Digital Asset Risk Disclosure

Meridian S.A. ("Meridian", "Company", "we", "our", or "us") provides technology infrastructure and custodial services relating to Digital Assets.

Digital Assets involve significant risks that differ from traditional financial products and may not be suitable for every individual or organization.

This Digital Asset Risk Disclosure ("Risk Disclosure") is intended to provide Users with information regarding certain material risks associated with the use of the Meridian Platform and Digital Assets.

This document does not describe every possible risk. Users should carefully evaluate their own financial circumstances, technical knowledge, legal obligations, and risk tolerance before using the Platform.

2. Scope

This Risk Disclosure applies to all Services provided through the Meridian Platform, including but not limited to:

custodial Digital Asset accounts
deposits
withdrawals
blockchain transfers
merchant services
APIs
business accounts
future Digital Asset services introduced by Meridian

This Risk Disclosure should be read together with the:

Terms of Service
Privacy Policy
AML & Compliance Policy
KYC Policy
Digital Asset Custody Policy

3. General Risk Warning

Digital Assets involve substantial financial, technological, operational, and legal risks.

The value of Digital Assets may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. Users may lose part or all of the value of their Digital Assets.

Past performance of any Digital Asset does not predict future performance.

No technology, security system, or compliance program can eliminate every possible risk associated with Digital Assets or blockchain technology.

By using the Platform, Users acknowledge and accept these risks.

4. No Investment Advice

Meridian provides technology infrastructure and custodial services. Meridian does not provide:

investment advice
portfolio management
brokerage services
financial planning
legal advice
tax advice
accounting advice

Nothing available through the Platform should be interpreted as:

investment recommendations
financial advice
market predictions
guarantees of profitability
recommendations to purchase, sell, or hold any Digital Asset

Users remain solely responsible for their investment and financial decisions.

5. Digital Asset Risks

Digital Assets are subject to unique technological and market risks. Such risks may include:

permanent loss of value
extreme price volatility
low liquidity
technological failures
blockchain attacks
protocol vulnerabilities
regulatory uncertainty
market manipulation
fraud
cybercrime
operational failures

Meridian cannot guarantee the future availability, functionality, legality, or market acceptance of any Digital Asset.

6. Price Volatility

Digital Asset prices may experience substantial fluctuations. Prices may increase or decrease rapidly due to factors including:

market sentiment
liquidity
macroeconomic conditions
regulatory developments
technological events
exchange listings or delistings
security incidents
large market participants
media coverage

Users should be prepared for significant financial losses. Meridian does not guarantee the market value of any Digital Asset.

7. Liquidity Risk

Certain Digital Assets may have limited market liquidity. Limited liquidity may result in:

delayed transactions
wider bid-ask spreads
increased price volatility
inability to dispose of assets promptly
reduced market availability

Meridian does not guarantee that Users will always be able to transfer, exchange, or otherwise dispose of supported Digital Assets at a desired price or within a desired timeframe.

8. Stablecoin Risks

Although certain Digital Assets may seek to maintain a stable value relative to fiat currencies or other reference assets, stablecoins remain subject to significant risks.

These risks may include:

issuer insolvency
reserve deficiencies
redemption restrictions
regulatory action
market disruption
technological failures
de-pegging events
liquidity shortages
suspension of issuer operations

Meridian does not guarantee:

the solvency of any issuer
redemption rights
reserve sufficiency
continued market acceptance
or price stability of any stablecoin

Support for any stablecoin may be modified or discontinued at Meridian's discretion.

9. Blockchain Risks

Blockchain networks operate independently of Meridian. Users acknowledge that blockchain technology may be affected by:

software bugs
protocol vulnerabilities
consensus failures
validator failures
network congestion
delayed confirmations
blockchain reorganizations
chain splits
protocol upgrades
governance disputes
denial-of-service attacks
cryptographic vulnerabilities

Meridian does not control blockchain networks and cannot guarantee their continued operation, security, availability, or performance.

Delays, interruptions, or failures affecting blockchain networks may impact the availability of the Services and the timing of Digital Asset Transactions.

10. Custody Risks

Although Meridian implements commercially reasonable safeguards designed to protect Digital Assets, custody services involve inherent operational and technological risks.

Such risks may include:

unauthorized access
cybersecurity incidents
insider misconduct
infrastructure failures
operational errors
blockchain-related failures
third-party service interruptions
force majeure events

No custody solution can completely eliminate the risk of loss. Meridian does not guarantee that Digital Assets will be immune from every possible security incident.

11. Cybersecurity Risks

Digital Assets and blockchain infrastructure may be targeted by sophisticated cyber threats. Examples include:

malware
ransomware
phishing
spear-phishing
social engineering
SIM swapping
credential theft
denial-of-service attacks
insider attacks
software vulnerabilities
supply chain attacks
zero-day exploits

Cybersecurity threats continuously evolve.

Users remain responsible for maintaining appropriate security over their own devices, credentials, email accounts, Telegram accounts, authentication methods, and communication channels.

12. Smart Contract Risks

Certain Digital Assets operate using smart contracts. Smart contracts may contain:

programming errors
design flaws
security vulnerabilities
unexpected behavior
governance weaknesses

Such issues may result in:

permanent loss of Digital Assets
transaction failures
unexpected transfers
protocol disruption
exploitation by malicious actors

Meridian does not control third-party smart contracts and accepts no responsibility for vulnerabilities contained within them.

13. Fork and Protocol Risks

Blockchain protocols may experience:

hard forks
soft forks
chain splits
validator disputes
governance conflicts
consensus changes
protocol upgrades
token migrations

Such events may:

disrupt Services
delay Transactions
affect wallet compatibility
create duplicate Digital Assets
permanently change blockchain operation

Meridian may determine whether to support any protocol event in accordance with its Terms of Service and Digital Asset Custody Policy.

14. Regulatory Risks

The legal treatment of Digital Assets continues to evolve worldwide.

Changes in laws, regulations, court decisions, governmental guidance, or supervisory practices may affect:

Digital Assets
blockchain technology
custody services
taxation
reporting obligations
permitted activities
product availability

Regulatory developments may require Meridian to:

suspend Services
restrict Accounts
discontinue support for certain Digital Assets
request additional verification
report information to competent authorities

Users remain responsible for complying with Applicable Law in their own jurisdictions.

15. Tax Risks

The tax treatment of Digital Assets varies significantly between jurisdictions.

Users are solely responsible for:

determining applicable taxes
maintaining appropriate records
calculating taxable events
filing tax returns
paying taxes arising from their use of the Platform

Meridian does not provide tax advice.

16. Counterparty Risks

Certain Platform functionality may involve interaction with third-party service providers. Such providers may include:

payment processors
banking partners
blockchain infrastructure providers
cloud infrastructure providers
compliance providers
identity verification providers
communications providers

Failures affecting third parties may impact the availability of certain Services.

Meridian cannot guarantee the continued operation or financial condition of independent third parties.

17. Third-Party Technology Risks

The Platform depends upon various independent technologies. These technologies may include:

blockchain networks
cloud infrastructure
internet service providers
domain name systems
telecommunications networks
operating systems
hardware devices
software libraries
application programming interfaces (APIs)

Failures affecting these technologies may result in interruptions, degraded performance, delayed Transactions, or temporary unavailability of the Platform.

18. Technology Risks

Digital Assets depend upon rapidly evolving technologies. Technological risks may include:

software defects
cryptographic vulnerabilities
consensus failures
protocol incompatibilities
validator failures
infrastructure bugs
interoperability failures
blockchain congestion
scalability limitations

Future technological developments, including advances in computing capabilities, cryptography, or quantum computing, may introduce risks that cannot presently be predicted.

Meridian continuously evaluates technological developments but cannot guarantee protection against every future technological threat.

19. Operational Risks

The availability and operation of the Platform depend upon a variety of internal and external operational factors.

Operational risks may include:

human error
internal process failures
infrastructure failures
software defects
hardware failures
communications outages
utility interruptions
third-party service failures
delayed transaction processing
maintenance activities
unexpected increases in transaction volume

Although Meridian maintains operational controls designed to reduce these risks, interruptions may occur from time to time.

20. Artificial Intelligence and Automated Systems Risks

Meridian may utilize automated technologies, artificial intelligence ("AI"), machine learning, blockchain analytics, and other analytical systems to improve security, compliance, fraud prevention, and operational efficiency.

Users acknowledge that automated systems may:

generate inaccurate results
produce false positives
fail to detect certain risks
require manual review
evolve over time as models are updated

Meridian may use automated systems to assist with:

fraud detection
sanctions screening
transaction monitoring
identity verification
blockchain analytics
cybersecurity monitoring
operational risk management

Automated technologies assist Meridian's personnel and do not guarantee detection or prevention of every security, compliance, or operational event.

21. User Security Responsibilities

Users play an essential role in protecting Digital Assets and maintaining Account security.

Users are solely responsible for:

protecting passwords
safeguarding authentication devices
securing email accounts
protecting Telegram accounts
maintaining secure devices
verifying withdrawal addresses
reviewing Transactions
maintaining accurate Account information
protecting API credentials where applicable

Meridian is not responsible for losses resulting from:

compromised User devices
stolen credentials
phishing attacks
social engineering
SIM swapping
malware infections
unauthorized disclosure of authentication information
User negligence

22. Force Majeure Risks

Meridian shall not be responsible for delays, interruptions, or failures resulting from events beyond its reasonable control. Examples include:

natural disasters
earthquakes
floods
fires
pandemics
war
terrorism
civil unrest
governmental actions
sanctions
internet outages
telecommunications failures
power failures
cloud infrastructure failures
blockchain network failures
validator failures
cyberattacks
denial-of-service attacks

Such events may affect the availability of the Platform or delay Digital Asset Transactions.

23. User Responsibility

Users acknowledge that they remain solely responsible for:

understanding Digital Assets
evaluating financial risks
obtaining independent legal advice where appropriate
obtaining independent tax advice where appropriate
securing their devices
complying with Applicable Law
maintaining accurate Account information
verifying blockchain addresses before initiating Transactions

Meridian cannot make investment decisions on behalf of Users and cannot guarantee that any Digital Asset is suitable for any particular User.

24. No Guarantees

Meridian makes no representation or warranty regarding:

future Digital Asset prices
market liquidity
investment returns
blockchain performance
uninterrupted Platform availability
continued support for any Digital Asset
future regulatory treatment
technological developments affecting Digital Assets

Past performance is not indicative of future results.

Nothing contained on the Platform should be interpreted as a guarantee of future outcomes.

25. Changes to this Risk Disclosure

Meridian may amend this Risk Disclosure from time to time to reflect:

changes in Applicable Law
technological developments
new Services
operational improvements
emerging risks
regulatory developments
cybersecurity threats

Updated versions become effective upon publication unless a later effective date is specified.

Users should periodically review this Risk Disclosure. Continued use of the Platform following publication constitutes acceptance of the updated version.

27. Contact Information

Questions regarding this Digital Asset Risk Disclosure may be submitted through Meridian's official communication channels published on the Platform.

Risk-related legal inquiries, compliance requests, or operational questions should be directed to the designated contact details published by Meridian.

28. Effective Date

This Digital Asset Risk Disclosure is effective from the date stated above and remains in force until amended or replaced by Meridian S.A.