governmental body, or by subpoena, summons or legal process, or by law, regulation, rule, ordinance, guideline or other binding action of or by any governmental or regulatory authority (including any applicable stock exchange) (“Law”); provided that the Party required to make such disclosure pursuant to clause (iii) above shall promptly notify the other Party in writing of the existence, terms, and circumstances surrounding such required disclosure so that the other Party may seek a protective order or other appropriate relief from the proper authority. The Party required to make such disclosure pursuant to clause (iii) above shall also cooperate with the other Party in seeking such order or other relief. If the Party required to make such disclosure pursuant to clause (iii) above is nonetheless required to disclose the other Party’s Confidential Information, it will furnish only that portion of such Confidential Information that is legally required and will exercise all reasonable efforts to obtain reliable assurances that such Confidential Information will be treated confidentially to the extent possible. For purposes of this paragraph, the term “Confidential Information” shall not include any information of which (x) a Party learns from a source other than the other Party, its controlled affiliates, or any of their respective Representatives and, in each case, who is not known by such Party to be bound by a confidentiality obligation, (y) is disclosed in a prospectus or other documents for dissemination to the public or (z) is or has been independently developed or conceived by such Party without use of the other Party’s confidential information, as proved by documents and other competent evidence in such Party’s possession. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein, (A) each Party may disclose Confidential Information to any federal, state, local or foreign regulatory or self-regulatory body, or any securities exchange or listing authority, as part of a routine audit not targeted at such Confidential Information without providing notice to the other Party hereto and (B) nothing herein shall prohibit a Party from (1) filing and, as provided for under Section 21F of the Exchange Act, maintaining the confidentiality of, a claim with the SEC, or (2) providing Confidential Information to the SEC or providing the SEC with information that would otherwise violate any part hereof to the extent permitted by Section 21F of the Exchange Act.
Neither Party shall have liability to the other Party arising from any information exchanged or provided pursuant to this Agreement that is found to be inaccurate, in the absence of willful misconduct or fraud by such Party. Neither Party shall have any liability to the other Party if any information is destroyed in compliance with its document retention policies.
This Agreement shall terminate on the date that Shareholder is no longer required by U.S. generally accepted accounting principles to (i) account for Shareholder’s investment in the Company or Bakkt Opco under the equity method of accounting or (b) consolidate the Company or Bakkt Opco in Shareholder’s financial statements; provided, however, that paragraph (8) above shall remain in full force and effect through the sixth anniversary of the date of this Agreement; and provided, further, that paragraph (6) above shall remain in full force and effect for six (6) years following the termination of this Agreement.
Neither Party may assign this Agreement or any right or obligation of such Party, in whole or in part, without the express prior written consent of the other Party; provided that Shareholder may assign this Agreement (i) to any of its affiliates, so long as such affiliate continues to be an affiliate of Shareholder, or (ii) upon receipt of written consent of the Company, which consent shall not be unreasonably withheld, conditioned or delayed, to any third party to which Shareholder transfers a majority of its aggregate equity interests in the Company and Bakkt Opco. This Agreement shall be binding on and enforceable by each Party and its successors and permitted assigns.
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