Registration Rights Agreement

REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT


THIS REGISTRATION RIGHTS AGREEMENT, dated as of August 8th , 2000 between Seacrown Limited ("Purchaser"), and A.B. Watley Group Inc. (the "Company").


WHEREAS, simultaneously with the execution and delivery of this Agreement, pursuant to a Common Stock Purchase Agreement dated the date hereof (the "Purchase Agreement") the Purchaser has committed to purchase up to $48,000,000 of the Company's Common Stock (terms not defined herein shall have the meanings ascribed to them in the Purchase Agreement) and Warrants; and


WHEREAS, the Company desires to grant to the Purchaser the registration rights set forth herein with respect to the Shares and the Shares issuable upon exercise of the Warrants from time to time (the "Warrant Shares") (collectively, the "Securities").


NOW, THEREFORE, the parties hereto mutually agree as follows:


Section 1. Registrable Securities. As used herein the term "Registrable Security" means the Securities until (i) all Securities have been disposed of pursuant to the Registration Statement, (ii) all Securities have been sold under circumstances under which all of the applicable conditions of Rule 144 (or any similar provision then in force) under the Securities Act ("Rule 144") are met, (iii) all Securities have been otherwise transferred to persons who may trade such Securities without restriction under the Securities Act, and the Company has delivered a new certificate or other evidence of ownership for such Securities not bearing a restrictive legend or (iv) such time as, in the opinion of counsel to the Company, all Securities may be sold without any time, volume or manner limitations pursuant to Rule 144(k) (or any similar provision then in effect) under the Securities Act. The term "Registrable Securities" means any and/or all of the securities falling within the foregoing definition of a "Registrable Security." In the event of any merger, reorganization, consolidation, recapitalization or other change in corporate structure affecting the Common Stock, such adjustment shall be deemed to be made in the definition of "Registrable Security" as is appropriate in order to prevent any dilution or enlargement of the rights granted pursuant to this Agreement.


Section 2. Restrictions on Transfer. The Purchaser acknowledges and understands that in the absence of an effective Registration Statement authorizing the resale of the Securities as provided herein, the Securities are "restricted securities" as defined in Rule 144 promulgated under the Act. The Purchaser understands that no disposition or transfer of the Securities may be made by Purchaser in the absence of (i) an opinion of counsel to the Purchaser, in form and substance reasonably satisfactory to the Company, that such transfer may be made without registration under the Securities Act or (ii) such registration.


With a view to making available to the Purchaser the benefits of Rule 144 under the Securities Act or any other similar rule or regulation of the Commission that may at any time


permit the Purchaser to sell securities of the Company to the public without registration ("Rule 144"), the Company agrees to:


(a) comply with the provisions of paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 144; and


(b) file with the Commission in a timely manner all reports and other documents required to be filed by the Company pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d) under the Exchange Act; and, if at any time it is not required to file such reports but in the past had been required to or did file such reports, it will, upon the request of the Purchaser, make available other information as required by, and so long as necessary to permit sales of, its Registrable Securities pursuant to Rule 144.


Section 3. Registration Rights With Respect to the Securities.


(a) The Company agrees that it will prepare and file with the Securities and Exchange Commission ("Commission"), within forty-five (45) days after the date hereof, a registration statement (on Form S-3 and/or S-1, or other appropriate form of registration statement) under the Securities Act (the "Registration Statement"), at the sole expense of the Company (except as provided in Section 3(c) hereof), in respect of Purchaser, so as to permit a public offering and resale of the Securities under the Securities Act by Purchaser.


The Company shall use its best efforts to cause the Registration Statement to become effective within five (5) days of SEC clearance and will within said five (5) days request acceleration of effectiveness. If the Registration Statement is not declared effective by October 31, 2000, this Agreement and the Purchase Agreement shall terminate. The Company will notify Purchaser of the effectiveness of the Registration Statement within one Trading Day of such event.


(b) The Company will maintain the Registration Statement or post-effective amendment filed under this Section 3 hereof effective under the Securities Act until the earliest of (i) the date that none of the Securities are or may become issued and outstanding, (ii) the date that all of the Securities have been sold pursuant to the Registration Statement, (iii) the date the holders thereof receive an opinion of counsel to the Company, which counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser, that the Securities may be sold under the provisions of Rule 144 without limitation as to volume, (iv) all Securities have been otherwise transferred to persons who may trade such shares without restriction under the Securities Act, and the Company has delivered a new certificate or other evidence of ownership for such securities not bearing a restrictive legend, or (v) all Securities may be sold without any time, volume or manner limitations pursuant to Rule 144(k) or any similar provision then in effect under the Securities Act in the opinion of counsel to the Company, which counsel shall be reasonably acceptable to the Purchaser (the "Effectiveness Period").


(c) All fees, disbursements and out-of-pocket expenses and costs incurred by the Company in connection with the preparation and filing of the Registration Statement under subparagraph 3(a) and in complying with applicable securities and Blue Sky laws (including, without limitation, all attorneys' fees of the Company) shall be borne by the


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Company. The Purchaser shall bear the cost of underwriting and/or brokerage discounts, fees and commissions, if any, applicable to the Securities being registered and the fees and expenses of its counsel. The Purchaser and its counsel shall have a reasonable period, not to exceed seven (7) Trading Days, to review the proposed Registration Statement or any amendment thereto, prior to filing with the Commission, and the Company shall provide the Purchaser with copies of any comment letters received from the Commission with respect thereto within two (2) Trading Days of receipt thereof. The Company shall make reasonably available for inspection by Purchaser, any underwriter participating in any disposition pursuant to the Registration Statement, and any attorney, accountant or other agent retained by the Purchaser or any such underwriter all relevant financial and other records, pertinent corporate documents and properties of the Company and its subsidiaries, and cause the Company's officers, directors and employees to supply all information reasonably requested by the Purchaser or any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent in connection with the Registration Statement, in each case, as is customary for similar due diligence examinations; provided, however, that all records, information and documents that are designated in writing by the Company, in good faith, as confidential, proprietary or containing any material non-public information shall be kept confidential by the Purchaser and any such underwriter, attorney, accountant or agent (pursuant to an appropriate confidentiality agreement in the case of the Purchaser or agent), unless such disclosure is made pursuant to judicial process in a court proceeding (after first giving the Company an opportunity promptly to seek a protective order or otherwise limit the scope of the information sought to be disclosed) or is required by law, or such records, information or documents become available to the public generally or through a third party not in violation of an accompanying obligation of confidentiality; and provided further that, if the foregoing inspection and information gathering would otherwise disrupt the Company's conduct of its business, such inspection and information gathering shall, to the maximum extent possible, be coordinated on behalf of the Purchaser and the other parties entitled thereto by one firm of counsel designed by and on behalf of the majority in interest of Purchaser and other parties. The Company shall qualify any of the securities for sale in such states as the Purchaser reasonably designates and shall furnish indemnification in the manner provided in Section 6 hereof. However, the Company shall not be required to qualify in any state which will require an escrow or other restriction relating to the Company and/or the sellers, or which will require the Company to qualify to do business in such state or require the Company to file therein any general consent to service of process. The Company at its expense will supply the Purchaser with copies of the Registration Statement and the prospectus included therein and other related documents in such quantities as may be reasonably requested by the Purchaser.


(d) The Company shall not be required by this Section 3 to include the Purchaser's Securities in any Registration Statement which is to be filed if, in the opinion of counsel for both the Purchaser and the Company (or, should they not agree, in the opinion of another counsel experienced in securities law matters acceptable to counsel for the Purchaser and the Company) the proposed offering or other transfer as to which such registration is requested is exempt from applicable federal and state securities laws and would result in all purchasers or transferees obtaining securities which are not "restricted securities", as defined in Rule 144 under the Securities Act.


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(e) If at any time or from time to time after the effective date of the Registration Statement, the Company notifies the Purchaser in writing of the existence of a Potential Material Event (as defined in Section 3(f) below), the Purchaser shall not offer or sell any Securities or engage in any other transaction involving or relating to Securities, from the time of the giving of notice with respect to a Potential Material Event until the Purchaser receives written notice from the Company that such Potential Material Event either has been disclosed to the public or no longer constitutes a Potential Material Event; provided, however, that if the Company so suspends the right to such holders of Securities for more than twenty (20) days in the aggregate during any twelve month period, during the periods the Registration Statement is required to be in effect then the Company must compensate the Purchaser for any decline in market value of the Securities held by Purchaser at the beginning of such suspension through the end of such suspension. If a Potential Material Event shall occur prior to the date the Registration Statement is filed, then the Company's obligation to file the Registration Statement shall be delayed without penalty for not more than thirty (30) calendar days. The Company must give Purchaser notice in writing at least two (2) Trading Days prior to the first day of the blackout period, if lawful to do so.


(f) "Potential Material Event" means any of the following: (a) the possession by the Company of material information that is not ripe for disclosure in a registration statement, as determined in good faith by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors of the Company or that disclosure of such information in the Registration Statement would be detrimental to the business and affairs of the Company; or (b) any material engagement or activity by the Company which would, in the good faith determination of the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors of the Company, be adversely affected by disclosure in a registration statement at such time, which determination shall be accompanied by a good faith determination by the Chief Executive Officer or the Board of Directors of the Company that the Registration Statement would be materially misleading absent the inclusion of such information.


Section 4. Cooperation with Company. Purchaser will cooperate with the Company in all respects in connection with this Agreement, including timely suppl ...