Acorns acquires EarlyBird to deepen focus on family financial wellness

By Gloria Methri

Financial wellness platform Acorns has announced the asset acquisition of EarlyBird, a family investing and digital memory app headquartered in Chicago. The move reinforces Acorns’ growing focus on helping families invest in their children’s futures from day one.

The acquisition comes as Acorns sees rapid growth in its family-centric offerings. Over the past year, the company has doubled its subscriber base on Acorns Gold, a $12-per-month plan designed for families, and deepened its presence in youth finance through the 2023 acquisition of UK-based GoHenry and the launch of Acorns Early, a tool for investing on behalf of children.

Noah Kerner, CEO of Acorns, stated, “Our products help families grow from a baby’s earliest dollar invested all the way to their retirement fund. This deal with EarlyBird, and its two talented founders, represents another important step in our journey to becoming a full financial wellness app for everyday families.”

Founded in 2019, EarlyBird has earned praise for its unique approach to family investing—blending financial contributions from loved ones with digital time capsules to preserve memories. The platform allows family and friends to contribute to a child’s investment account while capturing heartfelt moments to pass on for the future.

Jordan Wexler, CEO and co-founder of EarlyBird, said, “Joining Acorns expands our reach and impact to millions of families who share our belief in building financial legacies for the next generation.”

Caleb Frankel, COO and co-founder, added, “With our shared values around financial education and accessibility, Acorns is the ideal partner to scale our mission.”

Existing EarlyBird customers will be invited to transition to Acorns, where they will continue to access investment tools tailored for long-term family goals. Financial terms of the acquisition remain undisclosed. Both Wexler and Frankel are set to join the firm later this month.

This acquisition builds on the company’s growing momentum in embedded finance and family investment, positioning it as a one-stop platform for lifelong financial wellness, from cradle to retirement.