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Alternative Investment Platforms: 9 Top Picks for 2026

Invest beyond stocks and bonds with real estate, private credit, art, wine, crypto and more.

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Matt Miczulski

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Holly Jennings

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In 2026, experts remain optimistic about growth in alternative investments.(1),(2) That’s despite elevated inflation pushing the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates rather than cut them.(3) Private markets are maturing into a structural part of many portfolios, driven in part by the AI-fueled capital expenditure boom, which may make this a good time to look beyond traditional assets.(1),(2)

Learn what constitutes an alternative asset and compare the top alternative investing platforms below to diversify your portfolio with this burgeoning asset class.

8.2 Great

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Top pick for alternative asset funds & IRAs

SoFi Active Invest offers everyday investors seamless access to expert-run alternative asset funds from managers like Ark Invest, Carlyle and KKR. Invest in private credit, real estate and venture capital directly through taxable accounts or IRAs with no accreditation required.

  • Access expert-run funds from Ark Invest, Franklin Templeton and KKR.
  • Available in self-directed Traditional and Roth IRAs.
  • $500 minimum investment with no accreditation required.
  • Diversify into private credit, venture capital and real estate.
Partner terms and conditions
INVESTMENTS ARE NOT FDIC INSURED • ARE NOT BANK GUARANTEED • MAY LOSE VALUE

Other fees, such as exchange fees, may apply. Please view our fee disclosure to view a full listing of fees.

Investing in alternative investments and/or strategies may not be suitable for all investors and involves unique risks, including the risk of loss. An investor should consider their individual circumstances and any investment information, such as a prospectus, prior to investing. Interval Funds are illiquid instruments, the ability to trade on your timeline may be restricted. Brokerage and Active investing products offered through SoFi Securities LLC, Member FINRA (www.finra.org) /SIPC(www.sipc.org).

There are limitations with fractional shares to consider before investing. During market hours fractional share orders are transmitted immediately in the order received. There may be system delays from receipt of your order until execution and market conditions may adversely impact execution prices. Outside of market hours orders are received on a not held basis and will be aggregated for each security then executed in the morning trade window of the next business day at market open. Share will be delivered at an average price received for executing the securities through a single batched order. Fractional shares may not be transferred to another firm. Fractional shares will be sold when a transfer or closure request is initiated. Please consider that selling securities is a taxable event.

Options involve risks, including substantial risk of loss and the possibility an investor may lose the entire investment Before trading options please review the Characteristics and Risks of Standardized Options

Utilizing a margin loan is generally considered more appropriate for experienced investors as there are additional costs and risks associated. It is possible to lose more than your initial investment when using margin. Please see https://www.sofi.com/wealth/assets/documents/brokerage-margin-disclosure-statement.pdf for detailed disclosure information

SoFi Plus members can schedule an unlimited number of appointments with a financial planner during periods in which the SoFi Plus member meets the eligibility criteria set forth in section 10(a) of the SoFi Plus Terms and Conditions. SoFi members who are not members of SoFi Plus can schedule one (1) appointment with a financial planner. The ability to schedule appointments is subject to financial planner availability. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this benefit at any time with or without notice. Advisory services are offered by SoFi Wealth LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Information about SoFi Wealth's advisory operations, services, and fees is set forth in SoFi Wealth's current Form ADV Part 2 (Brochure), a copy of which is available upon request and at www.adviserinfo.sec.gov.

The probability of a member receiving $1,000 is 0.028%. If you don’t make a selection in 45 days, you’ll no longer qualify for the promo. Members must fund their account with a minimum of $50.00 to qualify. The probability percentage is subject to decrease. Members are only eligible for the Stock Award promotion upon opening their first brokerage account; subsequent cash brokerage accounts are ineligible for the promo, including for members with multiple accounts.

Terms and conditions apply*. For 401k rollovers, existing SoFi IRA members must complete 401k rollovers via this link For SoFi members without a SoFi IRA, a SoFi IRA must first be opened, and 401k rollover must be completed utilizing Capitalize via this link. SoFi and Capitalize will charge no additional fees to process a 401(k) rollover to a SoFi IRA. SoFi is not liable for any costs incurred from the existing 401k provider for rollover. Please check with your 401k provider for any fees or costs associated with the rollover. For IRA contributions, only deposits made via ACH and cash transfer from SoFi Bank accounts are eligible for the match. Click here for the 1% Match terms and conditions.

Must be a SoFi Plus member at the time a recurring deposit is received into your SoFi Active or Automated investing account to qualify. Bonus calculated on net monthly recurring deposits made via ACH and paid out as Rewards Points. See Rewards Terms of Service. SoFi reserves the right to change or terminate this promotion at any time without notice. See terms and limitations. https://www.sofi.com/sofiplus/invest/#disclaimers

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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.

Best Alternative Investment Platforms at a Glance

PlatformBest forAsset classMinimumAccreditationNext steps
SoFi Invest®Alts funds & IRAsPrivate credit, VC, real estate$500Not requiredView details
FundriseLow-minimum real estatePrivate real estate & credit$10Not requiredView details
Ark7Fractional rental homesResidential rental properties$20Not requiredView details
MasterworksBlue-chip artSecuritized fine artwork~$20/shareNot requiredView details
VinovestWine and whiskeyManaged bottles & collections$2,000Not requiredView details
KalshiEvent contractsCFTC-regulated predictions$1Not requiredView details
Crypto.comCrypto ecosystem440+ cryptocurrencies$0Not requiredView details
IRAFinancialSelf-directed alts IRAsAny IRS-permitted assetVariesNot requiredView details
Willow WealthAccredited deal varietyPrivate credit, PE, notes$2,500–$25,000Most deals require accreditationView details

Top 9 alternative investment platforms

1. SoFi Invest®: Best for expert-run alternative asset funds & IRAs

SoFi Alt Assets

8.2 Great

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SoFi Active Invest'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 alternative investing strategies, diversify their portfolios and enhance their portfolio's return potential. Through expert-run funds from managers including Ark Invest, Carlyle, Franklin Templeton, KKR and Clarion Partners, SoFi Active Invest members can gain exposure to commodities, foreign currencies, private credit, hedge funds, venture capital and real estate.

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

Minimum deposit $0
Signup bonus Get up to $1,000 in stock

2. IRAFinancial: Best for investing IRA funds in any alternative asset

IRA Financial

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IRAFinancial is a self-directed IRA provider, offering self-directed IRA, solo 401(k)s and Rollover as Business Start-ups (ROBS). Invest your IRA funds in anything not prohibited by the IRS, including real estate, cryptocurrency, investment funds and more, with no hidden fees and a transparent pricing structure. IRAFinancial's custodian controlled plan directs IRAFinancial to make investments at your requests, while its Checkbook Control plan puts you in total control of your investments.
Annual fee $495 per year
Minimum deposit $0
Signup bonus N/A

3. Vinovest: Best for wine and whiskey investing

Vinovest

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Founded in 2019, Vinovest offers investors a convenient way to include fine wine and whiskey as a part of their portfolios. With Vinovest, investors have direct ownership of the wine and whiskey in their portfolio, and they can buy, sell or even enjoy the bottles themselves. Vinovest was acquired by StartEngine in March 2026 and continues to operate under its existing brand.

Vinovest offers four membership tiers: Starter ($2,000 minimum, 2.85% annual fee), Plus ($10,000 minimum, 2.70%), Premium ($50,000 minimum, 2.50%) and Grand Cru ($250,000 minimum, 2.25%). Investors trading on Vinovest's marketplace also pay a 2.5% buy-side trading fee (which includes 3 months of storage), a 1% sell-side trading fee and a 1.5% storage fee, billed monthly. While bottles can be bought and sold at any time, Vinovest notes that most investment-grade wines take anywhere from seven to over 10 years to mature, which makes Vinovest most suitable for long-term investors.

Annual fee 2.5%
Minimum deposit $1,000
Signup bonus N/A

4. Willow Wealth (formerly Yieldstreet): Best for deal variety across private markets

Willow Wealth

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Willow Wealth, formerly known as Yieldstreet, is a one-stop shop for investing in alts, with one of the broadest selections of alternative asset classes on this list. Its offerings span real estate, private credit, private equity and more.

Some assets are only open to accredited investors, and minimums vary by offering — from as little as $2,500 for Short Term Notes up to $25,000 or more for some accredited-only deals. It also charges an annual management fee of roughly 0% to 2.5%, depending on the asset.

Annual fee $0 per month
Minimum deposit $10,000
Signup bonus N/A

5. Crypto.com: Best for all-in-one crypto trading & rewards

PROMOTED

Crypto.com App

4.9
★★★★★

Finder score

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Crypto.com is Finder's top-rated crypto exchange for 2026, offering access to more than 440 cryptocurrencies with no minimum deposit and no deposit fees. The platform aims to be an all-in-one crypto ecosystem, offering fee-free crypto-to-crypto trading, advanced order types, a self-custody wallet option, a crypto-earning debit card and crypto insurance coverage.

Trading fees are tiered, starting around 0.25% maker/0.50% taker and scaling down with trading volume or by staking the platform's CRO token — staking 50,000 CRO removes maker fees entirely. Crypto.com holds SOC 2 Type II certification (audited by Deloitte) along with ISO 27001, ISO 27701 and PCI DSS Level 1 compliance.

Minimum deposits $0
Fiat currencies 31
Supported coins 442
Supported states 49

6. Ark7: Best for fractional rental home investing

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.
Annual fee $0 per month
Minimum deposit $0
Signup bonus N/A

7. Fundrise: Best for low-minimum real estate & private credit

Fundrise

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Founded in 2012, Fundrise is widely regarded as the first company to successfully crowdfund real estate investing. In doing so, the company essentially opened the door to real estate investing to the everyday investor. Fundrise has since added private credit and venture capital opportunities to its lineup of available investments. Fundrise's venture capital fund (VCX) has since listed on the NYSE, though as a closed-end fund it can trade at a premium or discount to its underlying net asset value.

Fundrise users invest in private real estate investment trusts (REITs) for as little as $10. Expect a holding period of at least five years, though you can sell early for a flat 1% fee. Fundrise charges a flat 0.15% annual advisory fee plus a fund-level management fee of 0.85% to 1.85%, depending on the fund.

Annual fee 1%
Minimum deposit $10
Signup bonus N/A

8. Masterworks: Best for securitized blue-chip art

Masterworks

7.2 Great

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Masterworks allows the everyday investor to include iconic, multi-million dollar artworks as a part of their portfolio. Through Masterworks, you can invest in securitized blue-chip artworks priced at around $20 per share. You can then hold the artwork for any potential sale or, if there's demand, trade your shares on the secondary market.

Masterworks charges a 1.5% annual fee and takes a 20% cut of the proceeds when they sell the painting — which is typically between three and 10 years. An additional sourcing fee, estimated at around 11%, is built into the share price when a painting is first offered.

Annual fee 1.5%
Minimum deposit $5,000
Signup bonus N/A

9. Kalshi: Best for CFTC-regulated event contracts

Kalshi

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Kalshi is an exchange that lets investors trade derivative contracts on specified events, called event contracts. They can include everything from the amount of rainfall on a particular day to international affairs to the winner of an Academy Award.

Kalshi's event contracts are structured as Yes or No questions, each with a yes price and no price that can range from $0.01 to $0.99. Once the outcome of the event has been determined, Kalshi pays out $1 for each correct contract. Kalshi's trading fee is based on the contract price rather than a flat rate, so actual costs vary by trade.

Annual fee $0 per month
Minimum deposit $0
Signup bonus N/A

Matt Miczulski's headshot
Our expert says: Real estate investing

"REITs are a great way to diversify a portfolio outside traditional investments and can be attractive for their competitive dividends and long-term capital appreciation. REITs let anyone invest in large-scale, income-producing real estate, and they’ve been a favorite among investors looking for a steady stream of income for decades."

Matt Miczulski's headshot
Investments editor and market analyst

What is alternative investing?

An alternative investment, or alt, is an investment in any asset class other than conventional types of investments.

“Alternative investing consists of investments that typically fall outside the normal stocks, bonds and cash trifecta,” explains Stephen Kates, CFP®, founder of Clocktower Financial Consulting. “Categories like private equity, venture capital, private debt, commodities and sometimes real estate are all considered alternative investments.”

Alternative investments can include but aren’t limited to:

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

Stephen Kates's headshot
Expert insight: Current state of alternative investing

"Alternative investing is buzzing this year. Managers are looking for more investors by lowering minimums or democratizing access to these categories through funds and ETFs (exchange-traded funds). I expect we will continue to see more accessible alternatives as consumers learn more about them and seek out assets that are less correlated to the gyrations of the stock and bond markets."

Stephen Kates's headshot
Stephen Kates
CFP and principal financial analyst at Annuity.org

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 alts 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 alts nowadays is through any of the numerous online brokerages that connect investors with these types of assets.

Advantages of alternative investments

Alternative investing can be particularly advantageous because of its low correlation to stocks and bonds, especially in markets where these conventional investments are underperforming. That’s what Terri Spath, certified financial analyst, certified financial planner and founder of investment advisory firm Zuma Wealth, said about the benefits of adding alts to a portfolio.

“The biggest benefit of alternative investments comes from their low correlation to stocks and bonds,” Spath said. “With stocks bleeding the profits from portfolios and bonds like dead money thanks to inflation and interest rates, alternatives are where we are putting a lot of client money.”

While alternative assets can help reduce a portfolio’s market risk, they can also give investors exposure to potentially lucrative investments. It’s worth noting that this correlation benefit varies by asset — crypto and many private real estate deals can move closely with broader risk sentiment rather than against it.

“Alternative investments are often attractive from both a risk perspective and a return perspective,” says Robert R. Johnson, a professor of finance at the Heider College of Business at Creighton University. “From a risk standpoint, alternative investments are often viewed as good diversification vehicles … Alternative investments are also often attractive from solely a return standpoint, because the returns from asset classes such as venture capital and hedge funds can … be greater than the returns from the more traditional classes.”

Here are some of the main advantages of alternative investing.

  • Diversification. With their low correlation to conventional investments, alternative assets can help diversify your portfolio, reduce market risk and maximize your overall returns.
  • Potential for bigger returns. Though they may be riskier, returns from alternative investments such as venture capital and hedge funds can also be greater than the returns from the more traditional asset classes.
  • Interesting and exciting investment opportunities. From vintage cars and real estate to investing in crypto or the next big startup, alternative investments can add some flair to a portfolio for investors who want more than stocks and bonds.

Ready to add private assets to your portfolio?

Compare minimums, fees and accreditation requirements across our top-rated alternative platforms.

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Risks of alternative investments

Alternative investments are generally more complex than traditional investments. They can also have higher fees, and many use private placement exemptions rather than full US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) registration, which means investors need to spend more time doing their homework due to the potential risks involved.

They’re also known for being relatively illiquid compared to traditional investments, which means investors should expect to have their money tied up for a longer period.

“One of the biggest problems with many alternative investments is a lack of liquidity,” says Johnson. “Other assets, like commercial and residential real estate have significant transaction costs and can be converted into cash over a longer period and with greater price uncertainty. This is an aspect of many alternative investments that the purveyors of those investments often times gloss over.”

So, while alternative assets provide investors with a great diversification tool and the potential for a higher return, investors need to be aware of the unique risks associated with these investments.

These are some of the biggest risks of investing in alternative assets.

  • Lighter regulatory oversight. Many alternative assets are sold under exemptions that don’t require full SEC registration, so they don’t carry the same disclosure requirements as traditional investments. This can lead to an increase in fraud, especially if the investment is complex.
  • May be highly illiquid. Some alternative assets lack a secondary trading market or tend to be illiquid because of their complexity and the difficulty in valuing them. Others have lock-up periods that prohibit investors from accessing their money should they need to sell. With some alternatives, it could be years before you can sell out and liquidate the asset.
  • Can be highly volatile with large variations in returns. There are no guarantees in any investment, but alternative assets can be especially volatile and produce large variations in their returns.
“Investors should be wary of anything that sounds too good to be true,” warns Kates. “Private investments often have long lockup periods and may not always be priced like their public counterparts. Fees can be high, which will cut into returns. Research and due diligence are necessary before investing.”

Bottom line

Because of their low correlation to traditional assets, alternative investments can be a diversification option for investors. Before jumping in, however, consider your time commitment and risk tolerance. Understanding what you’re investing in and the associated risks is especially true with alternative assets due to their increased complexity and uneven regulatory oversight. This roundup reflects our editorial research and includes affiliate/partner platforms — always confirm current fees, minimums and accreditation requirements directly with the provider before investing.

Frequently asked questions

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To make sure you get accurate and helpful information, this guide has been edited by Holly Jennings as part of our fact-checking process.
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Investments editor and market analyst
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Matt Miczulski is an investments editor and market analyst at Finder. With over 450 bylines, Matt dissects and reviews brokers and investing platforms to expose perks and pain points, explores investment products and concepts and covers market news, making investing more accessible and helping readers to make informed financial decisions. Before joining Finder in 2021, Matt covered everything from finance news and banking to debt and travel for FinanceBuzz. His expertise and analysis on investing and other financial topics has been featured on Yahoo Finance, CBS, MSN, Best Company and Consolidated Credit, among others. Matt holds a BA in history from William Paterson University. See full bio

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Matt has written 295 Finder guides across topics including:
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