Brendan Cuddihy, Chief Operating Officer for CAIS, joined Keith Black, Managing Director of RIA Channel, to discuss the third CAIS Alternative Investment Summit and the growth of alternative investments with private wealth clients and advisors.
The first CAIS Alternative Investment Summit in 2022 had 500 attendees, while the third summit in 2024 had 1,200 attendees, including asset managers, advisors, and ecosystem and technology partners. This strong attendance shows the continued growth of interest and assets of alternative investments in the private wealth channel.
In addition to connecting wealth advisors and asset managers, CAIS also connects custodians, reporting providers, fund administrators, and transfer agents. This provides advisors with a seamless experience across the pre-trade, trade, and post-trade periods. The pre-trade experience offers access to investment products at low investment minimums while providing due diligence and education. The trade experience facilitates the purchase of investments on a single dashboard. CAIS Solutions, which was launched in 2023, allows advisors to leverage technology to manage their alternative investment exposures.
Over the last five years, conversations with advisors have shifted from “What is an alternative investment?” to “How can we invest in alternative investments?” Previously, asset managers offered institutional products to individuals who were qualified purchasers (QPs). Today, asset managers realize the strategic nature of private wealth and are offering a wider variety of products, many of which are specifically designed for financial advisors and their accredited investor clients. Cuddihy notes that he hears predictions of alternative investment allocations in the private wealth channel growing from below 5% to over 20%
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