UC Investing Exposed as the Former Lilium—Billion‑Dollar Ponzi Scheme Unveiled

Recently, InvestingExposedastheFormerLiliumBillion‑Foreign exchange platform with the lowest deposit a new financial scheme has been growing rapidly under the guise of "financial technology" and "forex hosting." It is attracting investors in locations like Shaoxing and Chongqing. Exposures from users indicate that a company named UC Investing is the successor of Lilium Forex. Today, we'll thoroughly analyze UC Investing to see how they package themselves as a compliant platform to attract numerous investors.

What is UC Investing?

UC Investing (full name: UNITY CENTRE INVESTING PTY LTD) claims to be a "global financial technology company" established in 2024, with its headquarters purportedly located in New Jersey, USA. However, we couldn't find any registration details for UC Investing with the New Jersey Department of Revenue. While UC Investing claims to specialize in forex trading and wealth management, these are merely façades.

Queries from whois and Semrush indicate that UC Investing's website was recently registered, and its traffic is extremely low.

So, how do they manage to gather such a large group of people to engage in this financial scheme?

UC Investing's Website and Social Media: Who are they really serving?

Website Issues

UC's website and social media platforms seem peculiar to TraderKnows. A search on Google for UC Investing took quite a while before we finally found their official site on the second page.

Moreover, the website appears to be poorly made, a single-page site mostly introducing UC's projects with no substantial information. The images seem AI-generated, making the site look more like a display rather than something that convinces users to invest. A site aiming to promote forex hosting should include how they make profits, the team's strength, methods for deposits and withdrawals, account registration, etc. Based on browsing this site alone, I doubt anyone would be convinced to invest.

From the above evidence, it's clear that UC doesn't gather funds through their website operations.

Social Media

UC Investing's social media is peculiar too. Despite having a couple of thousand followers, each Instagram post gets exactly around 100 likes, while their Twitter receives no engagement at all. They release invitation tweets for joining some community without mentioning the platform or providing a link, making it unclear for users how to join.

All these situations lead TraderKnows to believe that UC's operations and publicity overseas are merely for show, with their true target being investors within China. UC Investing likely builds their pyramid scheme offline through individual investors encouraging friends, creating agent groups in WeChat, and eventually forming this financial scheme.

Unachievable Returns Only in Dreams

UC Investing claims a monthly return rate of 10%-30%. Let's annualize this return.

• 10% Monthly Return ➜ Annualized=(1+0.10)^12‑1≈214%

• 30% Monthly Return ➜ Annualized=(1+0.30)^12‑1≈2229%

Now you can see, with UC Investing, your money will at least double in a year! At most, it could multiply by 22 times!

Imagine Warren Buffett, now 94 years old, encountered UC Investing at age 20, telling their CEO, "I'll take the minimum 10% monthly return and try $1000," then forgot about it.

How much would be in his account today?

The answer is $5.7 x 10³⁹, while the entire Earth's GDP is only $1 x 10¹⁴. The wealth could break through the cosmic limits; any market would collapse with even one-thousandth of that amount invested. Buffett would question his entire 74-year endeavor, as it's nowhere near UC Investing's achievements. They deserve to be called the true investment gods of the universe!

Does UC Investing have any regulation?

In conclusion, it is not regulated. If strict regulation and fund protection were in place, running away would drain them financially. Let's analyze the fake regulatory facade UC Investing has built.

ASIC License

Anyone familiar with regulation or even those who rarely trade forex might know the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) because it is widely recognized for its credibility and regulation strength. However, UC Investing doesn't hold an ASIC primary license.

They have an AR license. What is an AR license? Simply put, it's a license issued by a company that holds an ASIC primary license.

In recent years, there's been a trend of companies with ASIC primary licenses privately selling AR licenses. UC Investing likely sought an AR license because they couldn't qualify for a primary license, yet wanted to leverage mainstream regulatory packaging for themselves. No wonder UC Investing boasts about their ASIC regulation without mentioning their AR license status.

Does an AR license involve regulation? TraderKnows can clearly tell you it does not. AR licenses are not directly regulated by ASIC; the main regulatory responsibility falls on the license holder that provides the AR license. This indirect regulation through a likely purchased license does not ensure fund safety or corporate compliance.

References:

ASIC’s AFS Licensee Crackdown: Lessons Learned from Lanterne and RI Advice

Who We Regulate

MSB License

UC Investing claims to be applying for MSB and NFA licenses. We'll discuss the NFA later. Many companies with insufficient credentials opt for the MSB license for regulatory claims, but it does not equate to regulation. Let's use an example to explain MSB licensing.

Above is an MSB-regulated broker’s license. We can clearly see the outlined MSB Activities: check cashing, foreign exchange, postal money order issuance and sales, traveler's check issuance and sales, money transmission, prepaid access sales.

Some might think forex trading is clearly allowed. Why say there's no regulation?

Notice the licensed operational regions listed: various U.S. states, as well as territories like American Samoa, Guam, and the Northern Mariana Islands. Yet, there's no mention of areas outside the U.S.

UC Investing's website and social media clearly don't target English-speaking regions. They are heavily promoted in China. Therefore, even if UC Investing obtained an MSB license, their operations remain unregulated.

UC Investing's alleged predecessor is LILIUM Forex

During conversations, users mentioned UC Investing’s predecessor as the formerly infamous Lilium Forex. Although TraderKnows found no direct evidence of UC Investing being Lilium Forex, the scam mode and promotional style of Lilium Forex seem quite similar to that of UC Investing today.

Similar Fake Regulation

Similar to UC Investing's AR license, LILIUM Forex once tricked investors with an FCA license. They registered as a Payment Services Directive (PSD) company. Who ever heard of a payment service provider conducting forex, especially in this manner?

They also claimed NFA regulation. Globally, fewer than ten entities under NFA regulation are like GAIN Capital and Oanda, massive brokers. LILIUM Forex couldn't, and didn't, achieve NFA regulation beyond possibly registering as a business.

Similar Operation Model

These two companies showcase an extremely similar operational model with marketing processes, including profit sharing, management/team profits, and commission rebates. How similar are they? One image clearly depicts it.

Figure 1 is UC Investing, and Figures 2 and 3 are LILIUM Forex - almost indistinguishable.

LILIUM Forex’s Conclusion: A Classic End to Pyramid Schemes

This highly evident pyramid scheme pattern is not the first TraderKnows has revealed. Typically, it ends with nonwithdrawable funds before fleeing. According to online victims, on July 18, 2022, LILIUM Forex's system wiped all data. A day before, a classic announcement claimed CEO investigations or company issues (a typical pyramid scheme trope) with Thompson taking over (possibly same as UC now). Without user consent, investors' money was forcibly converted into near-worthless digital equity.

After the notification, on July 18, LILIUM held a meeting, claiming to reactivate accounts, a deposit of 500 USD (approximately 3,500 RMB) was necessary for mortgage lending. Meaning, to recover your money, pay an additional 500 USD! A clear last-minute cash grab, exploiting any remaining funds. LILIUM Forex's website (lilium-markets.com) has since closed. This pyramid scheme drama concluded unfinished.

UC Investing's Team: Investment Experts? Just Actors!

Let’s turn back to UC Investing, similar to the previous LILIUM Forex, featuring a team solely composed of foreigners. Leading the pack is Shawn Thompson, claiming 20 years of international financial experience and past executive roles at JP Morgan and Goldman Sachs. Despite his allegedly stellar profile, there is no trace of him on Google, nor on LinkedIn, contradicting UC Investing’s claims. UC’s CFO Lucas Lehman is similarly absent online.

The most obvious sign is in the promotional videos, where no one looks into the camera but rather at a fixed spot, seemingly reading scripts.

Looking at LILIUM Forex's previous actions, it's evident that the foreign team only exists on camera. Investors never face these people directly. Such a setup benefits by leveraging the foreign "management" appearance to craft an international company, lowering investor caution and suggesting corporate strength. It also replaces the real pyramid team behind the scenes, aiding in identity concealment and making it easier to flee and reassemble unchanged for the next scheme.

UC Investing's Partners: Real or Fake?

In several of UC’s press releases, there are mentions of two companies engaged in "cooperation" with UC Investing, even with signing ceremony photos. These "partner companies" are EVERMORE GROUP and SOLOMON PARTNERS. Are these companies truly involved in UC's projects, or is this another "Oscar-worthy" performance by UC’s acting team?

EVERMORE GROUP: An Essentially Defunct Company

Searching for EVERMORE GROUP on Google yielded little, as the results mainly pertain to an energy company also named EVERMORE GROUP, involved in energy asset development and management. For example, this company develops power station projects. It is unlikely they would invest in UC or establish a partnership.

UC Investing's website shows a partner named EVERMORE GLOBAL ADVISORS, possibly the EVERMORE GROUP mentioned in their press releases.

Upon further Google searches, this company has been marked as temporarily closed. Its website (evermoreglobal.com) is also shut down, although Bloomberg and similar sites still have some corporate data on EVERMORE GLOBAL ADVISORS.

How could such a temporarily closed company cooperate with UC?

SOLOMON PARTNERS: A Well-Known Investment Bank, But Not an Investor

Another UC-listed partner, SOLOMON PARTNERS, does indeed exist. However, next time prior to fabricating a partner, do some background research, please. SOLOMON PARTNERS is a prominent investment bank, having become a subsidiary of National Bank Financial (NBF) in Canada since 2016.

While both an investment company and an investment bank deal in investments, their functions and placements are vastly different. Investment banks mainly provide financial advisory services like financing and IPOs, whereas investment companies directly invest through company or client funds.

Thus, SOLOMON PARTNERS, as an investment bank, would not invest money into UC Investing. So, UC should at least select a legitimate investment company for their façade cooperation press releases.

Offline Gatherings: Essential for Pyramid Schemes

Recently, UC Investing's team initiated projects called camps in places like Shaoxing and Chongqing, under the guise of training camps. However, these are offline gatherings aiming to better extract investors' money. Offline gatherings easily stir up the atmosphere and brainwash attendees with rhetoric. In such an active group environment, naive investors can be easily swayed, especially with urgency appeals like "deposit today and get an immediate return of XX%," making people feel like they're missing out if they don't invest immediately.

UC even devised a university training camp program, reportedly planned to last until 2026, concluding with a launch event on a US exchange. This program fosters scarcity and an "exclusive circle feeling," making ordinary investors keen to become IBs. It's UC's tactic for identifying promising targets.

Best Financial Tech Broker: Is This Award Truly Prestigious?

UC Investing showcased an award won at a financial expo in Hong Kong: Best Financial Tech Broker. However, these awards carry no substance, categorizing them as: no user participation, no voting process, and no authoritative backing. Previous OAM articles already noted these awards as pay-to-win endeavors.

So, when platforms cloak themselves with awards to appear legitimate, be cautious. Having awards does not mean the platform is compliant or can ensure safety for investor funds.

Conclusion

Facing the mirage of deceit created by UC Investing, investors must be vigilant. Such high returns coupled with generic operational tactics are sure signs of a financial scheme.

This scheme is just beginning. If you’re considering investing in UC Investing, it’s crucial to walk away immediately. Don’t be deceived by persuasive rhetoric or friends encouraging your investment.

The market carries risks, and investment should be cautious. This article does not constitute personal investment advice and has not taken into account individual users' specific investment goals, financial situations, or needs. Users should consider whether any opinions, viewpoints, or conclusions in this article are suitable for their particular circumstances. Investing based on this is at one's own responsibility.