Orion forges alternatives partnership with CAIS

The integration will give Orion’s advisor users more access to alts products, services and resources.

Orion is bolstering its leadership in the wealth technology space with a new strategic partnership with CAIS, an alternative investment platform, to offer broader alts access to its wealth advisory and OCIO clients.

Under the collaboration, Orion’s advisor users can leverage CAIS’ shelf of alternative investment funds and products to diversify their clients’ portfolios, potentially deepening their relationships.

Emphasizing the synergies between the two firms, Orion CEO Natalie Wolfsen highlighted CAIS’ leading technology, broad fund shelf, and online educational platform, as well as its deep technology integrations and independent due diligence relationship with Mercer.

Recent joint research by CAIS and Mercer, which surveyed more than 250 independent financial advisors, found 85 percent anticipate they’ll dial up their alternative allocations by 2025. Related to that, four-fifths of the advisors surveyed (78 percent) agreed that alternatives can be helpful in achieving client goals and objectives.

“As advisor demand for alternatives continues to grow, we remain laser-focused on providing best-in-class technology solutions that enable a seamless alternative investing experience,” CAIS chief operating officer Brendan Cuddity said in a statement.

The integration promises an enhanced investing experience for Orion’s advisor users, including more streamlined workflows and digitized transaction processes.

Orion is also beefing up the curriculum for its Orion Advisor Academy with the Fundamentals of Alternatives course from CAIS IQ, a proprietary education platform offered by CAIS.

The partnership will also give Orion’s advisor users access to CAIS Solutions, a new SaaS platform, to automate their reporting and centralize their documents around alternative investments.

New research from Cerulli found consolidated performance reporting is a top priority among high-net-worth advisors, with 98 percent of HNW practices offering it to their clients.

“Having a more sophisticated performance reporting environment can significantly lessen the barriers to adopting a higher allocation to alternative investments,” Cerulli said.

Orion’s partnership with CAIS comes roughly one month after the alts platform announced RIA industry leader David Canter as its newest strategic advisor.

In December, CAIS expanded its relationship with BNY Mellon’s Pershing, giving advisors using the latter’s alts platform access to more alternative funds on CAIS’ shelf.