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Who We Are

Making Alternative Investing Accessible for All

Alto, a self-directed IRA custodian, is on a mission to provide everyday Americans the same investment opportunities long favored by wealthy and institutional investors. With an Alto IRA or CryptoIRA, you can diversify your portfolio beyond the public markets and invest in what interests you.

Our Values Are Who We Are

Educate To Drive Equality

Educate to drive equality

Act With Intention

Act with intention

See Something

See something, say something

You Do You

You do you

Be Transparent

Ask why

Ask Why

Be transparent and honest

Know It Can Be Done

Know it can be done

Engage With Respect

Engage with respect

Celebrate Victories

Celebrate victories

Alternative Investing Has Long Been Inequitable. Alto Is Changing That.

It used to be that if you wanted to invest in startups or other private investments in an IRA, you were pretty much on your own. Then you had to pay a custodian to file the paperwork you likely spent weeks completing—if you could find a custodian willing to consider it.

That was the situation Alto founder and CEO Eric Satz was in nearly a decade ago. At the time, he was managing a venture capital fund and wanted to personally invest in a business alongside the fund. But it wasn’t until he noticed his IRA statement lying on the kitchen counter that he wondered, “Can I use my IRA funds to make this investment?”

The answer was yes, but the process was anything but easy. Buried in a mountain of paperwork, with little guidance, he realized just how inequitable alternative investing was and set out on a mission to make it accessible for all. 

In 2018, Alto launched its first-of-its-kind digital platform, Alto IRA, which streamlines the self-directed IRA process, enabling individuals to use their tax-advantaged retirement funds to invest in alternative assets.  Alto CryptoIRA, self-directed IRA just for crypto, was introduced two years later.

Now everyone can access the benefits of investing in alternatives like art, crypto, private equity, real estate, and venture capital. And we’re just getting started.

Invest How You Want.

Open an Alto IRA or CryptoIRA, and invest for the future you want.

Create your account