What HQ Trust does

HQ Trust GmbH is an independent, BaFin-regulated Multi Family Office headquartered in Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, Germany, with additional offices in Düsseldorf and Berlin. Founded in 2006 as the dedicated family office of the Harald Quandt family — whose wealth management roots extend back to the 1981 establishment of the Harald Quandt Holding — HQ Trust now serves more than 180 clients, including ultra-high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations, church institutions, and institutional investors (occupational pension institutions such as Versorgungswerke, Pensionskassen, and Zusatzversorgungskassen). The firm manages €20+ billion in assets under management and €50+ billion in assets under advice as of 31.12.2025, with 115 employees.

HQ Trust's service offering is built around an integrated wealth management platform combining bespoke advisory, proprietary investment vehicles, and digital infrastructure. Core proprietary platforms include HQT One (a digital client portal consolidating wealth data, reporting, controlling, and digital signatures), HQT Safe (secure document exchange with multi-factor authentication), and PWWeb (portfolio management interface). The firm also manages two exclusive proprietary fund products: HQT Vintage-Fonds (an annual private equity fund-of-funds providing access to managers such as KKR, CVC, Bain Capital, EQT, Advent, and Ardian, with €1.7 billion in capital commitments and 80+ funds subscribed since 2013) and HQT Sirius (a Luxembourg-domiciled SICAV-SIF hedge fund-of-funds). HQ Trust is a UN PRI signatory since April 2016 and operates in compliance with MiFID II.

The business model is entirely fee-based and recurring. Revenue is generated through (1) AUM/AUA-based advisory and management fees on wealth management and institutional mandates, billed quarterly; (2) management fees and carried interest on the HQT Vintage-Fonds program; and (3) a Total Expense Ratio on HQT Sirius. HQ Trust maintains strict bank independence — it receives no commissions or trailer fees from product providers — and is compensated exclusively by clients. Distribution is direct and relationship-driven through dedicated client advisors across the three German offices, supplemented by content marketing (Insights blog, Chart of the Week, Podcast Q, monthly newsletter, annual outlooks), press presence, and the Wigmore Association international family office network (€76 billion in network assets, 500+ families, 5 continents).

Name

HQ Trust

Legal name

HQ Trust GmbH

Website

https://hqtrust.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2006

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

HQ Trust GmbH is a BaFin-regulated, independent German Multi Family Office serving 180+ high-net-worth families, foundations, and institutional investors (Versorgungswerke, Pensionskassen) with €20bn+ AUM and €50bn+ AUA, delivering integrated wealth advisory, proprietary PE and hedge fund products, and a digital client portal.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Multi-Family Office Wealth Management

NAICS

Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592), Other Investment Pools and Funds (5259)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Office Investment Platforms & Direct Investing (PE/VC/Co-Invest) (FSAAADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Family Office Administration & Operations (Accounting, Reporting, Payroll) (FSAAADAD), Family Office Services (Single & Multi-Family Office) (FSABADAF), Managed Account / SMA Multi-Manager Platforms (FSANAGAL), Digital/Hybrid Private Wealth (Robo-Enabled HNW Service) (FSAAABAO)

Keywords

• Multi family office
• Wealth management advisory
• Private equity fund-of-funds
• Institutional investment advisory
• Alternative investments advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Höhe

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. AUM/AUA-based Management and Advisory Fees: HQ Trust generates revenue primarily through fees calculated on assets under management (AUM) and assets under advice (AUA). For wealth management, fees are typically calculated as a percentage of average managed wealth value, billed quarterly. For institutional advisory mandates, fees may include fixed and variable components based on AUA. The firm is strictly compensated by clients, with no commissions or trailer fees from external managers, ensuring independence from product providers.
2. Private Equity Fund Management (HQT Vintage-Fonds): The HQT Vintage-Fonds generates management fees (0.2% in Year 1, 0.4% in Year 2, 0.6% p.a. in Years 3-8 on capital commitments, 0.5% p.a. on NAV from Year 9), plus a 5% performance fee (carried interest) subject to return of contributed capital and 8% p.a. IRR hurdle. Discounts apply for subscriptions of EUR 5 million or more.
3. Hedge Fund Management (HQT Sirius): The HQT Sirius Dachfonds charges a Total Expense Ratio (TER) of approximately 1.00% p.a., encompassing fund administration, management, and custodian fees. Revenue flows through the AIFM (Universal-Investment-Luxembourg S.A.) structure.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

HQ Trust provides independent Multi Family Office services including wealth strategy, wealth management, reporting and controlling for high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations, and church institutions. It also delivers independent investment advisory for institutional clients (occupational pension institutions, Versorgungswerke, Pensionskassen, Zusatzversorgungskassen) covering ALM, asset allocation, manager selection, and risk management. The firm distributes two proprietary fund products — HQT Vintage Fonds (annual private equity fund-of-funds) and HQT Sirius (Luxembourg hedge fund-of-funds) — and operates proprietary digital platforms (HQT One, HQT Safe) for consolidated wealth reporting and secure document exchange.

Product overview

HQ Trust operates as a Multi Family Office offering an integrated wealth management platform combining advisory services, proprietary investment funds, and a digital client infrastructure. The core digital platform consists of HQT One (the central customer portal) and HQT Safe (secure document exchange), supplemented by wealth reporting and controlling modules. HQ Trust also manages two proprietary fund products: HQT Vintage Fonds (a private equity fund-of-funds launched annually, currently Vintage Fonds I) and HQT Sirius (a Luxembourg-domiciled hedge fund-of-funds). The platform is completed by institutional consulting services, alternative investment advisory, and comprehensive reporting for high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations, and institutional investors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HQT Vintage Fonds: Private Equity fund-of-funds program that bundles individual Private Equity investments of a calendar year into a diversified portfolio, launched annually.
• HQT Sirius
• HQT One
• HQT Safe

Products and services

• Family Office Services (Wealth Strategy, Wealth Management, Reporting & Controlling) Comprehensive, bank-independent Multi Family Office service for high-net-worth individuals, families, foundations, and church institutions. Includes wealth strategy, asset allocation, wealth management, generation management, and consolidated reporting and controlling across all asset classes.
• Institutional Investment Advisory Independent investment advisory for occupational pension institutions (berufsständische Versorgungswerke, Zusatzversorgungskassen, Pensionskassen) covering strategic asset allocation, Asset-Liability Management (ALM), risk management, manager selection, implementation, controlling, and reporting with a special focus on alternative investments.
• HQT Vintage Fonds (Private Equity Fund-of-Funds) Annual private equity fund-of-funds program that bundles individual private equity investments of a calendar year into a diversified portfolio, providing qualified investors access to top-tier PE managers including KKR, CVC, Bain Capital, EQT, Advent, Ardian, Nordic Capital, Triton, and others. Minimum subscription EUR 200,000; targets net IRR above 10% p.a.
• HQT Sirius Dachfonds (Hedge Fund-of-Funds) Luxembourg SICAV-SIF (ISIN LU0862605655) providing diversified access to hedge fund strategies including Multi-Strategy, Relative Value, Event Driven, Fixed Income Long/Short, Equity Long/Short, and Global Macro. Targets absolute, low-volatility returns with low beta to equity markets. TER approximately 1.00% p.a.; minimum investment EUR 200,000.
• HQT One (Digital Client Portal) Digital customer portal providing consolidated access to total wealth, asset structure, controlling dashboards, document management, role-based permissions, digital signature, and exclusive research materials. Aggregates and evaluates wealth data from third-party sources including banks, tax advisors, and auditors across liquid and illiquid asset classes.
• HQT Safe (Secure Document Exchange) Secure online service for storing, sending, and receiving data between HQ Trust and clients through a protected area using multi-factor authentication and state-of-the-art encryption.

Quantifiable outcome

• Family-Office approach delivers 7.6% annualized return vs. 6.5% traditional allocation, with 27% volatility vs. 12% for traditional portfolios (based on 10-year capital market projections, pre-tax, after product costs, Q4 2025)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Five partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Wigmore AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHQ Trust is a member of the Wigmore Association, an international network of independent family offices managing over EUR 76 billion in assets and serving more than 500 families across 5 continents and 20+ offices. The network brings together chief investment strategists, risk specialists, and marketing experts who regularly exchange information. HQ Trust's clients benefit from bundled expertise and independent global information.
• Top-Tier Private Equity Managers (KKR, CVC, Bain Capital, EQT, Advent, Ardian, Nordic Capital, Triton, TA Associates, Catterton, Lexington, HIG Capital, Advent International, BPEC, Bridgepoint, BV Investment Partners, Cinven, Nautic Partners, Ridgemont, WCAS)coreTechnology or IntegrationHQ Trust maintains long-standing relationships with the world's leading private equity managers enabling access for clients through the HQT Vintage-Fonds program. Fund managers featured include KKR, CVC Capital Partners, Bain Capital, EQT, Advent International, Ardian, Nordic Capital, Triton, TA Associates, Catterton, Lexington Partners, HIG Capital, BPEC, Bridgepoint, BV Investment Partners, Cinven, Nautic Partners, Ridgemont, and WCAS. These relationships are built over decades of collaborative investing.
• Universal-Investment-Luxembourg S. A.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUniversal-Investment-Luxembourg S.A. serves as the Alternative Investment Fund Manager (AIFM) for the HQT Sirius Dachfonds, a Luxembourg-domiciled SICAV-SIF. The AIFM is responsible for portfolio management, risk management, and regulatory compliance of the fund.
• State Street Bank Luxembourg S.C.A.coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerState Street Bank Luxembourg S.C.A. serves as the custodian bank (Verwahrstelle) for the HQT Sirius Dachfonds, safeguarding fund assets and performing supervisory duties as required under Luxembourg law.
• Data Screen Consult GmbHminorOthersData Screen Consult GmbH, based in Bad Homburg v. d. Höhe, serves as HQ Trust's external data protection officer (Datenschutzbeauftragter). Contact: Herr Arnd Harnischmacher.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Bethmann Bank (Deutsche Bank Wealth Management): Deutsche Bank's dedicated family office and private wealth arm in Germany. Overlapping in serving HNW families, foundations, and institutional wealth in Germany, but broader product suite and balance-sheet resources compared to HQ Trust's independent model.
• Metzler Bank: Frankfurt-based family-owned private bank with multi-decade wealth management and asset management franchise. Comparable in independent, family-controlled German model serving HNW clients and institutional asset management, especially in alternatives.
• Berenberg Wealth Management: Hamburg-based merchant bank with strong private wealth and asset management divisions. Comparable in serving German HNW/UHNW clients with multi-asset advisory including alternatives, though broader investment banking orientation.
• HSBC Trinkaus & Burkhardt Wealth: German subsidiary of HSBC Global Private Banking serving HNW and institutional clients. Similar DACH HNW franchise but with global bank balance sheet and broader product offering versus HQ Trust's pure-play MFO structure.
• Bethmann Stiftungsmanagement (Deutsche Bank): Foundation and endowment management arm within Deutsche Bank wealth management. Comparable in serving Stiftungen and kirchliche Einrichtungen in Germany, overlapping directly with one of HQ Trust's client segments.

Direct peers

• Donner & Reuschel: Hamburg-based independent private bank and multi-family office serving HNW families and foundations across Germany. Closest direct peer—independent, bank-unaffiliated model, comparable wealth reporting/asset consolidation capabilities, similar DACH focus.
• Sal. Oppenheim / Deutsche Oppenheim: German multi-family-office operation acquired by Deutsche Bank. Closely comparable model: serving UHNW families with discretionary wealth management, alternative investments, and consolidated reporting, including an active institutional advisory segment.
• Augusta Holding (HQ Capital competitor): Independent German alternative investment manager and multi-family office offering asset allocation, manager selection, and FoF products. Closely comparable in DACH MFO + fund-of-alternatives model, including PE and hedge fund solutions.

Others

• Family Office Association / Verband der Family Offices: German industry association for family offices, comparable ecosystem context to Wigmore Association membership HQ Trust leverages. Not a competitor but relevant peer for benchmarking and thought leadership positioning.

Emerging players

• Lilja & Co. (Family Office): Swiss/European multi-family office platform with similar profile in serving HNW families and institutional U/HNW clients with alternatives access. Comparable in scale, governance model, and cross-border HNW ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments3 records

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

Frequently asked questions about HQ Trust