What Equity Trust Company does

Equity Trust Company is a privately held, IRS-approved custodian of self-directed retirement accounts, founded in 1974 and headquartered in Westlake, Ohio while regulated as a South Dakota trust company. As of March 31, 2026, the firm reported $72 billion in assets under custody and administration across 359,000 accounts, processing more than 2.1 million transactions annually with a staff of 500+ associates. Its core function is enabling individual investors, financial professionals, and institutional clients to hold alternative assets — real estate, private equity, cryptocurrency, precious metals, private lending, futures, and traditional securities — inside tax-advantaged IRA, Roth IRA, HSA, and Solo 401(k) accounts that conventional custodians typically exclude.

The technology stack is centered on the myEQUITY account management portal and extended through a modular suite of connected platforms: EquityConnect APIs (Account Open, Transfer, Purchase; 41K transactions), CryptoConnect (qualified digital-asset custody with T+1 settlement, multi-signature verification, MFA, and insurance), MetalsConnect (back-office automation for 200+ precious metals dealers, $7.2B AUC), WealthBridge (investment provider connectivity), and Investment District (marketplace reaching 100K+ investors). Compliance is anchored in IRS-approved custodian status (since 1983), South Dakota Division of Banking oversight, FINRA/SIPC registration through affiliate ETC Brokerage Services, BBB A+ rating, and RITA membership. The company operates nine subsidiaries, including Equity Institutional Services (formerly Midland Trust, acquired August 2023), Equity Specialty Services, Equity Doc Prep, and Equity 1031 Exchange.

Revenue is generated through balance-based annual maintenance fees, per-transaction charges across 2.1M+ annual transactions, flat-fee institutional custody arrangements, precious metals storage, brokerage commissions via ETC Brokerage Services (50 commission-free trades per year), and one-time LLC formation fees for Checkbook IRA structures ($1,295 single-member / $1,600 multi-member). Distribution combines self-service (myEQUITY), phone-based IRA counseling, embedded API integration with platforms such as Crowd Street, iintoo, SponsorCloud, and dedicated enterprise sales via Equity Institutional Services. Named enterprise partners include Goldco, Noble Gold Investments, GoldDealer.com, My Digital Money, CARL Inc., and Streamex Corp. (tokenized gold custody).

Name

Equity Trust Company

Legal name

Equity Trust Company

Website

https://trustetc.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1974

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Equity Trust Company is a privately held self-directed IRA custodian serving individual investors and institutional partners with $72 billion in assets under custody across 359,000 accounts, providing integrated technology platforms for alternative asset investing including real estate, cryptocurrency, precious metals, and private equity.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Self-Directed Retirement Account Custody

NAICS

Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Investors, Nec (6799)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate & Institutional Trust Services (FSAAANAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Directed Trust & Trust Advisory Services (FSAAANAK)

Keywords

• Self-directed IRA custody
• Retirement account services
• Alternative asset investing
• Qualified custodian services
• Wealth management platforms

Headquarters

HQ city

Westlake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Annual Maintenance Fees: Balance-based annual fees charged to accounts for custody and administration services
2. Transaction Fees: Fees for individual investment transactions processed through the platform
3. LLC Formation Services: One-time fees for establishing Single-Member LLC ($1,295) or Multi-Member LLC ($1,600) packages for Checkbook IRA structures, including LLC formation, operating agreements, EIN creation, and banking connectivity
4. Institutional/Custody Services: Flat fee structure for investment sponsors and institutional clients including private fund custody, directed trustee services, and capital raise facilitation
5. Precious Metals Storage: Flat-fee storage services for precious metals held in IRA accounts, regardless of account value
6. ETC Brokerage Services: Self-clearing brokerage services through affiliate ETC Brokerage Services, providing 50 commission-free trades per year with charges after limit, generating commission revenue on additional trades

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels7 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Equity Trust Company is a qualified custodian of self-directed retirement accounts, providing IRA and 401(k) custody for traditional and alternative assets including real estate, private equity, cryptocurrency, precious metals, private lending, and publicly traded securities. The company operates an integrated technology ecosystem comprising the myEQUITY account management portal, EquityConnect/CryptoConnect/MetalsConnect API suites, the WealthBridge investment portal, and the Investment District marketplace, enabling individual investors and institutional partners to open, fund, and manage alternative-asset retirement accounts.

Product overview

Equity Trust Company offers a unified self-directed retirement account platform centered on the Equity Universal IRA, which enables investors to hold both traditional assets (stocks, mutual funds) and alternative assets (real estate, private equity, cryptocurrency, precious metals) within a single IRA. The core Self-Directed IRA product provides the foundational account structure, while specialized add-ons like the Real Estate Checkbook IRA LLC provide direct checkbook control for time-sensitive transactions, and Equity Solo 401(k) serves self-employed investors. The ecosystem includes complementary platforms: MetalsConnect for precious metals dealers, CryptoConnect for cryptocurrency custody, WealthBridge for connecting to third-party investment platforms, Investment District as an online marketplace, and myEQUITY as the account management portal. Institutional clients are served through Equity Institutional Services (formerly Midland Trust), and ETC Brokerage Services provides affiliated brokerage access for traditional securities. Additional services include 1031 Exchange, 990-T Tax Preparation, Self-Clearing Retirement Services, and educational resources through Master Academy.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Equity Universal IRA: A self-directed IRA product that enables investors to hold both traditional and alternative assets in a single IRA platform.
• Equity Solo 401(k)
• MetalsConnect
• CryptoConnect
• EquityConnect
• OnePath
• Pro Portal
• WealthBridge
• Investment District
• Equity 1031 Exchange

Products and services

• Equity Universal IRA

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ associates processing 2.1M+ transactions per year
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments8 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

Feature9 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Streamex Corp.coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 May 2026Equity Trust provides IRA custody integration for Streamex's GLDY gold-backed tokenized security product. This partnership positions the company for scaled adoption by enabling investors to access tokenized gold through self-directed IRAs, with approximately $14 million in AUM and first dividends paid.
• Crowd StreetcoreTechnology or Integration · 24 April 2026Integration enabling Crowd Street members to open self-directed IRA accounts through Equity Trust directly within the Crowd Street platform. The integration reduces administrative steps by enabling digital account establishment and funding without coordinating across multiple platforms. Covers asset classes including private equity, private credit, venture capital, and real assets.
• Gold Bullion International (GBI)coreTechnology or IntegrationMetals platform provider partner working with Equity Institutional for secure storage of precious metals across global depository locations.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Investments: Fidelity is one of the largest IRA custodians in the US with comprehensive retirement account offerings. While primarily traditional assets, Fidelity's scale and brand represent competitive pressure on Equity Trust in the broader IRA market and potential expansion threat if they enter alternative assets more deeply.
• Charles Schwab Corporation: Charles Schwab is a major brokerage and IRA custodian offering traditional self-directed IRAs, though limited primarily to stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs. Represents the traditional incumbent against which Equity Trust positions its alternative asset capabilities.

Direct peers

• Alto IRA: Alto IRA is a fintech-focused self-directed IRA custodian offering alternative asset investing through a streamlined digital platform. Directly competes with Equity Trust in the self-directed IRA space with modern user experience and API integrations targeting the same alternative asset categories (crypto, real estate, private equity).
• Strata Trust Company: Strata Trust Company provides self-directed IRA custody for alternative assets including real estate, private equity, and notes. Directly comparable to Equity Trust in product offerings and target market, both serving investors seeking diversification beyond traditional retirement assets.
• Rocket Dollar: Rocket Dollar provides self-directed IRA and Solo 401(k) accounts with checkbook control for alternative asset investing. Competes directly with Equity Trust's Checkbook IRA LLC and Solo 401(k) offerings, targeting similar retail investors seeking real estate, crypto, and private investment exposure.
• NovaWMS / Directed IRA: Directed IRA offers self-directed retirement accounts with checkbook control for alternative investments. Competes with Equity Trust's Checkbook IRA LLC structure for real estate and private investment-focused investors seeking direct control over IRA funds.
• Millennium Trust Company: Millennium Trust Company is a self-directed IRA custodian offering alternative asset custody similar to Equity Trust. Both companies serve individual investors and institutional clients with comparable custody services, and both compete for market share in alternative asset retirement accounts.

Emerging players

• Goldco: Goldco is a precious metals dealer using Equity Trust's MetalsConnect platform for IRA investing. Represents both a key customer and potential competitive threat as precious metals dealers increasingly seek direct custody relationships or develop proprietary IRA solutions.
• Crowd Street: Crowd Street is a real estate investment platform that has integrated with Equity Trust for IRA-enabled investments. While not a direct custodian competitor, Crowd Street represents the type of fintech platform partner that distributes Equity Trust's capabilities and could potentially pursue custody capabilities.
• BitGo: BitGo is a digital asset custody and financial infrastructure provider serving institutional clients. Comparable to Equity Trust's CryptoConnect offering in providing qualified custody for cryptocurrencies, though BitGo focuses more broadly on institutional digital asset services beyond retirement accounts.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/EquityTrust
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/EquityTrustCompany
• Facebookfacebook.com/equitytrustcompany
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/equitytrust
• Instagraminstagram.com/equitytrust

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Subsidiaries9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A1 record

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Equity Trust Company