Clean Energy Technologies, Inc.

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 10-K

(Mark One)

For the fiscal year ended:December 31,2024

For the transition period from**_______________________ to ____________________________________**

Commission File Number:001-41654

CLEAN ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES, INC.

(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

1340 Reynolds Avenue Unit 120, Irvine, California 92614

(Address of principal executive offices)

(949) 273-4990

(Registrant’s telephone number)

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:

Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(g) of the Act:

None

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is a well-known seasoned issuer, as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act.

☐ Yes ☒No

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is not required to file reports pursuant to Section 13 or Section 15(d) of the Act.

☐ Yes ☒No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant (1) has filed all reports required to be filed by Sections 13 or 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to file such reports), and (2) has been subject to such filing requirements for the past 90 days.

☒Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant has submitted electronically every Interactive Data File required to be submitted pursuant to Rule 405 of Regulation S-T during the preceding 12 months (or for such shorter period that the registrant was required to submit such files).

☒Yes ☐ No

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a large accelerated filer, an accelerated filer, a non-accelerated filer, a smaller reporting company, or an emerging growth company. See the definitions of “large accelerated filer,” “accelerated filer,” “smaller reporting company,” and “emerging growth company” in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act.:

If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. ☐

If securities are registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act, indicate by check mark whether the financial statements of the registrant included in the filing reflect the correction of an error to previously issued financial statements.☐

Indicate by check mark whether any of those error corrections are restatements that required a recovery analysis of incentive-based compensation received by any of the registrant’s executive officers during the relevant recovery period pursuant to §240.10D-1(b). ☐

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is a shell company (as defined in Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act).

☐ Yes☒ No

The aggregate market value of common stock held by non-affiliates of the registrant as of June 28, 2024, was $24,361,641, based upon 18,214,740 shares held by non-affiliates and the closing price of $1.32 per share on the last trading day (June 28, 2024) prior to such date. Accordingly, effective as of June 28, 2024, the registrant’s aggregate market value was less than $75 million and the registrant qualifies for “smaller reporting company” status under Rule 12b-2 of the Exchange Act and is subject to the disclosure requirements and filing deadlines for smaller reporting companies.

The number of shares of common stock outstanding on April 13, 2025, was 47,523,434 shares.

DOCUMENTS INCORPORATED BY REFERENCE

None.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Note about Forward-Looking Statements

This Annual Report contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the following words: “anticipate,” “believe,” “continue,” “could,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “ongoing,” “plan,” “potential,” “predict,” “project,” “should,” “will,” “would,” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking statements are not a guarantee of future performance or results and will not necessarily be accurate indications of the times at, or by, which such performance or results will be achieved. Forward-looking statements are based on information available at the time the statements are made and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements in this report.

Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements concerning the following:

You should read any other cautionary statements made in this Annual Report as being applicable to all related forward-looking statements wherever they appear in this Annual Report. We cannot assure you that the forward-looking statements in this Annual Report will prove to be accurate and therefore prospective investors are encouraged not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. You should read this Annual Report completely. Other than as required by law, we undertake no obligation to update or revise these forward-looking statements, even though our situation may change in the future. We undertake no obligation to revise or update publicly any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law. Given these risks and uncertainties, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements.

Disclosures Relating to Our Chinese Operations

Clean Energy Technologies Inc. is a company incorporated in the State of Nevada with operations in North America, Europe, and Asia, including in the People’s Republic of China (the “PRC” or “China”). Our PRC Subsidiaries and Shuya, an entity in which we own a 49% equity interest, operate our natural gas trading operations in China to source and supply natural gas to industries and municipalities located in China. Throughout this Annual Report, unless the context requires otherwise, (i) the “Company,” “we,” “us” and “our” refer to Clean Energy Technologies, Inc. on a consolidated basis with its wholly-owned subsidiaries; (ii) “the PRC Subsidiaries” refers specifically to those wholly-owned subsidiaries of ours located in the People’s Republic of China (including Hong Kong), which include Clean Energy Technologies (H.K.) Limited, Meishan Clean Energy Technologies, Inc., Hainan Clean Energy Technologies, Inc., Element Capital International Limited (H.K.), Sichuan Hunya Jieneng New Energy Co. LTD, and Jiangsu Huanya Jieneng New Energy Co., Ltd.; and (iii) “Shuya” refers to Sichuan Hongzuo Shuya Energy Limited.

We face various legal and operational risks and uncertainties due to our operations in China. Our PRC Subsidiaries and Shuya could be adversely affected by uncertainties with respect to the Chinese legal system. Rules and regulations in China can change quickly with little advance notice. The interpretation and enforcement of Chinese laws and regulations involve additional uncertainties. Since administrative and court authorities in China have significant discretion in interpreting and implementing statutory provisions and contractual terms, it may be difficult to evaluate the outcome of administrative and court proceedings and the level of legal protection we enjoy. In addition, the Chinese government exercises significant oversight and discretion over the conduct of the business of our PRC Subsidiaries and Shuya and may intervene in or influence their operations as the government deems appropriate to further regulatory, political and societal goals, which could result in a material change in their operations in China and/or the value of the securities we are registering for sale, including causing the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. Furthermore, the Chinese government has recently exerted more oversight and control over overseas securities offerings and other capital markets activities and foreign investment in China-based companies. Any such actions, once taken by the Chinese government, could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or be worthless. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China – The PRC government exerts substantial influence over the manner in which we conduct our business operations. It may influence or intervene in our operations at any time as part of its efforts to enforce PRC law, which could result in a material adverse change in our operations and the value of the securities we are offering”; and “— The approval or record filing of the CSRC, CAC, or other PRC government authorities may be required in connection with our future capital raising activities under the PRC laws.”

The PRC government has initiated a series of regulatory actions and statements to regulate business operations in China with little advance notice, including cracking down on illegal activities in the securities market, adopting new measures to extend the scope of cybersecurity reviews, and expanding the efforts in anti-monopoly enforcement. We do not believe that we, our PRC Subsidiaries or Shuya are directly subject to these regulatory actions or statements; however, because these statements and regulatory actions are relatively new, it is highly uncertain how soon legislative or administrative rule making bodies in China will respond to them, or what existing or new laws or regulations will be modified or promulgated, if any, or the potential impact such modified or new laws and regulations will have on the daily business operations or ability to accept foreign investments of our PRC Subsidiaries and Shuya. On December 24, 2021, nine government agencies jointly issued the Opinions on Promoting the Healthy and Sustainable Development of Platform Economy, which provides that, among others, monopolistic agreements, abuse of dominant market position and illegal concentration of business operators in the field of platform economy will be strictly investigated and punished in accordance with the relevant laws. Neither our PRC Subsidiaries nor Shuya hold a dominant market position in their product markets, and they have not entered into any monopolistic agreement. Neither have they received any inquiry from the relevant governmental authorities. The Cyberspace Administration of China (“CAC”), together with 12 other Chinese regulatory authorities, released the final version of the Revised Measures for Cybersecurity Review, or the Revised Cybersecurity Measures, in December 2021, which took effect on February 15, 2022. Pursuant to the Revised Cybersecurity Measures, critical information infrastructure operators procuring network products and services and online platform operators carrying out data processing activities, which affect or may affect national security, shall conduct a cybersecurity review pursuant to the provisions therein. In addition, online platform operators possessing personal information of more than one million users seeking to be listed on foreign stock markets must apply for a cybersecurity review. On November 14, 2021, the CAC published the Draft Regulations on the Network Data Security Administration (Draft for Comments) (the “Security Administration Draft”), which provides that data processing operators engaging in data processing activities that affect or may affect national security must be subject to cybersecurity review by the relevant Cyberspace Administration of the PRC. We do not believe that our PRC Subsidiaries or Shuya are “online platform operators” within the meaning of the Revised Cybersecurity Measures, and neither our PRC Subsidiaries nor Shuya currently possess over one million Chinese users’ personal information and do not anticipate that they will be collecting over one million Chinese users’ personal information in the foreseeable future. In addition, neither our PRC Subsidiaries nor Shuya will be subject to Security Administration Draft if the Security Administration Draft is enacted as proposed, since they currently do not collect data that affects or may affect national security and we do not anticipate that our PRC Subsidiaries or Shuya will be collecting data that affects or may affect national security in the foreseeable future.

On February 17, 2023, the CSRC promulgated the Trial Administrative Measures of the Overseas Securities Offering and Listing by Domestic Companies, or the Trial Measures, and the relevant five guidelines, which became effective on March 31, 2023. The Trial Measures comprehensively reformed the existing regulatory regime for overseas offering and listing of PRC domestic companies’ securities and will regulate both direct and indirect overseas offering and listing of PRC domestic companies’ securities by adopting a filing-based regulatory regime. Pursuant to the Trial Measures, PRC domestic companies that seek to offer and list securities in overseas markets, either in direct or indirect means, are required to fulfill the filing procedure with the CSRC and report relevant information. The Trial Measures provides that if the issuer meets both of the following criteria, the overseas securities offering and listing conducted by such issuer will be deemed as indirect overseas offering by PRC domestic companies: (i) 50% or more of any of the issuer’s operating revenue, total profit, total assets or net assets as documented in its audited consolidated financial statements for the most recent fiscal year is accounted for by domestic companies; and (ii) the principal parts of the issuer’s business activities are conducted in mainland China, or its principal place(s) of business are located in mainland China, or the majority of senior management staff in charge of its business operations and management are PRC citizens or have their usual place(s) of residence located in mainland China. If we ever are required by the CSRC to submit and complete the filing procedures for our future offerings of our securities, we cannot assure you that we will be able to complete such filings in a timely manner, or even at all, which could significantly limit or completely hinder our ability to offer or continue to offer securities to investors and cause the value of such securities to significantly decline or become worthless. Any failure by us to comply with such filing requirements under the Trial Measures may result in rectification, warnings, and a fine between RMB 1 million and RMB 10 million on our PRC Subsidiaries or Shuya, which could adversely and materially affect our business operations and financial outlook and could cause the value of our common stock to significantly decline or, in extreme cases, become worthless.

As of the date of this Annual Report, these new laws and guidelines have not impacted the ability of our PRC Subsidiaries and Shuya to conduct business and accept foreign investments; however, if (i) we inadvertently conclude that permissions or approvals are not required from applicable PRC authorities or (ii) applicable laws, regulations, or interpretations change, and we are required to obtain such permissions or approvals in the future, our ability to conduct our business in China may be materially impacted, the interest of the investors may be materially and adversely affected and our common stock may significantly decrease in value.

In addition, we face risks associated with the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act, or HFCAA. Trading in our securities on U.S. markets, including The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Nasdaq”), may be prohibited under the HFCAA if the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board, or PCAOB, determines that it is unable to inspect or investigate completely our auditor for two consecutive years. Pursuant to the HFCAA, the PCAOB issued a Determination Report on December 16, 2021, which found that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate completely registered public accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong because of positions taken by the authorities in those jurisdictions. In addition, the PCAOB’s report identified the specific registered public accounting firms which are subject to these determinations. On August 26, 2022, the PCAOB signed a Statement of Protocol Agreement with the CSRC and the Ministry of Finance (the “MOF”) of the PRC governing inspections and investigations of audit firms based in China or Hong Kong. On December 15, 2022, the PCAOB announced in the 2022 Determination its determination that the PCAOB was able to secure complete access to inspect and investigate accounting firms headquartered in mainland China and Hong Kong, and the PCAOB Board voted to vacate previous determinations to the contrary. Should the PCAOB again encounter impediments to inspections and investigations in mainland China or Hong Kong as a result of positions taken by any authority in either jurisdiction, including by the CSRC or the MOF, the PCAOB will make determinations under the HFCAA as and when appropriate. Our current auditor, TAAD LLP, is headquartered in the United States, and, as a PCAOB-registered public accounting firm, it is required to undergo regular inspections by the PCAOB to assess its compliance with the laws of the U.S. and professional standards. TAAD LLP has been subject to PCAOB inspections and is not among the PCAOB-registered public accounting firms headquartered in the PRC or Hong Kong that are subject to PCAOB’s determination of having been unable to inspect or investigate completely. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if it is later determined that the PCAOB is unable to inspect or investigate our auditor completely, if there is any regulatory change or step taken by PRC regulators that does not permit our auditor to provide audit documentations located in China or Hong Kong to the PCAOB for inspection or investigation, or the PCAOB expands the scope of the Determination so that we are subject to the HFCAA, as the same may be amended, you may be deprived of the benefits of such inspection. Any audit reports not issued by auditors that are completely inspected or investigated by the PCAOB, or a lack of PCAOB inspections of audit work undertaken in China that prevents the PCAOB from regularly evaluating our auditors’ audits and their quality control procedures, could result in a lack of assurance that our financial statements and disclosures are adequate and accurate, which could result in limitation or restriction to our access to the U.S. capital markets, and trading of our securities, including trading on the national exchange and trading on “over-the-counter” markets, may be prohibited under the HFCAA and our securities may be delisted by an exchange. See “Risk Factors — Risks Related to Doing Business in China – Recent joint statement by the SEC and the PCAOB, rule changes by Nasdaq, and the Holding Foreign Companies Accountable Act all call for additional and more stringent criteria to be applied to companies with operations in emerging markets upon assessing the qualification of their auditors, especially the non-U.S. auditors who are not inspected by the PCAOB. These developments could add uncertainties to our continued listing or future offerings of our securities in the U.S.”

Cash may be transferred within our organization in the following manners: (i) Clean Energy Technologies Inc. may transfer funds to the PRC Subsidiaries and Shuya by way of capital contributions or loans, through intermediate holding subsidiaries or otherwise, as investments or lendings, (ii) the PRC Subsidiaries may make dividends or other distributions to Clean Energy Technologies Inc. through intermediate holding companies or otherwise, and (iii) Shuya may make dividends or other distributions to Clean Energy Technologies Inc., which indirectly owns a 49% equity interest in Shuya, through intermediate holding companies or otherwise. Our abilities to use cash held in PRC or in a PRC entity to fund operations or for other purposes outside of the PRC are subject to restrictions and limitations imposed by the PRC government. Current PRC regulations only permit a wholly foreign-owned enterprise, or WFOE, to pay dividends to its offshore parent company out of their retained earnings, if any, determined in accordance with Chinese accounting standards and regulations. In addition, the majority of the revenues of our PRC Subsidiaries and Shuya are collected in RMB. Thus, foreign exchange shortages and foreign exchange control may also limit their ability to pay dividends or make other payments or otherwise meet our obligations denominated in foreign currencies. Furthermore, we may lose our ability to fund operations or for other uses outside of Hong Kong using cash in Hong Kong or a Hong Kong entity if, in the future, the scope of the current restrictions and limitations applicable to PRC entities were to expand to include Hong Kong or entities based in Hong Kong. Therefore, our ability to transfer cash between PRC entities and entities outside of PRC may be restricted. See “Risk Factors – Risks Related to Doing Business in China – Our PRC Subsidiary are subject to restrictions on paying dividends or making other payments to us, which may restrict our ability to satisfy our liquidity requirements in the future” and “– PRC regulation of loans to and direct investment in PRC entities by offshore holding companies and governmental control of currency conversion may delay or prevent us from making loans or additional capital contributions to our PRC Subsidiaries” for details. As of the date of this Annual Report, (i) we have transferred $2,671,700 in total to our PRC Subsidiaries, and (ii) Jiangsu Huanya Jieneng (“JHJ”), our wholly-owned subsidiary in the PRC, has transferred $730,932 in total to Shuya as a capital contribution for the formation of Shuya. No other cash flows or transfers of other assets have occurred between us, our PRC Subsidiaries, and Shuya. As of the date of this Annual Report, neither any of our PRC Subsidiaries nor Shuya has declared any dividends or made any other distributions to the Company, and no such dividends or distributions are anticipated in the near future.