Alset Capital Acquisition Corp. Bethesda, MD 20814
Exhibit 10.1
January 31, 2022
Alset Capital Acquisition Corp.
▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇
Bethesda, MD 20814
Re: Initial Public Offering
Ladies and Gentlemen:
This letter (this “Letter Agreement”) is being delivered to you in accordance with the Underwriting Agreement (the “Underwriting Agreement”) to be entered into by and between Alset Capital Acquisition Corp., a Delaware corporation (the “Company”) and ▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, division of Benchmark Investments LLC, as representative (the “Representative”) of the underwriters (each, an “Underwriter” and collectively, the “Underwriters”), relating to an underwritten initial public offering (the “Public Offering”), of up to 8,625,000 of the Company’s units (including up to 1,125,000 units that may be purchased to cover over-allotments, if any) (the “Units”), each comprised of one Class A share of common stock, having a par or nominal value of US $0.0001 per share, of the Company (the “Common Stock”), one-half of one redeemable warrant (“Warrant”), and one right (“Right”). Each Warrant entitles the holder thereof to purchase one share of Common Stock at a price of US $11.50 per share, subject to adjustment. Each Right entitles the holder thereof to receive one-tenth (1/10) of one share of Class A common stock upon the consummation of an initial business combination. The Units shall be sold in the Public Offering pursuant to a registration statement on Form S-1 and a prospectus (the “Prospectus”) filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”). Certain capitalized terms used herein are defined in Paragraph 11 hereof.
In order to induce the Company and the Underwriters to enter into the Underwriting Agreement and to proceed with the Public Offering and for other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, Alset Acquisition Sponsor, LLC (the “Sponsor”) and each of the undersigned individuals, each of whom is a member of the Company’s board of directors, management team and/or senior advisory board (each, an “Insider” and collectively, the “Insiders”), ▇▇▇▇▇▇ agrees with the Company as follows:
1. The Sponsor and each Insider agree that if the Company seeks shareholder approval of a proposed Business Combination, then in connection with such proposed Business Combination, it, he or she shall (i) vote all Founder Shares and any shares of Common Stock owned by it, him or her in favor of any proposed Business Combination and (ii) not redeem any shares of Common Stock owned by it, him or her in connection with such shareholder approval. If the Company engages in a tender offer in connection with any proposed Business Combination, each Insider agrees that it, he or she will not seek to sell its, his or her shares of Common Stock to the Company in connection with such tender offer.
2. The Sponsor and each Insider hereby agree that in the event that the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering or such later period approved by the Company’s shareholders in accordance with the Company’s Charter, the Sponsor and each Insider shall take all reasonable steps to cause the Company to (i) cease all operations except for the purpose of winding up, (ii) as promptly as reasonably possible but not more than 10 business days thereafter, subject to lawfully available funds therefor, redeem 100% of the Common Stock sold as part of the Units in the Public Offering (the “Offering Shares”), at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest earned on the funds held in the Trust Account and not previously released to the Company to pay its taxes (less up to US $100,000 of interest to pay dissolution expenses), divided by the number of then outstanding Offering Shares, which redemption will completely extinguish all Public Shareholders’ rights as shareholders of the Company (including the right to receive further liquidation distributions, if any), subject to applicable law, and (iii) as promptly as reasonably possible following such redemption, subject to the approval of the Company’s remaining shareholders and the Company’s board of directors, dissolve and liquidate, subject in each case to the Company’s obligations under Delaware law to provide for claims of creditors and other requirements of applicable law. The Sponsor and each Insider agree not to propose any amendment to the Company’s Charter that would modify (i) the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering or (ii) the other provisions relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activities, unless the Company provides its Public Shareholders with the opportunity to redeem their Offering Shares upon approval of any such amendment at a per-share price, payable in cash, equal to the aggregate amount then on deposit in the Trust Account, including interest (which interest shall be net of amounts released for payment of taxes) divided by the number of then outstanding Offering Shares. The Sponsor and each Insider agree to waive its redemption rights with respect to shares of Common Stock and Founder Shares owned by it in connection with a shareholder vote to approve an amendment to the Company’s Charter (A) to modify the substance or timing of the Company’s obligation to redeem 100% of the Offering Shares if the Company does not complete a Business Combination within 18 months from the closing of the Public Offering or (B) with respect to any other provision relating to shareholders’ rights or pre-initial business combination activity.
The Sponsor and each Insider acknowledge that it, he or she has no right, title, interest or claim of any kind in or to any monies held in the Trust Account or any other asset of the Company as a result of any liquidation of the Company with respect to the Founder Shares held by it, him or her. The Sponsor and each Insider hereby further waive, with respect to any Founder Shares and Offering Shares held by it, him or her, if any, any redemption rights it, he or she may have in connection with the consummation of a Business Combination, including, without limitation, any such rights available in the context of a shareholder vote to approve such Business Combination or in the context of a tender offer made by the Company to purchase Common Stock (although the Sponsor, the Insiders and their respective affiliates shall be entitled to liquidation rights with respect to any Offering Shares it or they hold if the Company fails to consummate a Business Combination within 18 months from the date of the closing of the Public Offering).
3. During the period commencing on the effective date of the Underwriting Agreement and ending 180 days after such date, the Sponsor and each Insider shall not, without the prior written consent of the Representative, (i) sell, offer to sell, contract or agree to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agree to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establish or increase a put equivalent position or liquidate or decrease a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to any Units, Common Stock, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Common Stock owned by it, him or her, (ii) enter into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any Units, Founder Shares and Common Stock, Warrants or any securities convertible into, or exercisable, or exchangeable for, Common Stock owned by it, him or her, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (iii) publicly announce any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (i) or (ii). Each of the Insiders and the Sponsor acknowledges and agrees that, prior to the effective date of any release or waiver, of the restrictions set forth in this Paragraph 3 or Paragraph 7 below, the Company shall announce the impending release or waiver by press release through a major news service at least two business days before the effective date of the release or waiver. Any release or waiver granted shall only be effective two business days after the publication date of such press release. The provisions of this Paragraph will not apply if the release or waiver is effected solely to permit a transfer not for consideration and the transferee has agreed in writing to be bound by the same terms described in this Letter Agreement to the extent and for the duration that such terms remain in effect at the time of the transfer.
4. In the event of the liquidation of the Trust Account, the Sponsor (which for purposes of clarification shall not extend to any other shareholders, members or managers of the Sponsor) agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Company against any and all loss, liability, claim, damage and expense whatsoever (including, but not limited to, any and all legal or other expenses reasonably incurred in investigating, preparing or defending against any litigation, whether pending or threatened, or any claim whatsoever) to which the Company may become subject as a result of any claim by (i) any third party (other than the Company’s independent accountants) for services rendered or products sold to the Company or (ii) a prospective target business with which the Company has entered into a letter of intent, confidentiality or other similar agreement for a Business Combination (a “Target”); provided, however, that such indemnification of the Company by the Sponsor shall apply only to the extent necessary to ensure that such claims by a third party for services rendered (other than the Company’s independent public accountants) or products sold to the Company or a Target do not reduce the amount of funds in the Trust Account to below (i) US $10.00 per share of the Offering Shares or (ii) such lesser amount per share of the Offering Shares held in the Trust Account due to reductions in the value of the trust assets as of the date of the liquidation of the Trust Account, in each case, net of the amount of interest earned on the property in the Trust Account which may be withdrawn to pay taxes, except as to any claims by a third party (including a Target) who executed a waiver of any and all rights to seek access to the Trust Account and except as to any claims under the Company’s indemnity of the Underwriters against certain liabilities, including liabilities under the Securities Act of 1933. In the event that any such executed waiver is deemed to be unenforceable against such third party, the Sponsor shall not be responsible to the extent of any liability for such third party claims. The Sponsor shall have the right to defend against any such claim with counsel of its choice reasonably satisfactory to the Company if, within 15 days following written receipt of notice of the claim to the Sponsor, the Sponsor notifies the Company in writing that it shall undertake such defense.
5. To the extent that the Underwriters do not exercise their over-allotment option to purchase up to an additional 1,125,000 Units within 45 days from the date of the Prospectus (and as further described in the Prospectus), the Sponsor agrees to automatically surrender to the Company for no consideration, for cancellation at no cost, a number of Founder Shares in the aggregate equal to the product of 281,250 multiplied by a fraction, (i) the numerator of which is 1,125,000 minus the number of Units purchased by the Underwriters upon the exercise of their over-allotment option, and (ii) the denominator of which is 1,125,000. The surrender will be adjusted to the extent that the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the Underwriters so that the number of Founder Shares will equal of 20% of the sum of total number of Common Stock and Founder Shares outstanding at such time. The Sponsor and Insiders further agree that to the extent that the size of the Public Offering is increased or decreased, the Company will effect a share capitalization or a share repurchase, as applicable, with respect to the Founder Shares immediately prior to the consummation of the Public Offering in such amount as to maintain the number of Founder Shares at 20% of the sum of the total number of Common Stock and Founder Shares outstanding at such time.
6. The Sponsor and each Insider hereby agree and acknowledge that: (i) the Underwriters and the Company would be irreparably injured in the event of a breach by such Sponsor or an Insider of its, his or her obligations, as applicable, under Paragraphs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7(a), 7(b), and 9 of this Letter Agreement, (ii) monetary damages may not be an adequate remedy for such breach, and (iii) the non-breaching party shall be entitled to injunctive relief, in addition to any other remedy that such party may have in law or in equity, in the event of such breach.
7. (a) The Sponsor and each Insider agree that it or he shall not Transfer any Founder Shares (or Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof) until the earlier of (A) six months after the date of the Company’s initial Business Combination or (B) subsequent to the Company’s initial Business Combination, (x) if the reported last sale price of the Common Stock equals or exceeds US $12.00 per share (as adjusted for share subdivisions, share dividends, right issuances, reorganizations, recapitalizations and the like) for any 20 trading days within any 30-trading day period commencing at least 150 days after the Company’s initial Business Combination, or (y) the date on which the Company completes a liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction that results in all of our shareholders having the right to exchange their shares for cash, securities or other property (the “Founder Shares Lock-up Period”).
(b) The Sponsor and each Insider agree that it, he or she shall not Transfer any Private Placement Units or Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise of the warrants included in the Private Placement Units, until 30 days after the completion of the initial Business Combination (the “Private Placement Units Lock-up Period”, together with the Founder Shares Lock-up Period, the “Lock-up Periods”).
(c) Notwithstanding the provisions set forth in Paragraphs 7(a) and 7(b), Transfers of the Founder Shares, Private Placement Units and Common Stock issued or issuable upon the exercise or conversion of the warrants included in the Private Placement Units, or the Founder Shares that are held by the Sponsor, any Insider or any of their permitted transferees (that have complied with this Paragraph 7(c)), are permitted (a) to the Company’s officers, directors or advisor, any affiliate or family member of any of the Company’s officers, directors or advisor or any members of the Sponsor or any affiliates of the Sponsor; (b) in the case of an individual, by gift to a member of such individual’s immediate family or to a trust, the beneficiary of which is a member of such individual’s immediate family, an affiliate of such individual or to a charitable organization; (c) in the case of an individual, by virtue of laws of descent and distribution upon death of such individual; (d) in the case of an individual, pursuant to a qualified domestic relations order; (e) by private sales or transfers made in connection with the consummation of an initial Business Combination at prices no greater than the price at which the securities were originally purchased; (f) in the event of the Company’s liquidation prior to the completion of an initial Business Combination; (g) by virtue of the laws of the State of Delaware or the Sponsor’s organizational documents upon liquidation or dissolution of the Sponsor; (h) to the Company for no value for cancellation in connection with the consummation of an initial Business Combination, or (i) in the event of the Company’s liquidation, merger, share exchange, reorganization or other similar transaction which results in all of the Company’s shareholders having the right to exchange their Common Stock for cash, securities or other property subsequent to the Company’s completion of an initial Business Combination; provided, however, that in the case of clauses (a) through (e), these permitted transferees must enter into a written agreement with the Company agreeing to be bound by the transfer restrictions herein and the other restrictions contained in this Agreement (including provisions relating to voting, the Trust Account and liquidating distributions).
8. The Sponsor and each Insider represent and warrant that it, he or she has never been suspended or expelled from membership in any securities or commodities exchange or association or had a securities or commodities license or registration denied, suspended or revoked. Each Insider’s biographical information furnished to the Company (including any such information included in the Prospectus) is true and accurate in all respects and does not omit any material information with respect to the Insider’s background. Each Insider’s questionnaire furnished to the Company is true and accurate in all respects. The Sponsor and each Insider represent and warrant that: it, he or she is not subject to or a respondent in any legal action for, any injunction, cease-and-desist order or order or stipulation to desist or refrain from any act or practice relating to the offering of securities in any jurisdiction; it, he or she has never been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any crime (i) involving fraud, (ii) relating to any financial transaction or handling of funds of another person, or (iii) pertaining to any dealings in any securities and it, he or she is not currently a defendant in any such criminal proceeding. The Company represents and warrants that, to its knowledge, (i) none of its advisors has been suspended or expelled from membership in any securities or commodities exchange or association or had a securities or commodities license or registration denied, suspended or revoked, (ii) each advisor’s biographical information furnished to the Company (including any such information included in the Prospectus) is true and accurate in all respects and does not omit any material information with respect to such advisor’s background and each advisor’s questionnaire furnished to the Company is true and accurate in all respects, (iii) none of its advisors is subject to or a respondent in any legal action for, any injunction, cease-and-desist order or order or stipulation to desist or refrain from any act or practice relating to the offering of securities in any jurisdiction; and (iii) none of its advisors has been convicted of, or pleaded guilty to, any crime (x) involving fraud, (y) relating to any financial transaction or handling of funds of another person, or (z) pertaining to any dealings in any securities and none of its advisors is currently a defendant in any such criminal proceeding.
9. (a) Except as disclosed in the Prospectus and cash or other compensation to the Company’s officers or advisors to be engaged subsequent to the consummation of the Public Offering (which will be disclosed in the Company’s other filings with the Commission), neither the Sponsor nor any individual who is an officer, director or advisor of the Company as of the date hereof nor any affiliate thereof shall receive from the Company any finder’s fee, reimbursement, consulting fee, monies in respect of any repayment of a loan or other compensation prior to, or in connection with any services rendered in order to effectuate the consummation of the Company’s initial Business Combination (regardless of the type of transaction that it is), other than the following, none of which will be made from the proceeds held in the Trust Account prior to the completion of the initial Business Combination: repayment of a loan and advances up to an aggregate of US $300,000 made to the Company by Alset Management Group, Inc., an affiliate of our sponsor; reimbursement for any out-of-pocket expenses related to identifying, investigating and consummating an initial Business Combination; payment to an affiliate of the Sponsor of US $10,000 per month, for up to 18 months, for office space, utilities and secretarial and administrative support; and repayment of non-interest bearing loans, if any, and on such terms as to be determined by the Company from time to time, made by the Sponsor or any of the Company’s officers or directors to finance transaction costs in connection with an intended initial Business Combination, provided, that, if the Company does not consummate an initial Business Combination, a portion of the working capital held outside the Trust Account may be used by the Company to repay such loaned amounts so long as no proceeds from the Trust Account are used for such repayment. Up to US $1,500,000 of such loans may be convertible into units, at a price of U.S. $10.00 per unit at the option of the lender, upon consummation of the initial Business Combination. The units would be identical to the Private Placement Units.
10. The Sponsor and each Insider, represent and warrant to the Company that it, she or he has full right and power, without violating any agreement to which it, she or he is bound (including, without limitation, any non-competition or non-solicitation agreement with any employer or former employer), to enter into this Letter Agreement and, as applicable, to serve as an officer, a director on the board of directors, and/or an advisor on the Senior Advisory Board, of the Company and hereby consents to being named in the Prospectus as an officer, a director, and/or an advisor, of the Company.
11. As used herein, (i) “Business Combination” shall mean a merger, share exchange, asset acquisition, stock purchase, reorganization or similar business combination, involving the Company and one or more businesses; (ii) “Founder Shares” shall mean the 2,156,250 Class B shares of Common Stock, having a par or nominal value of US $0.0001 per share, initially held by the Sponsor (up to 281,250 Shares of which are subject to complete or partial forfeiture by the Sponsor if the over-allotment option is not exercised in full by the Underwriters); (iii) “Initial Shareholders” shall mean the Sponsor and any other holder of Founder Shares immediately prior to the Public Offering; (iv) “Private Placement Units” shall mean the 440,000 units (or up to 473,750 units if the over-allotment option is exercised in full) that will be acquired by the Sponsor for an aggregate purchase price of US $4,400,000 (or up to US $4,737,500 if the Underwriters exercise their option to purchase additional units), or US $10.00 per Unit, in a private placement that shall close simultaneously with the consummation of the Public Offering (including Common Stock issuable upon conversion thereof); (v) “Public Shareholders” shall mean the holders of securities issued in the Public Offering; (vi) “Trust Account” shall mean the trust fund into which a portion of the net proceeds of the Public Offering and the sale of the Private Placement Units shall be deposited; (vii) “Transfer” shall mean the (a) sale or assignment of, offer to sell, contract or agreement to sell, hypothecate, pledge, grant of any option to purchase or otherwise dispose of or agreement to dispose of, directly or indirectly, or establishment or increase of a put equivalent position or liquidation with respect to or decrease of a call equivalent position within the meaning of Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations of the Commission promulgated thereunder with respect to, any security, (b) entry into any swap or other arrangement that transfers to another, in whole or in part, any of the economic consequences of ownership of any security, whether any such transaction is to be settled by delivery of such securities, in cash or otherwise, or (c) public announcement of any intention to effect any transaction specified in clause (a) or (b), and (viii) “Charter” shall mean the Company’s Amended and Restated Certificate of Incorporation, as the same may be amended and/or restated from time to time.
12. This Letter Agreement constitutes the entire agreement and understanding of the parties hereto in respect of the subject matter hereof and supersedes all prior understandings, agreements, or representations by or among the parties hereto, written or oral, to the extent they relate in any way to the subject matter hereof or the transactions contemplated hereby. This Letter Agreement may not be changed, amended, modified or waived (other than to correct a typographical error) as to any particular provision, except by a written instrument executed by all parties hereto.
13. No party hereto may assign either this Letter Agreement or any of its rights, interests, or obligations hereunder without the prior written consent of the other parties. Any purported assignment in violation of this Paragraph shall be void and ineffectual and shall not operate to transfer or assign any interest or title to the purported assignee. This Letter Agreement shall be binding on the Sponsor and each Insider and their respective successors, heirs and assigns and permitted transferees.
14. Nothing in this Letter Agreement shall be construed to confer upon, or give to, any person or corporation other than the parties hereto any right, remedy or claim under or by reason of this Letter Agreement or of any covenant, condition, stipulation, promise or agreement hereof. All covenants, conditions, stipulations, promises and agreements contained in this Letter Agreement shall be for the sole and exclusive benefit of the parties hereto and their successors, heirs, personal representatives and assigns and permitted transferees.
15. This Letter Agreement may be executed in any number of original or facsimile counterparts and each of such counterparts shall for all purposes be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts shall together constitute but one and the same instrument.
16. This Letter Agreement shall be deemed severable, and the invalidity or unenforceability of any term or provision hereof shall not affect the validity or enforceability of this Letter Agreement or of any other term or provision hereof. Furthermore, in lieu of any such invalid or unenforceable term or provision, the parties hereto intend that there shall be added as a part of this Letter Agreement a provision as similar in terms to such invalid or unenforceable provision as may be possible and be valid and enforceable.
17. This Letter Agreement shall be governed by and construed and enforced in accordance with the laws of the State of New York, without giving effect to conflicts of law principles that would result in the application of the substantive laws of another jurisdiction. The parties hereto (i) all agree that any action, proceeding, claim or dispute arising out of, or relating in any way to, this Letter Agreement shall be brought and enforced in the courts of New York City, in the State of New York, and irrevocably submit to such jurisdiction and venue, which jurisdiction and venue shall be exclusive and (ii) waive any objection to such exclusive jurisdiction and venue or that such courts represent an inconvenient forum.
18. Any notice, consent or request to be given in connection with any of the terms or provisions of this Letter Agreement shall be in writing and shall be sent by express mail or similar private courier service, by certified mail (return receipt requested), by hand delivery or facsimile transmission.
19. This Letter Agreement shall terminate on the earlier of (i) the expiration of the Lock-up Periods or (ii) the liquidation of the Company; provided, however, that this Letter Agreement shall earlier terminate in the event that the Public Offering is not consummated and closed by X; provided further that Paragraph 4 of this Letter Agreement shall survive such liquidation.
| Sincerely, | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ | |
| Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ | ||
| Title: Chief Executive Officer | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ | |
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ Title Chief Financial Officer | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ | |
Name: ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇ Title: Nominee Director | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ | |
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (▇▇▇▇▇▇▇) Title: Nominee Director | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ | |
Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (Aston) Title: Nominee Director | ||
| Alset Acquisition Sponsor, LLC | ||
| By: | /s/ ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ | |
| Name: ▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇ | ||
| Title: Director | ||