CAIS, the leading alternative investment platform for independent financial advisors, has announced that nearly 40 new and existing alternative asset managers have introduced strategies on the platform over the past six months, broadening advisor access to alternative investments as demand continues to evolve. The new additions span hedge funds, infrastructure, real estate, and other alternative asset classes. Founded in 2009 and headquartered in New York, CAIS has grown into one of the largest platforms connecting institutional alternative managers with independent advisors, alongside rival iCapital.

The expansion comes as advisors continue to refine allocations across asset classes, liquidity profiles, and investment objectives, enabling them to tailor portfolios to evolving client needs. In the first quarter of this year, CAIS recorded increased flows into exchange funds—vehicles that allow holders of concentrated stock positions to diversify while deferring capital gains taxes—as well as hedge funds, infrastructure, real estate, and tax-advantaged strategies, reflecting a broader industry shift toward portfolio diversification and income-oriented investment strategies.

The managers that have introduced strategies on the CAIS platform include both established institutional firms and specialized managers not typically available through traditional wealth channels. Among them are 26North, 503 Capital Partners, Adams Street Partners, AllianceBernstein, Apollo, Ardian, AQR, Blackstone, Blue Owl Capital, Campbell & Company, Carlyle, Coatue, Cohen & Steers, Eldridge, EQT Partners, Fortress Investment Group, Forum Investment Group, Global Endowment Management (GEM), GoldenTree Asset Management, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Hamilton Lane, Harbor Group International, HarbourVest Partners, Hines, KKR, Kayne Anderson, Lord Abbett, Millennium Management, Monroe Capital, Morgan Stanley Investment Management, New Mountain Capital, PennantPark, Pomona Capital, Quantum Capital Group, REX Shares, T. Rowe Price/Oak Hill Advisors, Third Point, Veritas Capital, and Vista Equity Partners, among other managers.

The roster reflects a wider push by institutional alternative managers into the wealth channel. Apollo, Blackstone, KKR and Carlyle are among the firms that have publicly highlighted their private wealth businesses as a growth priority in recent years, and platform distribution has become a key route for reaching independent advisors. Policy has added to the backdrop: in August 2025, an executive order directed the U.S. Labor Department to re-evaluate its 2008 guidance on including alternative assets in 401(k)-style retirement plans, a step that has drawn attention across the asset management industry as advisor access to alternatives widens.

"Advisor needs continue to evolve, and we're committed to building a marketplace that evolves with them," said Brad Walker, Co-President of CAIS. "By thoughtfully expanding access to leading managers and strategies, paired with robust education and technology that removes operational friction, we're allowing advisors to construct portfolios that reflect today's market environment and their clients' long-term objectives. Our disciplined approach to manager selection on the platform seeks to ensure that advisors can access strategies that complement diversified portfolios while delivering the experience they expect from CAIS."

"Today's wealth management landscape is increasingly defined by advisors' ability to access and evaluate a broad range of alternative investment opportunities," said Jennifer Abate, Head of the Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) Channel at Blackstone. "Education, due diligence, and technology are the foundation for advisors allocating to alternatives, and it's meaningful to see platforms strengthening all three across the industry."

The more than 600 alternative investment strategies available on the CAIS platform undergo third-party due diligence by Mercer—a layer of independent review that has become standard for platform-distributed alternatives—and are made available to CAIS' network of more than 2,500 wealth management firms. Asset managers on the platform also gain access to a custom analytics dashboard, dedicated support from the CAIS Asset Manager Partnerships team, and opportunities for live educational and networking events through CAIS Live and CAIS Summit.

CAIS will host its fifth annual CAIS Summit in Beverly Hills from October 12–15, 2026, bringing together more than 1,200 financial advisors, asset managers, and industry leaders. The event will provide advisors with opportunities to engage directly with leading alternative asset managers whose strategies are available on the CAIS platform, alongside content spanning alternative investments, capital markets, geopolitics, artificial intelligence, sports, media and entertainment, and aerospace and defense.

The continued platform expansion comes amid broader company momentum, including a recently announced Series D financing that valued CAIS at over $2 billion. The financing enables the company to expand its platform, scale its technology and AI capabilities, explore strategic opportunities, and continue delivering the innovation advisors need to better serve their clients.