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BIGG Digital Assets Inc. AGM Information 2020

Sep 9, 2020

47261_rns_2020-09-09_47e0e94d-fb89-4a22-bb77-f996b53aaaa5.pdf

AGM Information

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Suite 410 – 1199 West Pender Street Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 2R1 Email: [email protected]

INFORMATION CIRCULAR

(As at August 21, 2020, except as indicated)

BIGG Digital Assets Inc. (the “Company”) is providing this Information Circular and a form of proxy in connection with management’s solicitation of proxies for use at the annual general meeting (the “Meeting”) of the Company to be held on September 25, 2020 and at any adjournments thereof. Unless the context otherwise requires, when we refer in this Information Circular to the Company, its subsidiaries are also included.

Due to concerns regarding the Coronavirus (COVID-19), we have opted to hold the Meeting in a virtual only format, conducted via telephone conference, in which shareholders will have an equal opportunity to participate regardless of their geographic location. You will not be able to attend the Meeting in person.

The Company will conduct its solicitation by mail and officers and employees of the Company may, without receiving special compensation, also telephone or make other personal contact. The Company will bear the cost of solicitation of proxies by management.

VOTING INFORMATION

Appointment and Revocation of Proxies

The persons named in the accompanying proxy to vote on a shareholder’s behalf are directors and officers of the Company (the “Management Designees”). A shareholder has the right to appoint a person other than either of the Management Designees, who need not be a shareholder, but if you do, that person must vote your Common Shares on your behalf during the Meeting . If a shareholder does not wish to appoint any of the Management Designees, the shareholder should strike out their names and insert in the blank space provided the name of the person the shareholder wishes to have act as the shareholder’s proxy or by complete another appropriate proxy form and, in either case, deliver the completed form of proxy to the transfer agent and registrar of the Company, Computershare Investor Services Inc., no later than 10:00 a.m. (Pacific Time) on the second business day preceding the day of the Meeting or any adjournment thereof at which the proxy is to be used.

A shareholder who has given a proxy may revoke it at any time prior to its use by: (a) by signing a proxy bearing a later date and depositing that proxy as described below under the heading “Deposit of Proxy”; or (b) by signing and dating a written notice of revocation (in the same manner as is described below for signing and dating a proxy) and delivering that written notice of revocation either to the registered office of the Company at Suite 410 – 1199 West Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia V6E 2R1 at any time up to and including the last business day preceding the day of the Meeting (or any adjournment thereof) at which the proxy is to be used, or to the chair of the Meeting on the day of the Meeting (or any adjournment thereof); or (c) by attending the Meeting (or any adjournment thereof) in person and by participating in a poll, which will automatically revoke the proxy with respect to matters which have not been dealt with by the Meeting prior to the attendance and participation in a poll by the shareholder.

Validity of Proxies

A proxy will not be valid unless, in the case of an individual shareholder, it is dated and signed by the shareholder or by the shareholder’s attorney duly authorized by the shareholder in writing or, in the case of a corporate shareholder, it is dated and executed either under the corporate seal of the corporate shareholder or by a duly authorized officer or officers of, or attorney for, the corporation. If the proxy is executed by an attorney or, in the case of a corporate shareholder, if the proxy is executed by an officer, officers or attorney but is not executed under corporate seal, then

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the instrument (or a notarial copy thereof) empowering the attorney, officer or officers to execute the proxy must accompany the proxy.

Deposit of Proxies

A proxy will not be valid unless the completed, dated and signed form of proxy is deposited with Computershare Investor Services Inc. (“Computershare”) before 10:00 a.m. (Pacific Daylight Time) on September 23, 2020. Proxies may be sent to Computershare using one of the following methods:

BY MAIL: Computershare Investor Services Inc. 8th Floor, 100 University Avenue Toronto, Ontario M5J 2Y1

OR IF YOU HAVE A 15 DIGIT CONTROL NUMBER ON THE FACE OF THE PROXY, YOU ARE ALTERNATIVELY ABLE TO VOTE:

BY TELEPHONE: 1-866-732-8683 (Toll free North America)

BY INTERNET: www.investorvote.com

Voting of Proxies

The common shares of the Company (“Common Shares”) represented by proxies will, if the instructions are certain, be voted or withheld from voting in accordance with the instructions of the shareholder on any poll that may be called for and, where a choice has been specified in the proxy with respect to any of the matters to be acted upon, will be voted as specified. If no choice has been specified in connection with any of the matters to be acted upon, then the proxy will confer discretionary authority upon the named proxyholder to vote the Common Shares represented by the Proxy in favour of the matters to be acted upon. The proxy also confers discretionary authority upon the nominee to act and vote as the nominee sees fit with respect to amendments or variations to matters identified in the notice of Meeting and with respect to other matters which may properly come before the Meeting or any adjournment thereof.

Non-registered Shareholders

Only registered shareholders and their duly appointed proxyholders are permitted to vote at the Meeting. If your Shares are registered in the name of a nominee (e.g. a trust company, securities broker, or other financial institution), then you are a non-registered, or beneficial, shareholder (“Beneficial Shareholder”), and you must instruct your nominee how you wish your Shares to be voted.

If you are a Beneficial Shareholder, your nominee is required to seek your instructions as to how to vote your Shares.

Typically, a nominee will provide a Beneficial Shareholder with either: (a) a voting instruction form (“VIF”) for completion and execution by the Beneficial Shareholder; or (b) a proxy form, executed by the nominee, but otherwise uncompleted.

You must follow the instructions provided to you by your nominee to ensure that the Shares you beneficially own are voted in accordance with your wishes.

If you are a Beneficial Shareholder and you wish to attend the Meeting to vote during the Meeting, then you must follow the instructions on the VIF, or the form of proxy, setting out how to appoint yourself as the person entitled to attend the Meeting and vote your Shares.

There are two kinds of Beneficial Shareholders – those who object to their name being made known to the issuers of securities which they own (called “OBOs” for Objecting Beneficial Owners) and those who do not object to their name being made known to the issuers of the securities they own (called “NOBOs” for Non-Objecting Beneficial Owners).

The Company is taking advantage of the provisions of National Instrument 54-101 - Communication with Beneficial Owners of Securities of a Reporting Issuer (“NI 54-101”) that permit it to directly deliver proxy-related materials to NOBOs. As a result, NOBOs can expect to receive a scannable VIF from Computershare. These VIFs are to be

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completed and returned to Computershare in the envelope provided or by facsimile. In addition, Computershare provides both telephone voting and internet voting as described on the VIF itself which contain complete instructions at the Meeting with respect to the Shares represented by the VIFs they receive.

Management of the Company does not intend to pay for intermediaries to forward to OBOs under NI 54-101 the proxy related materials and Form 54-101F7, Request for Voting Instructions Made by Intermediary , and in the case of an OBO, the OBO will not receive the materials unless the OBO’s intermediary assumes the cost of delivery. Beneficial Shareholders who are OBOs should follow the instructions of their intermediary carefully to ensure that their Common Shares are voted at the Meeting.

Voting and Listening to the Virtual Meeting

All shareholders will be able to listen to the virtual meeting as guests via audio at:

Participant/Guest (Toll-Free North America): (+1) 888 396 8049 Participant/Guest (Toronto): (+1) 416 764 8646

Please dial in at least 15 minutes prior to the start time of the Meeting on September 25, 2020.

In order to streamline the virtual meeting process, the Company encourages shareholders to vote in advance of the Meeting using the VIF or the form of proxy mailed to them with the meeting materials no later than 10:00 a.m. PDT on September 23, 2020. Shareholders wishing to attend the Meeting may continue to do so by calling the number above, and instructions will be provided as to how shareholders entitled to vote at the Meeting may participate and vote at the Meeting.

All shareholders wishing to have a question addressed at the virtual Meeting can also submit them in advance to [email protected]. The Company is committed to addressing appropriate questions submitted by shareholders either live during the Meeting or in advance, as timing and circumstances permit.

Notice-And-Access

The Company is not sending the Meeting materials to shareholders using “notice-and-access”, as defined under NI 54-101.

VOTING SECURITIES AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF VOTING SECURITIES

The Company is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Common Shares without par value (the “Shares”), of which 137,850,691 Shares are issued and outstanding as at August 21, 2020. No preferred shares were issued and outstanding. Persons who are Registered Shareholders at the close of business on August 21, 2020 will be entitled to receive notice of and vote at the Meeting and will be entitled to one vote for each share held.

To the knowledge of the Directors and executive officers of the Company, no person or company beneficially owns, controls or directs, directly or indirectly, Shares carrying 10% or more of the voting rights attached to all Shares of the Company.

INTERESTS OF CERTAIN PERSONS IN MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON

Management of the Company is not aware of any direct or indirect material interest of any person who has been a director or executive officer of the Company at any time since the beginning of the Company’s last financial year or proposed nominee for election as a director, or any respective associates or affiliates, in any matter to be acted upon, other than as disclosed in this Circular.

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PARTICULARS OF MATTERS TO BE ACTED UPON

Receipt of Financial Statements

The audited consolidated financial statements of the Company for the financial year ended December 31, 2019 together with the notes thereto and the independent auditors’ report thereon (the “2019 Financial Statements”) will be presented at the Meeting. A copy of the 2019 Financial Statements is available online at www.sedar.com.

Set the Number of Directors

The shareholders of the Company will be asked to vote to set the number of directors for the ensuing year at seven. Unless such authority is withheld, the Management Designees, if named as proxyholder, intend to vote the Common Shares represented by any such proxy in favour of the resolution setting the number of directors of the Company at seven.

Election of Directors

The seven nominees in the list which follows are proposed for election as directors of the Company. Each nominee is currently a director of the Company. The term of office for each current director will end at the Meeting.

The persons named below will be presented for election at the Meeting as management’s nominees and unless such authority is withheld, the Management Designees intend to vote for the election of these nominees. Management does not contemplate that any of these nominees will be unable to serve as a director. Each director elected will hold office until the next annual general meeting, or until the director’s successor is elected or appointed, unless their office is earlier vacated in accordance with the Articles of the Company or the provisions of the Business Corporations Act (British Columbia).

Name, Jurisdiction of Residence
and Position
Principal Occupation or employment
and, if not a previously elected Director,
occupation during thepast 5years
Previous Service
as a Director
Number of Common Shares
Beneficially Owned,
Controlled or Directed,
Directly or Indirectly (2)
Mark Binns
British Columbia, Canada
Chief Executive Officer and
Director
CEO of the Company since August 8,
2019. CEO and director of Netcoins
Holdings Inc. from March 8, 2018 to
August 1, 2019; Chief Revenue Officer
of Screenscape Networks Inc. 2014-
2017; Chief Executive Officer of
MOBIO 2013 – 2014; Chief Marketing
Officer of MOBIO 2009- 2013.
since August 8,
2019
1,143,000
Lance Morginn(1)
British Columbia, Canada
President and Director
CEO of the Company from November
30, 2017 to August 8, 2019; President of
Blockchain Technology Group Inc. from
August 30 2019 to present; CEO, Max
Health Vending from April 2012 to
January2015.
since November
30, 2017
9,554,172(3)
Kim Evans
British Columbia, Canada
Chief Financial Officer and
Director
CFO of the Company from November
30, 2017 to present; CFO of Blockchain
Technology Group Inc. from January
2015 to present; Former CEO and
President of Golden Reign Resources
Ltd. from April 1, 2004 to November 9,
2018.
since November
30, 2017
1,388,615(4)
Mitchell Demeter
British Columbia, Canada
Director
President of Netcoins Inc. from August
1, 2019 to present; VP Business
Development of Netcoins Inc. from
January 2018 to August 1, 2019; co-
founder of Bitcoiniacs and Cointrader
Exchange 2013-2015. Founder of NOA
TodayService 2015-present.
Since August 24,
2020
615,340
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Shone Anstey
British Columbia, Canada
Director
President of the Company from
November 30, 2017 to August 30, 2019;
President of Blockchain Technology
Group Inc. from January 2015 to August
30, 2019; owner of XPC Technology
Services from January 2008 to April
2015.
since November
30, 2017
9,729,098(5)
Thomas Kennedy(1)
British Columbia, Canada
Director
Management consultant, legal consultant
and director and/or officer of other
publiclylisted companies.
since November
30, 2017
Nil
Robert Birmingham(1)
British Columbia, Canada
Director
President of Benaterra Communications
Inc.; CEO and Director of New Destiny
MiningCorp. since November 2011.
since November
30, 2017
Nil
  • (1) Member of the Audit Committee.

(2) Shares beneficially owned, directly or indirectly, or over which control or direction is exercised, as at August 21, 2020, based upon information furnished to the Company by individual Directors. Unless otherwise indicated, such shares are held directly.

(3) Of these common shares, 1,112,194 are held through 24Hr Matrix Systems Inc. and 6,000 are held through Webworks Multimedia Corp., both wholly-owned companies. Of the 9,554,172 total common shares held, 1,412,725 are subject to escrow.

(4) Of the 1,508,492 total common shares held, 208,293 are subject to escrow.

  • (5) Of these common shares, 581,343 are held through XPC Technology Services, a wholly-owned company. Of the 9,729,098 total common shares held, 1,442,868 are subject to escrow.

No proposed Director is to be elected under any arrangement or understanding between the proposed Director and any other person or company, except the Directors and executive officers of the company acting solely in such capacity.

Cease Trade Orders and Bankruptcies

To the Company’s knowledge, no proposed director of the Company:

  • (a) is, as at the date of the Information Circular, or has been, within 10 years before the date of the Information Circular, a Director, chief executive officer (“CEO”) or chief financial officer (“CFO”) of any company (including the Company) that:

  • (i) was the subject, while the proposed Director was acting in the capacity as Director, CEO or CFO of such company, of a cease trade or similar order or an order that denied the relevant company access to any exemption under securities legislation, that was in effect for a period of more than 30 consecutive days; or

  • (ii) was subject to a cease trade or similar order or an order that denied the relevant company access to any exemption under securities legislation, that was in effect for a period of more than 30 consecutive days, that was issued after the proposed Director ceased to be a Director, CEO or CFO but which resulted from an event that occurred while the proposed Director was acting in the capacity as Director, CEO or CFO of such company; or

  • (b) is, as at the date of this Information Circular, or has been within 10 years before the date of the Information Circular, a Director or executive officer of any company (including the Company) that, while that person was acting in that capacity, or within a year of that person ceasing to act in that capacity, became bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency or was subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold its assets; or

  • (c) has, within the 10 years before the date of this Information Circular, become bankrupt, made a proposal under any legislation relating to bankruptcy or insolvency, or become subject to or instituted any proceedings, arrangement or compromise with creditors, or had a receiver, receiver manager or trustee appointed to hold the assets of the proposed Director.

Penalties and Sanctions

Other than as disclosed below, to the knowledge of the Company no proposed director or personal holding companies of any proposed director of the Company has been subject to:

  • (d) has been subject to any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court relating to securities legislation or by a securities regulatory authority or has entered into a settlement agreement with a securities regulatory authority; or

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(e) has been subject to any penalties or sanctions imposed by a court or regulatory body that would likely be considered important to a reasonable securityholder in deciding whether to vote for a proposed Director.

Thomas Kennedy was a director of the Klondike Silver Corp., a TSX-V listed company on October 10, 2013, at which time the British Columbia Securities Commission (“BCSC”) issued a cease trade order (“CTO”) against the company for failure to file comparative financial statements and related Management’s Discussion and Analysis for the year ended May 31, 2013. The CTO was rescinded by the BCSC on October 21, 2013.

The following Directors of the Company hold Directorships in other reporting issuers as set out below:

Name of Director Name of Other Reporting Issuers
Mitchell Demeter Neptune Dash Technologies Corp.(1)
Thomas Kennedy Mene Inc.(1)
Blind Creek Resources Ltd.(1)
Engineer Gold Mines Ltd.(1)
Golden Cariboo Resources Ltd.(1)
Golden Pursuit Resources Ltd.(1)
Klondike Silver Corp.(1)
Rift Valley Resources Corp.(2)
Starr Peak Exploration Ltd.(1)
Robert Birmingham New Destiny Mining Corp.(1)
Liberty OneLithiumCorp.(1)

(1) Listed on the TSX Venture Exchange.

(2) Listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange.

Appointment of Auditor

The Management of the Company proposes to nominate Manning Elliott LLP, Chartered Accountants (“Manning Elliott”), as auditor of the Company, to hold office until the next annual general meeting, and to request authority for the directors to fix their remuneration. Unless such authority is withheld, the Management Designees, if named as proxyholder, intend to vote the Common Shares represented by any such proxy in favour of a resolution reappointing Manning Elliott LLP, Chartered Accountants as auditors for the Company for the ensuing year, to hold office until the close of the next annual meeting of shareholders or until the firm of Manning Elliott LLP, Chartered Accountants is removed from office or resigns, at a remuneration to be fixed by the board of directors of the Company (the “Board” ).

Manning Elliott became the auditor of the Company on November 30, 2017.

As part of the Company’s corporate governance practices, all services provided by the auditors are pre-approved by the Audit Committee and comply with professional standards and securities regulations governing auditor independence.

Approval and Ratification of Stock Option Plan

The Company presently has in place a “rolling” stock option plan (the “ Plan ”), first implemented March 20, 2006, whereby the Company is authorized to grant stock options of up to 10% of its issued and outstanding Shares, from time to time. Pursuant to the policies of the Canadian Securities Exchange (the “ Exchange ” or “ CSE ”), the Plan is required to be approved on a yearly basis at the Company’s annual general meeting by an ordinary resolution of the shareholders entitled to vote in person or by proxy at the Meeting. As such, the directors of the Company wish to ratify and approve the Plan.

The purpose of the Plan is to allow the Company to grant options to Directors, officers, employees and consultants, as additional compensation, and as an opportunity to participate in the success of the Company. The granting of such options is intended to align the interests of such persons with that of the shareholders. Particulars of the Plan are located below under “Stock options and other incentive plan”.

Unless such authority is withheld, the persons named in the enclosed Proxy will vote for all of the resolutions in respect of the proposed Plan.

At the Meeting shareholders will be asked to pass a resolution in the following form:

“UPON MOTION IT WAS RESOLVED that the Company do approve and ratify, subject to regulatory approval, the Stock Option Plan pursuant to which the Directors may, from time to time, authorize the issuance of options to

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Directors, officers, employees and consultants of the Company and its subsidiaries to a maximum of 10% of the issued and outstanding common shares at the time of the grant, with a maximum of 5% of the Company’s issued and outstanding shares being reserved to any one person on a yearly basis.”

Other Business

Management of the Company knows of no matters to come before the Meeting other than those referred to in the Notice of Meeting accompanying this Circular. However, if any other matters properly come before the Meeting, it is the intention of the Management Designees to vote in accordance with their best judgment on such matters.

STATEMENT OF EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION

For the purposes of this Information Circular:

" Chief Executive Officer " or " CEO " of the Company means an individual who acted as chief executive officer of the Company or acted in a similar capacity for any part of the most recently completed financial year.

" Chief Financial Officer " or " CFO " of the Company means an individual who acted as chief financial officer of the Company or acted in a similar capacity for any part of the most recently completed financial year.

" closing market price " means the price at which the Company’s security was last sold, on the applicable date, in the security's principal marketplace in Canada.

" compensation securities " includes stock options, convertible securities, exchangeable securities and similar instruments granted or issued by the Company or one of its subsidiaries for services provided or to be provided, directly or indirectly, to the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

" Named Executive Officers " or " NEOs " means the following individuals:

  • (a) each individual who, in respect of the company, during any part of the most recently completed financial year, served as chief executive officer (“ CEO ”), including an individual performing functions similar to a CEO;

  • (b) each individual who, in respect of the company, during any part of the most recently completed financial year, served as chief financial officer (“ CFO ”), including an individual performing functions similar to a CFO;

  • (c) in respect of the company and its subsidiaries, the most highly compensated executive officer other than the individuals identified in paragraphs (a) and (b) at the end of the most recently completed financial year whose total compensation was more than $150,000, for that financial year; and

  • (d) each individual who would be a named executive officer under paragraph (c) but for the fact that the individual was not an executive officer of the company, and was not acting in a similar capacity, at the end of that financial year.

" option-based award " means an award under an equity incentive plan of options, including, for greater certainty, share options, share appreciation rights, and similar instruments that have option-like features.

" share-based award " means an award under an equity incentive plan of equity-based instruments that do not have option-like features, including, for greater certainty, common shares, restricted shares, restricted share units, deferred share units, phantom shares, phantom share units, common share equivalent units, and stock.

Director and NEO Compensation, Excluding Options and Compensation Securities

The following table of compensation, excluding options and compensation securities, provides a summary of the compensation paid by the Company to each NEO and director of the Company for the two most recently completed financial years ended December 31, 2019 and 2018. Options and compensation securities are disclosed under the heading “Stock Options and Other Compensation Securities and Instruments” of this Form.

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Salary,
Name and Position Year
consulting fee,
retainer or
commission
($)
Bonus
($)
Committee
or meeting
fees
($)
Value of
perquisites
($)
Value of all
other
compensation
($)
Total
compensation
($)
Mark Binns(1)
CEO & Director
2019
2018
108,333
N/A
65,000
N/A
Nil
N/A
Nil
N/A
Nil
N/A
173,333
N/A
Kim Evans(2)
CFO & Director
2019
2018
211,413
213,615
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
211,413
213,615
Lance Morginn(3)
President, Director &
former CEO
2019
2018
239,931
243,442
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
239,931
243,442
Robert Whitaker(4)
COO
2019
2018
152,147
N/A
Nil
N/A
Nil
N/A
Nil
N/A
Nil
N/A
152,147
N/A
Shone Anstey(5)
Director, former
Executive Chairman &
President
2019
2018
195,619
243,442
Nil
Nil
1,500
Nil
Nil
Nil
225,000
Nil
422,119
243,442
Anthony Zelen(6)
Former Director
2019
2018
75,250
58,000
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
75,250
58,000
Robert Birmingham(7)
Director
2019
2018
6,000
4,500
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
6,000
4,500
Thomas Kennedy(8)
Director
2019
2018
6,000
4,500
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
6,000
4,500
Marty Anstey(9)
Former CTO
2019
2018
88,462
161,146
2,500
5,000
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
Nil
90,962
166,146

Notes:

  • (1) Mark Binns was appointed as CEO and a director of the Company on August 8, 2019. He was paid a signing bonus of $65,000.

  • (2) Kim Evans was appointed as CFO and a director of the Company on November 30, 2017.

  • (3) Lance Morginn was appointed as President of the Company on August 8, 2019. He was appointed as a director on November 30, 2017. Mr. Morginn acted as CEO of the Company from November 30, 2017 to August 8, 2019.

  • (4) Robert Whitaker was appointed as COO of the Company on August 8, 2019. Mr. Whitaker’s compensation is paid in U.S. dollars and was converted to Canadian dollars using an average exchange rate for the period associated with the payments of 1.3190.

  • (5) Shone Anstey ceased to act as Executive Chairman and President on August 29, 2019 and August 8, 2019, respectively. He received termination pay in the amount of $225,000. He was appointed as Executive Chairman, President and a director of the Company on November 30, 2017.

  • (6) Anthony Zelen, through his company, Zelen Consulting Inc., was a consultant to the Company and received a monthly fee for services provided. Mr. Zelen was appointed as a director of the Company on November 30, 2017 and resigned on August 20, 2020.

  • (7) Robert Birmingham was appointed as a director of the Company on November 30, 2017. Mr. Birmingham receives directors’ fees in the amount of $500 per month.

  • (8) Thomas Kennedy was appointed as a director of the Company on November 30, 2017. Mr. Kennedy receives directors’ fees in the amount of $500 per month.

  • (9) Marty Anstey ceased to act as CTO of the Company on August 8, 2019. He was appointed as CTO on February 22, 2018.

Stock Options and Other Compensation Securities and Instruments

The following table of compensation securities provides a summary of all compensation securities granted or issued to each NEO and director of the Company for the financial year ended December 31, 2019, for services provided or to be provided, directly or indirectly, to the Company or any of its subsidiaries. The Company does not have any other equity incentive plans other than its fixed Stock Option Plan.

Name and position Number of
compensation
securities,
number of
underlying
securities and %
of class)
Date of
issue or
grant


Closing price of
security or
underlying
security on date
of grant ($)
Closing price of
Issue
security or
Type of conversion underlying

compensation
or exercise
security at end
Expiry

security(1)
price ($)
of year ($)

date
Mark Binns
CEO
Stock options 3,000,000
stock options
3,000,000
common shares
2.17%

Aug 8,
2019
0.08 0.08 0.035 Aug 8,
2024
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Name and position Number of
compensation
securities, Closing price of Closing price of
number of Issue
security or

security or
Type of underlying Date of conversion underlying underlying

compensation

securities and %

issue or
or exercise
security on date

security at end
Expiry

security(1)
of class) grant price ($)
of grant ($)

of year ($)

date
Kim Evans
CFO
Stock options 300,000
stock options
300,000
common shares
0.22%
Aug 13,
2019
0.08 0.08 0.035 Aug 13,
2024
Robert Whitaker
COO
Stock options(2) 200,000
stock options
200,000
common shares
0.14%
Aug 13,
2019
0.08 0.08 0.035 Aug 13,
2024

Notes:

(1) No compensation security had been re-priced, cancelled and replaced, had its term extended, or otherwise been materially modified, in the Company’s financial year ended December 31, 2019.

(2) Stock options vest over a period of 12 months such that 25% become available for exercise on each of the third, sixth, ninth, and twelfth month anniversaries of the date of grant.

No compensation securities were exercised by any NEOs or directors of the Company during the financial year ended December 31, 2019.

Stock options and other incentive plans

The Company’s Stock Option Plan (the “ Plan ”) is a “rolling” stock option plan and is established to attract and retain employees, consultants, officers or directors to the Company and to motivate them to advance the interests of the Company by affording them with the opportunity to acquire an equity interest in the Company. Management of the Company proposes stock option grants to the Board based on such criteria as performance, previous grants, and hiring incentives. All grants require approval of the Board. The Stock Option Plan is administered by the Board and provides that options will be issued to Directors, officers, employees or consultants of the Company or a subsidiary of the Company.

The Plan reserves for issuance a maximum of 10% of the Common Shares at the time of a grant of options under the Plan. The Plan is administered by the Board of Directors and provides for grants of non-transferable options under the Plan at the discretion of the Board of Directors to directors, senior officers, employees, management company employees of, or consultants to, the Company and its subsidiaries, or their permitted assigns (each an “ Eligible Person ”).

The Board of Directors has the authority under the Plan to determine the exercise price per Common Share at the time an option is granted, but such price shall not be less than the closing price of the Common Shares on the Canadian Securities Exchange on the last trading day preceding the date on which the grant of the option is approved by the Board of Directors. The Board of Directors also has the authority under the Plan to determine other terms and conditions relating to the grant of options, including any applicable vesting provisions, provided that any options granted to consultants performing Investor Relations Activities must vest in stages over a period of not less than 12 months with no more than one-quarter of the options vesting in any three-month period.

The term of options granted under the Plan shall not exceed 5 years from the date of grant. All options granted under the Plan are not assignable or transferable other than by will or the laws of dissent and distribution. Other than Eligible Persons engaged in Investor Relations Activities, if an optionee ceases to be an Eligible Person for any reason whatsoever other than termination for cause or death, each fully vested option held by such optionee will cease to be exercisable 90 days following the termination date (being the date on which such optionee ceases to be an Eligible Person), provided that in no event shall such right extend beyond the expiry date of such options. If an optionee dies, the legal representative of the optionee may exercise the optionee's options within one year after the date of the optionee's death but only up to and including the original option expiry date. In the case of an optionee who is an Eligible Person engaged in Investor Relations Activities, each fully vested option held by such optionee will cease to be exercisable within 30 days from the date such optionee ceases to provide Investor Relations Activities, provided that in no event shall such right extend beyond the expiry date of such options. In the case of an optionee who is an Eligible Person who is terminated for cause, any option held by such optionee shall expire immediately.

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The Plan also includes the following limitations on stock option grants:

  • (a) unless the Company obtains shareholder approval (which must be disinterested shareholder approval if required by the policies of the Exchange) the aggregate number of Common Shares issuable pursuant to options granted under the Plan shall not at any time exceed 10% of the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the grant of any such option;

  • (b) the aggregate number of Common Shares issuable to any one Eligible Person who is a Consultant (as defined in the Plan) shall not, within a one-year period, exceed 2% of the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the grant of any such option;

  • (c) the aggregate number of Common Shares issuable to all Eligible Persons retained in Investor Relations Activities shall not, within a one-year period, exceed 2% of the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the grant of any such option; and

  • (d) unless the Company obtains disinterested shareholder approval, the aggregate number of Common Shares issuable to any one Eligible Person (and where permitted, any companies that are wholly owned by that Eligible) shall not, within a one year period, exceed 5% of the number of Common Shares outstanding immediately prior to the grant of any such option.

Furthermore, the Plan provides that shareholder approval must be obtained to effect any of the following modifications to the Plan: (a) an increase in the benefits under the Plan; (b) an increase in the number of Common Shares which may be issued under the Plan; (c) modifications to the requirements as to the eligibility for participation in the Plan; (d) modifications to the limitations on the number of options that may be granted to any one person or category of persons under the Plan; (e) modifications to the method for determining the exercise price of options granted under the Plan; (f) an increase in the maximum option period; or (g) modifications to the expiry and termination provisions applicable to options granted under the Plan.

Vesting of stock options is at the discretion of the Board, and will generally be subject to: (i) the service provider remaining employed by or continuing to provide services to the Company or any of its affiliates as well as, at the discretion of the Board, achieving certain milestones which may be defined by the Board from time to time or receiving a satisfactory performance review by the Company or any of its affiliates during the vesting period, or (ii) the service provider remaining as a director of the Company or any of its affiliates during the vesting period.

Employment, Consulting and Management Agreements

Mark Binns ~ The Company has a management agreement with Mark Binns pursuant to the terms of which the Company paid a one-time signing bonus of $65,000 and pays an annual salary of $260,000. In addition, Mr. Binns may be eligible to earn bonus incentive pay on an annualized basis in accordance with the Company’s executive pay and incentives policy, as amended from time to time at the discretion of the Board of Directors, by achieving targets and criteria established by the Company’s Board of Directors. The management agreement provides that in the event the Company terminates the management agreement without cause, Mr. Binns is entitled to a severance payment in the amount equal to six months’ salary. There are no conditions or obligations which Mr. Binns has to comply with in order to receive his severance pay. Further, the management agreement provides that in the event in a change of control, Mr. Binns shall be entitled to receive from the Company, its successor or assigns: (1) payment in the amount equal 12 months’ salary plus any bonuses at the highest rate in effect during the twelve month period immediately preceding the change of control, unless otherwise determined by the Company’s Board of Directors; (2) the provision of employment benefits until that date which is the earlier of 12 months from the effective date of the change of control or the date that Mr. Binns obtains comparable benefits from another source; and (3) shall have any stock options granted in his name vest immediately upon such change of control and remain exercisable until the earlier of the expiry date of such stock options or the date that is thirty-six months from the effective date of such change of control, notwithstanding the provisions of any agreement or Plan. Except as set out above, there are no other obligations to compensate Mr. Binns on resignation, retirement or any other termination.

Kim Evans ~ The Company has a management agreement with Kim Evans pursuant to the terms of which the Company pays an annual management fee in the amount of $200,000 to Ms. Evans. The management agreement provides that in the event the Company terminates the management agreement without cause, Ms. Evans is entitled to a severance payment in the amount equal to one years’ salary. There are no conditions or obligations which Ms. Evans has to comply with in order to receive her severance pay. Further, the management agreement provides that in the event in a change of control, Ms. Evans: (1) is entitled to receive payment in the amount equal to the greater of (i) a lump-sum payment of $100,000 or (ii) an amount equal to two years’ salary plus any bonuses at the highest

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rate in effect during the twelve month period immediately preceding the change of control; (2) is guaranteed the provision of employment benefits until that date which is the earlier of twelve months from the effective date of the change of control or the date that Ms. Evans obtains comparable benefits from another source; and (3) shall have any stock options granted in her name vest immediately upon such change of control and remain exercisable until the earlier of the expiry date of such stock options or the date that is thirty-six months from the effective date of such change of control, notwithstanding the provisions of any agreement or plan. Except as set out above, there are no other obligations to compensate Ms. Evans on resignation, retirement or any other termination.

Lance Morginn ~ The Company has a management agreement with Lance Morginn pursuant to the terms of which the Company pays an annual management fee in the amount of $225,000 to Mr. Morginn. The management agreement provides that in the event the Company terminates the management agreement without cause, Mr. Morginn is entitled to a severance payment in the amount equal to one years’ salary. There are no conditions or obligations which Mr. Morginn has to comply with in order to receive his severance pay. Further, the management agreement provides that in the event in a change of control, Mr. Morginn: (1) is entitled to receive payment in the amount equal to the greater of (i) a lump-sum payment of $200,000 or (ii) an amount equal to two years’ salary plus any bonuses at the highest rate in effect during the twelve month period immediately preceding the change of control; (2) is guaranteed the provision of employment benefits until that date which is the earlier of twelve months from the effective date of the change of control or the date that Mr. Morginn obtains comparable benefits from another source; and (3) shall have any stock options granted in his name vest immediately upon such change of control and remain exercisable until the earlier of the expiry date of such stock options or the date that is thirty-six months from the effective date of such change of control, notwithstanding the provisions of any agreement or plan. Except as set out above, there are no other obligations to compensate Mr. Morginn on resignation, retirement or any other termination.

Robert Whitaker ~ The Company has a management agreement with Robert Whitaker pursuant to the terms of which the Company pays an annual management fee in the amount of USD$225,000 to Mr. Whitaker, plus cash commission equal to 7.5% of gross sales made by him and cash commission equal to 2.5% of the gross sales made by any employees or consultants that report directly to or work under the direction of Mr. Whitaker. The management agreement provides that in the event the Company terminates the management agreement without cause, Mr. Whitaker is entitled to a severance payment in the amount equal to one years’ salary. There are no conditions or obligations which Mr. Whitaker has to comply with in order to receive his severance pay. Further, the management agreement provides that in the event in a change of control, Mr. Whitaker: (1) is entitled to receive payment in the amount equal to one years’ salary plus any bonuses at the highest rate in effect during the twelve month period immediately preceding the change of control; (2) is guaranteed the provision of employment benefits until that date which is the earlier of twelve months from the effective date of the change of control or the date that Mr. Whitaker obtains comparable benefits from another source; and (3) shall have any stock options granted in his name vest immediately upon such change of control and remain exercisable until the earlier of the expiry date of such stock options or the date that is thirty-six months from the effective date of such change of control, notwithstanding the provisions of any agreement or plan. Except as set out above, there are no other obligations to compensate Mr. Whitaker on resignation, retirement or any other termination.

Anthony Zelen ~ The Company paid a monthly consulting fee to Zelen Consulting Inc., a company controlled by Mr. Zelen. During fiscal 2019, consulting payments aggregated $75,250. At the beginning of 2019, Mr. Zelen’s company received $7,000 per month, which was reduced over the course of the year to $3,500 per month. Mr. Zelen resigned from the Board of the Company effective August 20, 2020. There are no termination obligations associated with this consulting contract.

Shone Anstey ~ The Company had a management agreement with Shone Anstey pursuant to the terms of which the Company paid an annual management fee in the amount of $225,000 to Mr. Anstey. The management agreement provided that in the event the Company terminates the management agreement without cause, Mr. Anstey was entitled to a severance payment in the amount equal to one years’ salary. Mr. Anstey’s management contract was terminated during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and he received severance pay in the amount of $225,000. There were no conditions or obligations which Mr. Anstey had to comply with in order to receive his severance pay.

Marty Anstey ~ The Company had a management agreement with Marty Anstey pursuant to the terms of which the Company paid an annual management fee in the amount of $150,000 to Mr. Anstey. The management agreement provided that in the event the Company terminates the management agreement without cause, Mr. Anstey was entitled to a severance payment in the amount equal to one years’ salary. Mr. Anstey resigned from his position with the Company during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019 and as a result no severance payment was issued.

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Oversight and Description of Director and NEO Compensation

The compensation of the Company's Named Executive Officers has been established with a view to attracting and retaining executives critical to the Company's short and long-term success and to continue providing executives with compensation that is in accordance with existing market standards generally and competitive within the technology industry.

The Company has a compensation committee comprised of Anthony Zelen (Chair), Robert Birmingham and Thomas Kennedy (the “ Committee ”). The Committee is responsible for reviewing and determining all forms of compensation to be granted to the NEO’s, directors and employees. The Company’s NEO’s are compensated through employment agreements or management agreements. The Committee does not have a pre-determined compensation plan and does not engage in benchmarking practices, but from time to time it does review compensation practices of companies of similar size and stage of development to ensure the compensation paid is competitive within the Company’s industry and geographic location while taking into account the financial and other resources of the Company.

Compensation of the Company's Named Executive Officers is comprised of three components: base salary, performance bonuses and stock options. Performance bonuses are considered from time to time. The Committee does not rely on any formula, or objective criteria and analysis to determine an exact amount of compensation to pay. The establishment of base salary, award of stock options and/or performance bonuses is based on subjective criteria including individual performance, level of responsibility, length of service and available market data.

Base compensation is determined following a review of comparable compensation packages for that position, together with an assessment of the responsibility and experience required for the position to ensure that it reflects the contribution expected from each NEO. Information regarding comparable salaries and overall compensation is derived from the knowledge and experience of the Committee, which takes into consideration a variety of factors. These factors include overall financial and operating performance of the Company and the Board’s overall assessment of each NEO’s individual performance and contribution towards meeting corporate objectives, levels of responsibility and length of service. Each of these factors is evaluated on a subjective basis.

Base Salary

The Company believes that a competitive base salary is a necessary element of any compensation program that is designed to attract and retain talented and experienced executives. The Company also believes that attractive base salaries can motivate and reward executives for their overall performance. Compensation for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, and prior fiscal years has historically been based upon a negotiated salary, with stock options and bonus potentially being issued and paid as an incentive for performance.

The employment agreements that were entered into with the Company's Named Executive Officers and directors are summarized under above.

Bonus Payments

NEO’s may be eligible for annual cash bonuses. The compensation committee does not currently prescribe a set of formal objective measures to determine discretionary bonus entitlements. Rather, the Committee uses informal goals typical for early stage companies such as strategic acquisitions, operations and development, equity and debt financings and other transactions and developments that serve to increase the Company’s valuation. Precise goals or milestones are not pre-set by the Committee. During the two most recently completed financial years, the Company paid the following discretionary cash bonuses to its NEO’s: (1) $65,000 signing bonuses to Mark Binns, CEO; and (2) $2,500 and $5,000 in fiscal 2019 and 2018, respectively, to Marty Anstey, the former CTO.

Long-Term Incentive Plan

The LTIP is designed to strengthen the alignment between executive compensation and the long-term interests of the Company’s shareholders. Historically, the LTIP has been comprised of stock options. The inclusion of incentive compensation stock in compensation packages allows the Company to compensate employees while not drawing on limited cash resources. The amount of incentive compensation stock to be granted is based on the relative contribution and involvement of the individual in question, as well as taking into consideration previous grants. There are no other specific quantitative or qualitative measures associated with incentive compensation stock grants and no specific weights are assigned to any criteria individually, rather, the performance of the Company is broadly considered as a whole when determining the number of incentive stock-based compensation (if any) to be granted and the Company does not focus on any particular performance metric. During the financial year ended December 31, 2019, the Company granted a total of 3,500,000 stock options to its NEO’s.

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Awards under the LTIP are designed to provide shareholder aligned incentives to the Company’s directors, officers and employees who make material contributions to the successful operation of the business of the Company, to increase their ownership interest in the Company and to allow the Company to attract and retain outstanding officers and employees.

Hedging of Economic Risks in the Company’s Securities

The Company has not adopted a policy prohibiting directors or officers from purchasing financial instruments that are designed to hedge or offset a decrease in market value of the Company’s securities granted as compensation or held, directly or indirectly, by directors or officers. However, the Company is not aware of any directors or officers having entered into this type of transaction.

Risk Management and Assessment

In light of the Company’s size, current activity level and the balance between long-term objectives and short-term financial goals with respect to the Company’s executive compensation program, the Board does not deem it necessary to consider at this time the implications of the risks associated with its compensation policies and practices.

While the Company has awarded very few discretionary bonuses in the past two financial years, there is a risk associated with its approach to discretionary bonuses as there are no pre-defined objectives, target amounts or caps. As a result, there is some incentive for Named Executive Officers to take on unmanageable risk and unsustainable performance over the long term in order to achieve a short-term discretionary bonus payout. The Company is aware of this risk and at such time the Company moves to a more advanced stage of development, it is expected that the Company will develop a bonus program with pre-defined objectives and target amounts in order to mitigate these risks.

The Company views stock options as a valuable tool for aligning the interest of management and shareholders in the long-term growth and success of the Company. The Company is aware that stock option grants that vest immediately may create an incentive for management to maximize short term gains at the expense of the long-term success of the Company. In order to mitigate this risk, option grants are generally subject to vesting periods ranging from twelve to thirty-six months from the date of grant.

Director Compensation

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2019, the Company paid an amount of $500 per month to each of its independent directors. With the exception of the stock option grants noted above to directors that hold management positions, there were no stock options granted to directors during 2019.

Changes Subsequent to Year-End

Subsequent to the year ended December 31, 2019, the Company has not made any significant changes to its compensation practices.

Pension Plan Benefits

The Company does not have any form of pension plan that provides for payments or benefits to the NEO at, following, or in connection with retirement. The Company does not have any form of deferred compensation plan.

SECURITIES AUTHORIZED FOR ISSUANCE UNDER EQUITY COMPENSATION PLANS

The following table sets forth the Company’s compensation plans under which equity securities are authorized for issuance as at the financial year ending December 31, 2019.

Plan Category Number of securities to be
issued upon exercise of
outstanding options, warrants
and rights
(a)
Weighted-average exercise
price of outstanding
options, warrants and
rights
(b)
Number of securities remaining
available for future issuance
under equity compensation
plans (excluding securities
reflected in column (a))
(c)
Equity compensation plans approved
by securityholders
13,829,257 $0.15 13,829,257
Equity compensation plans not
approved by securityholders
Nil Nil Nil
TOTAL 13,829,257 $0.15 13,829,257
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INDEBTEDNESS OF DIRECTORS AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS

At no time during the Company’s last completed financial year or as of the Record Date, was any director, executive officer, employee, proposed management nominee for election as a director of the Company nor any associate of any such director, executive officer, or proposed management nominee of the Company or any former director, executive officer or employee of the Company or any of its subsidiaries indebted to the Company or any of its subsidiaries or indebted to another entity where such indebtedness was the subject of a guarantee, support agreement, letter of credit or other similar arrangement or understanding provided by the Company or any of its subsidiaries.

INTEREST OF INFORMED PERSONS IN MATERIAL TRANSACTIONS

Except as otherwise disclosed herein, no: (a) director, proposed director or executive officer of the Company; (b) person or company who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, Shares or who exercises control or direction of Shares, or a combination of both carrying more than ten percent of the voting rights attached to the Shares outstanding (an “Insider”); (c) director or executive officer of an Insider; or (d) associate or affiliate of any of the directors, executive officers or Insiders, has had any material interest, direct or indirect, in any transaction since the commencement of the Company’s most recently completed financial year or in any proposed transaction which has materially affected or would materially affect the Company, except with an interest arising from the ownership of Shares where such person will receive no extra or special benefit or advantage not shared on a pro rata basis by all holders of the same class of Shares.

AUDIT COMMITTEE DISCLOSURE

The Audit Committee is a standing committee of the Board, the primary function of which is to assist the Board in fulfilling its financial oversight responsibilities, which will include monitoring the quality and integrity of the Company's financial statements and the independence and performance of the Company's external auditor, acting as a liaison between the Board and the Company's external auditor, reviewing the financial information that will be publicly disclosed and reviewing all audit processes and the systems of internal controls management and the Board have established.

Under National Instrument 52-110 – Audit Committees (“ NI 52-110 ”), a reporting issuer is required to provide disclosure annually with respect to its Audit Committee, including the text of its Audit Committee Charter, information regarding composition of the Audit Committee, and information regarding fees paid to its external auditor.

The Audit Committee’s Charter

The Audit Committee has a charter. A copy of the Audit Committee Charter is attached hereto as Schedule "A".

Composition of the Audit Committee

The following are the members of the Committee:

Lance Morginn (Chair) Not Independent  Financially literate  Robert Birmingham Independent  Financially literate  Thomas Kennedy Independent  Financially literate 

 as defined by NI 52-110.

A member of the audit committee is independent if the member has no direct or indirect material relationship with the Company. A material relationship means a relationship which could, in the view of the Board, reasonably interfere with the exercise of a member’s independent judgment. Lance Morginn in an executive officer of the Company and is not considered to be independent. Robert Birmingham and Thomas Kennedy are not executive officers of the Company and, therefore, are independent members of the Audit Committee.

A member of the audit committee is considered financially literate if he or she has the ability to read and understand a set of financial statements that present a breadth and level of complexity of accounting issues that are generally comparable to the breadth and complexity of the issues that can reasonably be expected to be raised by the Company.

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Relevant Education and Experience

Lance Morginn (Chair) – Mr. Morginn served as the Chief Executive Officer and Director of Blockchain since January 2015. From April 2012 to January 2015, Mr. Morginn served as Chief Executive Office of Max Health Vending, a company providing healthy snack and drinking vending machines in workplaces around Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as created software to manage vending operations. In January 2010, Mr. Morginn founded Cab Ride Media, a taxi advertising company, and acted as Chief Executive Office until August 2010. From February 2002 to January 2015, Mr. Morginn was the Chief Executive Office of FiberFeed Networks Inc., an internet services provider that provides website creation, co-location of servers and website hosting.

Robert Birmingham – Mr. Birmingham has over 10 years’ experience in the resources and corporate sector. Mr. Birmingham is the current President & Chief Executive Officer of New Destiny Mining Inc., a TSX-V-listed company involved in mining exploration. He was previously the President & Chief Executive Officer of Revolver Resources Inc (now GGX Resources), a TSX-V-listed company involved in mining exploration. In addition, Mr. Birmingham has been a Director of multiple public companies on the TSX Venture Exchange and the Canadian Securities Exchange. Mr. Birmingham holds a Business Degree from Capilano University.

Thomas Kennedy – Mr. Kennedy, B.Comm., J.D., is a graduate of the University of British Columbia. After an initial career at the Federal Department of Justice, Mr. Kennedy has primarily focused as a legal, financial and business consultant to publicly-traded companies. Mr. Kennedy is currently a member of the Law Society of British Columbia, the Canadian Bar Association, the British Columbia Bar Association, and an Associate member of the American Bar Association. Mr. Kennedy is an officer and/or director of several publicly traded companies.

Each member of the Audit Committee has adequate education and experience that would provide the member with:

  • (a) an understanding of the accounting principles used by the Company to prepare its financial statements, and the ability to assess the general application of those principles in connection with estimates, accruals and reserves;

  • (b) experience preparing, auditing, analyzing or evaluating financial statements that present a breadth and level of complexity of accounting issues that are generally comparable to the breadth and complexity of issues that can reasonably be expected to be raised by the Company’s financial statements, or experience actively supervising individuals engaged in such activities; and,

  • (c) an understanding of internal controls and procedures for financial reporting.

Audit Committee Oversight

At no time since the commencement of the Company’s most recently completed financial year was a recommendation of the Committee to nominate or compensate an external auditor not adopted by the Board of Directors.

Reliance on Certain Exemptions

At no time since the commencement of the Company’s most recently completed financial year has the Company relied on the exemption in Section 2.4 of NI 52-110 (De Minimis Non-audit Services) , or an exemption from NI 52-110, in whole or in part, granted under Part 8 of NI 52-110. Part 8 permits a company to apply to a securities regulatory authority for an exemption from the requirements of NI 52-110, in whole or in part.

Exemption in Section 6.1 of NI 52-110

The Company is relying on the exemption in Section 6.1 of NI 52-110 in respect of the composition of its Audit Committee and in respect of its reporting obligations under NI 52-110 for the financial year ended December 31, 2017. This exemption exempts a "venture issuer" from the requirements of Part 3 (Composition of the Audit Committee ) and Part 5 (Reporting Obligations) of that instrument, as would otherwise be required by NI 52-110.

Pre-Approval Policies and Procedures

All services to be performed by the independent auditor of the Company must be approved in advance by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee has considered whether the provisions of services other than audit services is compatible with maintaining the auditor’s independence and has adopted a policy governing the provision of these services. This policy requires that pre-approval by the Audit Committee of all audit and non-audit services provide by any external auditor, other than any de minimus non-audit services allowed by applicable law or regulation.

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External Auditors Service Fees

The table below sets out all fees billed by the Corporation’s external auditor in each of the last two fiscal years. In the table “Audit Fees” are fees billed by the Corporation’s external auditor for services provided in auditing the Corporation’s financial statements for the fiscal year. “Audit-Related Fees” are fees not included in Audit Fees that are billed by the auditor for assurance and related services that are reasonably related to the performance of the audit or review of the Corporation’s financial statements. “Tax Fees” are fees billed by the Corporation’s external auditors for professional services rendered for tax compliance, tax advice and tax planning. “All Other Fees” are fees billed by the external auditor for products and services not included in the foregoing categories:

Financial Year Ended Audit Fees Audit-Related Fees Tax Fees All Other Fees
December 31,2019 $209,500 Nil $12,000 Nil
December 31,2018 $60,500 Nil $9,000 Nil

CORPORATE GOVERNANCE

Corporate governance relates to the activities of the Board, the members of which are elected by and are accountable to the shareholders, and takes into account the role of the individual members of management who are appointed by the Board and who are charged with the day-to-day management of the Company. Corporate governance encourages establishing a reasonable degree of independence of the Board from executive management and the adoption of policies to ensure the Board recognizes the principles of good management. The Board is committed to sound corporate governance practices, which are in the interest of its shareholders and contribute to effective and efficient decision making.

National Policy 58-201 establishes corporate governance guidelines which apply to all public companies. The Company has reviewed its own corporate governance practices in light of these guidelines. In certain cases, the Company’s practices comply with the guidelines, however, the Board considers that some of the guidelines are not suitable for the Company at its current stage of development and, therefore, these guidelines have not been adopted. The Company will continue to review and implement corporate governance guidelines as the business of the Company progresses and becomes more active in operations. NI 58-101 Disclosure of Corporate Governance Practices mandates disclosure of corporate governance practices in Form 58-101F2, which disclosure is set out below.

Board of Directors

The mandate of the Board is to supervise the management of the Company and to act in the best interests of the Company. The Board acts in accordance with:

(a) the BCBCA;

  • (b) the Company's articles of incorporation; and,

  • (c) other applicable laws and Company policies.

The Board approves all significant decisions that affect the Company before they are implemented. The Board supervises their implementation and reviews the results.

The Board is actively involved in the Company's strategic planning process. The Board discusses and reviews all materials relating to the strategic plan with management. The Board is responsible for reviewing and approving the strategic plan. At least one Board meeting each year is devoted to discussing and considering the strategic plan, which takes into account the risks and opportunities of the business. Management must seek the Board's approval for any transaction that would have a significant impact on the strategic plan.

The Board periodically reviews the Company's business and implementation of appropriate systems to manage any associated risks, communications with investors and the financial community and the integrity of the Company's internal control and management information systems. The Board also monitors the Company's compliance with its timely disclosure obligations and reviews material disclosure documents prior to distribution. The Board periodically discusses the systems of internal control with the Company's external auditor.

The Board is responsible for choosing the CEO, CFO and appointing senior management and for monitoring their performance and developing descriptions of the positions for the Board, including the limits on management's responsibilities and the corporate objectives to be met by the management.

The Board approves all the Company's major communications, including annual and quarterly reports, financing documents and press releases. The Board approves the Company's communication policy that covers the accurate and

  • 16 -

timely communication of all important information. It is reviewed annually. This policy includes procedures for communicating with analysts by conference calls.

The Board, through its Audit Committee, examines the effectiveness of the Company's internal control processes and management information systems. The Board consults with the internal auditor and management of the Company to ensure the integrity of these systems. The internal auditor submits a report to the Audit Committee each year on the quality of the Company's internal control processes and management information systems.

The Board is responsible for determining whether or not each director is an independent director. Directors who also act as officers of the Company are not considered independent. Directors who do not also act as officers of the Company, do not work in the day-to-day operations of the Company, are not party to any material contracts with the Company, or receive any fees from the Company except as disclosed in this Circular.

The Board consists of seven directors, three of whom are independent based upon the tests for independence set forth in NI 52-110. Shone Anstey, Robert Birmingham and Thomas Kennedy are independent directors. Mark Binns, Lance Morginn, Kim Evans and Mitchell Demeter are not independent as they are the Company's CEO, President, CFO and Netcoins’ President, respectively. Directors are considered to be independent if they have no direct or indirect material relationship with the Company. A "material relationship" is a relationship which could, in the view of the Board, be reasonably expected to interfere with the exercise of a director's independent judgment.

Participation of Directors in Other Reporting Issuers

The participation of the Directors in other reporting issuers is described in the table provided under “Election of Directors” in this Information Circular.

Orientation and Continuing Education

When new directors are appointed, they receive an orientation, commensurate with their previous experience, on the Company's properties, business, technology and industry and on the responsibilities of directors.

The Board briefs all new directors with respect to the Board's policies and other relevant corporate and business information. New Board members are also provided with access to all of the Company's publicly filed documents, the Company's records, and the Company's management and professional advisors, including the Company's auditor and legal counsel.

The Board also ensures that each director is up-to-date with current information regarding the Company's business, the role the director is expected to fulfill, and basic procedures and operations of the Board. Board members are encouraged to communicate with management and the Company's auditor.

Ethical Business Conduct

The Board has found that the fiduciary duties placed on individual directors by the Company's governing corporate legislation and the common law and the restrictions placed by applicable corporate legislation on an individual director's participation in decisions of the Board in which the director has an interest have been sufficient to ensure that the Board operates independently of management and in the best interests of the Company.

Under the applicable corporate legislation, a director is required to act honestly and in good faith with a view to the best interests of the Company and to exercise the care, diligence and skill that a reasonably prudent person would exercise in comparable circumstances, and to disclose to the Board the nature and extent of any interest of the director in any material contract or material transaction, whether made or proposed, if the director is a party to the contract or transaction, is a director or officer (or an individual acting in a similar capacity) of a party to the contract or transaction or has a material interest in a party to the contract or transaction. The director must then abstain from voting on the contract or transaction unless the contract or transaction (i) relates primarily to their remuneration as a director, officer, employee or agent of the Company or an affiliate of the Company, (ii) is for indemnity or insurance for the benefit of the director in connection with the Company, or (iii) is with an affiliate of the Company. If the director abstains from voting after disclosure of their interest, the directors approve the contract or transaction and the contract or transaction was reasonable and fair to the Company at the time it was entered into, the contract or transaction is not invalid and the director is not accountable to the Company for any profit realized from the contract or transaction. Otherwise, the director must have acted honestly and in good faith, the contract or transaction must have been reasonable and fair to the Company and the contract or transaction be approved by the shareholders by a special resolution after receiving full disclosure of its terms in order for the director to avoid such liability or the contract or transaction being invalid.

Nomination of Directors

The Board is responsible for identifying individuals qualified to become new Board members and recommending to the Board new director nominees for the next annual meeting of shareholders.

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New nominees must have a track record in general business management, special expertise in an area of strategic interest to the Company, the ability to devote the time required, shown support for the Company's mission and strategic objectives, and a willingness to serve.

The Board considers its size each year when it considers the number of directors to recommend to the shareholders for election at the annual meeting of shareholders, taking into account the number required to carry out the Board's duties effectively and to maintain a diversity of views and experience.

Compensation

The Board currently conducts reviews with regard to directors' compensation once a year. To make its recommendation on directors' compensation, the Board takes into account the types of compensation and the amounts paid to directors of comparable publicly traded Canadian companies and aligns the interests of directors with the return to shareholders. Compensation packages, including benefits, for executives and key managers will be developed based on performance and the Company’s cash flow.

The Board decides the compensation of the Company's officers, based on industry standards and the Company's financial situation.

Board Committees

The Board currently has no other committees other than a Compensation Committee and the Audit Committee.

Assessments

The Board monitors the adequacy of information given to directors, communication between the Board and management and the strategic direction and processes of the Board and committees.

MANAGEMENT CONTRACTS

Except as set out herein, there are no management functions of the Company which are to any substantial degree performed by a person or company other than the directors or senior officers of the Company.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Additional information relating to the Company is available on SEDAR at www.sedar.com or the Company’s website at www.blockchaingroup.io. Shareholders may contact the Company at Suite 410 – 1199 West Pender Street, Vancouver, British Columbia, V6E 2R1, to request copies of the Company’s financial statements and MD&A.

Financial information is provided in the Company’s comparative financial statements and MD&A for its most recently completed financial year which are filed on SEDAR.

OTHER MATTERS

Management of the Company is not aware of any other matter to come before the Meeting other than as set forth in the notice of Meeting. If any other matter properly comes before the Meeting, it is the intention of the persons named in the enclosed form of proxy to vote the Shares represented thereby in accordance with their best judgment on such matter.

DATED this 21[st] day of August, 2020.

APPROVED BY THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

“Mark Binns” Mark Binns Chief Executive Officer & Director

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SCHEDULE “A” TO THE INFORMATION CIRCULAR OF BIGG DIGITAL ASSETS INC.

(the “Company”)

AUDIT COMMITTEE CHARTER

1. Purpose

  • 1.1. The Audit Committee is ultimately responsible for the policies and practices relating to integrity of financial and regulatory reporting, as well as internal controls to achieve the objectives of safeguarding of corporate assets; reliability of information; and compliance with policies and laws. Within this mandate, the Audit Committee’s role is to:

  • (a) support the Board of Directors in meeting its responsibilities to shareholders;

  • (b) enhance the independence of the external auditor;

(c) facilitate effective communications between management and the external auditor and provide a link between the external auditor and the Board of Directors;

(d) increase the credibility and objectivity of the Company’s financial reports and public disclosure.

  • 1.2. The Audit Committee will make recommendations to the Board of Directors regarding items relating to financial and regulatory reporting and the system of internal controls following the execution of the Committee’s responsibilities as described herein.

  • 1.3. The Audit Committee will undertake those specific duties and responsibilities listed below and such other duties as the Board of Directors from time to time prescribe.

2. Membership

  • 2.1. Each member of the Audit Committee must be a director of the Company.

  • 2.2. The Audit Committee will consist of at least three members, the majority of whom are neither officers nor employees of the Company or any of its affiliates.

  • 2.3. The members of the Audit Committee will be appointed annually by and will serve at the discretion of the Board of Directors.

3. Authority

  • 3.1. In addition to all authority required to carry out the duties and responsibilities included in this charter, the Audit Committee has specific authority to:

(a) engage, and set and pay the compensation for, independent counsel and other advisors as it determines necessary to carry out its duties and responsibilities;

(b) communicate directly with management and any internal auditor, and with the external auditor without management involvement; and,

(c) approve interim financial statements and interim MD&A on behalf of the Board of Directors

4. Duties and Responsibilities

  • 4.1. The duties and responsibilities of the Audit Committee include:

(a) recommending to the Board of Directors the external auditor to be nominated by the Board of Directors;

(b) recommending to the Board of Directors the compensation of the external auditor;

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(c) reviewing the external auditor’s audit plan, fee schedule and any related services proposals;

(d) overseeing the work of the external auditor;

(e) ensuring that the external auditor is in good standing with the Canadian Public Accountability Board and will enquire if there are any sanctions imposed by the CPAB on the external auditor;

(f) ensuring that the external auditor meets the rotation requirements for partners and staff on the Company’s audits;

(g) reviewing and discussing with management and the external auditor the annual audited financial statements, including discussion of material transactions with related parties, accounting policies, as well as the external auditor’s written communications to the Committee and to management;

(h) reviewing the external auditor’s report, audit results and financial statements prior to approval by the Board of Directors;

(i) reporting on and recommending to the Board of Directors the annual financial statements and the external auditor’s report on those financial statements, prior to Board approval and dissemination of financial statements to shareholders and the public;

(j) reviewing financial statements, MD&A and annual and interim earnings press releases prior to public disclosure of this information;

(k) ensuring adequate procedures are in place for review of all public disclosure of financial information by the Company, prior to is dissemination to the public;

(l) overseeing the adequacy of the Company’s system of internal accounting controls and internal audit process obtaining from the external auditor summaries and recommendations for improvement of such internal accounting controls;

(m) ensuring the integrity of disclosure controls and internal controls over financial reporting;

(n) resolving disputes between management and the external auditor regarding financial reporting;

(o) establishing procedures for: i. the receipt, retention and treatment of complaints received by the Company from employees and others regarding accounting, internal accounting controls or auditing matters and questionable practices relating thereto; and ii. the confidential, anonymous submission by employees of the Company or concerns regarding questionable accounting or auditing matters;

(p) reviewing and approving the Company’s hiring policies with respect to partners or employees (or former partners or employees) of either a former or the present external auditor;

(q) pre-approving all non-audit services to be provided to the Company or any subsidiaries by the Company’s external auditor;

(r) overseeing compliance with regulatory authority requirements for disclosure of external auditor services and Audit Committee activities.

  • 4.2. The Audit Committee will report, at least annually, to the Board regarding the Committee’s examinations and recommendations.

5. Meetings

  • 5.1. The quorum for a meeting of the Audit Committee is a majority of the members of the Committee who are not officers or employees of the Company or of an affiliate of the Company.

  • 5.2. The members of the Audit Committee must elect a chair from among their number and may determine their own procedures.

  • 5.3. The Audit Committee may establish its own schedule that it will provide to the Board of Directors in advance.

  • 5.4. The external auditor is entitled to receive reasonable notice of every meeting of the Audit Committee and to attend and be heard thereat.

  • 5.5. A member of the Audit Committee or the external auditor may call a meeting of the Audit Committee.

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  • 5.6. The Audit Committee will meet separately with the President and separately with the Chief Financial Officer of the Company at least annually to review the financial affairs of the Company.

  • 5.7. The Audit Committee will meet with the external auditor of the Company at least once each year, at such time(s) as it deems appropriate, to review the external auditor’s examination and report.

  • 5.8. The chair of the Audit Committee must convene a meeting of the Audit Committee at the request of the external auditor, to consider any matter that the auditor believes should be brought to the attention of the Board of Directors or the shareholders.

6. Reports

  • 6.1. The Audit Committee will record its recommendations to the Board in written form which will be incorporated as a part of the minutes of the Board of Directors’ meeting at which those recommendations are presented.

7. Minutes

  • 7.1. The Audit Committee will maintain written minutes of its meetings, which minutes will be filed with the minutes of the meetings of the Board of Directors.

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