Might as well jump, go ahead and… Jump, an AI-powered financial services platform for advisors, raised $80 million in Series B funding, four times the amount it secured in its Series A last year. Insight Partners led the round, with additional investments from F-Prime Capital and Allianz Life Ventures. The new capital will go toward expanding the AI meeting assistant’s tools that are aimed at making advisors’ lives easier. The raise underscores how quickly artificial intelligence is reshaping the wealth ...

Core Insights - The article discusses the shift in investment preferences among Baby Boomers and older Generation X investors towards capital preservation and reliable income, favoring dividend-focused ETFs over high-growth stocks [1][2] Investment Strategy - Investors are seeking steady income without significant capital risk, particularly as the oldest Boomers turn 80 this year [1] - The strategy aims for a total return of 5% to 8% annually through a combination of dividends and moderate price appreciation to stay ahead of inflation [1] Recommended ETFs - The article highlights five dividend-focused ETFs suitable for retirement income: 1. **Schwab U.S. Dividend Equity ETF (SCHD)** - Known for its reliability, though it does not offer a high yield [1] 2. **Vanguard High Dividend Yield ETF (VYM)** - Features low expense fees, with dividends in the high 2% range [1] 3. **ProShares S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats ETF (NOBL)** - Comprises quality S&P 500 companies that have raised dividends for at least 25 consecutive years [1] 4. **iShares Core Dividend Growth ETF (DGRO)** - Offers a safe dividend around 2.35% [1] 5. **SPDR S&P Dividend ETF (SDY)** - Provides a dividend yield of 2.5% to 3% with potential for growth [1] Market Context - The article emphasizes the importance of low-cost, low-risk funds for retirees, as many are looking for investments that provide both passive income and modest growth [1][2]

Core Insights - Emerging market ETFs are experiencing renewed interest, with two of the ten largest U.S.-listed ETF inflow winners being broad EM funds [1] - Low-cost passive strategies dominate ETF flows, but democracy-focused ETFs have outperformed traditional benchmarks [1] Emerging Trends in Emerging Markets - Investors are familiar with flagship broad emerging market ETFs like iShares Core MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (IEMG) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets ETF (EEM), but there are over 100 products available [1] - A subset of emerging market ETFs incorporates human rights criteria, referred to as democracy-focused ETFs, which have generally outperformed core benchmarks [1] - In 2025, three out of five democracy-focused ETFs returned over 50%, while IEMG and EEM returned around 30% [1] - Year-to-date in 2026, four out of five democracy-focused ETFs are returning high teens to low double digits, compared to low teens for broader emerging market ETFs [1] - Higher allocations to countries like South Korea and Taiwan contribute to the stronger performance of democracy-focused ETFs [1] Opportunities in Democracy-Focused Emerging Market ETFs - The National Security Emerging Markets Index ETF (NSI) excludes companies that are national security threats or human rights violators, maintaining broad emerging market exposure [1] - The First Trust Emerging Market Democracies ETF (EMDM) tracks companies in emerging markets that meet minimum political rights and civil liberties standards [1] - The First Trust Emerging Markets Human Flourishing ETF (FTHF) focuses on companies in emerging markets with high Human Dignity Scores based on freedom metrics [1] - The OneAscent Emerging Markets ETF (OAEM) uses value-based screening to identify impactful investments while excluding harmful companies [1] - The Freedom 100 Emerging Markets ETF (FRDM) employs a freedom-weighting process to favor countries with stronger civil and economic institutions, avoiding exposure to China [1] Bottom Line - International equities, particularly emerging markets, are regaining attention, with a wider array of ETFs available to enhance international allocations beyond core holdings [1]

Group 1: Robinhood Markets - Robinhood operates an online trading platform targeting younger investors, holding nearly twice the number of millennial and Gen Z accounts compared to its closest competitor, Vanguard [5] - The company is gaining market share across various brokerage services, including cryptocurrency, equities, margin lending, and options, with its fastest-growing product line being prediction markets [6] - Robinhood is leveraging the AI boom with its investing assistant, Cortex, available exclusively to Gold membership users, aiming to provide advanced financial tools [7] - Despite a 50% decline in stock price due to reduced cryptocurrency transaction volume, Wall Street anticipates adjusted earnings to grow at 20% annually through 2027, making the current valuation of 36 times earnings reasonable [8] - The median target price for Robinhood among 28 analysts is $129 per share, indicating a potential upside of 72% from the current price of $75 [9] - Analysts Brian Bedell and Gautam Chhugani have set a target price of $160 per share, suggesting a 113% upside from the current share price [10] Group 2: Circle Internet Group - Circle is a fintech company known for minting stablecoins, particularly USDC, which is the largest fully compliant stablecoin in the U.S. and Europe [12] - The company generates revenue primarily from interest on reserve assets and has expanded into payments with the Circle Payments Network (CPN), which offers faster and cheaper cross-border payment solutions [13] - The stablecoin market is currently valued at approximately $315 billion, with projections suggesting it could grow to $2 trillion by 2030, indicating an annual growth rate of 45% [14] - Circle estimates that USDC circulation will increase by 40% annually, suggesting reserve income could grow faster than 30% annually, with total revenue potentially increasing more rapidly if CPN gains traction [15] - Wall Street forecasts revenue growth of 33% annually through 2027, making the current valuation of 5.8 times sales appear reasonable [16] - The median target price for Circle among 27 analysts is $107 per share, implying a 73% upside from the current share price of $62 [16]

Core Insights - The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF has achieved an impressive annual return of 18.8% over the past decade, indicating strong performance in the growth stock sector [1][10] - The ETF tracks the CRSP U.S. Mega Cap Growth Index, which consists of the top 65 companies that dominate the U.S. stock market, accounting for 70% of its total value [2][3] - Major holdings in the ETF include Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, and Alphabet, which collectively have a market value of $14.9 trillion and represent 45.3% of the ETF's portfolio [3][5] Company Performance - Nvidia's stock has surged by 1,150% since the AI boom began in early 2023, significantly outperforming the S&P 500, which has risen by 78% during the same period [6] - Apple's devices are equipped with custom chips for AI applications, positioning the company as a potential leader in consumer AI distribution with over 2.5 billion active devices [7] - Microsoft has integrated AI into its software products and cloud platform, enhancing its competitive edge in the tech sector [7] - Alphabet has transformed Google Search with AI features, contributing to rapid revenue growth and establishing Google Cloud as a key player in AI infrastructure [7] Investment Strategy - The Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF has delivered a compound annual return of 13.6% since its inception in 2007, driven by the rise of technologies like AI and cloud computing [10] - Investors are advised to consider this ETF as a complement to a diversified portfolio, particularly for those lacking exposure to the tech sector or AI [12] - A hypothetical investment strategy shows that splitting $10,000 between the Vanguard Total World Stock ETF and the Vanguard Mega Cap Growth ETF would yield $44,672, compared to $33,349 if invested solely in the Total World Stock ETF [13][14]

Core Insights - Investing in international stocks is essential for achieving a diversified portfolio, as many top companies are based outside the U.S. [1] Group 1: Investment Vehicles - The Vanguard Total International Stock ETF (VXUS) is a preferred method for investing in international companies [2] - VXUS provides exposure to nearly 8,700 companies from both developed and emerging markets [4] Group 2: Market Characteristics - Developed markets feature mature economies and infrastructure, leading to more reliable companies but with modest growth potential [5] - Emerging markets are characterized by developing economies, offering more volatility but greater growth opportunities as they modernize [5] - Investing in VXUS allows for a balanced approach, leveraging the strengths of both developed and emerging markets while mitigating risks [6]

Of course, not everyone has the time — or the back muscles — to dig for gold in a riverbed. But you don’t need a pan to get in on the action. Gold has long been prized as a store of value — and some of the biggest names in finance are urging investors to make room for it in their portfolios.“It’s emotional, some days you find $15,000, some days you don’t find anything,” Goza said.And payday is never a sure thing.Still, hunting for treasure is often grueling. As another prospector put it, gold “doesn’t jump ...

But it’s worth noting that the numbers aren’t uniform across the country. VISA looked at national averages, and the threshold to qualify for affluence and net worth varies widely based on regional purchasing power.The report also noted that “persistent labor shortages — driven by retiring baby boomers and slower immigration — have fueled strong income growth.”From 2019 to 2023, the income required to be part of this group rose 24% partly due to “the surge in asset prices” for that period, according to Visa. ...

Here’s to a cool $25 mil. Avantos, an AI-powered operating system for advisors, raised $25 million in Series A funding this week, led by Bessemer Venture Partners, with additional backing from powerhouse wealth management firms like Vanguard, Guardian Life and SEI. The raise comes just over a week after Altruist launched an AI-powered tax planning tool that sent shares of wealth management firms including Charles Schwab and Morgan Stanley tumbling. The company plans to use the capital to expand research a ...

Core Insights - Vanguard Short-Term Corporate Bond ETF (VCSH) offers a higher yield compared to Vanguard Short-Term Bond ETF (BSV), while both have identical expense ratios of 0.03% [3][4] - VCSH focuses on investment-grade corporate bonds, whereas BSV diversifies across government, corporate, and select international bonds [2][6] - The performance metrics indicate that VCSH has a 1-year return of 6.98% and a dividend yield of 4.3%, while BSV has a 1-year return of 6.33% and a dividend yield of 3.9% [3][4] Cost & Size - Both VCSH and BSV have an expense ratio of 0.03% [3][4] - As of February 13, 2026, VCSH's 1-year return is 6.98%, while BSV's is 6.33% [3] - VCSH has a higher dividend yield of 4.3% compared to BSV's 3.9% [3] Performance & Risk Comparison - VCSH has a maximum drawdown of 9.49% over five years, while BSV has a lower maximum drawdown of 8.55% [5] - The growth of $1,000 over five years is $959 for VCSH and $951 for BSV, indicating slightly better performance for VCSH [5] Portfolio Composition - BSV holds 30 positions, primarily in U.S. government and investment-grade corporate bonds, with maturities ranging from one to five years [6] - VCSH exclusively invests in high-quality corporate bonds, with major holdings including Bank of America Corp and CVS Health Corp [7] - Both funds are fully allocated to cash and equivalents, but VCSH's focus on corporate bonds may lead to different yield and risk characteristics [7] Implications for Investors - Investors assessing bond stability should consider the distinction between exposure to corporate credit (VCSH) and U.S. Treasuries (BSV) as it significantly impacts returns [8]