Arete Wealth

Name

Arete Wealth

Legal name

Arete Wealth, Inc.

Website

https://aretewealth.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Independent Broker-Dealer and Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Securities, Commodity Contracts, and Other Financial Investments and Related Activities (523), All Other Financial Investment Activities (52399)

SIC

Security Brokers, Dealers & Flotation Companies (6211), Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Comprehensive/Full-Service RIAs & Independent Wealth Managers (FSAAACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Alternatives & Multi-Asset Digital Wealth Platforms (PE/VC/Real Assets access) (FSAGAEAL), Insurance-Integrated Wealth Managers (RIA + Insurance Solutions) (FSAAACAI), Family Office Investment Platforms & Direct Investing (PE/VC/Co-Invest) (FSAAADAH)

Keywords

• Broker-dealer services
• Wealth management
• Alternative investments
• Investment advisory
• Financial advisory

Headquarters

HQ city

Chicago

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Broker-Dealer Services: Full-service broker-dealer operations providing securities trading and distribution through registered representatives across branch offices
2. Registered Investment Advisory (RIA): SEC-registered investment advisory services with fee-based assets under management, providing wealth planning and asset management
3. Insurance Services: Insurance and annuity products offered through Arete Insurance Agency LLC
4. Alternative Investment Distribution: Distribution of bespoke alternative investments including private equity, venture capital, REITs, opportunity zones, hedge funds, litigation finance, oil & gas, and renewable energy. 50% of revenues came from alternative investments in 2024
5. Managing Broker-Dealer (MBD): Capital markets services acting as managing broker-dealer for third-party sponsors, raising capital through retail and institutional channels. Raised $284.3M externally via MBD platform in 2024
6. Investment Banking: Capital raising services including venture capital, mezzanine financing, and bridge loans for emerging companies

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Arete Wealth and its family of companies provide full-service Broker-Dealer, Registered Investment Advisory, and Insurance services through a unified platform. The firm curates and distributes a broad array of traditional and bespoke alternative investments (over 50 products across real estate, energy, asset finance, managed funds, and operating companies) to high-net-worth clients through its network of affiliated advisors. It also operates a managing broker-dealer capital markets platform that raises capital for third-party sponsors and emerging companies, and has expanded into digital wealth management via the Arete Investments platform.

Product overview

Arete Wealth is a family of financial services companies offering a full-service Broker-Dealer (BD), Registered Investment Advisor (RIA), and Insurance firm through a unified platform architecture. The core offering centers on Arete Navigator, the firm's proprietary Salesforce-based fintech platform, combined with Arete Advisor Central for internal operations. Services include wealth planning and management, investment banking, managing broker-dealer services, and a differentiated Bespoke Alternative Investments platform featuring over 50 alternative investment products across sectors such as real estate, energy, asset finance, managed funds, and operating companies. The firm also offers an exclusive Art & Wine Advisory program and has recently added Digital Brokerage Solutions for cryptocurrency trading through a Prometheum partnership. Arete Investments provides direct-to-consumer digital wealth management services through partnerships with FusionIQ and DriveWealth.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Arete Navigator: Proprietary fintech platform for advisors
• Art & Wine Advisory
• Arete Outsource Solutions
• Center Street
• Arete Investments

Products and services

• Wealth Planning and Management Comprehensive wealth planning and asset management combining traditional approaches with access to third-party money managers and endowment-style investing strategies for high-net-worth clients.
• Investment Banking Capital raising services including venture capital, mezzanine financing, bridge loans, and other forms of capital formation for emerging companies, with selective focus on risk assessment.
• Managing Broker-Dealer Services Capital markets services acting as managing broker-dealer for third-party sponsors, combining full retail channel, sizable AUM, and RIA capabilities with detailed compliance oversight and distribution across a large network of registered reps and wholesalers.
• Bespoke Alternative Investments Tailor-made alternative investment platform offering private, less-liquid investments including litigation finance funds, middle market senior debt funds, diversified blue-chip art funds, opportunity zone deals, oil and gas royalty funds, venture capital funds, hedge funds, renewable energy, and REITs.
• Art & Wine Advisory Lifestyle consulting program integrating wealth management with art, wine, and fine collectibles advisory services.
• Arete Investments Direct-to-consumer digital wealth platform providing cloud-based investment program for retail clients, fueled by partnerships with FusionIQ and DriveWealth.
• Arete Outsource Solutions Outsourced technology and back-office service model providing independent RIAs access to Arete's proprietary end-to-end tech stack (Arete Navigator), broker-dealer services, alternative investments, and compliance infrastructure.

Quantifiable outcome

• $7 billion in assets under management as of 2026
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration11 records

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and major.

• Prometheum CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 27 May 2026Arete Wealth is an inaugural client of Prometheum Capital's Digital Brokerage Solutions, enabling Arete advisors to offer crypto assets (Ethereum) directly within traditional U.S. brokerage accounts. This partnership allows Arete to provide crypto trading through existing brokerage account structures under federal securities law frameworks.
• TaloscoreTechnology or Integration · 12 May 2026Digital asset technology provider for Prometheum Capital's Digital Brokerage Solutions platform, which enables Arete Wealth and other broker-dealers to offer crypto assets through traditional brokerage accounts.
• PonteracoreTechnology or Integration · 12 November 2025Partnership enables Arete advisors to securely connect to clients' held-away retirement accounts (401(k)s, 403(b)s) for monitoring, analysis, and reallocation within a unified financial management framework.
• Luma Financial TechnologiescoreTechnology or Integration · 28 August 2024Arete Wealth leverages Luma's award-winning platform to streamline the process of buying and managing structured products and annuities. Integration includes e-applications through Luma's platform for digitalized annuity application processing.
• Crux Wealth AdvisorsmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 28 August 2024Multi-billion dollar independent RIA firm joined Arete's network via Arete Outsource Solutions, leveraging Arete's proprietary end-to-end tech stack (Arete Navigator), broker-dealer services, alternative investments, and insurance solutions.
• BNY PershingcoreTechnology or Integration · 12 July 2024Expansion of clearing and custody services with BNY Pershing enhances Arete Wealth's wealth management platform, providing institutional-grade infrastructure for the firm's $6B+ in assets under management.
• Golub CapitalmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 6 December 2023Arete Capital Markets division expanded reach of Golub Capital's premium investment products to leading financial advisors through managing broker-dealer partnership.
• FusionIQcoreTechnology or Integration · 29 November 2023Partnership powering Arete Investments, a direct-to-consumer digital wealth platform launched November 2023.
• DriveWealthcoreTechnology or Integration · 29 November 2023Partnership powering Arete Investments, a direct-to-consumer digital wealth platform launched November 2023.
• MasterworksmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTwo-year agreement (2021) to launch affiliated branch office in New York City and act as co-managing broker-dealer, underwriter, and placement agent for Masterworks' art investment securities products.

Scale indicators15 records

Recent moves10 records

Expansion highlights7 records

Broad incumbents

• LPL Financial: LPL Financial is the largest U.S. independent broker-dealer and RIA, with significantly more advisors and AUM. It competes with Arete across the full-service IBD/RIA value proposition, including alternatives distribution, advisor productivity, and M&A lift-outs, making it the broadest comparable incumbent.
• Raymond James Financial Services: Raymond James Financial Services is the independent contractor channel of Raymond James Financial, a large diversified financial services firm. It competes with Arete for independent advisors and offers overlapping wealth and alts capabilities as part of a broader platform.

Direct peers

• Cetera Financial Group: Cetera is a large independent broker-dealer and RIA platform serving independent financial advisors. Like Arete, Cetera offers multi-channel wealth services with strong alts emphasis and runs a managing broker-dealer capital markets business, making it one of the closest direct comparables.
• Cambridge Investment Research: Cambridge is a major independent broker-dealer focused on supporting independent financial advisors with planning, technology, and alternatives access. It competes directly with Arete for breakaway and producing advisors and is a comparable mid-to-large IBD.
• Commonwealth Financial Network: Commonwealth is a large privately held independent broker-dealer/RIA serving financial advisors nationwide. It is comparable to Arete in advisor-support philosophy, alternatives emphasis, and being a founder-controlled private IBD competing for the same advisor pool.
• Kestra Financial: Kestra Financial is a privately held independent broker-dealer and RIA platform that supports independent advisors with planning, technology, and alternative investments. It is comparable to Arete in scale, private ownership structure, and advisor-focused distribution model.
• Osaic (formerly Advisor Group / Ladenburg Thalmann): Osaic is one of the largest independent broker-dealer networks in the U.S., formed from the combination of Advisor Group, Ladenburg Thalmann, and others. It competes with Arete across the IBD/RIA space, including alternatives distribution and advisor productivity.
• Sanctuary Wealth: Sanctuary Wealth is an independent broker-dealer and RIA platform that supports breakaway advisors and advisor teams moving from wirehouses. It is comparable to Arete in focus on HNW/UHNW clients, alternatives, and an advisor-team lift-out strategy.
• Independent Financial Group (IFG): IFG is an independent broker-dealer and RIA platform serving independent financial advisors across the U.S. It is comparable to Arete in scale, focus on breakaway advisors, and emphasis on alts and multi-channel wealth services.
• Arkadios Capital: Arkadios Capital is an independent broker-dealer with a strong focus on alternative investments and breakaway advisor teams. It is highly comparable to Arete on alts emphasis and an advisor-team lift-out growth model, though typically smaller in scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/arete_wealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/arete-wealth-management
• Instagraminstagram.com/aretewealth
• Facebookfacebook.com/aretewealthmanagement

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Subsidiaries1 record

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 Arete Wealth