Monark: “Alts-as-a-Service” infrastructure
Our investment in Monark Markets
Today we’re excited to announce our partnership with Ben Haber, Paul Davis and the entire Monark Markets team as they build the next generation of “Alts-as-a-Service” infrastructure.
Tapping into Alternative Investments
Alternative investments—ranging from private equity to real estate and venture capital—represent a vast and growing market. Capital is pouring into private markets, with some estimates projecting private market assets will approach $60T by 2033, up from $25T today. However, private markets and “alts” have historically been a market reserved for institutions and high-net-worth individuals. As retail investors seek higher returns, portfolio diversification, and protection against public market volatility retail demand for private investments is surging with more than $9.4tn expected to flow into privates by 2033 from retail, up more than 2x from today. However, despite this interest, most platforms have struggled to offer easy access due to complex regulatory requirements and infrastructure challenges. Brokerage platforms and clearing firms don’t have a scalable way to deliver alternative assets to their customers, leaving customers to choose between a fragmented marketplace of direct-to-consumer alternative investment platforms or not invest at all.
Monark aims to bridge this gap.
A Platform Built for Brokers and Investors Alike
Monark is building the underlying investment rails that allow brokers to embed alternative investments natively into their own applications. Their solution integrates directly with third-party brokerage firms, enabling brokerages to offer their customers seamless access to a wide range of alternative assets without bearing the burden of regulatory licensing and compliance themselves. Further, Monark not only democratizes access but also helps accelerate liquidity and reduce barriers to entry across the private markets. This approach expands investment opportunities for everyday investors and enhances liquidity in the private markets. Ben and Paul’s vision extends beyond a mere trading platform—by leveraging API-driven solutions, they are building a scalable infrastructure for the next generation of financial products.
In working with Ben, Paul, and team over the last few months, we have been incredibly impressed by the creativity and resourcefulness they have demonstrated and the speed they have operated with, particularly given they are working in a highly regulated space. The strategic acquisitions of LEX Markets and of Monark’s broker-dealer subsidiary, MMM Securities, accelerated the company’s entry into the highly regulated capital markets ecosystem, which has been a historically high barrier to entry for start-ups. They have also received regulatory approval to operate as a broker-dealer, another major milestone toward unlocking access to alternatives for more investors.
We’re thrilled to have led Monark’s $2.2M round and to be working with friends at K50 Ventures, Grit Capital Partners, Niche Capital, Forum Ventures, and Night Capital.
Monark is meeting the growing demand for democratized access to high-quality alternative investments with a win-win solution for all parties. We’re excited to support Ben, Paul, and their team as they disrupt the private markets and expand what’s possible for retail investors. Let’s do this!
For more on Monark check out this post in Axios News, their press release, and visit their website at monark-markets.com
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