INTRODUCTORY NOTE
Unless the context otherwise requires, “we,” “us,” “our,” “System1” and the “Company” refer to System1, Inc., a Delaware corporation (f/k/a Trebia Acquisition Corp., a Cayman Islands exempted company), and its consolidated subsidiaries following the closing of the Business Combination (as defined below). Unless the context otherwise requires, references to “Trebia” refer to Trebia Acquisition Corp., prior to the closing of the Business Combination (“Trebia”). All references herein to the “Board” refer to the board of directors of the Company.
Terms used in this Current Report on Form 8-K (this “Report”) but not defined herein, or for which definitions are not otherwise incorporated by reference herein, shall have the meaning given to such terms in the Proxy Statement/Prospectus (as defined below) in the section entitled “Frequently Used Terms” beginning on page 6 thereof, and such definitions are incorporated herein by reference.
Domestication and Merger Transaction
On January 27, 2022 (the “Closing Date”), Trebia completed the previously announced business combination (the “Business Combination”) pursuant to that certain business combination agreement, as amended on November 30, 2021, January 10, 2022 and January 25, 2022, by and among S1 Holdco, LLC, a Delaware limited liability company (“S1 Holdco”), System1 SS Protect Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation (“Protected” and, together with S1 Holdco, the “Companies” or “Old System1”), and the other parties signatory thereto (as it may be amended and/or restated from time to time, the “Business Combination Agreement”). Prior to the Closing Date and in connection with the Business Combination, Trebia filed a notice of deregistration with the Cayman Islands Registrar of Companies, together with the necessary accompanying documents, and filed a certificate of incorporation and a certificate of corporate domestication with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware, under which Trebia was domesticated and continues as a Delaware corporation, while also changing its name to “System1, Inc.” (the “Domestication”).
In connection with the Domestication, on the day prior to the Closing Date, among other things (a) each Class A ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share, of Trebia (the “Trebia Class A Ordinary Shares”) that was issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Domestication was converted, on a one-for-one basis, into one share of Class A common stock, par value $0.0001 per share, of System1 (the “System1 Class A Common Stock”), (b) each Class B ordinary share, par value $0.0001 per share, of Trebia (the “Trebia Class B Ordinary Shares”) that was issued and outstanding immediately prior to the Domestication was converted, on a one-for-one basis, into one share System1 Class A Common Stock and (c) the proposed certificate of incorporation of System1 (the “System1 Charter”) was adopted and filed with the Secretary of State in Delaware pursuant to the Delaware General Corporation Law (the “DGCL”), and the System1 Charter and proposed bylaws of System1 (the “System1 Bylaws”) became the governing documents of System1.
Concurrently with the completion of the Business Combination, System1 entered into the Tax Receivable Agreement with S1 Holdco and the holders of S1 Holdco Class B Units (the “TRA Holders”). The parties agreed to structure the Business Combination in this manner to permit certain holders of S1 Holdco Class B Units to continue to realize tax benefits, if any, associated with their ownership in an entity that is treated as a partnership for U.S. federal income tax purposes, as well as to provide potential future tax benefits, if any, to System1. Pursuant to the Tax Receivable Agreement, System1 provided 85% of the tax benefits, if any, that System1 actually realizes, or in certain circumstances (e.g., an early termination of the Tax Receivable Agreement), the present value of potential future tax benefits (calculated using certain assumptions) to each such TRA Holder, as a result of (i) System1’s direct and indirect allocable share of certain tax basis adjustments resulting from the Business Combination and as a result of future sales or exchanges of S1 Holdco Class B Units for shares of System1 Class A Common Stock (or, at the election of System1, cash) after the Business Combination and (ii) System1’s utilization of certain other tax benefits related to entering into the Tax Receivable Agreement, including tax benefits attributable to payments under the Tax Receivable Agreement.
Actual tax benefits realized by System1 may differ from the tax benefits calculated under the Tax Receivable Agreement as a result of the use of certain assumptions in the Tax Receivable Agreement, including the use of an assumed weighted-average state and local income tax rate to calculate tax benefits. The payment obligation under