RISK WARNING
All persons who register as members on the Qardus Website should read the following warnings carefully before deciding to make any investment. All investment products carry risks. The information provided on specific investment opportunities will cover risks specific to each specific investment opportunity. You should note that the risks described below are not intended to be exhaustive. You should carefully familiarise yourself with each of the risks associated with any particular investment and to properly assess whether investing is appropriate in your own circumstances.
Please bear in mind the following general risks involved when investing through the Qardus Website:
YOUR PERSONAL DECISION TO INVEST
A decision to invest in an offer on through the Qardus website through a special purpose vehicle (SPV) set up to provide funding to an SME via a commodity murabaha agreement, is a personal decision by you and no responsibility for the consequences of that decision is accepted by either Qardus or ShareIn or by any of its partners, directors, agents, employees or other members. To invest through this Website you need to understand the following important risks.
YOU ARE NOT COVERED BY THE FINANCIAL SERVICES COMPENSATION SCHEME
When your capital is invested it is not covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the event that the SME is not able to meet its commitments under the commodity murabaha agreement entered into with the SPV, and consequently the SPV is unable to make the anticipated returns to its investors. Before it is invested or once the proceeds of investments are returned, your money will be held by the ShareIn in a client account and subject to separate protections under the FCA Rules applicable to credit institutions and banks.
PROVIDING FINANCE TO SME COMPANIES AND LIQUIDITY
When you invest through the Qardus Website you are investing in an SPV that provides finance to an SME company. The risk of your investment is therefore very closely connected to the risks attaching to that SME company, which could impact on the SME's ability to make the payments due under the commodity murabaha agreement entered into with the SPV. If the SME business you invest in fails, you are likely to lose 100% of the money you invested. No established market exists for the trading of the shares of the SPVs offered on the Qardus website, which are "non-readily realisable" securities under FCA Rules. You should therefore understand that, if you are not able to hold the shares for the anticipated term (ie the duration of the commodity murabaha agreement) it may be very difficult, or impossible, to sell those SPV shares at a reasonable price and, in some circumstances, it may be difficult to sell them at any price. It is also difficult to obtain any reliable information about the value of any SPV shares in which you may invest.
You should not invest in the securities offered on the Qardus Website unless you fully understand the risks and potential consequences, including the potential of losing all of your principal investment amount, you are prepared to take such risks and you are able to bear the consequences. Loss of capital is one of the most significant risks that you should consider when making an investment in an SPV providing finance to an SME company. You should carefully consider whether investment is suitable for you in light of your knowledge and experience in financial and business matters, investment objectives, financial means and the risks that you are prepared to take and the losses you are able to absorb. You should also only make an investment in SPV shares as part of a well-diversified portfolio. Putting all your money into a single business or type of investment for example, is risky. Spreading your money across different investments make you less dependent on any one to do well.
TAX
Qardus and ShareIn recommend that you take your own tax advice on any investments which you make via the Qardus Website. It is your responsibility to make sure that you have paid any and all taxes due in relation to any investment that you make through Qardus.
RECOMMENDATION
Neither Qardus nor ShareIn provide advice or make personal recommendations. If you are in any doubt about the action you should take or the details of any particular investment opportunity featured on the Qardus website, you should seek advice from an independent financial advisor authorised under the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000.
PAST PERFORMANCE
Past performance is not a reliable indicator of future performance. You should not rely on any past performance as a guarantee of future investment performance.