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CAIS

Alternative investment platform connecting advisors to private markets at scale.

Web-based
$7.5 trillion (total wealth management AUM of firms with access to CAIS)Assets on platform / AUM
2,000+ wealth management firms, 62,000+ financial advisorsClients
01 — Overview

What CAIS does

CAIS was founded in 2009 to address a structural gap: independent financial advisors had limited, operationally complex access to alternative investments while institutional investors did not. The platform now connects over 62,000 financial advisors across more than 2,000 wealth management firms to alternative asset managers and bank issuers, covering the full pre-trade, trade, and post-trade lifecycle in one environment. For family offices and multi-family offices operating through RIA or broker-dealer structures, CAIS offers a centralized operating system for alternatives that spans private equity, private debt, real estate, infrastructure, hedge funds, and structured notes.

The platform's distinguishing feature for investment teams is its unified execution across fund structures. Advisors can trade and manage subscription-based private funds alongside ticker-traded interval funds from a single interface, with single-click model allocations across all structure types through the CAIS Model Marketplace. The recently launched CAISey tool uses AI to surface, compare, and analyze fund data from hundreds of thousands of documents, compressing research workflows that previously required hours.

Key platform capabilities include:

  • CAIS Compass for portfolio construction and scenario modeling
  • CAIS IQ for integrated alternatives education and CE credits
  • CAISey AI for conversational fund discovery and comparison
  • Automated subscription workflows and post-trade reporting
  • Integrations with more than 35 ecosystem partners including custodians and reporting providers

CAIS is purpose-built for the independent wealth channel, not for large wirehouse or institutional buyers. Family offices that operate as RIAs or work through independent broker-dealers are squarely in its intended user base, while those requiring a fully bespoke institutional-grade platform or direct custody arrangements may find the product less suited to their structure. Pricing is not publicly disclosed.

The CAIS platform powers the pre-trade, trade, and post-trade lifecycle of alternative investments and capital market strategies providing financial advisors and alternative asset managers with a single operating system for scale and efficiency.

On CAIS, from a family-office user
02 — Product & capabilities

What it covers

Core tasks
  • Accessing and transacting alternative investment funds and structured notes
  • Executing model portfolio allocations across multiple fund structures
  • Conducting fund research, discovery, and due diligence
  • Managing the full pre-trade, trade, and post-trade alternatives lifecycle
  • Educating advisors on alternative investment strategies and products
  • Distributing alternative investment products to the independent wealth channel
Notable features
  • CAIS Marketplace for alternative funds and structured notes
  • CAISey AI-powered fund discovery and comparison tool
  • CAIS Model Marketplace with single-click model allocations
  • CAIS Compass portfolio construction and scenario modeling tool
  • CAIS IQ integrated education platform with CE credits
  • Automated subscription workflows for private funds
  • Ticker-traded interval fund execution capability
  • Post-trade reporting tools
  • Home office customization for enterprise clients
  • 35+ third-party ecosystem integrations
Assets supported
Private EquityPrivate DebtReal EstateInfrastructureHedge FundsStructured NotesInterval FundsAlternative Investments
Platform & technology
Artificial IntelligenceWhite-labelingBenchmarkingData Ingestion
03 — Company

The firm behind it

Software type
Web-based
Headquarters / markets
United States, United Kingdom
Offices
New York City, Austin, London, Red Bank
Key people
BBrad WalkerPresident
KKan KotechaChief Technology Officer
AAlex CavalieriChief Marketing Officer
NNeil BlundellManaging Director, Head of Investments
Recognition
  • Alternative Investment Firm of the Year - Wealth Solutions Report
  • WealthTech100 List - Fintech Global
  • Great Places to Work - Fortune
  • Best RIA Platform - SPi
  • Best Alternative Investments Solution - Finovate
04 — Clients & fit

Who it’s for

Built for Advisors / Wealth Advisors (RIA), Multi Family Office (MFO), Investment Teams.