*

The applicable prospectus supplement to be used in connection with any sales of Common Shares or Preferred Shares will set forth any applicable sales load and the estimated offering expenses borne by the Fund under an Offering.

(1)

There will be no brokerage charges with respect to Common Shares issued directly by the Fund under the dividend reinvestment plan. You will pay brokerage charges in connection with Open-Market Purchases or if you direct the plan agent to sell your Common Shares held in a dividend reinvestment account.

(2)

The Fund has agreed to pay the Adviser a management fee payable on a monthly basis at the annual rate of 1.25% of the Fund’s average monthly Managed Assets for the service it provides. With leverage, Managed Assets are greater in amount than net assets, because Managed Assets include assets attributable to the Fund’s use of leverage. In addition, the mark-to-market value of the Fund’s derivatives will be used for purposes of calculating Managed Assets. The management fee of 1.25% of the Fund’s Managed Assets represents 1.25% of net assets attributable to Common Shares assuming the use of leverage in an amount of 0% of the Fund’s Managed Assets as of June 30, 2026.

(3)

“Leverage costs” are estimated to reflect actual leverage outstanding as of June 30, 2026 and estimated interest and associated costs. Actual leverage costs incurred in the future may be higher or lower as the actual amount of interest expense borne by the Fund will vary over time in accordance with the level of the Fund’s use of leverage and variations in market interest rates. See “Use of Leverage.”

(4)

Includes $1,016,089 of loan service fees in connection with the Fund’s investments in Alternative Credit Instruments as of June 30, 2026. Loan service fees relate to the Fund’s investment in Square Loans and are not related to any leverage expenses. The loan service fees are the cost associated with the originator’s ongoing collection and remittance of payments related to the Alternative Credit Instruments.

(5)

The “Acquired fund fees and expenses” disclosed above are based on the expense ratios as of June 30, 2026 of the underlying funds in which the Fund has invested, which may change substantially over time and, therefore, significantly affect “Acquired fund fees and expenses.” These amounts are based on the total expense ratio disclosed in each underlying fund’s most recent shareholder report. “Acquired fund fees and expenses” are not charged directly to the Fund, but rather reflect the estimated pro rata portion of the underlying funds’ fees attributable to the Fund’s investments in shares of the underlying funds. The 0.04% shown as “Acquired fund fees and expenses” reflects estimated operating expenses of the underlying funds and transaction-related fees. Certain underlying funds in which the Fund invests generally charge a management fee of 0.50% to 1.20%, which are included in “Acquired fund fees and expenses,” as applicable. Acquired fund fees and expenses are borne indirectly by the Fund, but they are not reflected in the Fund’s financial statements; and the information presented in the table will differ from that presented in the Fund’s financial highlights.

Derivatives Risk. The Fund’s use of derivatives, including futures, options, swaps and other instruments that provide exposure to equity markets, involves risks different from, and potentially greater than, those associated with investing directly in securities. Changes in the value of a derivative may not correlate perfectly with the underlying reference asset or index, and derivatives may be subject to liquidity, valuation, leverage and counterparty risks. Derivatives may result in losses that exceed the amount invested and may increase the volatility of the Fund’s NAV. The Fund’s use of derivatives may not be successful and could cause the Fund to underperform its benchmark or similar funds.

Swap Agreements Risk. The Fund may obtain equity market exposure through total return swaps and other swap agreements. Swap agreements are subject to the risk that the counterparty will fail to perform its obligations. Swaps also involve the risk that the Fund may be unable to terminate or replace a swap position at an advantageous time or price. Adverse changes in market conditions, financing costs or the creditworthiness of a counterparty could negatively affect the value of swap positions and the Fund’s performance.

Counterparty Risk. The Fund will be exposed to the risk that a counterparty to a derivative transaction, securities lending arrangement or other financial contract will be unwilling or unable to perform its obligations. A counterparty’s default, bankruptcy or insolvency could result in delays in recovery, losses to the Fund, increased transaction costs and disruption of the Fund’s investment strategy.

Equity Market Exposure Risk. The Fund intends to maintain exposure to broad U.S. equity markets through derivative instruments. As a result, the Fund’s performance will be affected by movements in equity markets generally. Equity markets may decline significantly in response to economic, political, market, public health or other developments. The value of the Fund’s investments may fluctuate, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, causing investors to lose money.

Correlation and Tracking Risk. The Fund’s derivative positions are intended to provide exposure that approximates the performance of one or more equity market indices. However, there can be no assurance that the Fund’s derivative exposure will closely track the performance of any index. Differences in pricing, transaction costs, financing costs, market disruptions, position limits, collateral requirements, portfolio management decisions and other factors may cause the Fund’s performance to differ from that of the applicable index.

Associated Risks of Pre-Merger SPACs. The Fund may invest in units, common shares and warrants of pre-merger SPACs. Public stockholders of SPACs may not be afforded a meaningful opportunity to vote on a proposed initial merger because certain stockholders, including stockholders affiliated with the management of the SPAC, may have sufficient voting power, and a financial incentive, to approve such a transaction without support from public stockholders. As a result, a Pre-Merger SPAC may complete a merger even though a majority of its public stockholders do not support such a merger. There is no guarantee that the SPACs in which the Fund invests will complete a merger or that any mergers that are completed will be profitable. Some SPACs may pursue mergers only within certain industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. In addition, these securities, which are typically traded in the over-the-counter market, may be considered illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. SPACs may also encounter intense competition from other entities having a similar business objective, such as private investors or investment vehicles and other SPACs, competing for the same merger opportunities, which could make completing an attractive merger more difficult. In certain circumstances, the Fund may continue to hold the warrants and rights of companies that were issued by a SPAC after the relevant merger occurs. In addition, the Fund may invest in vehicles formed by SPAC sponsors to hold founder shares, which may be subject to forfeiture or expire worthless and which generally have more limited liquidity than SPAC shares issued in an initial public offering.

SPAC Redemption and Trust Value Risk. The Fund’s SPAC strategy relies in part on the ability to acquire SPAC securities at prices that the Adviser believes are attractive relative to trust or redemption value. There can be no assurance that SPAC securities will trade at such prices or that anticipated redemption opportunities will be available. Changes in market conditions, interest rates, transaction costs or SPAC structures could reduce returns from the Fund’s SPAC investment strategy.

Warrant Risk. SPAC warrants and other warrants may be highly speculative and volatile investments. Warrants may expire worthless and often experience greater price fluctuations than the underlying securities. The value of a warrant may decline due to changes in market conditions, volatility, interest rates, the passage of time or expectations regarding a future business combination. Warrants may also be less liquid than the underlying securities.

Post-Combination SPAC Warrant Risk. Although the Fund generally does not expect to hold SPAC common shares after the point at which redemption rights are available, the Fund may retain warrants after a business combination when the Adviser believes they continue to offer attractive value. Companies resulting from SPAC business combinations may be unseasoned and may have limited trading histories, limited track records of public reporting and less widely available research coverage. Their securities may therefore be subject to extreme price volatility and speculative trading. Any significant price appreciation in the post-combination company may not continue, and a decline in the value of the underlying common stock could adversely affect, and potentially cause a substantial or complete loss in, the value of warrants held by the Fund.

Event-Driven Investment Risk. The Fund may invest in securities whose value is influenced by anticipated corporate events, including mergers, acquisitions, restructurings and other transactions. If an anticipated event does not occur, is delayed or is completed on terms that are less favorable than expected, the Fund may experience losses. Event-driven investments may also be subject to liquidity and market risks.

Collateral Management Risk. The Fund expects to invest a portion of its assets in cash, U.S. Treasury securities and other short-term instruments to support its derivative positions and maintain liquidity. The returns generated by these investments may be lower than expected and may not be sufficient to offset expenses or losses associated with other components of the Fund’s strategy. Changes in interest rates and market conditions may adversely affect the value and yield of collateral investments.

Rule 18f-4 and Derivatives Regulatory Risk. The Fund’s use of derivatives is subject to Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act and other applicable regulatory requirements. Compliance with these requirements may limit the Fund’s ability to use derivatives, increase operational costs or otherwise restrict the implementation of the Fund’s investment strategy. Changes in laws, regulations or regulatory interpretations could adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders.

Asset-Backed Securities Risks. Asset-backed securities often involve risks that are different from or more acute than risks associated with other types of debt instruments. For instance, asset-backed securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in prevailing interest rates. In addition, the underlying assets are subject to prepayments that shorten the securities’ weighted average maturity and may lower their return. Asset-backed securities are also subject to risks associated with their structure and the nature of the assets underlying the security and the servicing of those assets. Payment of interest and repayment of principal on asset-backed securities is largely dependent upon the cash flows generated by the assets backing the securities and, in certain cases, supported by letters of credit, surety bonds or other credit enhancements. The values of asset-backed securities may be substantially dependent on the servicing of the underlying asset pools, and are therefore subject to risks associated with the negligence by, or defalcation of, their servicers. Furthermore, debtors may be entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws with respect to the assets underlying these securities, which may give the debtor the right to avoid or reduce payment. In addition, due to their often complicated structures, various asset-backed securities may be difficult to value and may constitute illiquid investments. If many borrowers on the underlying Alternative Credit default, losses could exceed the credit enhancement level and result in losses to investors in asset-backed securities.

 

An investment in subordinated (residual) classes of asset-backed securities is typically considered to be an illiquid and highly speculative investment, as losses on the underlying assets are first absorbed by the subordinated classes. The risks associated with an investment in such subordinated classes of asset-backed securities include credit risk, regulatory risk pertaining to the Fund’s ability to collect on such securities, platform performance risk and liquidity risk.

CLO Risk. The Fund’s investments in CLOs may be riskier than a direct investment in the debt or other securities of the underlying companies. When investing in CLOs, the Fund may invest in any level of a CLO’s subordination chain, including subordinated (lower-rated) tranches and residual interests (the lowest tranche). CLOs are typically highly levered and therefore, the junior debt and equity tranches that the Fund may invest in are subject to a higher risk of total loss and deferral or nonpayment of interest than the more senior tranches to which they are subordinated. In addition, the Fund will generally have the right to receive payments only from the CLOs, and will generally not have direct rights against the underlying borrowers or entities that sponsored the CLOs. Furthermore, the investments the Fund makes in CLOs are at times thinly traded or have only a limited trading market. As a result, investments in such CLOs may be characterized as illiquid securities.

Closed-End Investment Companies Risk. The Fund invests in closed-end investment companies, including shares of closed-end funds that are trading at a discount to NAV or at a premium to NAV. There can be no assurance that the market discount on shares of any closed-end fund purchased by the Fund will ever decrease.

 

In fact, it is possible that this market discount may increase and the Fund may suffer realized or unrealized capital losses due to further decline in the market price of the securities of such closed-end funds, thereby adversely affecting the NAV of the Fund’s Common Shares. Similarly, there can be no assurance that any shares of a closed-end fund purchased by the Fund at a premium will continue to trade at a premium or that the premium will not decrease subsequent to a purchase of such shares by the Fund.

 

BDCs are a type of closed-end investment company that generally invest in less mature U.S. private companies or thinly traded U.S. public companies which involve greater risk than well-established publicly-traded companies. While BDCs are expected to generate income in the form of dividends, certain BDCs during certain periods of time may not generate such income. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other operating expenses incurred by closed-end funds and BDCs in which it invests, and of any performance-based or incentive fees payable by the BDCs in which it invests, in addition to the expenses paid by the Fund.

Corporate Debt Risks. Corporate debt securities are long and short-term debt obligations issued by companies (such as publicly issued and privately placed bonds, notes and commercial paper). The Adviser considers corporate debt securities to be of investment grade quality if they are rated BBB or higher by S&P or Baa or higher by Moody’s, or if unrated, determined by the Adviser to be of comparable quality. Investment grade debt securities generally have adequate to strong protection of principal and interest payments. In the lower end of this category, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity to pay interest and repay principal than in higher rated categories. The Fund may invest in both secured and unsecured corporate bonds. An unsecured bond may have a lower recovery value than a secured bond in the event of a default by its issuer.

 

Credit and Interest Rate Analysis Risk. The Adviser is reliant in part on the borrower credit information provided to it or assigned by the platforms when selecting instruments for investment. To the extent a credit rating is assigned to each borrower by a platform, such rating may not accurately reflect the borrower’s actual creditworthiness. A platform may be unable, or may not seek, to verify all of the borrower information obtained by it, which it may use to determine such borrower’s credit rating. Borrower information on which platforms and lenders may rely may be outdated. In addition, certain information that the Adviser would otherwise seek may not be available, such as financial statements and other financial information. Furthermore, the Adviser may be unable to perform any independent follow-up verification with respect to a borrower to the extent the borrower’s name, address and other contact information is required to remain confidential. There is risk that a borrower may have supplied false or inaccurate information.

 

Although the Adviser conducts diligence on the credit scoring methodologies used by platforms from which the Fund purchases instruments, the Fund typically will not have access to all of the data that platforms utilize to assign credit scores to particular loans purchased directly or indirectly by the Fund, and will not confirm the truthfulness of such information or otherwise evaluate the basis for the platform’s credit score of those loans. In addition, the platforms’ credit decisions and scoring models are based on algorithms that could potentially contain programming or other errors or prove to be ineffective or otherwise flawed. This could adversely affect loan pricing data and approval processes and could cause loans to be mispriced or misclassified, which could ultimately have a negative impact on the Fund’s performance.

 

The interest rates on loans established by the platforms may have not been appropriately set. A failure to set appropriate rates on the loans may adversely impact the ability of the Fund to receive returns on its instruments that are commensurate with the risks associated with directly or indirectly owning such instruments. In addition, certain other information used by the platforms and the Adviser in making loan and investment decisions may be deficient and/or incorrect, which increases the risk of loss on the loan.

 

Default Risk. The ability of the Fund to generate income through its investment in loans is dependent upon payments being made by the borrower underlying such instruments. If a borrower is unable to make its payments on a loan, the Fund may be greatly limited in its ability to recover any outstanding principal and interest under such loan.

 

Fixed Income Securities Risks. The Fund may invest in fixed income securities. Fixed income securities generally represent the obligation of an issuer to repay to the investor (or lender) the amount borrowed plus interest over a specified time period. Fixed income securities increase or decrease in value based on changes in interest rates. If rates increase, the value of the fund’s fixed income securities generally declines. On the other hand, if rates fall, the value of the fixed income securities generally increases. The issuer of a fixed income security may not be able to make interest and principal payments when due. This risk is increased in the case of issuers of high yield securities, also known as “junk bonds.” Securities of certain U.S. Government sponsored entities are neither issued nor guaranteed by the U.S. Government. Fixed income risks include components of the following additional risks:

 

Credit Risk. The issuer of a fixed income security may not be able to make interest and principal payments when due. Generally, the lower the credit rating of a security, the greater the risk that the issuer will default on its obligation, which could result in a loss to the Fund. The Fund may invest in securities that are rated in the lowest investment grade category. Issuers of these securities are more vulnerable to changes in economic conditions than issuers of higher-grade securities. As a result of the credit profile of the borrowers and the interest rates on the Fund’s investment in loans, the delinquency and default experience on these instruments may be significantly higher than those experienced by financial products arising from traditional sources of lending. Shareholders are urged to consider the highly risky nature of the credit quality of the Fund’s investment in loans when analyzing an investment in the Shares.

High Yield Securities/Junk Bond Risk. The Fund may invest in high yield securities, also known as “junk bonds.” High yield securities are not considered to be investment grade. High yield securities may provide greater income and opportunity for gain, but entail greater risk of loss of principal. High yield securities are predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation. The market for high yield securities is generally less active than the market for higher quality securities. This may limit the ability of the Fund to sell high yield securities at the price at which it is being valued for purposes of calculating NAV.

Government Risk. The U.S. government’s guarantee of ultimate payment of principal and timely payment of interest on certain U.S. government securities owned by the Fund does not imply that the Fund’s shares are guaranteed or that the price of the Fund’s shares will not fluctuate. In addition, securities issued by Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and Federal Home Loan Banks are not obligations of, or insured by, the U.S. Government. If a U.S. government agency or instrumentality in which the Fund invests defaults and the U.S. government does not stand behind the obligation, the Fund’s share price could fall. All U.S. government obligations are subject to interest rate risk.

Interest Rate Risk. The Fund’s share price and total return will vary in response to changes in interest rates. If rates increase, the value of the Fund’s investments generally will decline, as will the value of a shareholder’s investment in the Fund. Securities with longer maturities tend to produce higher yields, but are more sensitive to changes in interest rates and are subject to greater fluctuations in value. A rise in interest rates may negatively impact the Fund’s future income relating to leverage, as the Fund will be required to earn more income on its investments to recoup any increased costs of leverage.

 

Interest rates in the United States and many other countries have experienced significant volatility in recent periods and may continue to fluctuate. Changes in monetary policy, inflationary pressures, fiscal policy and other macroeconomic factors may cause interest rates to rise or fall of the Fund’s investment horizon, potentially rapidly and unpredictably. To the extent the Fund borrows money to finance its investments, the Fund’s performance will depend, in part, upon the difference between the rate at which it borrows funds and the rate at which it invests those funds. In periods of rising interest rates, the Fund’s cost of funds could increase, and in periods of falling interest rates, the Fund’s investment income could decrease. Adverse developments resulting from changes in interest rates could have a material adverse effect on the Fund’s financial condition and results.

 

In addition, a decline in the prices of the debt the Fund owns could adversely affect the Fund’s NAV. Changes in market interest rates could also affect the ability of operating companies in which the Fund invests to service debt, which could materially impact the Fund.

SOFR Risk. The Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) is intended to be a broad measure of the cost of borrowing funds overnight in transactions that are collateralized by U.S. Treasury securities. SOFR is calculated based on transaction-level repo data collected from various sources. For each trading day, SOFR is calculated as a volume-weighted median rate derived from such data. SOFR is calculated and published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York.

 

Because SOFR is a financing rate based on overnight secured funding transactions, it differs fundamentally from the London Interbank Offered Rate (“LIBOR”). LIBOR was intended to be an unsecured rate that represents interbank funding costs for different short-term maturities or tenors. It was a forward-looking rate reflecting expectations regarding interest rates for the applicable tenor. Thus, LIBOR was intended to be sensitive, in certain respects, to bank credit risk and to term interest rate risk. In contrast, SOFR is a secured overnight rate reflecting the credit of U.S. Treasury securities as collateral. Thus, it is largely insensitive to credit-risk considerations and to short-term interest rate risks. SOFR is a transaction-based rate, and it has been more volatile than other benchmark or market rates, such as three-month LIBOR, during certain periods. For these reasons, among others, there is no assurance that SOFR, or rates derived from SOFR, will perform in the same or similar way as LIBOR would have performed at any time, and there is no assurance that SOFR-based rates will be a suitable substitute for LIBOR. The future performance of SOFR, and SOFR-based reference rates, cannot be predicted based on SOFR’s history or otherwise. Levels of SOFR in the future may bear little or no relation to historical levels of SOFR, LIBOR or other rates.

Sovereign Obligation Risk. Investment in sovereign debt obligations involves special risks not present in corporate debt obligations. The issuer of the sovereign debt or the governmental authorities that control the repayment of the debt may be unable or unwilling to repay principal or interest when due, and the Fund may have limited recourse in the event of a default. During periods of economic uncertainty, the market prices of sovereign debt may be more volatile than prices of U.S. debt obligations. In the past, certain emerging markets have encountered difficulties in servicing their debt obligations, withheld payments of principal and interest, and declared moratoria on the payment of principal and interest on their sovereign debts.

Fraud Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk of fraudulent activity associated with the various parties involved in the Fund’s lending, including the platforms, banks, borrowers and third parties handling borrower and investor information. A platform’s resources, technologies and fraud prevention tools may be insufficient to accurately detect and prevent fraud. High profile fraudulent activity or significant increases in fraudulent activity could lead to regulatory intervention, negatively impact operating results, brand and reputation and lead the defrauded platform to take steps to reduce fraud risk, which could increase costs.

Funding Bank Risk. Multiple banks may originate loans for lending platforms. If such a bank were to suspend, limit or cease its operations or a platform’s relationship with a bank were to otherwise terminate, such platform would need to implement a substantially similar arrangement with another funding bank, obtain additional state licenses or curtail its operations. The Fund is dependent on the continued success of the platforms that originate the Fund’s investment in loans. If such platforms were unable or impaired in their ability to operate their lending business, the Adviser may be required to seek alternative sources of investments (e.g., loans originated by other platforms), which could adversely affect the Fund’s performance and/or prevent the Fund from pursuing its investment objective and strategies.

Geographic Concentration Risk. The Fund is not subject to any geographic restrictions when investing in loans and therefore could be concentrated in a particular state or region. A geographic concentration of the Fund’s investment in loans may expose the Fund to an increased risk of loss due to risks associated with certain regions. In the event that a significant portion of the pool of the Fund’s investment in loans is comprised of loans owed by borrowers resident or operating in certain states, economic conditions, localized weather events, environmental disasters, natural disasters or other factors affecting these states in particular could adversely impact the delinquency and default experience of the loans and could impact Fund performance. Further, the concentration of the loans in one or more states would have a disproportionate effect on the Fund if governmental authorities in any of those states took action against the platforms lending in such states.

Information Technology Risk. Certain of the Fund’s investment in loans are originated and documented in electronic form and there are generally no tangible written documents evidencing such loans or any payments owed thereon. Because the Fund relies on electronic systems maintained by the custodian, a third party and/or the platforms to maintain records and evidence ownership of such loans and to service and administer loans (as applicable) it is susceptible to risks associated with such electronic systems. These risks include, among others: power loss, computer systems failures and Internet, telecommunications or data network failures; operator negligence or improper operation by, or supervision of, employees; physical and electronic loss of data or security breaches, misappropriation and similar events; computer viruses; cyber attacks, intentional acts of vandalism and similar events; and hurricanes, fires, floods and other natural disasters.

 

In addition, platforms rely on software that is highly technical and complex and depend on the ability of such software to store, retrieve, process and manage immense amounts of data. Any errors, bugs or defects discovered in the software on which a platform relies could negatively impact operations of the platform and the ability of the platform to perform its obligations with respect to the loans originated by the platform. The electronic systems on which platforms rely may be subject to cyber attacks that could result, among other things, in data breaches and the release of confidential information and thus expose the platform to significant liability. A security breach could also irreparably damage a platform’s reputation and thus its ability to continue to operate its business.

 

The Adviser is also reliant on information technology to facilitate the loan acquisition process. Any failure of such technology could have a material adverse effect on the ability of the Adviser to acquire loans and therefore may impact the performance of the Fund. Any delays in receiving the data provided by such technology could also impact, among other things, the valuation of the portfolio of loans.

Investments in Platforms Risk. The platforms in which the Fund may invest may have a higher risk profile and be more volatile than companies engaged in lines of business with a longer, established history and such investments should be viewed as longer term investments. The Fund may invest in listed or unlisted equity securities of platforms or make loans directly to the platforms. Investments in unlisted equity securities, by their nature, generally involve a higher degree of valuation and performance uncertainties and liquidity risks than investments in listed equity securities. The companies of unlisted securities, in comparison to companies of listed securities, may:

 

●

have shorter operating histories and a smaller market share, rendering them more vulnerable to competitors’ actions and market conditions, as well as general economic downturns;

●

often operate at a financial loss;

●

be more likely to depend on the management talents and efforts of a small group of persons and the departure of any such persons could have a material adverse impact on the business and prospects of the company; and

●

generally have less predictable operating results and require significant additional capital to support their operations, expansion or competitive position.

Illiquidity Risk. Alternative Credit investments generally have a maturity between six months to five years. Investors acquiring Alternative Credit investments and other Alternative Credit Instruments directly through platforms and hoping to recoup their entire principal must generally hold their loans through maturity. Alternative Credit investments and other Alternative Credit Instruments may not be registered under the Securities Act, and are not listed on any securities exchange. Accordingly, those Alternative Credit Instruments may not be transferred unless they are first registered under the Securities Act and all applicable state or foreign securities laws or the transfer qualifies for exemption from such registration. A reliable secondary market has yet to develop, nor may one ever develop, for Alternative Credit investments and such other Alternative Credit Instruments and, as such, these investments should be considered illiquid. Until an active secondary market develops, the Fund intends to primarily hold its Alternative Credit investments until maturity. The Fund may not be able to sell any of its Alternative Credit Instruments even under circumstances when the Adviser believes it would be in the best interests of the Fund to sell such investments. In such circumstances, the overall returns to the Fund from its Alternative Credit Instruments may be adversely affected. Moreover, certain Alternative Credit Instruments are subject to certain additional significant restrictions on transferability. Although the Fund may attempt to increase its liquidity by borrowing from a bank or other institution, its assets may not readily be accepted as collateral for such borrowing.

 

The Fund may also invest without limitation in securities that, at the time of investment, are illiquid, as determined by using the SEC’s standard applicable to registered investment companies (i.e., securities that cannot be disposed of by the Fund within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which the Fund has valued the securities). The Fund may also invest in restricted securities. Investments in restricted securities could have the effect of increasing the amount of the Fund’s assets invested in illiquid securities if qualified institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase these securities.

 

Illiquid and restricted securities may be difficult to dispose of at a fair price at the times when the Fund believes it is desirable to do so. The market price of illiquid and restricted securities generally is more volatile than that of more liquid securities, which may adversely affect the price that the Fund pays for or recovers upon the sale of such securities. Illiquid and restricted securities may also be more difficult to value, especially in challenging markets.

Limited Operating History of Platforms Risk. Many of the platforms, and alternative credit in general, are in the early stages of development and have a limited operating history. As a result, there is a lack of significant historical data regarding the performance of Alternative Credit and the long term outlook of the industry is uncertain. In addition, because Alternative Credit investments are originated using a lending method on a platform that has a limited operating history, borrowers may not view or treat their obligations on such loans as having the same significance as loans from traditional lending sources, such as bank loans. The success of a platform is partially dependent upon payments being made by the borrowers of loan originated by the platform. Any increase in default rates on a platform’s loans could adversely affect the platform’s profitability and, therefore, the Fund’s investments in the platform.

Market Discount. Common stock of closed-end funds frequently trades at a discount from its NAV. This risk may be greater for investors selling their shares in a relatively short period of time after completion of the initial offering. The Fund’s Common Shares may trade at a price that is less than the initial offering price. This risk would also apply to the Fund’s investments in closed-end funds.

Alternative Credit and Pass-Through Notes Risk. Alternative Credit Instruments are generally not rated and constitute a highly risky and speculative investment, similar to an investment in “junk” bonds. There can be no assurance that payments due on underlying Alternative Credit investments will be made. The Shares therefore should be purchased only by investors who could afford the loss of the entire amount of their investment.

 

A substantial portion of the Alternative Credit in which the Fund may invest will not be secured by any collateral, will not be guaranteed or insured by a third party and will not be backed by any governmental authority. Accordingly, the platforms and any third-party collection agencies will be limited in their ability to collect on defaulted Alternative Credit. With respect to Alternative Credit secured by collateral, there can be no assurance that the liquidation of any such collateral would satisfy a borrower’s obligation in the event of a default under its Alternative Credit.

 

Furthermore, Alternative Credit may not contain any cross-default or similar provisions. To the extent an Alternative Credit investment does not contain a cross-default provision, the loan will not be placed automatically in default upon that borrower’s default on any of the borrower’s other debt obligations, unless there are relevant independent grounds for a default on the loan. In addition, the Alternative Credit investment will not be referred to a third-party collection agency for collection because of a borrower’s default on debt obligations other than the Alternative Credit investment. If a borrower first defaults on debt obligations other than the Alternative Credit investment, the creditors to such other debt obligations may seize the borrower’s assets or pursue other legal action against the borrower, which may adversely impact the ability to recoup any principal and interest payments on the Alternative Credit investment if the borrower subsequently defaults on the loan. In addition, an operator of a platform is generally not required to repurchase Alternative Credit investments from a lender except under very narrow circumstances, such as in cases of verifiable identity fraud by the borrower.

 

Borrowers may seek protection under federal bankruptcy law or similar laws. If a borrower files for bankruptcy (or becomes the subject of an involuntary petition), a stay will go into effect that will automatically put any pending collection actions on hold and prevent further collection action absent bankruptcy court approval. Whether any payment will ultimately be made or received on an Alternative Credit investment after bankruptcy status is declared depends on the borrower’s particular financial situation and the determination of the court.

 

As Pass-Through Notes generally are pass-through obligations of the operators of the lending platforms, and are not direct obligations of the borrowers under the underlying Alternative Credit investment originated by such platforms, holders of certain Pass-Through Notes are exposed to the credit risk of the operator. An operator that becomes subject to bankruptcy proceedings may be unable to make full and timely payments on its Pass-Through Notes even if the borrowers of the underlying Alternative Credit investment timely make all payments due from them. There may be a delay between the time the Fund commits to purchase a Pass-Through Note and the issuance of such note and, during such delay, the funds committed to such an investment will not be available for investment in other Alternative Credit Instruments. Because the funds committed to an investment in Pass-Through Notes do not earn interest until the issuance of the note, the delay in issuance will have the effect of reducing the effective rate of return on the investment.

Mortgage-Backed Securities Risks. Mortgage-backed securities represent participation interests in pools of residential mortgage loans purchased from individual lenders by a federal agency or originated and issued by private lenders. The Fund invests in mortgage-backed securities and is subject to the following risks.

Credit and Market Risks of Mortgage-Backed Securities. The mortgage loans or the guarantees underlying mortgage-backed securities may default or otherwise fail leading to non-payment of interest and principal.

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. There are certain risks associated specifically with CMOs. CMOs are debt obligations collateralized by mortgage loans or mortgage pass-through securities, which utilize estimates of future economic conditions. These estimates may vary from actual future results, particularly during periods of extreme market volatility. CMOs issued by private entities are not guaranteed by any government agency; if the collateral securing the CMO, as well as any third party credit support or guarantees, is insufficient to make payment, the holder could sustain a loss.

Market Events Risks. The Fund may experience increased volatility, illiquidity, or other potentially adverse effects in response to changing market conditions, inflation, changes in interest rates, lack of liquidity in the bond or equity markets, volatility in the equity markets, market disruptions caused by local or regional events such as war, acts of terrorism, the spread of infectious illness (including epidemics and pandemics) or other public health issues, financial institution instability, trade disruption, recessions or other events or adverse investor sentiment or other political, regulatory, and market developments (including the threatened or actual imposition of tariffs, restrictions on foreign investment and currency repatriation) that impact specific economic sectors, industries or segments of the market. Additionally, from time to time, uncertainty regarding the status of negotiations in the U.S. government to increase the statutory debt ceiling could impact the creditworthiness of the U.S. and could impact the liquidity of the U.S. government securities markets and ultimately the Fund. These risks may be magnified if certain events or developments adversely interrupt the global supply chain; in these and other circumstances, such risks might affect companies worldwide due to increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets.

 

Additionally, various countries have seen significant internal conflicts and, in some cases, civil wars may have had an adverse impact on the securities markets of the countries concerned. In addition, the occurrence of new disturbances due to acts of war or terrorism or other political developments cannot be excluded. Nationalization, expropriation or confiscatory taxation, currency blockage, political changes, government regulation, political, regulatory or social instability or uncertainty or diplomatic developments, including the imposition of sanctions or other similar measures, could adversely affect the Fund’s investments.

 

The impairment or failure of one or more banks with whom the Fund transacts may inhibit the Fund’s ability to access depository accounts. In such cases, the Fund may be forced to delay or forgo investments, resulting in lower Fund performance. In the event of such a failure of a banking institution where the Fund holds depository accounts, access to such accounts could be restricted and U.S. Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) protection may not be available for balances in excess of amounts insured by the FDIC. In such instances, the Fund may not recover such excess, uninsured amounts.

 

Recently, the United States has enacted or proposed to enact significant new tariffs, and various federal agencies have been directed to further evaluate key aspects of U.S. trade policy, which could potentially lead to significant changes to current policies, treaties, and tariffs. There continues to exist significant uncertainty about the future relationship between the U.S. and other countries with respect to such trade policies, treaties and tariffs. These developments, or the perception that any of them could occur, may have a material adverse effect on global trade, in particular, trade between the impacted nations and the U.S.; global financial markets’ stability; and global economic conditions. These events could, in turn, adversely affect the Fund’s performance.

 

Additionally, climate change poses long-term threats to physical and biological systems. Potential hazards and risks related to climate change for a State or municipality include, among other things, wildfires, rising sea levels, more severe coastal flooding and erosion hazards, and more intense storms. Storms in recent years have demonstrated vulnerabilities in a State’s or municipality’s infrastructure to extreme weather events. Climate change risks, if they materialize, can adversely impact a State’s or municipality’s financial plan in current or future years. In addition, economists and others have expressed increasing concern about the potential effects of global climate change on property and security values. A rise in sea levels, an increase in powerful windstorms and/or a climate-driven increase in sea levels or flooding could cause coastal properties to lose value or become unmarketable altogether. Economists warn that, unlike previous declines in the real estate market, properties in affected coastal zones may not ever recover their value. Large wildfires driven by high winds and prolonged drought may devastate businesses and entire communities and may be very costly to any business found to be responsible for the fire. Regulatory changes and divestment movements tied to concerns about climate change could adversely affect the value of certain land and the viability of industries whose activities or products are seen as accelerating climate change.

 

These losses could adversely affect the bonds of municipalities that depend on tax or other revenues and tourist dollars generated by affected properties, and insurers of the property and/or of municipal securities. Since property and security values are driven largely by buyers’ perceptions, it is difficult to know the time period over which these market effects might unfold.

Platform Concentration Risk. The Fund may invest 25% or more of its Managed Assets in Alternative Credit originated from one or a limited number of platform(s). A concentration in select platforms may subject the Fund to increased dependency and risks associated with those platforms than it would otherwise be subject to if it were more broadly diversified across a greater number of platforms. The Fund’s concentration in certain platforms may expose it to increased risk of default and loss on the Alternative Credit in which it invests through such platforms if such platforms have, among other characteristics, lower borrower credit criteria or other minimum eligibility requirements, or have deficient procedures for conducting credit and interest rate analyses as part of their loan origination processes, relative to other platforms. In addition, the fewer platforms through which the Fund invests, the greater the risks associated with those platforms changing their arrangements will become.

Preferred Stock Risk. Preferred stock is subject to many of the risks associated with debt securities, including interest rate risk. In addition, preferred stocks may not pay dividends, an issuer may suspend payment of dividends on U.S. preferred stock at any time, and in certain situations an issuer may call or redeem its preferred stock or convert it to common stock. Declining common stock values may also cause the value of the Fund’s investments in preferred stock to decline.

Prepayment Risk. Borrowers may decide to prepay all or a portion of the remaining principal amount due under a borrower loan at any time without penalty (unless the underlying loan agreements provide for prepayment penalties as may be the case in certain non-consumer Alternative Credit). In the event of a prepayment of the entire remaining unpaid principal amount of a loan, the Fund will receive such prepayment amount, but further interest will not accrue on the loan after the principal has been paid in full. If the borrower prepays a portion of the remaining unpaid principal balance, interest will cease to accrue on such prepaid portion, and the Fund will not receive all of the interest payments that the Adviser may have originally expected to receive on the loan.

Private Investment Funds Risk. The Fund, as a direct and indirect holder of securities issued by private investment funds, will bear a pro rata share of the vehicles’ expenses, including management and performance fees. The performance fees charged by certain private investment funds may create an incentive for its manager to make investments that are riskier and/or more speculative than those it might have made in the absence of a performance fee. Furthermore, private investment funds are subject to specific risks, depending on the nature of the vehicle, and also may employ leverage such that their returns are more than one times that of their benchmark which could amplify losses suffered by the Fund when compared to unleveraged investments. Shareholders of the private investment fund are not entitled to the protections of the 1940 Act.

Real Estate Investment Risk. The Fund invests in Real Estate Companies, such as REITs, which expose investors to the risks of owning real estate directly, as well as to risks that relate specifically to the way in which Real Estate Companies are organized and operated. Real estate is highly sensitive to general and local economic conditions and developments and is characterized by intense competition and periodic overbuilding. Many Real Estate Companies, including REITs, utilize leverage (and some may be highly leveraged), which increases investment risk and the risk normally associated with debt financing, and could potentially increase the Fund’s losses. Rising interest rates could result in higher costs of capital for Real Estate Companies, which could negatively affect a Real Estate Company’s ability to meet its payment obligations or its financing activity and could decrease the market prices for REITs and for properties held by such REITs. In addition, to the extent a Real Estate Company has its own expenses, the Fund (and indirectly, its shareholders) will bear its proportionate share of such expenses. Real Estate Companies may be subject to concentration risk, interest rate risk, leverage risk, illiquidity risk and regulatory risks associated with applicable domestic and foreign laws.

Regulatory and Other Risks Associated with Platforms and Alternative Credit. The lending industry is highly regulated and the alternative lending-related securities in which the Fund invests are subject to extensive rules and regulations issued by governmental authorities in each of the jurisdictions in which the Fund invests. These authorities also may impose obligations and restrictions on the platforms’ activities or those of other entities involved in the alternative lending process.

 

The platforms through which alternative credit is originated are subject to various statutes, rules and regulations issued by federal, state, and local government authorities. Platforms are also subject to laws relating to electronic commerce and transfer of funds in conducting business electronically. A failure to comply with the applicable laws, rules and regulations may, among other things, subject the platform or its related entities to certain registration requirements with government authorities and result in the payment of any penalties and fines; result in the revocation of their licenses; cause the loan contracts originated by the platform to be voided or otherwise impair the enforcement of such loans; and subject them to potential civil and criminal liability, class action lawsuits and/or administrative or regulatory enforcement actions. Any of the foregoing could have a material adverse effect on a platform’s financial condition, results of operations or ability to perform its obligations with respect to its lending business or could otherwise result in modifications in the platform’s methods of doing business, which could impair the platform’s ability to originate or service alternative credit or collect on alternative credit.

 

The evolving nature of the platforms’ respective business models may complicate their ability to determine the applicability of, and to effect compliance with, such requirements. The regulatory environment applicable to platforms and their related entities may be subject to periodic changes. Any such changes could have an adverse effect on the platforms’ and related entities’ costs and ability to operate. The platforms could seek to pass through any increase in their costs to their borrowers or investors, such as the Fund, in the form of higher origination or servicing fees.

 

Increased reporting, registration, and compliance requirements may divert the attention of personnel and the management team of the Adviser, and may furthermore place the Fund at a competitive disadvantage to the extent that the Adviser or companies in which the Fund invests are required to disclose sensitive business information. The Fund will be required to bear the Fund’s expenses relating to compliance-related matters and regulatory filings, which are likely to be material, including on a cumulative basis over the life of the Fund.

Risk of Adverse Market and Economic Conditions. Alternative Credit default rates, and Alternative Credit generally, may be significantly affected by economic downturns or general economic conditions beyond the control of any borrowers. In particular, default rates on Alternative Credit may increase due to factors such as prevailing interest rates, the rate of unemployment, the level of consumer confidence, residential real estate values, the value of the U.S. dollar, energy prices, changes in consumer spending, the number of personal bankruptcies, disruptions in the credit markets and other factors. A significant downturn in the economy could cause default rates on Alternative Credit to increase. A substantial increase in default rates, whether due to market and economic conditions or otherwise, could adversely impact the viability of the overall alternative credit industry.

Risks of Concentration in the Financials Sector. A fund concentrated in a single industry or group of industries is likely to present more risks than a fund that is broadly diversified over several industries or groups of industries. Compared to the broad market, an individual sector may be more strongly affected by changes in the economic climate, broad market shifts, moves in a particular dominant stock or regulatory changes. Thus, the Fund’s concentration in securities of companies within industries in the financial sector may make it more susceptible to adverse economic or regulatory occurrences affecting this sector, such as changes in interest rates, loan concentration and competition.

Risk of Inadequate Guarantees and/or Collateral of Alternative Credit. To the extent that the obligations under an Alternative Credit investment are guaranteed by a third-party, there can be no assurance that the guarantor will perform its payment obligations should the underlying borrower to the loan default on its payments. Similarly, to the extent an Alternative Credit investment is secured, there can be no assurance as to the amount of any funds that may be realized from recovering and liquidating any collateral or the timing of such recovery and liquidation and hence there is no assurance that sufficient funds (or, possibly, any funds) will be available to offset any payment defaults that occur under the Alternative Credit investment. In addition, if it becomes necessary to recover and liquidate any collateral with respect to a secured Alternative Credit investment, it may be difficult to sell such collateral and there will likely be associated costs that would reduce the amount of funds otherwise available to offset the payments due under the loan. If a borrower of a secured Alternative Credit investment enters bankruptcy, an automatic stay of all proceedings against such borrower’s property will be granted. This stay will prevent any recovery and liquidation of the collateral securing such loan, unless relief from the stay can be obtained from the bankruptcy court. There is no guarantee that any such relief will be obtained. Significant legal fees and costs may be incurred in attempting to obtain relief from a bankruptcy stay from the bankruptcy court and, even if such relief is ultimately granted, it may take several months or more to obtain.

Risk of Regulation as an Investment Company or an Investment Adviser. If platforms or any related entities are required to register as investment companies under the 1940 Act or as investment advisers under the Advisers Act, their ability to conduct business may be materially adversely affected, which may result in such entities being unable to perform their obligations with respect to their Alternative Credit investments, including applicable indemnity, guaranty, repurchasing and servicing obligations, and any contracts entered into by a platform or related entity while in violation of the registration requirements may be voidable.

Risks Associated with Recent Events in the Alternative Credit Industry. The alternative credit industry is heavily dependent on investors for liquidity and at times during the recent past, there has been some decreasing interest from institutional investors in purchasing Alternative Credit (due both to yield and performance considerations as well as reactions to platform and industry events described below), causing some platforms to increase rates. In addition, there is concern that a weakening credit cycle could stress servicing of Alternative Credit and result in significant losses.

 

There has been increased regulatory scrutiny of the Alternative Credit industry, including in white papers issued by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the OCC and in state investigations into Alternative Credit platforms. In addition, an increasing number of lawsuits have been filed in various states alleging that Alternative Credit platforms are the true lenders and not the funding banks. It is possible that litigation or regulatory actions may challenge funding banks’ status as a loan’s true lender, and if successful, platform operators or loan purchasers may become subject to state licensing and other consumer protection laws and requirements. If the platform operators or subsequent assignees of the loans were found to be the true lender of the loans, the loans could be void or voidable or subject to rescission or reduction of principal or interest paid or to be paid in whole or in part or subject to damages or penalties.

Servicer Risk. The Fund expects that all of its direct and indirect investments in loans originated by alternative credit platforms will be serviced by a platform or a third-party servicer. However, the Fund’s investments could be adversely impacted if a platform that services the Fund’s investments becomes unable or unwilling to fulfill its obligations to do so. In the event that the servicer is unable to service the loans, there can be no guarantee that a backup servicer will be able to assume responsibility for servicing the loans in a timely or cost-effective manner; any resulting disruption or delay could jeopardize payments due to the Fund in respect of its investments or increase the costs associated with the Fund’s investments. If the servicer becomes subject to a bankruptcy or similar proceeding, there is some risk that the Fund’s investments could be re-characterized as secured loans from the Fund to the platform, which could result in uncertainty, costs and delays from having the Fund’s investment deemed part of the bankruptcy estate of the platform, rather than an asset owned outright by the Fund. To the extent the servicer becomes subject to a bankruptcy or similar proceeding, there is a risk that substantial losses will be incurred by the Fund.

Small and Mid-Capitalization Investing Risk. The Fund may gain exposure to the securities of small capitalization companies, mid-capitalization companies and recently organized companies. For example, the Fund may invest in securities of alternative credit platforms or may gain exposure to other small capitalization, mid-capitalization and recently organized companies through investments in the borrowings of such companies facilitated through an alternative credit platform.

 

Historically, such investments, and particularly investments in smaller capitalization companies, have been more volatile in price than those of larger capitalized, more established companies.

SME Loans Risk. The businesses of SME loan borrowers may not have steady earnings growth, may be operated by less experienced individuals, may have limited resources and may be more vulnerable to adverse general market or economic developments, among other concerns, which may adversely affect the ability of such borrowers to make principal and interest payments on the SME loans. Certain SMEs may be unable to effectively access public equity or debt markets. The average interest rate charged to, or required of, such obligors generally is higher than that charged by commercial banks and other institutions providing traditional sources of credit or that set by the debt market. These traditional sources of credit typically impose more stringent credit requirements than the loans provided by certain platforms through which the Fund may make its investments.

Specialty Finance and Other Financial Companies Risk. The profitability of specialty finance and other financial companies is largely dependent upon the availability and cost of capital funds, and may fluctuate significantly in response to changes in interest rates, as well as changes in general economic conditions. Any impediments to a specialty finance or other financial company’s access to capital markets, such as those caused by general economic conditions or a negative perception in the capital markets of the company’s financial condition or prospects, could adversely affect such company’s business. From time to time, severe competition may also affect the profitability of specialty finance and other financial companies.

 

Specialty finance and other financial companies are subject to rapid business changes, significant competition, value fluctuations due to the concentration of loans in particular industries significantly affected by economic conditions (such as real estate or energy) and volatile performance based upon the availability and cost of capital and prevailing interest rates. In addition, credit and other losses resulting from the financial difficulties of borrowers or other third parties potentially may have an adverse effect on companies in these industries. Credit losses or mergers, acquisitions, or bankruptcies of financial firms could make it difficult for specialty finance and other financial companies to obtain financing on favorable terms or at all, which would seriously affect the profitability of such firms. Furthermore, accounting rule changes, including with respect to the standards regarding the valuation of assets, consolidation in the financial industry and additional volatility in the stock market have the potential to significantly impact specialty finance companies as well.

 

Specialty finance and other financial companies in general are subject to extensive governmental regulation, which may change frequently. Regulatory changes could cause business disruptions or result in significant loss of revenue to companies in which the Fund invests, and there can be no assurance as to the actual impact that these laws and their regulations will have on the financial markets and the Fund’s investments in specialty finance and other financial companies. Specialty finance and other financial companies in a given country may be subject to greater governmental regulation than many other industries, and changes in governmental policies and the need for regulatory approval may have a material effect on the services offered by companies in the financial services industry. Governmental regulation may limit both the financial commitments banks can make, including the amounts and types of loans, and the interest rates and fees they can charge. In addition, governmental regulation in certain foreign countries may impose interest rate controls, credit controls and price controls.

 

Under current regulations of the SEC, the Fund may not invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any company that derives more than 15% of its gross revenues from securities brokerage, underwriting or investment management activities. In addition, the Fund may not acquire more than 5% of the outstanding equity securities, or more than 10% of the outstanding principal amount of debt securities, of any such company. This may limit the Fund’s ability to invest in certain specialty finance and other financial companies.

 

Banks may invest and operate in an especially highly regulated environment and are subject to extensive supervision by numerous federal and state regulatory agencies including, but not limited to, the Federal Reserve Board, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation and state banking authorities. Changes in regulations and governmental policies and accounting principles could adversely affect the business and operations of banks in which the Fund invests.

 

Savings institutions frequently have a large proportion of their assets in the form of loans and securities secured by residential real estate. As a result, the financial condition and results of operations of such savings institutions would likely be affected by the conditions in the residential real estate markets in the areas in which these savings institutions do business.

 

Leasing companies can be negatively impacted by changes in tax laws which affect the types of transactions in which such companies engage.

 

The performance of the Fund’s investments in insurance companies will be subject to risk from several additional factors. The earnings of insurance companies will be affected by, in addition to general economic conditions, pricing (including severe pricing competition from time to time), claims activity and marketing competition. Insurance companies are subject to extensive governmental regulation, including the imposition of maximum rate levels, which may not be adequate for some lines of business. Proposed or potential anti-trust or tax law changes also may affect adversely insurance companies’ policy sales, tax obligations and profitability.

 

SPAC Risks. SPACs are collective investment structures that pool funds in order to seek potential acquisition opportunities. Unless and until an acquisition is completed, a SPAC generally invests its assets (less an amount to cover expenses) in U.S. government securities, money market fund securities and cash. SPACs and similar entities may be blank check companies with no operating history or ongoing business other than to seek a potential acquisition. Accordingly, the value of their securities is particularly dependent on the ability of the entity’s management to identify and complete a profitable acquisition. Certain SPACs may seek acquisitions only in limited industries or regions, which may increase the volatility of their prices. If an acquisition that meets the requirements for the SPAC are not completed within a predetermined period of time, the invested funds are returned to the entity’s shareholders. Investments in SPACs may be illiquid and/or be subject to restrictions on resale. To the extent the SPAC is invested in cash or similar securities, this may impact a Fund’s ability to meet its investment objective.

 

The officers and directors of a SPAC may operate multiple SPACs and could have conflicts of interest in determining to which SPAC a particular business opportunity should be presented. In such circumstances, there can be no assurance that a given business opportunity would be presented to the SPAC in which the Fund holds an investment.

Student Loans Risk. In general, the repayment ability of borrowers of student loans, as well as the rate of prepayments on student loans, may be influenced by a variety of economic, social, competitive and other factors, including changes in interest rates, the availability of alternative financings, regulatory changes affecting the student loan market and the general economy. For instance, certain student loans may be made to individuals who generally have higher debt burdens than other individual borrowers (such as students of post-secondary programs). The effect of the foregoing factors is impossible to predict.

Valuation Risk. Many of the Fund’s investments may be difficult to value. Where market quotations are not readily available or deemed unreliable, the Fund will value such investments in accordance with fair value procedures adopted by the Board of Directors. Valuation of illiquid investments may require more research than for more liquid investments. In addition, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation in such cases than for investments with a more active secondary market because there is less reliable objective data available. An instrument that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures. Prices obtained by the Fund upon the sale of such investments may not equal the value at which the Fund carried the investment on its books, which would adversely affect the NAV of the Fund.

Tax Risk. The treatment of Alternative Credit and other Alternative Credit Instruments for tax purposes is uncertain. In addition, changes in tax laws or regulations, or interpretations thereof, in the future could adversely affect the Fund, including its ability to qualify as a regulated investment company, or the participants in the alternative credit industry. Investors should consult their tax advisors as to the potential tax treatment of Shareholders.

 

The Fund intends to elect to be treated as a regulated investment company for federal income tax purposes. In order to qualify for such treatment, the Fund will need to meet certain organization, income, diversification and distribution tests. The Fund has adopted policies and guidelines that are designed to enable the Fund to meet these tests, which will be tested for compliance on a regular basis for the purposes of being treated as a regulated investment company for federal income tax purposes. However, some issues related to qualification as a regulated investment company are open to interpretation. For example, the Fund intends to primarily invest in whole loans originated by alternative credit platforms. The Fund has taken the position that the issuer of such loans will be the identified borrowers in the loan documentation. The IRS, however, could disagree and successfully assert that the alternative credit platforms should be viewed as the issuer of the loans. If the IRS prevailed, the Fund would need to determine whether treating the alternative credit platforms as the issuer would cause the Fund to fail the regulated investment company diversification tests. If, for any taxable year, the Fund did not qualify as a regulated investment company for U.S. federal income tax purposes, it would be treated as a U.S. corporation subject to U.S. federal income tax at the Fund level, and possibly state and local income tax, and distributions to shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income.

Anti-Takeover Provisions. Maryland law and the Fund’s Charter and Bylaws include provisions that could limit the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to convert the Fund to open-end status, including the adoption of a staggered Board of Directors and the supermajority voting requirements. These provisions could deprive the shareholders of opportunities to sell their Common Shares at a premium over the then current market price of the Common Shares or at NAV.

Artificial Intelligence. Advancements in technology may also adversely impact markets and the overall performance of the Fund. For instance, the economy may be significantly impacted by the advanced development and increased regulation of artificial intelligence. As the use of technology grows, liquidity and market movements may be affected. As artificial intelligence is used more widely, the profitability and growth of Fund holdings may be impacted, which could significantly impact the overall performance of the Fund. This risk has been added since the prior disclosure date.

Controlling Shareholder Risk. The Shares may be held by a Shareholder, such as a RiverNorth Fund, or a group of Shareholders that may own a significant percentage of the Fund for an indefinite period of time. As long as a RiverNorth Fund holds a substantial amount of the Fund’s Shares, it may be able to exercise a controlling influence in matters submitted to a vote of Shareholders. The ability to exercise a controlling influence over the Fund may result in conflicts of interest because, among other things, the Adviser is the investment adviser of the Fund and each of the RiverNorth Funds.

Cybersecurity Risk. A cybersecurity breach may disrupt the business operations of the Fund or its service providers. Cybersecurity breaches can result from both intentional and unintentional events, and a breach may allow an unauthorized party to gain access to Fund assets, customer data, or proprietary information, or cause the Fund and/or its service providers to suffer data corruption or lose operational functionality. Such events could result in regulatory penalties, reputational damage, additional compliance costs, and/or financial loss to the Fund.

Distribution Policy Risks. The Fund currently intends to make distributions to common shareholders on a monthly basis in an amount equal to 10% annually of the Fund’s NAV per Common Share. These fixed distributions are not related to the amount of the Fund’s net investment income or net realized capital gains. If, for any monthly distribution, net investment income and net realized capital gains were less than the amount of the distribution, the difference would be distributed from the Fund’s assets. The Fund’s distribution rate is not a prediction of what the Fund’s actual total returns will be over any specific future period.

 

A portion or all of any distribution of the Fund may consist of a return of capital. A return of capital represents the return of a shareholder’s original investment in the Common Shares and should not be confused with a dividend from profits and earnings. Such distributions are generally not treated as taxable income for the investor. Instead, shareholders will experience a reduction in the basis of their Common Shares, which may increase the taxable capital gain, or reduce capital loss, realized upon the sale of such Common Shares. Upon a sale of their Common Shares, shareholders generally will recognize capital gain or loss measured by the difference between the sale proceeds received by the shareholder and the shareholder’s federal income tax basis in the Common Shares sold, as adjusted to reflect return of capital. It is possible that a return of capital could cause a shareholder to pay a tax on capital gains with respect to Common Shares that are sold for an amount less than the price originally paid for them. Shareholders are advised to consult with their own tax advisers with respect to the tax consequences of their investment in the Fund. The Fund’s distribution policy may result in the Fund making a significant distribution in December of each year in order to maintain the Fund’s status as a regulated investment company. Depending upon the income of the Fund, such a year-end distribution may be taxed as ordinary income to investors.

Inflation/Deflation Risk. Inflation risk is the risk that the value of assets or income from investments will be worth less in the future as inflation decreases the value of money. As inflation increases, the real value of Shares and distributions can decline. Deflation risk is the risk that prices throughout the economy decline over time - the opposite of inflation. Deflation may have an adverse effect on the creditworthiness of issuers and may make issuer defaults more likely, which may result in a decline in the value of the Fund’s portfolio.

Leverage Risks. Leverage is a speculative technique that exposes the Fund to greater risk and increased costs than if it were not implemented. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage. As a result, leverage may cause greater changes in the Fund’s NAV. The leverage costs may be greater than the Fund’s return on the underlying investments made from the proceeds of leverage. The Fund’s leveraging strategy may not be successful.

Liquidity Risks. Although the Shares are listed on the NYSE, there might be no or limited trading volume in the Fund’s Shares. Moreover, there can be no assurance that the Fund will continue to meet the listing eligibility requirements of a national securities exchange. Accordingly, investors may be unable to sell all or part of their Shares in a particular timeframe. Shares in the Fund are therefore suitable only for investors that can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of Shares and should be viewed as a long-term investment. In addition, although the Fund conducts quarterly repurchase offers of its Shares, there is no guarantee that all tendered Shares will be accepted for repurchase or that Shareholders will be able to sell all of the Shares they desire in a quarterly repurchase offer. In certain instances, repurchase offers may be suspended or postponed.

 

Unlike open-end funds (commonly known as mutual funds) which generally permit redemptions on a daily basis, Shares will not be redeemable at an investor’s option (other than pursuant to the Fund’s repurchase policy, as defined below). The NAV of the Shares may be volatile. As the Shares are not traded, investors may not be able to dispose of their investment in the Fund no matter how poorly the Fund performs. The Fund is designed for long-term investors and not as a trading vehicle. Moreover, the Shares will not be eligible for “short sale” transactions or other directional hedging products.

Management Risk and Reliance on Key Personnel. The Adviser will apply investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there can be no guarantee that these will produce the desired results. The Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of an alternative credit platform or individual security in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect. In addition, the implementation of the Fund’s investment strategies depends upon the continued contributions of certain key employees of the Adviser, some of whom have unique talents and experience and would be difficult to replace. The loss or interruption of the services of a key member of the portfolio management teams could have a negative impact on the Fund during the transitional period that would be required for a successor to assume the responsibilities of the position.

Potential Conflicts of Interest. The Adviser manages and/or advises other investment funds or accounts with the same or similar investment objectives and strategies as the Fund, and as a result, may face conflicts of interest regarding the implementation of the Fund’s strategy and allocation between funds and accounts. This may limit the Fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity or affect the market price of the investment. The Adviser may also have incentives to favor one account over another due to different fees paid to such accounts. While the Adviser has adopted policies and procedures that address these potential conflicts of interest, there is no guarantee that the policies will be successful in mitigating the conflicts of interest that arise. In addition, the Fund’s use of leverage will increase the amount of fees paid to the Adviser, creating a financial incentive for the Adviser to leverage the Fund.

 

Regulation as Lender Risk. The loan industry is highly regulated and loans made through lending platforms are subject to extensive and complex rules and regulations issued by various federal, state and local government authorities. One or more regulatory authorities may assert that the Fund, when acting as a lender under the platforms, is required to comply with certain laws or regulations which govern the consumer or commercial (as applicable) loan industry. If the Fund were required to comply with additional laws or regulations, it would likely result in increased costs for the Fund and may have an adverse effect on its results or operations or its ability to invest in Alternative Credit and certain Alternative Credit Instruments.

 

Repurchase Policy Risks. Repurchases of Shares will reduce the amount of outstanding Shares and, thus, the Fund’s net assets. To the extent that additional Shares are not sold, a reduction in the Fund’s net assets may increase the Fund’s expense ratio (subject to the Adviser’s reimbursement of expenses) and limit the investment opportunities of the Fund.

 

If a repurchase offer is oversubscribed by Shareholders, the Fund will repurchase only a pro rata portion of the Shares tendered by each Shareholder. In addition, because of the potential for such proration, Shareholders may tender more Shares than they may wish to have repurchased in order to ensure the repurchase of a specific number of their Shares, increasing the likelihood that other Shareholders may be unable to liquidate all or a given percentage of their investment in the Fund. To the extent Shareholders have the ability to sell their Shares to the Fund pursuant to a repurchase offer, the price at which a Shareholder may sell Shares, which will be the NAV per Share most recently determined as of the last day of the offer, may be lower than the price that such Shareholder paid for its Shares.

 

The Fund may find it necessary to hold a portion of its net assets in cash or other liquid assets, sell a portion of its portfolio investments or borrow money in order to finance any repurchases of its Shares. The Fund may accumulate cash by holding back (i.e., not reinvesting or distributing to Shareholders) payments received in connection with the Fund’s investments, which could potentially limit the ability of the Fund to generate income. The Fund also may be required to sell its more liquid, higher quality portfolio investments to purchase Shares that are tendered, which may increase risks for remaining Shareholders and increase Fund expenses. Although most, if not all, of the Fund’s investments are expected to be illiquid and the secondary market for such investments is likely to be limited, the Fund believes it would be able to find willing purchasers of its investments if such sales were ever necessary to supplement such cash generated by payments received in connection with the Fund’s investments. However, the Fund may be required to sell such investments during times and at prices when it otherwise would not, which may cause the Fund to lose money. The Fund may also borrow money in order to meet its repurchase obligations. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to obtain financing for its repurchase offers. If the Fund borrows to finance repurchases, interest on any such borrowings will negatively affect Shareholders who do not tender their Shares in a repurchase offer by increasing the Fund’s expenses (subject to the Adviser’s reimbursement of expenses) and reducing any net investment income. The purchase of Shares by the Fund in a repurchase offer may limit the Fund’s ability to participate in new investment opportunities.

 

In the event a Shareholder chooses to participate in a repurchase offer, the Shareholder will be required to provide the Fund with notice of intent to participate prior to knowing what the repurchase price will be on the repurchase date. Although the Shareholder may have the ability to withdraw a repurchase request prior to the repurchase date, to the extent the Shareholder seeks to sell Shares to the Fund as part of a repurchase offer, the Shareholder will be required to do so without knowledge of what the repurchase price of the Shares will be on the repurchase date. It is possible that general economic and market conditions could cause a decline in the NAV per Share prior to the repurchase date.

Risks Associated with Additional Offerings. There are risks associated with offerings of additional common or preferred shares of the Fund. The voting power of current shareholders will be diluted to the extent that current shareholders do not purchase shares in any future offerings of shares or do not purchase sufficient shares to maintain their percentage interest. In addition, the sale of shares in an offering may have an adverse effect on prices in the secondary market for the Fund’s shares by increasing the number of shares available, which may put downward pressure on the market price of the Fund’s Shares. These sales also might make it more difficult for the Fund to sell additional equity securities in the future at a time and price the Fund deems appropriate.

 

In the event any series of fixed rate preferred shares are issued and such shares are intended to be listed on an exchange, prior application will have been made to list such shares. During an initial period, which is not expected to exceed 30 days after the date of its initial issuance, such shares may not be listed on any securities exchange. During such period, the underwriters may make a market in such shares, although they will have no obligation to do so. Consequently, an investment in such shares may be illiquid during such period. Fixed rate preferred shares may trade at a premium to or discount from liquidation value.

 

There are risks associated with an offering of Rights (in addition to the risks discussed herein related to the offering of shares and preferred shares). Shareholders who do not exercise their rights may, at the completion of such an offering, own a smaller proportional interest in the Fund than if they exercised their rights. As a result of such an offering, a shareholder may experience dilution in NAV per share if the subscription price per share is below the NAV per share on the expiration date. In addition to the economic dilution described above, if a shareholder does not exercise all of their Rights, the shareholder will incur voting dilution as a result of the Rights offering. This voting dilution will occur because the shareholder will own a smaller proportionate interest in the Fund after the rights offering than prior to the Rights offering.

 

There is a risk that changes in market conditions may result in the underlying common shares or preferred shares purchasable upon exercise of Rights being less attractive to investors at the conclusion of the subscription period. This may reduce or eliminate the value of the Rights. If investors exercise only a portion of the rights, the number of shares issued may be reduced, and the shares may trade at less favorable prices than larger offerings for similar securities. Rights issued by the Fund may be transferable or non-transferable rights.

Secondary Market for the Common Shares. The issuance of shares of the Fund through the Fund’s dividend reinvestment plan (“Plan”) may have an adverse effect on the secondary market for the Fund’s shares. The increase in the number of outstanding shares resulting from the issuances pursuant to the Plan and the discount to the market price at which such shares may be issued, may put downward pressure on the market price for the shares. When the shares are trading at a premium, the Fund may also issue shares that may be sold through private transactions effected on the NYSE or through broker-dealers. The increase in the number of outstanding shares resulting from these offerings may put downward pressure on the market price for such shares.

Stockholder Activism

 

The Fund may in the future become the target of stockholder activism. Stockholder activism could result in substantial costs and divert management’s and the Board’s attention and resources from its business, and the Fund may incur substantial costs defending against such activism if management and the Board determine that the activist’s demands are not in the best interests of the Fund. Also, the Fund may be required to incur significant legal and other expenses related to any activist stockholder matters. Further, the Fund’s stock price could be subject to significant fluctuation or otherwise be adversely affected by the events, risks and uncertainties of any stockholder activism. This risk has been added since the prior disclosure date.

Equity Securities Risks. Equity securities are subject to general movements in the stock market, and a significant drop in the stock market may depress the price of securities to which the Fund may have exposure. Equity securities typically have greater price volatility than fixed-income securities. The market price of equity securities owned by the Fund may go down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Equity securities may decline in value due to factors affecting equity securities markets generally, particular industries represented by those markets, or factors directly related to a specific company, such as decisions made by its management.

Exchange-Traded Note Risks. The Fund may invest in ETNs, which are notes representing unsecured debt of the issuer. ETNs are typically linked to the performance of an index plus a specified rate of interest that could be earned on cash collateral. The value of an ETN may be influenced by time to maturity, level of supply and demand for the ETN, volatility and lack of liquidity in underlying markets, changes in the applicable interest rates, changes in the issuer’s credit rating and economic, legal, political or geographic events that affect the referenced index. ETNs typically mature 30 years from the date of issue. There may be restrictions on the Fund’s right to liquidate its investment in an ETN prior to maturity (for example, the Fund may only be able to offer its ETN for repurchase by the issuer on a weekly basis), and there may be limited availability of a secondary market.

Investment Company Risks. The Fund will incur higher and additional expenses when it invests in other investment companies such as ETFs. There is also the risk that the Fund may suffer losses due to the investment practices or operations of such other investment companies. To the extent that the Fund invests in one or more investment companies that concentrate in a particular industry, the Fund would be vulnerable to factors affecting that industry and the performance of such investment companies, and that of the Fund, may be more volatile than investment companies that do not concentrate in a particular industry. The investment companies in which the Fund invests are not subject to the Fund’s investment policies and restrictions.

 

The ETFs (and other index funds) in which the Fund may invest may not be able to replicate exactly the performance of the indices they track due to transactions costs and other expenses of the ETFs. ETFs may not be able to match or outperform their benchmarks. The Fund may be restricted by provisions of the 1940 Act that generally limit the amount the Fund and its affiliates can invest in any one investment company to 3% of such company’s outstanding voting stock. However, pursuant to exemptive orders issued by the SEC to various ETF fund sponsors, the Fund is permitted to invest in certain ETFs in excess of the limits set forth in the 1940 Act subject to the terms and conditions set forth in such exemptive orders.