We didn’t think we’d see the day. Digital mortgage lender Better.com’s proposal to combine with Aurora Acquisition Corp. via a SPAC (special purpose acquisition) has been approved by shareholders, the company confirmed today. According to a Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) filing, Better.com will combine with Aurora, or go public, “on...
Djelics | E+ | Getty ImagesIncome-hungry investors have long flocked to mortgage-backed real estate investment trusts — and why not? Many of them pay a handsome, double-digit dividend. But such vehicles haven't done so well lately.That's because when interest rates rise and yields balloon, their valuations tend to suffer,...
There are more than 275 million cars on the road in the U.S.But in recent years, car ownership has gotten more expensive than ever — due to the Covid-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, stubborn inflation and the Federal Reserve's interest rate hikes."Outside of purchasing your first home, a new...
Morsa Images | E+ | Getty ImagesMore from FA Playbook:Here's a look at other stories impacting the financial advisor business."The fact that we may see a soft landing or avoid a recession altogether doesn't mean people should change their strategy of building up a safety net and hopefully recession-proofing...
The relationship between fintechs and incumbents has long been fraught with tension. But Marie-Elise Droga believes it doesn’t have to be this way. Droga joined payments giant Visa as SVP, head of global and NA fintech partnerships in December 2022 to lead the development, commercialization and implementation of all Visa...
Students on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.Jonathan Drake | ReutersLike many would-be college students, Abigail Mokuba, 16, says "cost is a concern" when it comes to which schools to consider.The rising high school senior from Baltimore said she is still researching colleges but...
The Mega Millions jackpot grew to more than $1.6 billion on Aug. 9, 2023.Justin Sullivan | Getty ImagesThere's finally a winner for the massive Mega Millions jackpot — but the lucky ticketholder may face unexpected pitfalls, experts say.A single ticket sold in Florida matched all six numbers Tuesday night,...
Back in 2021 and early 2022, there was a flurry of VC interest in Southeast Asian investment apps. One of them was Singapore-based Endowus, which raised two rounds in rapid succession: a Series A in June 2021 followed just seven months later by $25.6 million in follow-on funding. Now...
Chargeflow, a startup using AI to fight chargeback fraud, today announced that it raised $11 million in a seed round led by the VC firm OpenView Venture Partners. The tranche builds on Chargeflow’s previously undisclosed $3 million seed round closed several months ago, bringing the startup’s total raised to...
After facing the reality of how expensive fresh flowers could be when planning her own wedding, Della Larca founded Florèal Blooms, her luxury silk flower rental business, three and half years ago from her basement in Butler, New Jersey.Larca's business swelled last year, and she recently moved to a...