Latest news with #Varo
Irish Times
19-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Irish Times
New Irish albums reviewed and rated: The Would-Be's, Varo, Curtisy and Pete Holidai
The Would Be's: HindZeitgeist (Roundy Records) ★★★★☆ The Would Be's were stalked by several big record labels back in the 1990s, but notions of mainstream commercial success quickly unravelled. The Co Cavan band persevered fitfully, split up and then returned with all their original members almost 15 years ago. Some bands are best left to memory, but HindZeitgeist shows that there's always room for indie-pop melodies that linger in the sunshine. Stay Tuned is a superb James Bond theme song in waiting. That's How It Gets You is a shoo-in for a song of the summer, and Stupid Little Heart is a love anthem that Johnny Marr would be happy to have written. It continues with a persistent DIY superiority: three Finnegan brothers (guitarist Matty, bassist Eamonn, drummer Paul), one sassy saxophonist/trombonist (Aidine O'Reilly) and one quality singer (Julie McDonnell). Varo: The World That I Knew (Self-released) ★★★☆☆ Varo – Lucie Azconaga and Consuelo Nerea Breschi – have been integral to Ireland's trad/folk scene for about a decade. During this time they've gathered like-minded musical friends and delved into the song archives. The aim of this resourceful collaborative album, which sees the Dublin-based duo perform with John Francis Flynn, Ruth Clinton, Niamh Bury, Junior Brother, Ian Lynch, Anna Mieke and Lemoncello, among others, is to highlight the value of authentic human experiences, good and bad, across the centuries. Between elegant versions of Green Grows the Laurel (with Flynn), Let No Man Steal Your Thyme (with Lemoncello) and Work Life Out to Keep Life In (with Bury), Azconaga and Breschi have achieved that and more. Curtisy: Beauty in the Beast (Brook Records) ★★★★☆ Hot on the heels of last year's RTÉ Choice Music Prize nomination for What Was the Question, his debut album, the Dublin rapper Curtisy releases a collaborative 12-track mixtape that sieves happiness out of hopelessness. Working with the producer Hikii (who arranged several tracks on What Was the Question), the new songs flow smoothly across a blend of sample-heavy soul/jazz-influenced hip-hop. There's a particularly smart cinematic sensibility on tracks such as Fuss, Milk & Honey, Eyes, RIP2ME and The Necessary Evil, the collection's standout track, which includes a sample of Bela Lugosi as Dracula. Curtisy's lyrics and delivery are equal to those of any contemporary rapper you care to mention. Pete Holidai: Electric Jukebox Volume One (Pilgrim Sounds) ★★★☆☆ Anyone who fancies playing a game of spot the glam-rock music act can safely listen to Electric Jukebox without fear of boredom. The latest solo album from the stellar musician and producer Pete Holidai pays homage to the music that foreshadowed punk rock. A New Revolution is such a New York Dolls tribute that you can almost taste the lipstick, Daydream Girl has David Essex channelling Roxy Music, and We Had a Vision is the cheekiest blend of two David Bowie songs you know very well. In other words, this is good, clean fun delivered by someone who knows what's what every which way and inside out. Volume Two soon, if you don't mind.
Yahoo
25-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Varo Bank review (2025): High-yield online banking with no hidden fees
Summary: Founded in 2015, Varo Bank is an online bank with a handful of product offerings, including checking, savings, and credit options. While this bank's product list is on the shorter side, it does offer low-cost, high-yield account options for customers who want to avoid fees and maximize their saving potential. Varo Bank was ranked as one of our 10 best online banks for 2025. Varo currently offers the following products and account options: Varo's checking account doesn't come with any monthly fees or overdraft charges, and as an added feature, customers can get paid up to two days earlier thanks to its early direct deposit feature. There are no minimum deposit requirements to open an account and you don't need to maintain a minimum balance to avoid fees. Varo offers a high-yield savings account that pays up to 5% APY on balances up to $5,000, and 2.5% APY on balances higher than $5,000. You can also use the account's saving tools to automatically save a portion of each paycheck or round up purchases to the nearest dollar, depositing the difference directly in your savings account. This account doesn't have a minimum opening deposit or minimum balance requirement. The Varo Believe credit card is a credit-building card that has no minimum security deposit, no annual fee, and does not charge interest. There's no credit check needed to apply for the card, and applying does not impact your score. Additionally, Varo Believe Card customers, on average, see a 40+ point increase in their credit score after three months of on-time payments, according to the bank. To qualify for a Believe Credit-Builder card, you must have a Varo bank account with no negative balance or overdue cash advance, and you must receive qualifying direct deposits of $200 or more in the last month. Users set their own credit limit, which is equal to the available balance in your Varo Believe account. Varo Advance allows customers to borrow a cash advance for surprise expenses. To qualify, your Varo account must be active and in good standing, with no negative balance. You'll also need at least $800 in total qualifying direct deposits to your Varo checking or savings account, or both combined, in the current or last calendar month. Varo will determine the amount you're eligible for, which is initially $250. After you've established a history of on-time payments, you may qualify for higher amounts up to $500. There is a one-time advance fee ranging from $1.40 to $40, depending on the amount you borrow. You have up to 30 days to pay back what you owe. Varo Bank customers can borrow up to $2,000 with a Varo Personal Line of Credit. There is a single flat fee with no interest and repayment terms as long as 12 months. There are no late fees or prepayment penalties and your credit limit can grow over time as you establish a positive repayment history. This embedded content is not available in your region. Varo Bank charges few fees; there are no monthly maintenance fees on deposit accounts or overdraft fees. However, customers may be subject to fees for specific services: ATM withdrawal fee (out of network): $3.50 per transaction Over the counter (OTC) cash withdrawal: $2.50 per transaction Cash deposits via third-party money transfer services: The deposit location may charge up to $5.95 There are a few major pros and cons customers should note before banking with Varo Bank. No monthly maintenance fees: Varo Bank doesn't charge monthly maintenance fees on deposit accounts No overdraft fees: If you don't have sufficient funds in your account to cover the charge, Varo Bank will decline or return the transaction. You will never be charged an overdraft fee. No minimum balance requirements: Accounts are free to open and don't require a minimum opening deposit or minimum balance to earn interest or avoid fees. Limited product offerings: Varo Bank only offers checking and savings account in addition to its credit and cash advance products. If you're looking for a greater variety of financial products, this could be a major drawback. No physical branches: Varo Bank operates exclusively online. While that translates to high-yield, low-cost account options, it can be a drawback for those who prefer in-person banking assistance. Cap on top savings APY: Varo Bank offers up to 5% APY on high-yield savings account balances, but this is limited to the first $5,000. Higher balances earn just 2.5% APY. Varo Bank customers can reach a support representative in-app through a 24/7 live chat feature and specialized support via telephone 7 days a week between 7:00 a.m. and 8:30 p.m. ET. Customer support is closed on federal holidays. Varo customers can bank primarily through the Varo app which allows you to check balances, get real-time transaction alerts, transfer funds via Zelle, and even check your credit score. The app is available for download on the App Store and Google Play and has a rating of 4.9 and 4.7, respectively. The Varo Impact Program is focused on giving back to the community through initiatives that promote financial literacy, inclusion, and empowerment. Some of its past initiatives include a partnership with the Aspen Institute to urge the Treasury Department to address financial inclusion gaps in the U.S. It also partnered with EVERFI to roll out personal finance curriculum to nearly 2,400 middle schools. Varo previously joined in on an initiative to help small business owners through financial support and professional mentorship. Yes. Varo Bank is a real, FDIC-insured bank with a national bank charter. Yes. Varo customers can use Zelle via the Varo mobile app to send and receive money with no fees. You can deposit money into your account instantly when transferring funds through an eligible platform such as Zelle, PayPal, or Square. You can also deposit up to $1,000 cash per day into your Varo account during checkout at participating Green Dot retailers. Check deposits can be made via Varo's mobile app, which offers remote check deposit capabilities.
Reuters
31-03-2025
- Business
- Reuters
Varo buys Swedish refiner Preem in bet on biofuels
LONDON, March 31 (Reuters) - Varo Energy, backed by private equity giant Carlyle Group (CG.O), opens new tab and the world's biggest trading house Vitol, said on Monday it had agreed to buy Swedish refiner Preem, betting on growing demand for biofuels. Varo already has stakes in oil refineries in Germany and Switzerland and is expanding in sustainable fuel and trading. It plans to invest around $3.5 billion between 2022 and 2026, with two-thirds committed to sustainable energies. Varo said the combined company would supply around 10% of Europe's road and marine fuels and be Europe's second-largest renewable fuel producer. Preem has a pipeline to produce 1.3 million metric tons of renewable fuel per year. It owns two refineries with a combined capacity of 352,000 barrels per day. The combined entity will have a hydrocarbon refining capacity of 530,000 bpd. Varo did not say how much it paid in the all-cash deal. Reuters reported in December that talks were taking place between the two companies.
Bloomberg
31-03-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Vitol-Backed Varo Agrees to Buy Preem in Bet on Renewable Fuels
European refiner Varo Energy has agreed to buy Preem AB, in a deal that will make it the region's second-largest renewable fuel producer. Varo, backed by trading giant Vitol Group and private equity firm Carlyle Group Inc., will acquire Preem through the purchase of 100% of its parent Corral Petroleum Holdings AB. Varo didn't disclose the value of the all-cash transaction in a statement on Monday.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
After raising $1 billion, fintech Varo closes another $29 million, replaces founder CEO
Fintech Varo has been hoping to raise a $55 million Series G round but has, so far, closed on $29 million to date, according to a recent SEC filing. Varo declined to comment on this new round but the fintech has raised just over $1 billion in funding since its 2015 inception, according to PitchBook. It wouldn't be the first time its fundraising didn't go as hoped for. In 2023, Varo raised a $50 million equity round at a lower valuation ($1.85 billion post-money) than its massive and, it said, 'oversubscribed' $510 million Series E in 2021. That 2021 round valued it at $2.5 billion post-money, according to PitchBook. In somewhat of a surprise move, CEO and founder Colin Walsh recently announced he was stepping down with Gavin Michael replacing him as chief executive (Michael's LinkedIn profile shows he assumed a leadership role at Varo in November of 2024). When asked about speculation that Walsh was forced to resign, a company spokesperson denied that was the case, telling TechCrunch: 'This transition is about the next phase of Varo's evolution." The spokesperson pointed to Michael's experience as CEO of publicly-traded crypto platform Bakkt and previous leadership roles at Citi and JPMorgan Chase as being 'exactly what Varo needs for its next chapter.' 'Colin has known Gavin for 19 years, and after working closely with him these past months, Colin is confident he's the right leader to build on the company's foundation that he built for the last decade, while maintaining Varo's commitment to financial inclusion," the spokesperson added. Walsh will remain on Varo's board and, as a founder, still maintains a significant stake in the company, the spokesperson said. Varo was a highly watched fintech in its earlier years because the startup obtained its national bank charter in 2020 — a move that made it the first-ever all-digital nationally chartered U.S. consumer bank. In a 2022 interview with TechCrunch, Walsh said that the company was 'still seeing strong customer growth' and still had 'a clear path to profitability.' But as of early 2024, the company was not yet profitable. And according to a December 2024 call report, it had reported a loss of nearly $65 million. Want to reach out with a tip? Email me at maryann@ or send me a message on Signal at 408.204.3036. You can also send a note to the whole TechCrunch crew at tips@ For more secure communications, click here to contact us, which includes SecureDrop and links to encrypted messaging apps.
