OAK BROOK, Ill., — (PRNewswire) — Millennium Trust Company, a leading provider of technology-enabled asset custody solutions for institutions, advisors, and individuals, today announced that five new investment platforms have joined the Millennium Alternative Investment Network (MAIN™). This brings the total number of platforms listed on MAIN to nine. In addition to Lending Club (NYSE: LC), announced earlier this month, EquityZen, iCapital Network, Prodigy Network, and R.J. Oasis are now available through MAIN. Millennium Trust collaborates with leading online investment platforms and service providers to create solutions that use technology to provide qualified investors with an easy way to find and research alternative investments, and then purchase and custody the investment through their Millennium account.
Alternative assets are expected to grow to as much as $15.3 trillion by 2020, according to PricewaterhouseCoopers. MAIN provides access to an ever-expanding network of online investment platforms offering a range of alternative investment options. And once investors make a decision to invest, they can use Millennium Trust’s simple, secure, online process to set up and manage their custody accounts.
“There is a clear trend towards making some size allocation to alternative assets,” said Millennium Trust Company CEO Gary Anetsberger. “However, many advisors and individual investors still cite a lack of access, and a lack of educational information, as two of the biggest hurdles they face when deciding which types of alternatives to select and what size allocation is appropriate. MAIN provides a starting point for investors to begin to solve both of these issues. We’re excited to welcome the latest investment platforms to our growing network.”
EquityZen is a marketplace for pre-IPO investments, connecting shareholders of private companies with investors seeking alternative investments, allowing startup employees to sell their rights to their shares while providing investment access to upside in growth firms.
“We are excited to provide Millennium Trust’s individual and advisor clients access to pre-IPO technology company investments that have typically been reserved for institutions,” said Phil Haslett, founder and head of investments at EquityZen, which has worked with more than half of the top 25 U.S. “Unicorns.” “By joining MAIN, investors have an efficient way to custody these private investments.”
iCapital Network offers a curated selection of private equity, credit, real estate, venture capital and hedge funds, supported by a full complement of research and diligence tools and electronic subscription processing.
“Alternative investments, including private equity and hedge funds, can be a valuable addition to a high-net-worth portfolio but have been out of reach for many investors until recently,” says Lawrence Calcano, managing partner of iCapital Network. “We are pleased to be a platform on MAIN and committed to working with Millennium Trust to improve investor education and access to these critical asset classes.”
Lending Club (NYSE: LC) is the world’s largest online credit marketplace. With Lending Club, investors can quickly and simply build a diverse portfolio of investments in loans that fit their investment criteria, receiving monthly payments of principal and interest as borrowers repay their loans.
“MAIN gives Lending Club new access to individual investors and financial advisors,” said Renaud Laplanche, founder, and CEO of Lending Club. “Since launching in 2007, Lending Club has delivered access for retail investors to invest in consumer credit that has delivered net annual returns of 5-8% historically since inception and we look forward to expanding our distribution with this strategic relationship.”
As a leading global crowd-investing platform, Prodigy Network provides investors the opportunity to own select institutional quality real estate projects located in Manhattan that it believes may outperform the market. With a global portfolio exceeding $700 million, Prodigy Network has raised over $350 million of equity from thousands of investors in 23 countries and 25 states within the United States.
“We are very happy to have joined the Millennium Alternative Investment Network and greatly value our relationship with Millennium Trust,” said Prodigy Network CEO, Rodrigo Nino. “Real estate is among the most popular alternative assets for self-directed IRAs and we are pleased to provide MAIN users the ability to invest in these institutional-quality real estate projects in Manhattan.”
R.J. OASIS is a new generation of alternative investment services that satisfy the unique requirements of each client by offering customized value added solutions. They partner with clients to understand their needs, provide access to quality alternative investment products, assist in managing risk, maintaining liquidity, and provide dynamic reporting.
“R.J. OASIS is delighted to be listed on MAIN and to expand the universe of alternative investment strategies available to Millennium Trust clients,” said Managing Director of Asset Management Julie DeMatteo. “We believe there is significant investor demand for additional product and educational resources. This strategic relationship satisfies the need for both.”
MAIN Webinar Series
In addition to providing access to investment platforms through MAIN, Millennium Trust will host an ongoing educational webinar series presented by each of the participating platforms. Join us on May 17, 2016 at 3:00 P.M. (CST) for a webinar titled “Answers to the top 5 questions about marketplace lending and how P2P may fit into your clients’ fixed income strategy,” presented with Lending Club and including marketplace lending commentary from early adopter, Ross Financial Advisors, LLC. The webinar will provide advisors with answers to commonly asked client questions about marketplace lending— What is it? How does it work? How could it perform in a downturn? —and insight into how an investment may fit into clients’ fixed income portfolios. For more information about this webinar, and others in the series, visit Millennium Trust at: https://www.mtrustcompany.com/news?type=webinar
Millennium Trust does not provide due diligence on prospective investments, platforms, sponsors or service providers and does not sell investments or provide investment, tax or legal advice. Millennium Trust does not endorse any platform or investment, including platforms and investments which may be reached through MAIN. The views and information regarding investments available through a platform represent solely the views of, and information provide by, that platform.
About Millennium Trust Company
Millennium Trust Company provides innovative custody solutions for IRA rollovers, alternative assets, and private funds. With $18.1 billion in assets under custody and more than 440,000 accounts under administration (as of 3/31/2016), Millennium Trust Company is a leader in providing custody services for both alternative and traditional assets. Millennium Trust performs the duties of a directed custodian. As such, it does not provide due diligence on prospective investments, platforms, sponsors or service providers and does not sell investments or provide investment, tax or legal advice. For more information about Millennium Trust Company visit: https://www.mtrustcompany.com
Media Contact:
Amiee Watts
JConnelly
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646.838.5442
Disclosures: This material is provided for informational purposes only and is not intended as, and may not be relied on in any manner as, legal, tax or investment advice, a recommendation, or as an offer to sell, a solicitation of an offer to purchase or a recommendation of any interest in any fund or security offered by iCapital. Past performance is not indicative of future results. Alternative investments are complex, speculative investment vehicles and are not suitable for all investors. An investment in an alternative investment entails a high degree of risk and no assurance can be given that any alternative investment fund’s investment objectives will be achieved or that investors will receive a return of their capital. The information contained herein is subject to change. Securities may be offered through iCapital Securities, LLC, a registered broker dealer, member of FINRA and SIPC and subsidiary of Institutional Capital Network, Inc. iCapital is a registered trademark of Institutional Capital Network, Inc. All rights reserved.
