Outcomes
Redemption
A public shareholder's right to hand back shares for their pro-rata share of the trust, exercisable at a vote.
Also written: redeem, redemption right, redemption window
Redemption is the defining feature of the structure. At any combination vote and at every extension vote, holders of Class A shares may elect to take cash from the trust instead of continuing.
The election is made by a deadline set out in the proxy, usually two business days before the meeting. Holders who do nothing stay in.
Redemption rates ran above 90% through the 2022 to 2023 downturn, which left many deals closing with a fraction of the cash the target expected.
Why it matters
Redemption is what makes a pre-deal SPAC low risk and a post-deal SPAC something else entirely. It is also the mechanism that drains the cash a target was promised.
Related terms
Trust per share
The trust balance divided by the public shares outstanding, which is the amount a redeeming holder receives.
Extension
A shareholder-approved amendment giving the sponsor more time to close, almost always with a redemption window attached.
Minimum cash condition
A closing condition requiring a floor of cash to survive redemptions, and a common reason deals collapse.
See the term in the wild: the screener shows trust size, per-share value and deadlines for every U.S. SPAC, and each profile links to the filings the numbers came from.
Definitions describe market practice and are not investment, legal or tax advice.