IAP Investment & Trust Services

What IAP Investment & Trust Services does

IAP Investment & Trust Services AG is a privately held, family-run wealth management and fiduciary services firm headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. Founded in 1999 by former Standard Chartered Bank executives Andreas Isenschmid (private banking) and Markus Amrein (commercial banking), the firm operates as an independent intermediary between clients and a broad network of Swiss and international custodian banks, with relationships extending to roughly 20-40 custodian banks depending on the source. The company maintains full legal and operational independence from banks and product manufacturers, refusing retrocessions, kickbacks and trailing commissions, and explicitly eschewing performance fees in favor of an asset-based fee model.

The firm delivers an integrated suite of four service lines to high-net-worth individuals, families, family offices, entrepreneurs and corporate clients worldwide: (1) discretionary and advisory portfolio management across equities, bonds, cash equivalents, precious metals, commodities, alternatives, real estate and optional digital currency allocations; (2) financial, estate and succession planning including trust structuring; (3) corporate secretarial and entity administration services for Swiss and offshore companies; and (4) philanthropy and sustainable investment advisory. As of 10 February 2023, IAP holds dual FINMA licensure as both asset manager and trustee under Article 17 FinIA, making it the first Zurich-based firm to hold both authorizations simultaneously.

Go-to-market is anchored on client referrals and a network of external asset managers (EAMs), investment advisors, lawyers and tax advisors; the firm states that its business has grown "almost exclusively through referrals." Pricing is asset-based with fixed annual trustee/activity rates and capped service fees, reinforcing a recurring revenue model with built-in transparency. Leadership comprises four managing directors — including two TEP-certified practitioners and two second-generation Isenschmid family members — who collectively bring prior tenure at Standard Chartered, UBS, Credit Suisse, BNP Paribas and Lavoro Bank (BNL).

Name

IAP Investment & Trust Services

Legal name

IAP Investment & Trust Services AG

Website

https://iap.swiss

Company type

Private

Founded year

1999

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

IAP Investment & Trust Services AG is a Zurich-based, family-owned independent wealth management and fiduciary firm licensed by FINMA as both asset manager and trustee, serving HNW individuals, families, family offices, entrepreneurs and corporate clients worldwide through portfolio management, trust, succession planning and corporate administration services.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Asset Management Fees: Fees calculated on managed assets (AUM-based). The company practices asset-based fees and does not charge performance fees to avoid incentivizing unnecessary risk-taking.
2. Investment Advisory Services: Portfolio-based investment advisory services where personal recommendations are provided to clients considering their portfolio. Decision to buy or sell remains with the client.
3. Trustee Services: Comprehensive trust services including trust administration, estate planning, and succession planning. Licensed as trustee by FINMA.
4. Corporate Secretarial Services: Company formation, administration, corporate secretarial services, accounting, and entity administration services for companies in trading, consultancy, financial transactions, real estate, and other sectors.
5. Fiduciary Services: The company explicitly renounces all third-party payments including retrocessions, kickbacks, and trailing commissions, ensuring full transparency for clients.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

IAP Investment & Trust Services AG is a Zurich-based, FINMA-licensed wealth management and fiduciary firm providing independent investment advisory and discretionary portfolio management, trust and trustee services, financial/estate/succession planning, philanthropy and sustainable investment advisory, and corporate secretarial and entity administration services for private clients, family offices, entrepreneurs, and corporate clients worldwide.

Product overview

IAP Investment & Trust Services is a licensed Swiss wealth management and fiduciary services firm offering an integrated suite of four core services: Investment Advice & Portfolio Management (discretionary and advisory mandates spanning equities, bonds, alternatives, real estate, and optional digital currencies); Financial, Estate & Succession Planning (including trust services and estate administration); Corporate Secretarial & Entity Administration (company formation, nominee services, accounting, real estate structuring); and Philanthropy & Sustainable Investments. These services are provided as a unified offering tailored to private clients, family offices, entrepreneurs, and corporate clients worldwide. The company was founded in 1999, holds FINMA licensing as both asset manager and trustee (since 2023), and operates independently from banks and product manufacturers.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Investment Advice & Portfolio Management

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Swiss Banks (20+)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAP maintains relationships with almost 20 banks in Switzerland including private banks, online traders, and banks offering trade finance services. These partnerships enable comprehensive banking services for clients including custody, brokerage, investment services, and payment transactions.
• Custodian BankscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerStrategic partnerships with custodian banks for asset custody and management. IAP works with more than 40 custodian banks and has established close ties with many banks in Switzerland and beyond.
• Investment Advisors WorldwidecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorReferrals are integral to IAP's business model. They partner with many investment advisors worldwide who want to make IAP's services available to their clients. External Asset Managers can join IAP's platform.
• Lawyers and Tax AdvisorscoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIAP works together with lawyers and tax advisors to provide holistic company administration services, estate planning, and succession planning. Together they provide comprehensive financial services.
• Charitable Organizations PartnersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIAP assists with structuring, implementation and administration of philanthropic activities and charitable investments, working with clients to identify suitable projects and evaluate legal structures.
• External Asset Managers (EAMs)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWith the challenging regulatory environment in Switzerland (FinSA and FinIA effective 1 January 2020), IAP welcomes External Asset Managers to join their platform to enable their clients to continue enjoying independent financial services.
• Real Estate PartnersminorImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerIAP connects clients with partners who conduct due diligence, legal, tax and property management services for real estate transactions worldwide. They have a valuable portfolio network for residential and commercial property investments.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Mirabaud Group:
• EFG International: EFG Bank is a Swiss private bank headquartered in Zurich offering wealth management, investment advisory, trust and corporate services to HNW clients globally — closely aligned with IAP's mix of investment advice, trustee services and entity administration.

Broad incumbents

• Vontobel: Vontobel is a Zurich-headquartered wealth and asset manager with HNW wealth management, fixed-income advisory and external asset manager (EAM) services via its platform — competing both for IAP's clients and for EAM partnerships.
• Julius Baer: Julius Baer is a leading Swiss wealth manager focused on HNW individuals and families, offering portfolio management, financing, and family-office services; competes with IAP for the same client base in Switzerland and internationally.
• Lombard Odier: Lombard Odier is a Swiss private bank with HNW/private-client wealth management, estate planning, trust and corporate services in Zurich/Geneva — comparable client segments and product mix to IAP with broader international footprint.
• J. Safra Sarasin: J. Safra Sarasin is a Basel/Zurich-based private banking group providing discretionary portfolio management, wealth structuring and family-office services to HNW clients — direct overlap with IAP's core investment and trust offerings.
• Pictet Group: Pictet is a large Swiss private bank and wealth manager offering discretionary and advisory portfolio management, trust services and family-office solutions to HNW clients globally — overlapping with IAP across all core service lines but at materially greater scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/IAP.SWISS

Compliance2 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

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 IAP Investment & Trust Services