What Matson Money does

Matson Money, Inc. is a privately held, SEC-registered investment advisor founded in 1991 by Mark Matson and headquartered across Mason, Ohio and Scottsdale, Arizona. It operates a Turnkey Asset Management Platform (TAMP) that distributes disciplined, evidence-based portfolio management exclusively through a network of 500+ independent financial advisors under a master co-advisory agreement, serving 30,000+ end investors across all 50 US states, Puerto Rico, and three Canadian provinces. Investors cannot engage Matson Money directly and must be introduced by an advisor coach.

The firm's core product is the Matson Method, a fund-of-funds investment methodology that integrates Nobel Prize-winning research — Modern Portfolio Theory, the Three Factor Model, and the Efficient Market Hypothesis — to capture market returns through broad asset-class diversification while explicitly eliminating stock-picking, market-timing, and track-record investing. Underlying the methodology is a proprietary mutual fund family (Free Market U.S. Equity, Free Market International Equity, and Free Market Fixed Income Funds) plus three variable-insurance portfolios covering the same asset classes. Supporting products include The American Dream 401(k) workplace retirement platform, Matson Algorithms for portfolio construction, and a financial-coaching service; the American Dream Experience is a flagship two-day educational event in Scottsdale. An Academic Advisory Board including Harry M. Markowitz and Eugene Fama provides intellectual backing.

Matson Money is compensated solely through advisory fees embedded in the Matson Funds; the 0.20%-1.20% co-advisor fees flow entirely to the independent advisors. The company also runs a Brand Ambassador Program that charges elite advisors approximately $100,000 for licensed marks, branded assets, and operational consulting tied to leading the American Dream Experience. As of May 2026, the firm manages $13.70 billion in assets under management, has grown entirely organically with no disclosed outside capital, and has no parent company or subsidiaries.

Name

Matson Money

Legal name

Matson Money, Inc.

Website

https://matsonmoney.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1991

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Matson Money is a privately held, SEC-registered investment advisor that operates a Turnkey Asset Management Platform serving 500+ independent financial advisors and 30,000+ investors across the US, Puerto Rico, and Canada with $13.70B in AUM, distributing a Nobel-anchored, fund-of-funds investment methodology exclusively through its advisor channel.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Investment Advisory & Wealth Management

NAICS

Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394), Open-End Investment Funds (525910)

SIC

Investment Advice (6282)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Wealth Platforms for Advisors (TAMP/Advisor Tech) (FSAGAEAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Investment Management Advisory (RIA) (FSAEAAAB), Financial Planning–Led RIAs (FSAAACAB)

Keywords

• Wealth management services
• Investment advisory services
• Turnkey asset management
• Financial coaching services
• Retirement planning platform

Headquarters

HQ city

Mason

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Advisory Fees (AUM-based): Matson Money charges advisory fees embedded in the Matson Funds. Co-Advisors receive annual fees ranging from 0.20% to 1.2% of Account Owner assets under management, paid quarterly in advance. Matson does not retain any portion of Co-Advisor fees and is compensated only through advisory fees embedded in the Matson Funds. The company managed over $13.70 billion in assets under management as of May 2026.
2. Brand Ambassador Program: Matson Money receives compensation of approximately $100,000 from Brand Ambassadors for creating branded assets (films, presentations, logos, marketing materials) and providing additional services like in-depth training and coaching for leading the American Dream Experience.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Matson Money operates as a Turnkey Asset Management Platform (TAMP) that provides disciplined, evidence-based investment management services to 500+ independent financial advisors across North America and Puerto Rico. Its core offering is the Matson Method, a proprietary investment methodology built on Nobel Prize-winning research, delivered through proprietary mutual funds, a 401(k) retirement platform, investor coaching, and educational events. The company manages over $13.70 billion in assets under management for 30,000+ individual investors.

Product overview

Matson Money is a multi-generational registered investment advisor company offering a comprehensive wealth management platform built around the Matson Method. The Matson Method is a disciplined investment approach based on Nobel Prize-winning research (Modern Portfolio Theory, Three Factor Model, Efficient Market Hypothesis) that eliminates stock-picking, market-timing, and track-record investing. The core product suite includes: the Matson Method methodology, The American Dream 401(k) retirement platform, Financial Coaching services, Matson Algorithms for automated portfolio management, and the American Dream Experience educational event. Underlying these services are a series of proprietary mutual funds including the Free Market Fixed Income Fund, Free Market International Equity Fund, and Free Market U.S. Equity Fund, as well as three Variable Insurance (VI) Portfolios (Fixed Income, International Equity, and U.S. Equity). All funds operate under a fund-of-funds strategy, allocating across three broad asset categories: domestic equity, international equity, and fixed income.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Matson Method: Matson Money's investing methodology that brings Nobel Prize-winning investing principles into a disciplined approach to asset allocation and long-term wealth creation.
• American Dream Experience
• American Dream 401(k)

Products and services

• The American Dream 401(k)
• Financial Coaching Investor coaching service that develops investors to be disciplined and prudent over a lifetime through education, training, and application of empirically-tested investing methodology. Designed for individual investors working with Matson Money advisor coaches.
• Matson Algorithms Algorithmic investment approach based on Nobel Prize-winning research that automates portfolio construction and management using structured funds across domestic equity, international equity, and fixed income asset classes.
• American Dream Experience A two-day transformational educational event (offered virtually and in-person in Scottsdale, AZ) designed to help investors discover Nobel Prize-winning investment research and transform their relationship with money. Free for existing investors; prospects must work with an advisor to register.
• Free Market U.S. Equity Fund A proprietary mutual fund that invests in U.S. equity securities as part of the Matson fund-of-funds strategy, designed to capture market returns through broad diversification.
• Free Market International Equity Fund A proprietary mutual fund that invests in international equity securities as part of the Matson fund-of-funds strategy, providing global diversification across 80 countries.
• Free Market Fixed Income Fund A proprietary mutual fund that invests in fixed income securities as part of the Matson fund-of-funds strategy, completing the three-asset-class allocation framework.
• Matson Money U.S. Equity VI Portfolio A variable insurance U.S. equity portfolio that allocates investments across domestic equity asset classes using structured funds.
• Matson Money International Equity VI Portfolio A variable insurance international equity portfolio that allocates investments across international equity asset classes using structured funds.
• Matson Money Fixed Income VI Portfolio A variable insurance fixed income portfolio that allocates investments across fixed income asset classes using structured funds.
• Brand Ambassador Program An elite program for top-performing Co-Advisors that provides access to Matson Licensed Marks, branded assets (films, presentations, logos, marketing materials), in-depth training, and coaching for leading the American Dream Experience. Advisors pay approximately $100,000 for a multi-year contract.

Quantifiable outcome

• $13.70 billion in assets under management
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 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

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Eugene FamacoreOthers · 1 January 20182013 Nobel laureate and 'father of modern finance.' Research on Efficient Market Hypothesis forms foundational basis for Matson Money's investment philosophy. Serves on Academic Advisory Board providing theoretical grounding.
• Arthur B. LaffercoreOthers · 1 January 2018Member of President Reagan's Economic Policy Advisory Board (1981-1989). Provides insights on economic policy implications for savers and investors. Known as 'Father of Supply-Side Economics.'
• Terrance OdeancoreOthers · 1 January 2018Rudd Family Foundation Professor of Finance at UC Berkeley Haas School of Business. Leader in behavioral finance with extensive research on investor behavior, biases and habits. Contributes to coaching systems and tools for prudent long-term investing.
• Savina RizovacoreOthers · 1 January 2018Dimensional Fund Advisor's Co-Chief Investment Officer and Global Head of Research. Applies finance background to research projects improving every step of investment process. Serves on Academic Advisory Board providing investment expertise.
• R. Lyman OttcoreOthers · 1 January 2018Ph.D. in Statistics from Virginia Tech. Expert in statistics providing third-party validation for economic and financial research. Analyzes probability of outcomes for specific investing strategies and confirms 'Barbell Effect' in portfolio design.
• David EaglemancoreOthers · 1 January 2018Neuroscientist at Stanford University, internationally bestselling author, and Guggenheim Fellow. Writer of Emmy-nominated 'The Brain' series on PBS/BBC. Provides expertise on human behavior, biases and neurological factors affecting investor decisions.
• Harry M. MarkowitzcoreOthers · 1 January 1991Nobel Prize-winning economist (1990) and developer of Modern Portfolio Theory. Legacy member of Academic Advisory Board from 2018-2023. Provides intellectual credibility and academic oversight for Matson Money's investment methodology.
• Independent Financial Advisors (Co-Advisors)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor500+ independent financial advisors across North America and Puerto Rico work with Matson Money under co-advisory agreements. Advisors focus on client relationships while Matson handles investment management. Advisors are compensated based on AUM of their referred clients.
• Third-Party CustodianscoreTechnology or IntegrationInvestor assets are held in third-party custodian accounts providing security, reporting, and account management services. Multiple custodian options available. Accounts covered by FDIC, SIPC, errors and omissions, and fraud insurance.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dimensional Fund Advisors: Dimensional Fund Advisors is the closest direct peer to Matson Money: an academic-rooted asset manager built on Fama-French factor research and Nobel-aligned (Eugene Fama) investment philosophy, with a fund-of-funds-style delivery and an advisor distribution model. Dimensional also partners with independent advisors and is referenced on Matson's own Academic Advisory Board (Savina Rizova, Dimensional's Co-CIO).
• Envestnet: Envestnet is one of the largest TAMPs in the US, providing portfolio management, reporting, and practice management tools to thousands of independent advisors. Like Matson, Envestnet serves as the outsourced investment engine for independent advisor practices and competes for the same channel.
• Orion Advisor Solutions: Orion is a leading TAMP and advisor technology platform serving thousands of independent RIAs with portfolio management, trading, and reporting. Competes directly with Matson for the same advisor channel and offers a similar end-to-end wealth management stack.
• AssetMark: AssetMark is a TAMP serving thousands of independent financial advisors with practice management support, investment solutions, and technology. Directly comparable in business model: outsourced investment management sold through an independent advisor channel.
• SEI Investments: SEI's Wealth Platform serves independent advisors with turnkey investment management, similar to Matson's TAMP offering. SEI also operates proprietary funds and serves the same advisor-mediated distribution model at larger scale.
• Hightower Advisors: Hightower is an RIA platform serving high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients through a network of advisor teams, with outsourced investment solutions. Compares to Matson in that both serve advisor-led practices and offer centralized investment management with a relationship-driven approach.

Broad incumbents

• LPL Financial: LPL is the largest independent broker-dealer and RIA custodian in the US, supporting thousands of advisors with custody, technology, and investment solutions. LPL competes with Matson for advisor mindshare and offers its own model portfolios and TAMP-style services at much larger scale.
• Fisher Investments: Fisher Investments is a large, founder-led RIA with a strong thought-leadership and media presence, very similar to Matson in brand-building approach and founder-driven marketing. While Fisher is more institutionally focused and uses an active methodology, both firms compete for high-net-worth investors through a media-heavy thought-leadership model.
• Focus Financial Partners: Focus is an RIA aggregator serving hundreds of independent advisor firms with capital, technology, and investment solutions. While more of a partnership/consolidator than a TAMP, Focus is highly relevant as a competitor for the same independent advisor relationships that Matson serves.
• Vanguard Advisor Services: Vanguard is the dominant low-cost passive provider and operates an advisor channel (Vanguard Advisor Services) that competes with Matson on the same investment philosophy (passive, evidence-based) at meaningfully lower fees. Represents the most significant fee-compression threat to Matson's advisor-sold fund-of-funds model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/matsonmoney
• Xx.com/matsonmoney
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/1380038

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Matson Money