TCW partners with iCapital to improve access to its alts offerings

Asset manager TCW Group and iCapital Network Inc., a fintech that helps advisers use alternative investments with their clients, announced a partnership Monday in which TCW will use iCapital’s technology platform to make it easier for TCW's clients — both high-net-worth advisers and investors — to access its offerings of alternative investments.

ICapital will provide TCW with a customized technology solution that handles the subscription, administration, operational and reporting processes for the investments.

“We are excited by the partnership with iCapital, enabling expanded access to TCW’s growing slate of alternative investment products to a broader investor base through the financial intermediary community,” Alex McCulloch, head of retail marketing at TCW, said in a statement. “We expect TCW’s first offering through the iCapital technology to be in alternative credit, an area in which TCW has long-tenured experience and significant capabilities.”

ICapital Network has benefited from the explosion of interest in alternative investments and has more than $104 billion in assets on its platform. The fintech raised $497 million last year from private equity investors and did a couple of deals to expand its reach, buying Axio Financial, a distributor of structured notes, and partnering with digital currency asset manager Grayscale to offer cryptocurrency.

TCW manages $266 billion in assets and operates two mutual fund families, MetWest Funds and TCW Funds.