Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc – Grant of options

20 December 2022

Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc
(“QBT” or the “Company”)

Grant of options, PDMR agreements and extension of consultancy agreement

The board of directors of Quantum Blockchain Technologies (AIM: QBT) is pleased to inform shareholders that the company has entered into a number of additional consultancy agreements with industry experts who are now part of the company’s research and development (“R&D”) team.

The Company has granted 37,500,000 options (the “Options”) to certain consultants, members of the R&D team and internal employees, over new ordinary shares of 0.25 pence each in the Company (“Ordinary Shares”) as follows:

• Options over 25,000,000 ordinary shares are exercisable at 5 pence per new ordinary share, all of which are exercisable immediately.

Granted options Exercise period ends 7,500,000 31/03/2023 5,000,000 5,000,000 5,000,000 2,500,000 22/05/2025 15/12/2024/3206/3202/3202

• Options over 12,500,000 ordinary shares are exercisable at 10 pence per new ordinary share with exercise periods as shown below

Granted options Exercise period ends 5,000,000 5,000,000 2,500,000 30/06/2023 22/05/2025 15/12/2024

Included in the above total are:

5,000,000 options issued to the company’s non-executive director Peter Fuhrman (as expected in the announcement on 12 September 2022), as follows:

• 2,500,000 exercisable at 5 pence at any time up to 15/12/2024,
• 2,500,000 can be exercised at 10 pence at any time until 15/12/2024,

2,500,000 options issued to Mark Trafeli, the newly appointed non-executive director, as follows:

• 2,500,000 exercisable at 5 pence at any time up to 15/12/2024,

10,000,000 options issued to the Company’s cryptography expert specializing in cryptocurrency mining blockchain optimizations, whose 10,000,000 options (originally announced on June 2, 2021) expired in June 2022, and whose contract has been extended, as follows:

• 5,000,000 options exercisable at 5 pence at any time up to 22/05/2025,
• 5,000,000 options exercisable at 10 pence between 06/05/2023 to 22/05/2025.

The company now has outstanding options exercisable at 5 pence over 137,500,000 ordinary shares and options exercisable at 10 pence over 127,500,000 ordinary shares. The options expire between 2023 and 2026.

The number of options still available for issue (as duly authorized at the general meeting held on 6 May 2022) is 35,000,000.

Francesco Gardin, CEO and Chairman of QBT, commented: “Our option-based reward policy, which applies to all key non-university members of the R&D team, is now in place. While we have granted new options to the consultants engaged this year by the company, we have also extended the terms of some of the options which have previously been allocated, at the same time that we have increased the exercise price on parts of them.

“The R&D team is very focused on its very demanding challenge of improving SHA-256 core performance, which the Bitcoin industry has been trying to address for the past ten years. Assigning options to the key researchers on our R&D team is not a further motivational element, but the recognition of their contribution and sharing of the great potential rewards.”

For further information please contact:

Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc
Francesco Gardin, CEO and Executive Chairman +39 335 296573

SP Angel Corporate Finance (Nominated adviser and broker) Jeff Keating +44 (0)20 3470 0470 Kasia Brzozowska

Leander (Financial PR) Christian Taylor-Wilkinson +44 (0) 7795 168 157

About Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc

QBT (AIM: QBT) is an AIM-listed investment company that has recently realigned its strategic focus to technology-related investments, with particular regard to the quantum computing, blockchain, cryptocurrency and AI sectors. The company has embarked on an aggressive R&D and investment program in the dynamic world of Blockchain Technology, which includes cryptocurrency mining and other advanced blockchain applications.

NOTIFICATION AND PUBLIC DISCLOSURE OF TRANSACTIONS BY PERSONS WHO FOLLOW LEADERSHIP RESPONSIBILITIES AND PERSONS CLOSELY ASSOCIATED WITH THEM:

1.
Details of the person carrying out managerial responsibilities/person closely related
one)
Name:
A: Peter Fuhrman B: Mark Trafeli
2.
Reason for the notice
one)
Position/status:
A: Non-executive director B: Non-executive director
b)
Original message/change:
Introductory message
3.
Details of issuer, emission allowance market participant, auction platform, auctioneer or auction monitor
one)
Name:
Quantum Blockchain Technologies Plc
b)
SORRY:
213800FC5DEC582CRZ89
4.
Details of the transaction(s): paragraph to be repeated for (i) each type of instrument; (ii) each type of transaction; (iii) each date; and (iv) each location where transactions have been conducted.
one)
Description of the financial instrument, type of instrument:
Identification code:
Ordinary shares of 0.25p each or rights to these ISIN: GB00B50P5B53
b)
Nature of the transaction:
Grant of options over ordinary shares
c)
Price(s) and volume(s):

ONE:

Price(s) Volume(s) 5p 10p B: 2,500,000 2,500,000 Price(s) Volume(s) 5p 2,500,000
d)
General information:
Aggregate volume:
Price:

7,500,000

Price(s) Volume(s) 5p 10p 5,000,000 2,500,000
e)
Date of transaction:
13 December 2022
f)
Place of the transaction:
Outside a trading post