Vanguard’s wealthtech deal sets table for public-meets-private expansion

Vanguard Group, founded by John Bogle, announced on Wednesday the acquisition of Altruist, a digital-native wealth management platform and self-clearing brokerage for around $4 billion. This deal underscores the financial industry's interest in wealthtech tools that bridge the gap between adviser-led retail investment in private market alternatives.

The move highlights the growth of household wealth worldwide, the importance of wealth managers, and the rise of fintech platforms. Altruist, founded in 2018, caters to independent financial advisers, currently having 19,000 registered in the US, a number that doubled within a year. Altruist's digital platform offers low costs and time savings for advisers.

The deal is seen as a bet on the expansion of the financial advisory industry. Altruist's AI-powered tax planning tool, Hazel, was launched in February, backed by venture capital firms including Insight Partners, Venrock, and Iconiq Capital. The deal is expected to help advisers manage alternative assets more efficiently, as most of them do not currently have exposure to private market investments.