efficient Market Advisors
Efficient Market Advisors is an investment advisory firm founded in 2004 that builds actively managed ETF portfolios for high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and endowments, now operating as a subsidiary of Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P. following its 2017 acquisition.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2004
- HeadquartersLa Jolla, United States
- Headcount11–50
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What efficient Market Advisors does
Efficient Market Advisors (EMA) is an investment advisory firm founded in 2004 and headquartered in La Jolla, California, specializing in actively managed ETF portfolio construction for high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and endowments. The firm constructs 15 investment portfolios exclusively using Exchange-Traded Funds, providing diversified asset class exposure along the efficient frontier through a mix of strategic, tactical, and opportunistic asset allocations. Strategies are organized by investment time horizon — Taking Income, 2-5 Years, 6-10 Years, 11-19 Years, and 20+ Years — and are offered in both traditional and ESG-formatted variants. EMA was among the first pure ETF managers in the industry, and its portfolio selection philosophy gravitates toward lower-cost ETFs, citing research showing that lower-cost vehicles outperform higher-cost alternatives over time.
The business operates on a recurring fee-based revenue model through institutional investment management services, distributed via Cantor Fitzgerald Asset Management's direct institutional sales channel (Investor Access and Advisor Access portals) and through third-party subscription platforms including SEI Access Portal, AIX Subscription Portal, CAIS Access, and iCapital Access. Since its 2017 acquisition by Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P., EMA has operated as an acquired brand within Cantor Fitzgerald Asset Management's Multi-Asset Strategies division, positioned alongside capabilities such as Digital Assets, Real Assets, Equity & Fixed Income, Commodities, Cash Management, and Impact & Sustainability strategies.
EMA's customer base spans three primary segments — HNW individuals seeking institutional-style wealth management, institutions seeking policy-driven portfolio characteristics similar to university endowments and governmental pension plans, and endowments requiring long-horizon allocation expertise. The firm has 11–50 employees and no disclosed AI/ML, API, or proprietary technology stack beyond its portfolio construction framework and time-horizon segmentation methodology.
efficient Market Advisors firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- efficient Market Advisors
- Legal name
- Efficient Market Advisors
- Website
- https://efficient-portfolios.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2004
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 11–50 employees
- Short description
- Efficient Market Advisors is an investment advisory firm founded in 2004 that builds actively managed ETF portfolios for high-net-worth individuals, institutions, and endowments, now operating as a subsidiary of Cantor Fitzgerald Investment Advisors L.P. following its 2017 acquisition.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
efficient Market Advisors industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Investment Management
- NAICS
- Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (523940), Portfolio Management and Investment Advice (52394)
- SIC
- Investment Advice (6282)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Multi-Asset ETFs & Index Allocation Funds (FSAAAJAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Multi-Asset Solutions for Institutional (Pensions/Endowments/Sovereigns) (FSAAAJAJ), Advisory Portfolio Management (Non-Discretionary) (FSAAABAD)
Keywords
Where efficient Market Advisors is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- La Jolla
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Markets served
efficient Market Advisors business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Investment Management Services: Provides actively managed ETF portfolio services to individuals, institutions, and endowments seeking institutional consultant-style investment management
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels2 records
Marketing channels4 records
efficient Market Advisors product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Efficient Market Advisors provides institutional consultant-style investment management by constructing 15 investment portfolios exclusively using Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) that deliver highly diversified asset class exposure along the efficient frontier. The strategies are offered in both Traditional and ESG formats and are organized across five time-horizon mandates: Taking Income, 2-5 Years, 6-10 Years, 11-19 Years, and 20+ Years. EMA's portfolios combine strategic, tactical, and opportunistic asset allocations and are targeted at individuals, institutions, and endowments seeking diversified, lower-cost, policy-driven portfolio characteristics.
Product overview
Efficient Market Advisors operates as an acquired brand within Cantor Fitzgerald Asset Management's Multi-Asset Strategies division. EMA was among the first pure ETF managers, established in 2004, providing institutional consultant-style investment management through actively managed exchange traded fund (ETF) portfolios. The company constructs 15 investment portfolios exclusively using ETFs, offering both traditionally managed and Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) formats. EMA's strategies are organized by investment time horizon: Taking Income, 2-5 Years, 6-10 Years, 11-19 Years, and 20+ Years, and include both standard ETF Strategies and ESG ETF Strategies.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Cantor Fitzgerald Managed ETF Portfolios
- Traditional ETF Strategies
Companies that use efficient Market Advisors
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments3 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
efficient Market Advisors technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
efficient Market Advisors partnerships and signals
Strategic signalScale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
efficient Market Advisors competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Schwab Intelligent Portfolios: Schwab's automated ETF-based model portfolio service, offered as part of a large custodian/brokerage platform. Directly competes with EMA's ETF-only portfolio construction but at scale and with custodial integration.
- Edelman Financial Engines: Largest independent RIA in the U.S., offering diversified, multi-asset portfolios to a broad retail and HNW base. Comparable to EMA on portfolio construction approach, but materially larger scale and broader service offering.
- BlackRock iShares Model Portfolios: BlackRock's lineup of ETF-based model portfolios across risk and time-horizon tiers, distributed to advisors globally. Comparable to EMA's product structure but backed by the largest ETF issuer and broadest advisor distribution.
Emerging players
- Facet Wealth: Digital-first RIA offering professionally managed, ETF-based multi-asset portfolios with a focus on flat-fee pricing. Comparable to EMA in product (diversified ETF portfolios) but differentiated by tech-enabled delivery and pricing model.
- Betterment: Digital wealth manager using diversified ETF portfolios with goal-based portfolios and time-horizon variants. Comparable product shelf to EMA but delivered through an automated platform rather than advisor-led institutional distribution.
- Wealthfront: Robo-advisor providing diversified, ETF-based multi-asset portfolios with risk-based allocations. Overlaps with EMA on ETF-only portfolio construction, though Wealthfront is fully automated and serves a younger, more self-directed client base.
Direct peers
- Carson Wealth: RIA and advisor platform offering multi-asset model portfolios (including ETF-based strategies) to HNW households and institutions, with a comparable focus on time-horizon-based portfolio construction.
- Buckingham Strategic Wealth: RIA known for evidence-based, lower-cost ETF-centric portfolio construction and academic-research-driven allocation philosophy — closely aligned with EMA's lower-cost ETF selection thesis and long-horizon model portfolios.
- Creative Planning: Large multi-asset RIA offering institutional-style portfolio management to individuals and institutions, including ETF-based model portfolios across risk and time-horizon tiers — directly comparable to EMA's product structure and target clients.
- Mariner Wealth Advisors: National RIA providing multi-asset, institutional consultant-style portfolio management to HNW clients and institutions. Comparable to EMA in its emphasis on policy-driven portfolios and diversified asset allocation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
efficient Market Advisors social profiles
Digital presenceefficient Market Advisors financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
efficient Market Advisors leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
efficient Market Advisors funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
efficient Market Advisors 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 efficient Market Advisors
What does efficient Market Advisors do?
Efficient Market Advisors provides institutional consultant-style investment management by constructing 15 investment portfolios exclusively using Exchange-Traded Funds (ETFs) that deliver highly diversified asset class exposure along the efficient frontier. The strategies are offered in both Traditional and ESG formats and are organized across five time-horizon mandates: Taking Income, 2-5 Years, 6-10 Years, 11-19 Years, and 20+ Years. EMA's portfolios combine strategic, tactical, and opportunistic asset allocations and are targeted at individuals, institutions, and endowments seeking diversified, lower-cost, policy-driven portfolio characteristics.
Is efficient Market Advisors a public or private company?
efficient Market Advisors is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was efficient Market Advisors founded?
efficient Market Advisors was founded in 2004. It employs 11 to 50 people.
Where is efficient Market Advisors based?
efficient Market Advisors is headquartered in La Jolla, United States, in the North America region.
How does efficient Market Advisors make money?
One revenue line is on record: investment Management Services.
Who are efficient Market Advisors's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Schwab Intelligent Portfolios, Edelman Financial Engines and BlackRock iShares Model Portfolios. Emerging players are Facet Wealth, Betterment and Wealthfront. Direct peers are Carson Wealth, Buckingham Strategic Wealth, Creative Planning and Mariner Wealth Advisors.
Does efficient Market Advisors have an API?
No public API is recorded for efficient Market Advisors.
What industry is efficient Market Advisors in?
efficient Market Advisors's product category is Investment Management. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAAAJAB, Multi-Asset ETFs & Index Allocation Funds, with a secondary code of FSAAAJAJ, Multi-Asset Solutions for Institutional (Pensions/Endowments/Sovereigns). Its NAICS code is 523940 and its SIC code is 6282.