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Will the VTAC de-Spac bring us the hot growth stock we have all been craving?

Analysts fear VTAC is paying too much for 17Live amid a post-pandemic growth slump, despite the livestreaming platform’s surging profitability

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Ben Paul

Ben Paul

Published Mon, Nov 27, 2023 · 05:00 AM
    • The acquisition of 17Live by VTAC could be one of the most important new listings to hit the Singapore market in a long while.
    • The acquisition of 17Live by VTAC could be one of the most important new listings to hit the Singapore market in a long while. PHOTO: BT FILE

    THIS could be an interesting week for investors lamenting the absence of growth-oriented, technology-enabled companies in the local market.

    This Friday (Dec 1), shareholders of Vertex Technology Acquisition Corp (VTAC) will vote on its proposed combination with 17Live – a livestreaming platform with a significant presence in Japan and Taiwan.

    Some analysts have said VTAC is paying too much for 17Live. It has also not escaped the notice of sceptical investors that 17Live faces tough competition as well as evolving regulation, and that its user base has shrunk with the easing of Covid-19 restrictions.

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