Forge Trust
Forge Trust Co. is a South Dakota-chartered self-directed IRA custodian, owned via Forge Global by Charles Schwab, serving 2.3M+ accounts and $16B+ AUC across individual investors, advisors, sponsors, and investment platforms seeking alternative-asset retirement custody.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersSioux Falls, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What Forge Trust does
Forge Trust Co. is a non-depository trust company chartered by the South Dakota Division of Banking and headquartered in Sioux Falls, providing self-directed IRA custody services for alternative-asset retirement investing. The firm is a wholly owned subsidiary of Forge Global, itself owned by Charles Schwab Corporation (NYSE: SCHW), and operates under the legacy of IRA Services Trust Co., which it rebranded from after more than 40 years in the custody industry. Its core offering enables retirement savers to hold non-publicly traded assets, including real estate, precious metals, private equity, promissory notes, and crowdfunding investments, inside tax-advantaged Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k), Inherited, and Coverdell accounts.
The platform is built on a proprietary digital custody system comprising a 24/7 client portal, a valuation portal for annual asset updates, an Investment Explorer marketplace, and custom data integration APIs that allow investment platforms and issuers to embed Forge Trust custody into their own user experiences. Document workflows run on DocuSign. Operations emphasize efficient transaction processing and direct in-house client service rather than automation of investment decisioning; the firm explicitly disclaims providing investment advice, tax, or legal counsel. The company holds no AI/ML capability disclosed in any source.
Forge Trust generates revenue through recurring custodial and administration fees on accounts, augmented by transaction-based fees for investment purchases, sales, transfers, and rollovers. It monetizes through four primary GTM channels: product-led digital self-service (website and client portal), inside sales via phone, an OEM/embedded channel through investment platform integrations, and a financial-advisor/family-office channel. The customer base spans individual investors (primary), advisors, family offices, sponsors/issuers, and integrated investment platforms, supported by partnerships with HiCapital for 401(k) rollovers and BlueVault for precious metals options.
Forge Trust firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Forge Trust
- Legal name
- Forge Trust Co.
- Website
- https://forgetrust.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- Forge Trust Co. is a South Dakota-chartered self-directed IRA custodian, owned via Forge Global by Charles Schwab, serving 2.3M+ accounts and $16B+ AUC across individual investors, advisors, sponsors, and investment platforms seeking alternative-asset retirement custody.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Forge Trust industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Self-Directed IRA Custody Services
- NAICS
- Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592), Funds, Trusts, and Other Financial Vehicles (525)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Trust Administration & Fiduciary Accounting Services (FSAAANAF)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Personal & Family Trust Services (FSAAANAA)
Keywords
Where Forge Trust is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Sioux Falls
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Forge Trust business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others
Revenue model
- Custodial and Administration Fees: Forge Trust generates revenue through custodial fees for administering self-directed IRA accounts and the alternative assets held within them. As a custodian, they execute investment decisions, facilitate paperwork, and handle administrative duties for IRA owners.
- Transaction and Asset-Based Fees: The company charges fees for various transactions including investment purchases, sales, transfers, rollovers, and account maintenance. Fees are described as reasonable and competitive.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Monthly | Self-directed IRA account with access to alternative assets |
| Other | Monthly | Investment Explorer |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels4 records
Forge Trust product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Forge Trust is a South Dakota-chartered non-depository trust company that provides custodial and administrative services for self-directed IRAs (SDIRAs). It enables retirement savers to invest tax-advantaged dollars in alternative assets including real estate, precious metals, private equity, promissory notes, crowdfunding, and private placements. The company operates a proprietary digital custody platform with Client Portal, Investment Explorer, and Valuation Portal capabilities, and offers custom data integration for B2B partners such as investment platforms and issuers.
Product overview
Forge Trust is a self-directed IRA custodian offering a unified platform for alternative asset investing within tax-advantaged retirement accounts. The core product is Self-Directed IRAs, which supports multiple account types (Traditional, Roth, SEP, SIMPLE, Solo 401(k), Inherited IRA, Coverdell ESA) and enables investment in alternative assets including Real Estate, Precious Metals, Private Equity, Promissory Notes, and Crowdfunding. The platform includes the Investment Explorer (curated opportunity marketplace) and Client Portal (24/7 account management). Additional services include IRA LLC structures for enhanced investment control, safe-keeping of assets, and custody services for private stock and private placements. Forge Trust also provides custom data integration solutions for investment platforms and issuers seeking to connect with their custody infrastructure.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Self-Directed IRAs
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $16 billion in assets under custody
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Forge Trust
Customer profileSegments4 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
Forge Trust technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration2 records
Feature4 records
Forge Trust partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- HiCapitalminorForge Trust has partnered with HiCapital, a third-party provider, to assist customers with the 401(k) rollover process into a self-directed IRA, making the process smoother.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Forge Trust competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Entrust Retirement Services: Self-directed IRA custodian for alternative-asset retirement investing, serving individuals, sponsors, and financial professionals with similar compliance and custody infrastructure to Forge Trust.
- STRATA Trust Company: Self-directed IRA custodian specializing in alternative investments such as real estate, notes, and private placements, serving individual investors, advisors, and sponsors in the same niche as Forge Trust.
- Directed IRA: Self-directed IRA custodian offering checkbook-control IRA LLCs for real estate, private lending, and other alternative investments—competing in the same niche with similar product positioning to Forge Trust.
- American Estate & Trust (Nuview Trust): SDIRA custodian providing self-directed retirement accounts for alternative assets including real estate, private equity, and promissory notes—directly comparable services and customer base.
- Equity Trust Company: One of the largest SDIRA custodians in the U.S., holding alternative assets including real estate, private equity, and precious metals for self-directed retirement accounts—directly comparable to Forge Trust's core offering and target market.
- Kingdom Trust (Preferred Trust Company): South Dakota-chartered, non-depository trust company focused on alternative-asset custody for self-directed IRAs, including private equity, real estate, and cryptocurrency—overlapping directly with Forge Trust's South Dakota charter and SDIRA focus.
- Midland Trust: Self-directed retirement account custodian specializing in real estate and alternative-asset IRAs, serving a similar advisor and individual-investor customer base.
- Pensco (Pacific Premier Trust): Self-directed custodian for alternative-asset IRAs and solo 401(k) plans, including private equity, real estate, and precious metals—closely overlapping Forge Trust's product mix and customer segments.
Emerging players
- Rocket Dollar: Fintech-enabled self-directed IRA and solo 401(k) platform offering checkbook-control structures with a modern, API-driven onboarding experience—an emerging, tech-forward competitor targeting the same SDIRA customer.
Broad incumbents
- Charles Schwab Corporation: Owns Forge Global and thus Forge Trust; also offers self-directed brokerage IRAs at massive scale, providing both traditional securities custody and—through Forge Trust—alternative-asset custody coverage.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Forge Trust social profiles
Digital presenceForge Trust compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance1 record
Forge Trust financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Forge Trust leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Forge Trust funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Forge Trust M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Forge Trust
What does Forge Trust do?
Forge Trust is a South Dakota-chartered non-depository trust company that provides custodial and administrative services for self-directed IRAs (SDIRAs). It enables retirement savers to invest tax-advantaged dollars in alternative assets including real estate, precious metals, private equity, promissory notes, crowdfunding, and private placements. The company operates a proprietary digital custody platform with Client Portal, Investment Explorer, and Valuation Portal capabilities, and offers custom data integration for B2B partners such as investment platforms and issuers.
Is Forge Trust a public or private company?
Forge Trust is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was Forge Trust founded?
Forge Trust was founded in 1979. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is Forge Trust based?
Forge Trust is headquartered in Sioux Falls, United States, in the North America region.
How does Forge Trust make money?
Two revenue lines are on record. Custodial and Administration Fees are the primary driver. The others are transaction and Asset-Based Fees.
Who are Forge Trust's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Entrust Retirement Services, STRATA Trust Company, Directed IRA, American Estate & Trust (Nuview Trust), Equity Trust Company, Kingdom Trust (Preferred Trust Company), Midland Trust and Pensco (Pacific Premier Trust). Rocket Dollar is listed as an emerging player. Charles Schwab Corporation is listed as a broad incumbent.
Does Forge Trust have an API?
No public API is recorded for Forge Trust.
What industry is Forge Trust in?
Forge Trust's product category is Self-Directed IRA Custody Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAANAF, Trust Administration & Fiduciary Accounting Services, with a secondary code of FSAAANAA, Personal & Family Trust Services. Its NAICS code is 523991.