TERMS & CONDITIONS

Last updated: 12 August 2026 | Effective date: 12 August 2026 These Terms & Conditions (the “Terms”) form a legally binding agreement between you and Vast Ocean International Limited, a company organised under the laws of Hong Kong with its registered office at Room 1502, 15/F, Harcourt House, No. 39 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong (“The9Bit”, “we”, “us”, or “our”). They govern your access to and use of The9Bit websites, applications, APIs, tools, game-discovery and hosting services, AI-assisted game-generation tools (“AIGD”), community features, rewards, digital items, and related services (collectively, the “Platform”). By clicking to accept these Terms, creating an account, publishing or playing a game, making a purchase, or otherwise using the Platform, you agree to these Terms and the documents expressly incorporated by reference. If you do not agree, do not access or use the Platform. 1. Documents forming the agreement These Terms incorporate by reference, where applicable: • our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice; • our Community Guidelines and Acceptable Use Policy; • any Creator, Developer, Publisher, AIGD, campaign, referral, competition, payment, wallet, token, or rewards terms that apply to a particular feature; • any game-specific rules or disclosures clearly presented before you use that game or feature; and • any country-specific supplemental terms made available for your location. If there is a conflict, the feature-specific or country-specific terms prevail only for that feature or jurisdiction. Nothing in these Terms excludes rights or remedies that cannot lawfully be excluded. 2. Eligibility, age, and territorial availability You may use the Platform only if you can form a binding contract under the law applicable to you and are not prohibited from using the Platform by law, sanctions, export controls, or our eligibility rules. Unless a feature states a higher age, you must be at least 18 years old or the age of legal majority in your jurisdiction. A person below that age may use only those parts of the Platform expressly made available to minors and only with verifiable consent and supervision of a parent or legal guardian where required by law. The Platform is not directed to children under 13, and we do not knowingly permit them to create accounts unless a compliant child-directed service and parental-consent process is specifically provided. The Platform may not be lawful, suitable, or available in every country. We may restrict or block access, registration, publication, payments, rewards, wallets, or particular games by location, age, risk profile, or regulatory status. You are responsible for complying with laws applicable to you, but this does not reduce any legal obligation that applies directly to The9Bit. 3. Accounts, security, verification, and devices You must provide accurate, current, and complete information and keep it updated. You are responsible for safeguarding your credentials, devices, wallets, authentication methods, and recovery information, and for activity conducted through your account except to the extent caused by our breach of applicable law. We may require email, phone, device, identity, age, sanctions, anti-fraud, or know-your-customer verification before enabling particular functions. You must not impersonate another person, sell or transfer an account without permission, share credentials in a way that compromises security, or use multiple accounts to evade rules or manipulate rewards. Notify us promptly at [email protected] if you suspect unauthorised access. We may place temporary holds, require re-verification, reset credentials, restrict transactions, or suspend an account where reasonably necessary to protect users, the Platform, or third parties. 4. The9Bit's role as a technology platform The Platform enables users and independent third parties to create, generate, upload, host, publish, distribute, discover, remix, monetise, and play games and other content. A substantial portion of the games, code, artwork, audio, advertisements, descriptions, links, offers, and other materials available through the Platform is created, supplied, or controlled by users or third parties (“Third-Party Content”), not by The9Bit. Except where The9Bit expressly identifies itself as the developer, publisher, seller, or licensor of a particular item, The9Bit acts only as a technology, hosting, discovery, distribution, transaction-support, or community platform. The relevant creator, developer, publisher, advertiser, seller, or service provider remains solely responsible for its Third-Party Content, game, goods, services, promises, disclosures, and legal compliance. The following activities do not, by themselves, make The9Bit the author, developer, publisher, employer, partner, agent, joint venturer, fiduciary, or representative of a third-party creator: hosting; indexing; featuring; recommending; ranking; moderating; translating; formatting; testing for basic technical compatibility; providing analytics or monetisation tools; offering AIGD tools; processing reports; or receiving a platform fee or revenue share. No creator or third party has authority to bind The9Bit or make warranties, commitments, refunds, representations, or admissions on our behalf unless we expressly authorise this in writing. 5. Third-party and user-created games Third-party and user-created games may contain defects, unexpected behaviour, mature themes, flashing images, simulated gambling, advertisements, external links, offers, communication features, or other material that some users may find objectionable or harmful. They may be modified, removed, abandoned, or become unavailable without notice. To the maximum extent permitted by law, The9Bit does not warrant or guarantee that any Third-Party Content: • is accurate, complete, lawful, original, non-infringing, safe, secure, suitable, age-appropriate, accessible, or free from harmful code; • will operate without errors, interruptions, data loss, latency, incompatibility, or adverse effects on your device, account, wallet, data, or digital assets; • will remain available, supported, updated, or compatible with the Platform; • will deliver any advertised outcome, reward, earning opportunity, ranking, gameplay experience, or commercial result; or • has been reviewed, verified, approved, or endorsed by The9Bit. You use Third-Party Content at your own discretion and risk. Where a game is governed by separate creator terms, those terms are between you and the creator unless The9Bit expressly states otherwise. These Terms continue to govern your use of the Platform itself. 6. Creator, developer, and publisher responsibilities If you create, generate, upload, publish, submit, distribute, monetise, advertise, or otherwise make content available through the Platform (“Creator Content”), you are solely responsible for that Creator Content and for all consequences of making it available. You represent, warrant, and undertake on a continuing basis that: • you own or control all rights necessary to use and authorise The9Bit to use the Creator Content as contemplated by these Terms; • the Creator Content and its development, publication, marketing, monetisation, and operation comply with all applicable laws, licences, platform rules, age-rating obligations, advertising standards, consumer disclosures, and third-party terms; • the Creator Content does not infringe intellectual-property, privacy, publicity, confidentiality, contractual, moral, database, or other rights; • you have obtained all permissions for code, music, voice, likenesses, brands, characters, datasets, prompts, open-source components, software development kits, advertisements, analytics, and external services used in or with the Creator Content; • you clearly and accurately disclose material game mechanics, prices, subscriptions, advertisements, odds, eligibility, age restrictions, data practices, external links, and any risks required by law; • you do not include malware, spyware, hidden mining, credential harvesting, unauthorised tracking, deceptive interfaces, exploits, or code intended to damage, access, or interfere with systems or data; • you will provide reasonable support and cooperate promptly with reports, investigations, audits, notices, refunds, chargebacks, safety incidents, and legal requests relating to your Creator Content; and • you will not state or imply that The9Bit endorses, sponsors, guarantees, or is the developer or publisher of your Creator Content unless we have agreed in writing. We may require creators to enter separate Developer/Publisher Terms, provide identity and ownership information, maintain insurance, supply source materials, or implement specific technical and safety controls before or after publication. 7. Ownership and licence for Creator Content As between you and The9Bit, you retain ownership of your original Creator Content, subject to third-party rights and any separate agreement. You grant The9Bit and its affiliates a worldwide, non-exclusive, royalty-free, transferable, sublicensable licence to host, cache, store, reproduce, adapt for technical compatibility, translate, format, encode, transmit, display, perform, communicate, distribute, make available, test, moderate, create previews and promotional extracts from, and otherwise use Creator Content as reasonably necessary to operate, secure, improve, promote, and provide the Platform and related services. This licence includes the right to use titles, thumbnails, screenshots, trailers, gameplay clips, descriptions, creator names, logos, and public account information to market and showcase the Platform and the Creator Content. It continues for as long as the Creator Content is available through the Platform and for a reasonable period afterwards for backups, legal compliance, dispute resolution, records, previously published promotions, and technical wind-down. To the extent permitted by law, you waive, and agree not to assert, moral rights or similar rights against uses authorised by this licence. Where waiver is not permitted, you consent to those uses and agree to obtain equivalent consents from relevant contributors. The9Bit does not acquire ownership of your Creator Content merely because you use AIGD or publish through the Platform. We do not guarantee that any output is legally protectable, exclusive, or free from third-party claims. Acceptance by creating. By creating, generating, or publishing a game or any other Creator Content on the Platform, including through AIGD, you agree to these Terms and all incorporated policies. You may create and publish games using content and intellectual property that you own or are properly licensed to use. You represent and warrant that you own, or have obtained all rights, licences, consents, and permissions necessary for, your Creator Content, and that it does not and will not infringe, misappropriate, or violate any third party's intellectual-property, trademark, copyright, publicity, privacy, or other rights. The9Bit is a neutral hosting and tooling platform: we do not pre-screen, verify, or approve the rights to Creator Content, and to the maximum extent permitted by law we accept no responsibility or liability for any infringement, misappropriation, or violation of third-party rights by you or your Creator Content. You are solely responsible for your Creator Content and for any resulting claims, and you will indemnify and hold The9Bit harmless in accordance with Section 22 (Indemnity). 8. AIGD and AI-generated output The9Bit uses third-party AI models to power its AIGD on the Platform. The9Bit is not liable for the content of such third-party AI models. You agree and acknowledge that your inputs and prompts may be shared with our third-party AI models for the specific purpose of providing you with the functionality. By using the Services, you acknowledge and agree that The9Bit is not responsible for examining or evaluating the content, accuracy, completeness, availability, timeliness, validity, copyright compliance, legality, decency, quality or any other aspect of such third-party AI models. The9Bit and its third-party AI model providers may store and use AI content to: (i) provide and maintain the AI features on our Platform; (ii) provide Users with a history of their interactions; (iii) improve our services and AI features through machine learning and model training; (iv) comply with applicable laws; and (v) enforce our policies. AIGD uses automated systems to generate, transform, or assist with games and other materials based on prompts, inputs, configurations, templates, and third-party technology. Outputs may be incomplete, inaccurate, unsafe, biased, unexpected, similar to outputs generated for others, or unsuitable for publication. AIGD You are responsible for your prompts, source materials, selections, edits, testing, review, publication decisions, and use of all output. Before publishing or commercialising output, you must assess it for legality, intellectual-property rights, security, privacy, age suitability, accuracy, consumer disclosures, and compliance with these Terms. To the maximum extent permitted by law, The9Bit does not represent or warrant that AI-generated output is original, unique, non-infringing, registrable, commercially usable, error-free, or fit for a particular purpose. The9Bit does not provide legal clearance, source-code audit, security certification, age rating, or regulatory approval unless expressly stated in a separate signed agreement. You must not submit confidential information, personal data, third-party materials, or restricted content to AIGD unless you have authority and a lawful basis to do so. Additional AIGD terms or technical notices may apply to particular models or providers. Cautionary reminder on third-party intellectual property. When using AIGD, you must not use prompts, inputs, or reference materials that reproduce, imitate, or otherwise draw upon existing games, game titles, characters, logos, brand names, music, artwork, likenesses, or other third-party protected content, unless you own or have obtained all necessary rights, licences, and permissions. This obligation applies to explicit references (such as naming a character or brand) and to functional imitations designed to reproduce a third party's protected expression. The9Bit takes third-party intellectual property seriously; you are solely responsible for ensuring your prompts and any resulting outputs do not infringe third-party rights. 9. Prohibited content and conduct You must not use the Platform to create, generate, upload, publish, promote, sell, transmit, or facilitate content or conduct that: • is illegal, fraudulent, deceptive, defamatory, threatening, harassing, hateful, discriminatory, exploitative, obscene, or unlawfully violent; • sexually exploits or endangers minors, contains child sexual abuse material, grooms minors, or facilitates trafficking or abuse; • promotes terrorism, violent extremism, suicide, self-harm, dangerous challenges, or serious criminal activity in a manner prohibited by law; • infringes intellectual-property, privacy, publicity, confidentiality, consumer, or contractual rights; • contains malware, destructive code, unauthorised surveillance, credential theft, hidden mining, data scraping, exploits, or instructions designed to compromise systems; • facilitates scams, phishing, money laundering, market manipulation, unauthorised gambling, prohibited financial products, sanctions evasion, or unlawful transactions; • misrepresents affiliation, origin, endorsement, reviews, rankings, rewards, availability, or material characteristics; • uses bots, automation, multiple accounts, collusion, device manipulation, self-referral, fake traffic, or other means to manipulate metrics, competitions, rewards, prices, or platform integrity; • collects, uses, sells, or shares personal data without clear notice, authority, consent, and security controls required by law; • circumvents access controls, rate limits, geo-restrictions, age gates, security measures, moderation, suspensions, or enforcement actions; or • otherwise violates these Terms, incorporated policies, or applicable law. We may publish more detailed Community Guidelines or Acceptable Use Rules. Examples in those rules are illustrative and do not limit our ability to act against comparable risks or abuse. 10. Moderation, reporting, investigations, and preservation We may, but are not generally required to, proactively monitor, pre-screen, review, test, verify, rate, or approve all Third-Party Content. The absence of moderation does not constitute approval. Any moderation, review, curation, ranking, technical testing, or enforcement we perform does not transfer responsibility for Third-Party Content to The9Bit. We may use automated systems and human review to detect or investigate suspected violations. We may refuse publication, restrict visibility or monetisation, add warnings, disable links or features, remove or preserve content, suspend payments or rewards, terminate accounts, notify affected users, cooperate with authorities or rights holders, and take any other proportionate action we consider reasonably necessary. You may report content or conduct through [email protected]. Reports must be made in good faith and include enough information for us to identify and assess the issue. We may request further evidence and may decline incomplete, abusive, fraudulent, or legally invalid reports. We are not required to provide advance notice where doing so could increase risk, compromise an investigation, violate law, enable evasion, or harm users or third parties. Enforcement decisions may be reversed or adjusted based on new information. Removal or restoration is not an admission of liability, infringement, wrongdoing, or endorsement. 11. Intellectual-property complaints and repeat infringers If you believe content on the Platform infringes your rights, send a signed notice to [email protected] (Designated Copyright Agent, Vast Ocean International Limited, Room 1502, 15/F, Harcourt House, No. 39 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong) containing sufficient information to identify: (a) the protected work or right; (b) the allegedly infringing material and its location; (c) your contact details; (d) the basis of your claim and authority to act; (e) a good-faith statement; and (f) any declaration or signature required by applicable law. We may forward a complaint and the complainant's information to the relevant uploader or creator, subject to law and safety considerations. The affected person may submit a counter-notice or restoration request where permitted. We may remove or disable access to material while a dispute is assessed and may restore it where the complaint is withdrawn, defective, rejected, or otherwise resolved. We may terminate or restrict accounts of repeat or serious infringers in appropriate circumstances. Knowingly submitting materially false notices or counter-notices may create legal liability. Each party remains responsible for obtaining independent legal advice and pursuing its own remedies. 12. The9Bit intellectual property The Platform, including The9Bit software, systems, interfaces, databases, designs, text, graphics, brands, logos, and materials authored by or licensed to The9Bit, is protected by intellectual-property and other laws. Except for rights expressly granted in these Terms, The9Bit and its licensors reserve all rights. Subject to these Terms, we grant you a limited, revocable, non-exclusive, non-transferable, non-sublicensable licence to access and use the Platform for its intended purpose. You must not copy, modify, distribute, sell, lease, scrape, reverse engineer, decompile, bypass security, create derivative works from, or commercially exploit the Platform except to the extent expressly permitted by law or written agreement. “The9Bit”, “9BIT”, and associated marks may not be used without permission. Any feedback you voluntarily provide may be used by us without restriction or payment, provided we do not publicly identify you without permission. 13. Third-party services, links, software, and data practices The Platform may link to or integrate with third-party websites, games, wallets, blockchains, exchanges, payment processors, advertisers, analytics providers, social networks, software development kits, cloud providers, or other services. Those third parties are independent and may apply their own terms, fees, privacy practices, eligibility rules, and risks. The9Bit does not control and is not responsible for third-party services, transactions, representations, availability, security, data handling, content, or conduct. A link, integration, listing, or compatibility feature does not constitute endorsement. You should review the third party's terms and privacy information before use. The9Bit Creators are not permitted to collect personal data, access devices, or track users through a game except through approved Platform functions or with clear notice, valid authority, appropriate security, and all legally required consent. Report suspected unauthorised collection to [email protected]. 14. Purchases, subscriptions, refunds, and chargebacks Prices, currencies, taxes, billing intervals, renewal terms, and payment methods will be disclosed at or before purchase. Payments may be processed by third parties. You authorise applicable charges and agree to provide accurate billing information. Unless otherwise stated, purchases are made from Vast Ocean International Limited. Where a third-party creator is the seller or merchant of record, that creator is responsible for the transaction, product, consumer disclosures, fulfilment, warranty, support, refunds, and taxes, and The9Bit may act only as a technical or payment-support intermediary. Refund rights depend on applicable law, the identity of the seller, the product, and the rules presented at purchase. Nothing in these Terms limits mandatory cancellation, refund, repair, replacement, or other consumer rights. Subject to those rights, digital content, virtual items, subscriptions, and consumed services may be non-refundable once supplied or used. You must contact support before initiating an improper chargeback. We may suspend access, reverse associated rewards, recover amounts owed, or provide transaction evidence where a chargeback is fraudulent, abusive, or inconsistent with the purchase terms, without limiting lawful chargeback rights. 15. Virtual items, points, rewards, and digital assets Virtual items, points, rankings, access rights, and rewards are contractual permissions or programme units, not deposits, stored value, legal tender, property, or guaranteed financial instruments unless expressly stated by law or separate terms. They may be limited, modified, suspended, expired, reversed, or discontinued in accordance with the applicable programme rules and law. Any token, blockchain, wallet, staking, trading, withdrawal, redemption, or digital-asset feature is available only where lawful and may be subject to separate Digital Asset Terms, eligibility, verification, geographic restrictions, fees, network conditions, smart-contract risk, volatility, loss, tax, and regulatory change. Nothing on the Platform is financial, investment, legal, accounting, or tax advice, or a recommendation, offer, or solicitation to buy or sell a security or financial product. You are responsible for obtaining independent advice and for determining whether participation is lawful and appropriate for you. We do not guarantee any monetary value, liquidity, listing, transferability, exchangeability, reward rate, yield, market, or future availability. Blockchain transactions may be irreversible, delayed, failed, attacked, forked, or affected by third parties outside our control. 16. Campaigns, referrals, rankings, and competitions Campaigns, referrals, rankings, competitions, giveaways, and promotional programmes may have additional rules, eligibility criteria, verification requirements, anti-abuse controls, reward calculations, vesting, expiry, and tax obligations. We may disqualify participants, reverse rewards, or withhold distribution where we reasonably suspect fraud, manipulation, ineligibility, error, legal restriction, or violation of programme rules. Metrics and leaderboards may be estimated, delayed, corrected, or recalculated. No participant acquires a right to a reward until eligibility is verified and distribution is completed. Where required by law, a campaign will identify the organiser, territory, dates, entry method, prize conditions, and dispute process. 17. Privacy and electronic communications Our Privacy Policy explains how The9Bit collects, uses, discloses, transfers, retains, and protects personal data. It also explains relevant rights and contact details. Consent to these Terms is not a substitute for any separate consent required by data-protection or marketing law. You agree to receive service-related electronic communications, such as security alerts, account notices, transaction records, legal updates, and operational messages. Marketing communications will be sent only in accordance with applicable law and your preferences. Electronic communications satisfy written-notice requirements to the extent permitted by law. 18. Availability, changes, beta features, and security The Platform may change over time. We may add, modify, suspend, limit, or discontinue features, games, integrations, rewards, APIs, or access where reasonably necessary for business, legal, security, technical, or operational reasons. We will provide notice where required by law or where a change materially affects a paid ongoing service. Beta, experimental, early-access, or preview features may be incomplete, unstable, confidential, or changed without notice. They are provided for evaluation and may have additional restrictions. No online service is completely secure. You must use reasonable security measures, keep software updated, maintain backups, and avoid relying on the Platform as the sole storage location for important content, keys, credentials, or data. Report vulnerabilities responsibly to [email protected] and do not exploit or publicly disclose them in a manner that creates harm. 19. Assumption of risk You understand and accept the inherent risks of online games, user-generated content, AI systems, third-party code, digital assets, community interaction, external links, and internet services. These risks may include offensive or unlawful content, intellectual-property disputes, impersonation, fraud, harassment, data loss, device damage, financial loss, tax consequences, regulatory action, smart-contract failure, and service interruption. You are responsible for evaluating whether a game, creator, transaction, link, wallet, or digital-asset feature is appropriate for you. This assumption of risk does not exclude any responsibility that The9Bit cannot lawfully exclude. 20. Disclaimer of warranties TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PLATFORM, AIGD, AND ALL CONTENT ARE PROVIDED “AS IS” AND “AS AVAILABLE”. THE9BIT DISCLAIMS ALL EXPRESS, IMPLIED, AND STATUTORY WARRANTIES, INCLUDING WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, SATISFACTORY QUALITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, TITLE, NON-INFRINGEMENT, QUIET ENJOYMENT, ACCURACY, AVAILABILITY, SECURITY, AND COMPATIBILITY. WE DO NOT WARRANT THAT THE PLATFORM OR ANY CONTENT WILL BE UNINTERRUPTED, ERROR-FREE, SECURE, FREE OF HARMFUL COMPONENTS, OR SUITABLE FOR YOUR REQUIREMENTS; THAT DEFECTS WILL BE CORRECTED; OR THAT THIRD-PARTY CONTENT, CREATORS, USERS, REWARDS, TRANSACTIONS, OR SERVICES ARE LAWFUL, RELIABLE, VERIFIED, OR ENDORSED. Some jurisdictions do not allow certain disclaimers. In those jurisdictions, the disclaimers apply only to the maximum extent permitted by law. 21. Limitation of liability Nothing in these Terms excludes or limits liability for death or personal injury caused by negligence where such liability cannot be excluded, fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation, wilful misconduct, or any other liability that cannot lawfully be excluded or limited. Subject to the paragraph above and to the maximum extent permitted by law, The9Bit, its affiliates, and their directors, officers, employees, contractors, licensors, and agents will not be liable for: • indirect, incidental, special, consequential, exemplary, punitive, or similar damages; • loss of profits, revenue, business, opportunity, goodwill, reputation, anticipated savings, data, content, credentials, tokens, virtual items, digital assets, or access; • damage arising from Third-Party Content, user or creator conduct, external services, advertisements, transactions, wallets, blockchains, smart contracts, hacks, scams, or unauthorised access outside our reasonable control; • failure, delay, interruption, incompatibility, deletion, moderation, suspension, enforcement, regulatory restriction, or discontinuation; or • any loss that was not reasonably foreseeable when you accepted these Terms. Subject to the non-excludable liabilities above, our total aggregate liability arising out of or relating to the Platform and these Terms will not exceed the greater of: (a) the amount you paid directly to The9Bit for the relevant Platform services during the 12 months immediately before the event giving rise to the claim; and (b) USD 100 (or its local currency equivalent). The exclusions and cap apply regardless of legal theory and even if a remedy fails of its essential purpose, but only to the extent permitted by applicable law. Separate limits may apply under a signed enterprise, creator, or publisher agreement. 22. Indemnity If you are a creator, developer, publisher, advertiser, seller, business user, or use the Platform for commercial purposes, you will indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The9Bit, its affiliates, and their directors, officers, employees, contractors, licensors, and agents from claims, proceedings, losses, liabilities, penalties, damages, settlements, and reasonable legal and professional costs arising out of or relating to: • your Creator Content, game, advertisements, products, services, data practices, promises, or transactions; • your breach of these Terms, incorporated policies, warranties, or applicable law; • your infringement or alleged infringement of third-party rights; • fraud, misconduct, security incidents, harmful code, consumer claims, taxes, refunds, chargebacks, or regulatory action attributable to you; or • a dispute between you and another user, creator, customer, rights holder, or third party. We may control the defence and settlement of an indemnified claim, and you must cooperate and not settle in a manner that admits liability or imposes obligations on an indemnified party without written consent. For consumers acting wholly outside a trade or profession, this section applies only to the extent permitted by mandatory law and to losses reasonably caused by the consumer's unlawful or wrongful conduct. 23. Suspension, termination, and effect of termination You may stop using the Platform and close your account, subject to outstanding transactions, retention requirements, disputes, and feature-specific rules. We may suspend, restrict, or terminate access, publication, monetisation, payments, rewards, or accounts where reasonably necessary, including for suspected violations, fraud, security risk, legal requests, sanctions, non-payment, prolonged inactivity, or discontinuation of a service. Where appropriate and legally permitted, we may give notice and an opportunity to appeal or cure. Immediate action may be taken for serious, repeated, unlawful, harmful, or evasive conduct. On termination, licences granted to you end. Provisions that by their nature should survive will survive, including ownership, licences needed for backups and legal compliance, payment obligations, disclaimers, liability limits, indemnities, dispute terms, and miscellaneous provisions. 24. Sanctions, export controls, and anti-corruption You must not use the Platform in violation of trade sanctions, export controls, anti-money-laundering, anti-terrorist-financing, anti-bribery, or anti-corruption laws. You represent that you are not located in, ordinarily resident in, or controlled by a comprehensively sanctioned territory and are not a prohibited or restricted person, except where access is lawfully authorised. We may screen users, transactions, wallets, counterparties, and locations and may block, freeze, reject, report, or reverse activity to the extent permitted or required by law. We are not liable for delays or restrictions reasonably resulting from compliance obligations, subject to non-excludable rights. 25. Changes to these Terms We may update these Terms to reflect changes in the Platform, law, risk, or business operations. We will post the updated Terms and revise the “Last updated” date. For material changes, we will provide reasonable advance notice where required by law, such as through the Platform or by email. Changes apply from the stated effective date. Your continued use after that date constitutes acceptance where permitted by law. If you do not agree, you must stop using the affected service. Changes will not retroactively reduce accrued rights where prohibited by law. 26. Governing law and dispute resolution These Terms and any non-contractual obligations arising out of or in connection with them are governed by the laws of Singapore, without regard to conflict-of-laws rules, except that mandatory laws of your country of residence may apply if you are a consumer and cannot lawfully waive them. 26.1 Informal resolution Before commencing formal proceedings, you and The9Bit will attempt in good faith to resolve the dispute. A notice of dispute must be sent to [email protected] and include the claimant's name, account details, relevant facts, requested relief, and supporting documents. The parties will allow 30 days for discussion unless urgent relief is required or a limitation period would expire. 26.2 Business, creator, and commercial disputes Any dispute arising out of or in connection with these Terms involving a creator, developer, publisher, advertiser, seller, business user, or person acting for commercial purposes, including any question regarding the Terms' existence, validity, or termination, shall be referred to and finally resolved by arbitration administered by the Singapore International Arbitration Centre (“SIAC”) in accordance with the SIAC Rules for the time being in force, which Rules are deemed incorporated by reference. The seat of arbitration shall be Singapore. The tribunal shall consist of one arbitrator. The language of arbitration shall be English. The law governing the arbitration agreement shall be Singapore law. 26.3 Consumer disputes If you are a consumer acting wholly outside a trade or profession, you may bring a claim in any court or consumer forum made available by mandatory law in your country of residence. Subject to those mandatory rights, the courts of Singapore have non-exclusive jurisdiction. Nothing prevents either party from seeking urgent interim or injunctive relief from a court of competent jurisdiction. 27. Global use and mandatory local rights These Terms are intended as a Singapore-law base for global use, but laws differ by country. If a provision is unlawful or unenforceable in your jurisdiction, it will apply to the maximum lawful extent and be modified or severed only as necessary, without affecting the remaining provisions. Country-specific supplemental terms, disclosures, consent flows, age controls, refund rules, moderation processes, or dispute rights may apply. Where mandatory local law gives you greater protection, that protection prevails. The9Bit may restrict or discontinue access in a location where compliance is not reasonably practicable. 28. Miscellaneous • Entire agreement. These Terms and incorporated documents are the entire agreement concerning the Platform, except for a separate written agreement signed by The9Bit. • Severability. If any provision is invalid or unenforceable, it will be enforced to the maximum lawful extent and the remainder will continue. • No waiver. A failure or delay to enforce a right is not a waiver. • Assignment. You may not assign or transfer these Terms without our written consent. We may assign them as part of a reorganisation, financing, merger, sale, or transfer of the Platform, subject to applicable law. • Force majeure. Neither party is liable for delay or failure caused by events beyond reasonable control, except payment obligations and liabilities that law does not permit to be excused. • No agency. Nothing creates an employment, partnership, joint venture, fiduciary, franchise, or agency relationship between you and The9Bit. • Third-party rights. The9Bit affiliates and indemnified persons may enforce provisions expressed for their benefit. Otherwise, a person who is not a party has no right to enforce these Terms under the Contracts (Rights of Third Parties) Act 2001 or otherwise. • Language. The English version controls to the extent permitted by law. Translations are provided for convenience unless expressly stated to be authoritative. • Headings. Headings are for convenience and do not affect interpretation. 29. Contact and legal notices • General support: [email protected] • Privacy / Data Protection Officer: [email protected] • Copyright and intellectual-property notices: [email protected] (Designated Copyright Agent, Vast Ocean International Limited, Room 1502, 15/F, Harcourt House, No. 39 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong) • Security reports: [email protected] • Formal legal notices: [email protected] • Vast Ocean International Limited (Business Registration Number: 72900585) • Room 1502, 15/F, Harcourt House, No. 39 Gloucester Road, Wanchai, Hong Kong