Help power Marketplace this winter when you support the show today. Donate Now!

What is a SPAC and why was it just added to the dictionary?

Nov 2, 2021
Merriam Webster added 455 words to dictionary, including “blank check company.”
The spaceflight company Virgin Galactic is one of the many companies that's gone public through a SPAC. The number of SPACs has skyrocketed over the past decade.
Gene Blevins/AFP via Getty Images

How SPACs help companies go public without an IPO

Mar 26, 2021
WeWork is merging with a special purpose acquisition company, hitting the stock market in a way that might be less costly and less risky.
WeWork, which provides space and services for co-working, is merging with a special purpose acquisition company to enable its stock to trade publicly.
Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The SPAC craze, explained

Mar 5, 2021
Investors are piling into “blank-check” companies. Some experts are worried.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

What's a SPAC? A simple guide to the investment trend.

Feb 18, 2021
A top JPMorgan banker explains what you need to know about the Wall Street craze that's going global.
SPAC investors don't know what company their money will end up with, but they often base their decision on the sponsors involved in the deal.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images