Investment Evolution - IEC Appoints UK Corporate Broker

Investment Evolution Credit plc

("IEC" or the "Company")

IEC Appoints UK Corporate Broker for £100m 15% Bond Fundraising

Investment Evolution Credit plc (AQSE: IEC) - 12 February 2024: IEC, a global fintech group specialising in online consumer loans, announces it has appointed Axis Capital Markets Limited ("the Corporate Broker" or "Axis Capital Markets"), a leading UK institutional broker, to act as IEC's Corporate Broker. As part of its role as Corporate Broker, Axis Capital Markets will also conduct the Company's up to £100 million bond offering announced on 5 February 2024, the IEC 15% fixed rate unsecured bond 2024 ("IEC Bond"). An excerpt of the announcement can be viewed in the Information on IEC 15% Bond section further below. 

Paul Mathieson, Chief Executive Officer of Investment Evolution Credit plc, stated

"Within only days of launching our up to £100 million 15% per annum IEC Bond offering, we are excited to announce significant initial investor interest and the appointment of a leading UK institutional Corporate Broker, Axis Capital Markets, to conduct our bond offering."

Richard Hutchison, Chief Executive Officer of Axis Capital Markets Limited, stated

"We are pleased to be engaged as Corporate Broker for Investment Evolution Credit plc. IEC is an exciting fintech company on the verge of a potentially rapid growth cycle to be funded by the attractive IEC 15% bond offering."

Information on IEC 15% Bond

The IEC Bond offers investors a fixed 15% per annum return over 5 years, with interest payable quarterly. The proceeds from the IEC Bond will be used solely to fund expansion of the Company's consumer loan portfolio and shall not be used for funding the Company's working capital or for any other purpose. IEC Bond proceeds are expected to be immediately deployed to fund new consumer loans in the Company's United States state-licensed lending business Mr. Amazing Loans, and to fund new consumer loans in the United Kingdom upon the anticipated launch of IEC's UK lending operations by early 2025.  

The IEC Bond offering will be an ongoing bond series, with the first tranche expected to be issued in February 2024 and with planned ongoing monthly bond tranche issuances thereafter.

IEC also plans to seek a public listing of the IEC Bond on a stock exchange in due course to enhance liquidity, transparency and accessibility for IEC Bond investors. The IEC Bond is initially only open for minimum investments of £100,000 to Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 exempt investors via completion of an IEC bond subscription letter to subscribe for IEC Bonds on the basis of the terms and conditions of the IEC bond instrument.

IEC is an experienced regulated licensed lender under the corporate entity Investment Evolution Corporation and consumer brand Mr. Amazing Loans in the United States with state consumer lending licenses in the 6 states of California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Nevada and New Jersey and an established track-record of regulatory compliance for over 13 years. IEC plans to expand its United States lending model to the United Kingdom market by providing £2,000 to £10,000 online personal loans with an APR of 19.9% to 59.9% and fixed affordable repayments.

This announcement contains inside information for the purposes of the UK Market Abuse Regulation and the Directors of the Company accept responsibility for the contents of this announcement.

Enquiries:

For more information please visit: www.investmentevolution.com  

IMPORTANT NOTICES

No prospectus will be made available in connection with the matters contained in this announcement and no such prospectus is required (in accordance with the Prospectus Regulation (EU) 2017/1129 as amended from time to time (the "Prospectus Regulation") and the Prospectus Regulation as it forms part of UK domestic law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 (the "UK Prospectus Regulation")) to be published.

Members of the public are not eligible to take part in this IEC Bond offering. This announcement is for information purposes only and is directed at and may only be communicated to (a) in the European Economic Area ("EEA"), persons who are "qualified investors" within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the Prospectus Regulation ("Qualified Investors"); and (b) in the United Kingdom, at Qualified Investors within the meaning of Article 2(e) of the UK Prospectus Regulation who are also (i) persons having professional experience in matters relating to investments who fall within the definition of "investment professionals" in Article 19(5) of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 (Financial Promotion) Order 2005 (the "Order"); (ii) a high net worth company, unincorporated associations and partnerships and trustees of high value trusts as described in Article 49(2) of the Order; or (iii) persons to whom it may otherwise lawfully be communicated (all such persons together being referred to as "Relevant Persons").

Any investment or investment activity to which this announcement relates is only available to, and will be engaged in only with, Relevant Persons. Persons distributing this announcement must satisfy themselves that it is lawful to do so. This announcement is for information purposes only and shall not constitute an offer to sell or issue or the solicitation of an offer to buy, subscribe for or otherwise acquire securities in any jurisdiction in which any such offer or solicitation would be unlawful. Any failure to comply with this restriction may constitute a violation of the securities laws of such jurisdictions.

THIS ANNOUNCEMENT AND THE INFORMATION CONTAINED HEREIN, IS RESTRICTED AND, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITED EXCEPTIONS, IS NOT FOR PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION, DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY, IN WHOLE OR IN PART, IN OR INTO THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, ITS TERRITORIES AND POSSESSIONS, ANY STATE OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA (COLLECTIVELY, THE "UNITED STATES"), AUSTRALIA, CANADA, THE REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA OR JAPAN OR ANY OTHER JURISDICTION IN WHICH SUCH PUBLICATION, RELEASE OR DISTRIBUTION WOULD BE UNLAWFUL. FURTHER, THIS ANNOUNCEMENT IS FOR INFORMATION PURPOSES ONLY AND IS NOT AN OFFER OF SECURITIES IN ANY JURISDICTION.

This announcement is not a public offer of securities for sale in the United States. The securities referred to herein have not been and will not be registered under the US Securities Act 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") or under the securities laws of any state or other jurisdiction of the United States, and may not be offered or sold directly or indirectly in or into the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and in compliance with the securities laws of any state or any other jurisdiction of the United States. The securities referred to herein may not be offered and sold within the United States except pursuant to an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act.

Persons needing advice should consult an independent financial adviser.

Caution Regarding Forward Looking Statements

Certain statements made in this announcement are forward-looking statements. These forward-looking statements are not historical facts but rather are based on the Company's current expectations, estimates, and projections about its industry; its beliefs; and assumptions. Words such as 'anticipates,' 'expects,' 'intends,' 'plans,' 'believes,' 'seeks,' 'estimates,' and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. These statements are not a guarantee of future performance and are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors, some of which are beyond the Company's control, are difficult to predict, and could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or forecasted in the forward-looking statements. The Company cautions security holders and prospective security holders not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which reflect the view of the Company only as of the date of this announcement. The forward-looking statements made in this announcement relate only to events as of the date on which the statements are made. The Company will not undertake any obligation to release publicly any revisions or updates to these forward-looking statements to reflect events, circumstances, or unanticipated events occurring after the date of this announcement except as required by law or by any appropriate regulatory authority.