NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--iCapital Network1, the leading financial technology platform driving access and efficiency in alternative investing for the asset and wealth management industries, announced today it has entered into an agreement to acquire the alternative investments feeder fund platform from Wells Fargo’s (NYSE: WFC) Global Alternative Investments (GAI) division. As a part of the transaction, Wells Fargo is making a strategic investment in iCapital under the terms of iCapital’s latest fundraising round.
Wells Fargo’s alternative investment feeder fund platform supports a full suite of alternative solutions, including private equity, private debt, hedge funds, private real estate and direct private investments across approximately 70 investment vehicles. Last month, iCapital announced its agreement to acquire the Artivest platform and operating businesses. Upon completion of both transactions, iCapital’s platform will service nearly $58 billion in client assets across more than 720 funds, 120,000 underlying accounts, and more than 70 white label partners.
“We are enormously excited to forge this partnership with Wells Fargo as another important milestone on our mission to create the industry standard technology solution for private investments,” said Lawrence Calcano, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of iCapital Network. “This agreement is emblematic of the great strides we have made to provide greater access, efficiency and transparency for the wealth management community seeking alternative investing strategies for their high-net-worth clients.”
“We are pleased to partner with iCapital to deliver alternative investments to enhance the experience for our advisors and clients,” said Darrell Cronk, president of Wells Fargo Investment Institute. “This transaction will allow us to continue to provide innovative alternative investment solutions to our clients as well as upgrade the overall platform and launch new offerings.”
iCapital’s white-label technology will be leveraged to streamline and automate ongoing operations and fund administration services for Wells Fargo’s alternative investment feeder funds. It will also provide best-in-class support to Wells Fargo’s advisors and their high-net-worth client base. As part of the transaction, iCapital will offer employment to a team of Wells Fargo employees who currently support operations for the GAI Feeder Fund Platform. The transitioning team will continue to support the fund portfolio to ensure continuity of service.
Earlier this year iCapital announced the close of a $146 million capital raise to support its future growth. As a part of the transaction, Wells Fargo will be the latest strategic investor to join the consortium of wealth and asset managers strategically invested in iCapital. Wells Fargo joins Ping An Global Voyager Fund, Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS), Affiliated Managers Group (NYSE: AMG), Hamilton Lane (NASDAQ: HLNE) and WestCap as new investors.
Additional existing strategic partners and investors in iCapital include BlackRock (NYSE: BLK), Blackstone (NYSE: BX), BNY Mellon (NYSE: BK), The Carlyle Group (NASDAQ: CG), Credit Suisse, JPMorgan Chase & Co (NYSE: JPM), Morgan Stanley Investment Management (NYSE: MS) and UBS Financial Services, Inc. (NYSE: UBS).
The transaction is expected to close during the second half of 2020. Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
About iCapital Network
iCapital Network’s mission is to power the world’s alternative investment marketplace. Its financial technology platform has transformed the way alternative investments are bought and sold through the development of tech-based solutions for advisors, their high-net-worth client base, asset managers, and banks. The firm’s flagship platform offers advisors and their clients access to a curated menu of private equity and hedge funds at lower minimums with a full suite of due diligence and administrative support in a secure digital environment. Asset managers and banks leverage iCapital Network’s tech-enabled services to streamline and scale their private investments operational infrastructure. iCapital was recognized in the 2018, 2019, and 2020 Forbes FinTech 50 which highlights the top 50 innovative financial technology companies that are transforming finance through technology. As of April 30, 2020, iCapital Network services more than $51 billion in client assets across more than 100,000 underlying accounts.
For additional information, please visit iCapital Network’s website at www.icapitalnetwork.com | LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/icapital-network-inc | Twitter: @icapitalnetwork
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 Institutional Capital Network, Inc. or its affiliates (together “iCapital Network” or “iCapital”). Past performance is not indicative of future results. Alternative investments such as those described 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 and is also incomplete. This industry information and its importance is an opinion only and should not be relied upon as the only important information available. Information contained herein has been obtained from sources believed to be reliable, but not guaranteed. Inclusion in the Forbes FinTech 50 list makes no guarantee to future performance and may not be representative of a platform user’s experience. Awards, rankings and/or recognition by unaffiliated rating services and/or publications should not be construed by a client or prospective client as a guarantee that he or she will experience a certain level of results if iCapital Network is engaged, nor should it be construed as a current or past endorsement of iCapital Network by any of its clients. Securities may be offered through iCapital Securities, LLC, a registered broker dealer, member of FINRA and SIPC and subsidiary of iCapital Network.
iCapital and iCapital Network are registered trademarks of Institutional Capital Network, Inc. All rights reserved.
Global Alternative Investments (“GAI”) is a division of Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. (”WFII”). WFII is a registered investment adviser and wholly owned subsidiary of Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., a bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company.
1 Institutional Capital Network, Inc. and its affiliates (together, “iCapital Network” or “iCapital”)
