Happy Money named Best Consumer Lending Company by FinTech Breakthrough for second consecutive year. Mar 19, 2026, 11:03 ET Award recognizes Happy Money as a leader in credit card debt consolidation, powered by its Hive lending platform and eighth-generation credit model TORRANCE, Calif., March 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - Happy Money, a leading consumer finance company dedicated to empowering people to achieve their goals through responsible lending, has been named Best Consumer Lending Company for the second consecutive year in the FinTech Breakthrough Awards Program. The recognition highlights Happy Money's role as a leading platform for credit card debt consolidation, having originated more than $6.5 billion in personal loans for over 350,000 borrowers nationwide. With U.S. credit card balances exceeding $1.2 trillion and average APRs above 22%, many Americans are looking for a way out. Consolidating credit card balances into a fixed-rate personal loan can reduce total interest cost, simplify payments and help consumers make measurable progress toward financial stability. Happy Money connects borrowers seeking lower-cost alternatives to credit card debt with banks, credit unions and asset managers looking to diversify into high-performing consumer assets. The company's fully digital lending platform, Hive, handles the entire loan lifecycle from acquisition through servicing, delivering a streamlined experience for borrowers and turnkey portfolio access for partners. At the core of Happy Money's platform is its eighth-generation proprietary credit model, built on five years of loan performance and credit bureau data. Early validation shows the model reduces expected losses by 40% compared to FICO-only approaches, enabling more precise pricing and expanding access to credit for qualified borrowers who traditional scoring may overlook. "Winning this recognition of Best Consumer Lending Company two years running reflects the relevance of our loan product, the quality of our credit performance and the trust we've built with both borrowers and funding partners," said Matt Potere, CEO of Happy Money. "Over the past year, we've deepened our credit modeling, expanded our partner programs and continued to prove that disciplined underwriting and consumer access can scale together." This recognition follows continued momentum for Happy Money, including the recent introduction of its Partner-Branded Program which enables financial institutions to offer Happy Money-originated loans under their own brand, expanding their consumer lending presence without building additional infrastructure. Last month, Happy Money also expanded its strategic relationship with the private credit firm Edge Focus, broadening access to responsible credit. These milestones reflect growing confidence in Happy Money's performance, leadership and ability to meet borrowers' needs while delivering strong risk-adjusted returns to lending partners. About Happy Money Happy Money is a consumer finance company that empowers people to achieve their goals through simple, transparent loans funded by trusted financial institutions. Through its proprietary lending platform, Hive, Happy Money delivers a fully digital experience that simplifies borrowing for consumers and helps credit unions, banks and asset managers diversify balance sheets and scale with confidence. Happy Money's end-to-end loan origination and participation programs provide partners with turnkey access to high-performing assets, underpinned by disciplined credit expertise and robust risk management. Together with its lending partners, Happy Money has originated more than $6.5 billion in loans to help over 350,000 people take greater control of their financial futures. Learn more at happymoney.com. SOURCE Happy Money

Happy Money has launched a Partner-Branded Program enabling credit unions and financial institutions to offer personal loans under their own brand whilst Happy Money manages marketing and the lending lifecycle. The programme addresses slowing membership growth and rising acquisition costs by leveraging Happy Money's performance marketing engine and Hive lending platform. Michigan State University Federal Credit Union has deployed the programme following a multi-year collaboration with Happy Money. The multichannel approach includes direct mail, email, affiliates and digital media to engage existing members and reach new borrowers within institutional footprints. The programme complements Happy Money's existing nationwide origination and participation programmes. Happy Money has originated over $6.5 billion in loans, serving nearly 350,000 borrowers through partnerships with credit unions, banks and asset managers.

Happy Money, a US consumer finance company, has launched its eighth-generation credit model, designed to enhance asset quality and returns for lending partners. The model integrates new data signals to deliver more precise credit and pricing decisions. Built on five years of training data from proprietary loan performance and credit bureau sources, the model reduces expected losses by 40% compared to FICO-only assessments. It was developed using advanced machine learning and AI whilst maintaining policy discipline and human oversight. The model operates within Happy Money's Hive platform, which integrates credit modeling, pricing and policy. Happy Money has originated over $6.5 billion in loans to nearly 350,000 customers through partnerships with credit unions, banks and asset managers.