Note: Right now this currency is only being offered to select Private Wealth clients. Click here to learn more about our Private Wealth (OTC) team and what they can do for you.
About this Statement
Bitbuy Technologies Inc. (“Bitbuy” or “we”) believes that our users should understand the crypto assets that they are able to trade using our crypto trading platform (the “Platform”). One of the crypto assets we offer through the Platform is the Filecoin token (“FIL”). We created this summary to help you understand the basics of FIL as well as some of the risks involved in acquiring it. While we tried to describe the key features of FIL here, this summary isn’t meant to tell you everything you’d want to know before acquiring it. You should also do your own research on FIL to make sure you are comfortable acquiring it.
Description of FIL
FIL is the native token of Filecoin network (the “Filecoin Network”), a decentralized storage network that turns cloud storage into an algorithmic market. Filecoin interacts with the InterPlanetary File-System (“IPFS”), a peer-to-peer network for storing and sharing data files. Filecoin turns IPFS’ storage system into an “algorithmic market” by allowing users to pay storage providers and data retrievers in FIL. Filecoin was developed by Protocol Labs, a company founded in 2014 by Juan Benet. The Filecoin Foundation, an independent organization, facilitates governance and funds critical development of the Filecoin Network.
In essence, the Filecoin Network allows users to store their data. In order to do so, they pay FIL to storage providers and data retrievers. Storage providers and data retrievers are incentivized to perform their respective functions not only through FIL payments from users but also from the opportunity to “mine” FIL. As with the Bitcoin network, Filecoin miners compete to mine blocks with sizable rewards. However, unlike with Bitcoin, Filecoin mining power is proportional to active storage, which directly provides a service to clients. Filecoin employs novel consensus protocols, called Proof-of-Spacetime (“PoSt”) and Proof-of-Replication (“PoR”), where blocks are created by miners that store data while a verifier can audit the storage offered by miners. The PoR mechanism verifies that a unique encoding of the data exists in physical storage. The PoSt mechanism verifies that a given encoding of the data existed in physical storage continuously over a period of time.
FIL has two functions. First, it functions as a means of payment on the Filecoin Network. Second, storage providers must post FIL as collateral to be able to offer their services to clients. If they fail to perform their duties, the deposited FIL is destroyed. FIL does not provide any governance rights to its holders.
Risks
Like other crypto assets, there are some general risks associated with acquiring FIL. We describe many of these general risks in the risk statement we publish on our website, including risks relating to: (i) volatility; (ii) access, loss or theft, (iii) control of processing power; (iv) settlement of transactions on crypto asset networks; (v) momentum pricing; (vi) private keys; (vii) internet disruptions; (viii) faulty code; (ix) network development and support; (x) regulatory risk; (xi) network forks; (xii) air drops; (xiii) voting rights; (xiv) cybersecurity incidents and other systems and technology problems; and (xv) unforeseeable risks. We also point out a risk specific to FIL below. While we tried to describe the key risks associated with FIL here and in our risk statement, these aren’t all of the risks associated with trading in FIL. You should also do your own research on FIL to make sure you are comfortable acquiring it.
FIL’s Dependence on the Filecoin Network
The success of the FIL is predicated on individuals choosing to use the Filecoin Network. While the Filecoin Network has seen significant user engagement, there is no guarantee that interest in the network will continue at current levels. The price of FIL is likely to decline if the Filecoin Network declines in popularity.
How Bitbuy Decides to List Crypto Assets
Bitbuy reviews crypto assets before making them available for trading on the Platform. In making our decision to list a new crypto asset, we consider publicly available information about the crypto asset, including (among other things) its creation, design, governance, usage, supply, demand, maturity, utility, liquidity, material technical risks and legal and regulatory risks.
To date, we have only made crypto assets available for trading on the Platform which have significant supply, demand and liquidity. In our experience, crypto assets with these qualities tend to also satisfy the other criteria we evaluate as part of our review. That being said, our review process is fulsome and flexible, and we don’t prioritize any one factor over another. You should review the risk statement published on our website for more information about our procedures for determining whether to make a crypto asset available for trading on the Platform.
Regulatory Information
Bitbuy is offering crypto contracts to purchase and sell FIL in reliance on a prospectus exemption contained in the exemptive relief decision Re Bitbuy Technologies Inc. dated November 30, 2021. The statutory rights of action for damages and the right of rescission in section 130.1 of the Securities Act (Ontario) and similar legislation in the other provinces and territories of Canada would not apply in respect of a misrepresentation in this statement.
No Canadian securities regulatory authority has expressed an opinion about FIL, including an opinion that FIL is not itself a security and/or derivative.