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Alternative investment platforms of April 2025

The easiest way to invest in alternative assets nowadays is through any of the numerous online platforms that connect investors with these types of assets. Here are some of those platforms, what they do and how you can use them to build out your portfolio.

5 alternative investment platforms

  1. SoFi Invest® for expert-run alternative asset funds
  2. Public.com for a variety of alternative assets
  3. Ark7 for fractional shares of rental homes
  4. Yieldstreet for a variety of alternative assets
  5. Vinovest to invest in wine and whiskey

1. Invest in expert-run alternative asset funds: SoFi Invest

SoFi Alt Assets

8.2 Great

Finder Award

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SoFi's expansion into alternative assets is the company's latest move to broaden its all-in-one finance and investing platform, giving its members new opportunities to customize their investment strategies, diversify their portfolios and enhance their portfolio's return potential. Through expert-run funds from Ark Invest, Carlyle, Franklin Templeton, KKR and Clarion Partners, SoFi members can gain exposure to commodities, foreign currencies, private credit, hedge funds, venture capital and real estate.

These funds are available in SoFi's IRAs too, which means retirement-minded investors can diversify into alts while reaping the tax benefits of IRA investing, all through SoFi's user-friendly platform.

Available asset typesStocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs
Minimum Investment $500
Annual FeeManagement fees vary by fund
Signup bonusGet up to $1,000 in stock
when you fund a new account within 30 days

2. Invest in a variety of alternative assets: Public.com

Public.com

9 Excellent

Get up to $10,000 and transfer fees covered when you move your portfolio to Public.
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Public.com is a beginner-friendly investing platform that's been growing its lineup of alternative assets. Alongside stocks, bonds, ETFs, options and Treasury Bills, Public.com offers crypto, art, collectibles, NFTs, luxury goods and music royalties. Invest in shares of these alternative assets just like stocks in a company. But while Public.com offers commission-free trading for stocks and ETFs, it charges a 2.5% commission to buy and sell alternative assets.

Notable assets that are currently offered through Public.com include: Police Car by street artist Banksy from 2003, Tom Brady's rookie card and Shattered Backboard Air Jordans, signed and worn by Michael Jordan during one of his iconic moments on court in 1985.

Available asset typesStocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Alternatives, Retirement, Treasury Bills, High-yield cash account
Minimum Investment $5
Annual Fee2% management fee may apply
Signup bonusGet up to $10,000 and transfer fees covered
when you move your portfolio to Public

3. Invest in fractional shares of rental homes: Ark7

Ark7 Real Estate Investing

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With an entry point of just $20 per share, Ark7 offers low-cost access to high-yielding real estate: rental homes. Diversify your portfolio with fractional shares of curated rental properties that provide monthly distributions and the potential for long-term appreciation. Use your IRA to invest and trade your shares on a secondary market. Ark7 is available to both accredited and non-accredited investors.

Available asset typesReal estate
Minimum Investment $20
Annual Fee8-15% monthly asset management fee
Signup bonusN/A

4. Invest in a variety of alternative assets: Yieldstreet

Yieldstreet

7 Great

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Yieldstreet is a one-stop shop for investing in alternative assets, with one of the broadest selections of alternative asset classes on this list. Its offerings include:

  • Real estate
  • Venture capital
  • Private equity and private credit
  • Crypto
  • Short-term notes and structures notes
  • Transportation
  • Art
  • Legal finance

But some assets are only open to accredited investors, and Yieldstreet requires a minimum investment of at least $10,000. It also charges an annual management fee from 0% to 2.5% depending on the asset.

Available asset typesReal estate, Art, Other
Minimum Investment $10,000
Annual Fee1–4%
Signup bonusN/A

5. Invest in wine and whiskey: Vinovest

Vinovest

6.6 Standard

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Founded in 2019, Vinovest offers investors a convenient way to include fine wine as a part of their portfolios. With Vinovest, investors have direct ownership of the wine in their portfolio, and they can buy, sell or even enjoy the bottles of wine themselves.

Vinovest offers four investment tiers, with minimum investment amounts ranging from $0 to $250,000. Annual management fees range from 1.90% to 2.50% depending on your chosen tier. Vinovest also charges a 2.5% buy-side trading fee, a 1% sell-side trading fee and a 1.5% yearly storage fee, billed monthly. While bottles can be bought and sold at any time, Vinovest notes that most investment-grade wines take 10 to 15 years to mature, which makes Vinovest most suitable for long-term investors.

Available asset typesWine, Whiskey
Minimum Investment $1,000
Annual FeeManagement fee starts at 2.5% annually
Signup bonusN/A

What is an alternative investment?

An alternative investment is an investment in any asset class other than conventional categories, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds and cash. These can include but aren’t limited to:

  • Hedge funds
  • Private equity
  • Real estate
  • Fine art
  • Wine
  • Precious metals, such as gold, silver and platinum
  • Cryptocurrency
  • Private lending

Basically, if it isn’t stocks, bonds or any other traditional asset and you can invest in it, it’s an alternative investment.

How to invest in alternative assets

It’s now easier than ever to invest in alternative assets, and new markets emerge regularly. Technological advancements have spurred not only the popularity of alternative investments but also the accessibility, giving everyday investors access to new markets and potentially profitable investment opportunities that used to be out of reach.

Retirement-focused investors can consider self-directed individual retirement accounts (IRAs) as a way to invest in alternative assets. These IRAs are specifically designed to accommodate assets not typically permitted by most traditional IRA custodians.

But perhaps the easiest way to invest in alternative assets nowadays is through any of the numerous online platforms that connect investors with these types of assets. Compare alternative investment platforms below by asset types offered and minimum investment.

Compare alternative investment platforms

1 - 6 of 6
Product Finder Score Available asset types Minimum investment Complete signup bonus
Public logo
Finder score
Stocks, Bonds, Options, ETFs, Cryptocurrency, Alternatives, Retirement, Treasury Bills, High-yield cash account
$5
SoFi Alt Assets
Finder Award
Sofi Invest logo
Finder score
Stocks, Options, Mutual funds, ETFs
$500
Ark7 Real Estate Investing
Ark7 logo
Finder score
Not scored yet
Real estate
$20
Yieldstreet logo
Finder score
Real estate, Art, Other
$10,000
Vinovest logo
Finder score
Wine, Whiskey
$1,000
DLP Capital
DLP Capital logo
Finder score
Not scored yet
Real estate
$200,000
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What is the Finder Score?

The Finder Score crunches 147 key metrics we collected directly from 18+ brokers and assessed each provider’s performance based on nine different categories, weighing each metric based on the expertise and insights of Finder’s investment experts. We then scored and ranked each provider to determine the best brokerage accounts.

We update our best picks as products change, disappear or emerge in the market. We also regularly review and revise our selections to ensure our best provider lists reflect the most competitive available.

Read the full Finder Score breakdown

Paid non-client promotion. Finder does not invest money with providers on this page. If a brand is a referral partner, we're paid when you click or tap through to, open an account with or provide your contact information to the provider. Partnerships are not a recommendation for you to invest with any one company. Learn more about how we make money.

Finder is not an advisor or brokerage service. Information on this page is for educational purposes only and not a recommendation to invest with any one company, trade specific stocks or fund specific investments. All editorial opinions are our own.

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Head of Publishing

Michael Bowley is the Head of Publishing at Finder, boasting a remarkable six-year journey at the forefront of digital content. First starting at Finder as an Assistant Publisher, he swiftly became the Publisher of Finder's shopping niche where he created gift guides and provided savvy shopping insights, helping readers save money and find the best deals. Before taking on the role of SEO Manager, he served as the Publishing Innovations Manager where he helped develop new products and services. His experience in SEO management led him to steer Finder's content strategy, driving remarkable organic growth. Today, as the Head of Publishing, Michael curates dynamic content, empowering users to make informed financial decisions. See full bio

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