limitations under Rule 144 of the Securities Act.

Upon completion of this offering, most of the restricted securities will be subject to lock-up agreements with the underwriters, restricting the sale of such shares for 180 days after the date of this offering. These lock-up agreements are subject to a number of exceptions, however, and holders may be released from this agreement with the prior written consent of the representative of the underwriters.

In addition, on August 21, 2020, in connection with the Special Shareholders Meeting, the Company filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Florida the Amended and Restated Articles to, among other things, cause all 10,000,000 outstanding shares of the Series B Preferred Stock to be converted into 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock on a post-split basis and the issuance of an additional 5,000,000 shares of Common Stock to cover certain anti-dilution rights. The converted shares and the additional shares issued due to the anti-dilution rights may be freely tradable pursuant to Rule 144 other than shares held by stockholders that have entered into lock-up agreements in connection with this offering.

You will experience immediate and substantial dilution as a result of this offering and may experience additional dilution in the future.

You will incur immediate and substantial dilution as a result of this offering. After giving effect to the sale by us of 1,538,461 units offered in this offering at an assumed public offering price of $6.50 per unit (representing the closing stock price of our Common Stock on December 22, 2020 and giving effect to a proposed 1-for-2 reverse stock split), and after deducting underwriter discounts and commissions and estimated offering expenses payable by us, investors in this offering can expect an immediate dilution of $6.17 per share at the assumed public offering price, assuming no exercise of the Warrants offered hereby. You may experience further dilution to the extent that shares of Common Stock are issued upon exercise of the Warrants. In addition, as of January 12, 2021, (a) 169,000 shares of our Common Stock are issuable upon the exercise of outstanding options; (b) 68,452 shares of our Common Stock are issuable upon exercise of our currently outstanding warrants; (c) 45,493 shares of our Common Stock issuable upon exercise of currently outstanding convertible note and (d) 95,583 shares of our Common Stock are subject to vesting, granted to some of our employees and consultants. Our outstanding warrants to purchase shares of our Common Stock have a weighted average exercise price of $8.26 per share and expire from November 23, 2023 to November 23, 2025. Our outstanding issued options have a weighted average exercise price of $8.94 per share and expire on dates ranging from September 13, 2023 to March 29, 2025.

The Warrants are speculative in nature.

The Warrants offered in this offering do not confer any rights of Common Stock ownership on their holders, such as voting rights or the right to receive dividends, but rather merely represent the right to acquire Common Stock at a fixed price for a limited period of time. Specifically, commencing on the date of issuance, holders of the Warrants may exercise their right to acquire the shares of Common Stock and pay an exercise price of $6.50 per share (100% of the assumed offering price), prior to five years from the date of issuance, after which date any unexercised Warrants will expire and have no further value.

Holders of the Warrants will have no rights as a common stockholder until they acquire our Common Stock.

Until holders of the Warrants acquire shares of Common Stock upon exercise of the Warrants, the holders will have no rights with respect to the Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants. Upon exercise of the Warrants, the holder will be entitled to exercise the rights of a common shareholder as to the security exercised only as to matters for which the record date occurs after the exercise.

If securities or industry analysts do not publish or cease publishing research or reports about us, our business or our market, or if they change their recommendations regarding our Common Stock adversely, the price of our securities and trading volume could decline.

The trading market for our securities may be influenced by the research and reports that securities or industry analysts may publish about us, our business, our market or our competitors. If any of the analysts who may cover us change their recommendation regarding our Common Stock adversely, or provide more favorable relative recommendations about our competitors, the price of our securities would likely decline. If any analyst who may cover us was to cease coverage of the Company or fail to regularly publish reports on us, we could lose visibility in the financial markets, which in turn could cause the price of our securities or trading volume to decline.

The shares of Common Stock that are issuable upon exercise of the Warrants offered hereby may become unregistered.

We are registering, as part of the registration statement of which this prospectus forms a part, the issuance by us of the shares of Common Stock issuable upon exercise of the Warrants. However, there is no guarantee that the registration statement will remain effective at the time on which you exercise your Warrants. If you exercise your Warrants at a time where there is not an effective registration statement, the shares of Common Stock that you receive upon exercise of your Warrants will be restricted and contain a restrictive legend. In this case, you will only be able to sell these shares of Common Stock issued if a resale registration statement is filed or if there is an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

We do not expect to pay dividends for the foreseeable future.

We do not expect to pay dividends on our Common Stock for the foreseeable future. Accordingly, any potential investor who anticipates the need for current dividends should not purchase our securities.

Our existing directors, executive officers and principal shareholders will continue to have substantial control over us after this offering, which could limit your ability to influence the outcome of key transactions, including a change of control.

After this offering, our directors, executive officers, principal shareholders and their affiliates will beneficially own or control, directly or indirectly, in the aggregate, approximately 70.30% of our outstanding Common Stock, assuming no exercise of the underwriters’ option to purchase additional securities in this offering. As a result, these shareholders, acting together, could have significant influence over the outcome of matters submitted to our shareholders for approval, including the election or removal of directors; any amendments to our articles of incorporation or bylaws; any merger, consolidation or sale of all or substantially all of our assets; and over the management and affairs of the Company. This concentration of ownership may also have the effect of delaying or preventing a change in control of the Company or discouraging others from making tender offers for our shares and might affect the market price of our Common Stock.

We are searching for a new Chief Executive Officer, and Chief Operating Officer the results of which may not be successful and may significantly change the management of the Company.

Pursuant to an employment agreement between the Company and Arik Maimon, our Chief Executive Officer, dated as of July 24, 2020 (the “2020 Maimon Employment Agreement”), Mr. Maimon agreed to resign as the Chief Executive Officer of the Company within four months of the effective date of the 2020 Maimon Employment Agreement (which term can be extended by the Board of Directors on a month-to-month basis with the approval of both Dinar and CIMA until a new CEO is appointed by the Board of Directors) but continue as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors at the same salary compensation. An Executive Search Committee has been established to evaluate and propose qualified executive candidates for approval by the Board of Directors, including the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chief Operating Officer.

The Company is in the process of appointing a successor Chief Executive Officer. While we intend to do our diligence and identify a suitable person to fill this role, our search for a new Chief Executive Officer entails a risk that the newly appointed officer may bring changes to the management and operations of the Company. Such a change may affect shareholder value and the competitiveness of the Company in the public market.

Pursuant to an employment agreement between the Company and Michael De Prado, our President & Chief Operating Officer, dated as of July 24, 2020 (the “2020 De Prado Employment Agreement”), Mr. De Prado agreed to resign as the President & Chief Operating Officer of the Company within four months of the effective date of the 2020 De Prado Employment Agreement, which term can be extended by the Board of Directors on a month-to-month basis with the approval of both Dinar and CIMA until a new President & Chief Operating Officer is appointed by the Board of Directors, but continue as a member of the Company’s Board of Directors at the same salary compensation. An Executive Search Committee has been established to evaluate and propose qualified executive candidates for approval by the Board of Directors, including President and Chief Operating Officer.