BlackRock Unveils New Platform Blending Public and Private Market Assets

BlackRock has rolled out an investment platform that enables financial advisors to manage both public and private market assets within a single account. This launch marks the first tangible offering from a strategic partnership with GeoWealth and iCapital, initially announced in October 2024, aimed at simplifying access to private markets for advisors and their clients.

This new platform, integrated into a Unified Managed Account (UMA), allows advisors to create customizable model portfolios combining traditional public assets with private market investments

Jaime Magyera, co-head of BlackRock’s U.S. Wealth Advisory business, highlighted the platform’s ability to simplify investment management, noting that it enables advisors to provide tailored services and improved results across their full portfolio.

BlackRock presently oversees around $300 billion in model portfolios worldwide and projects this market will grow to $10 trillion within the next four years. Over the past five years, its custom models segment has increased by $50 billion in assets.

Lawrence Calcano, chairman and CEO of iCapital, highlighted the platform’s simplicity. “This solution enables advisors to easily incorporate alternative investments and customize their strategies within a single account.”

The firm’s new platform comes after the recent enhancement of its active ETF lineup, notably with the iShares Managed Futures Active ETF. This ETF introduces a liquid alternative approach, crafted to seize trend-following opportunities across diverse asset classes.

This move comes after CAIS announced last week the introduction of new multi-alternatives, multi-manager investment models, enhancing its offerings for wealth managers and alternative investment firms.