CAIS CEO on alternative investing growth, improving accessibility and customizable model portfolios

Watch on YouTube ↗  |  January 08, 2026 at 15:07  |  4:10  |  CNBC
Speakers
Matt Brown — Founder, Chairman, and CEO, CAIS
Scott Wapner — Host, CNBC

Summary

Matt Brown, founder and CEO of CAIS, discusses the growth of alternative investments and private markets on CNBC's Closing Bell. He highlights strong adviser demand, a shift from 60/40 portfolios to 50/30/20 with a 20% alternatives allocation, and improving retail access. Brown also explains CAIS Advisers' model portfolios and multi-manager basket approach to alternative asset managers.

  • Alt investing demand is growing, with CAIS summit attendance doubling annually.
  • Alternatives assets are projected to exceed $18 trillion by 2027.
  • Advisers are moving from 60/40 to 50/30/20 allocations, with 20% in alternatives, mainly private markets.
  • Democratization is expanding retail access to institutional-style alternative investments.
  • CAIS Advisers launched model portfolios to help advisers integrate alternatives.
  • Brown favors multi-manager baskets for diversification across alt managers.
  • Adviser questions have shifted from why alts to how to use alts.
Ideas
Matt Brown Founder, Chairman, and CEO, CAIS 0:27
Alternatives and private markets allocations rising.
Demand and interest in alternative investments are strong, with CAIS summit attendance doubling annually and assets expected to reach over $18 trillion by 2027. Financial advisers with low allocations are seeing the benefits of adding alternatives, and the traditional 60/40 model is shifting toward 50/30/20, with 20% in alternatives, primarily private markets. Democratization is making these strategies more available to retail investors alongside institutions, and long-term performance and portfolio impact are proving out.
Matt Brown Founder, Chairman, and CEO, CAIS 3:13
Buy basket of alternative asset managers.
Advisers may not easily distinguish among alternative asset managers such as Apollo, Blackstone, Reverence, and Blue-L, but since they are broadly in the same category, buying a basket of these managers gives instant diversification and can be paired with a traditional portfolio. CAIS enables this multi-manager exposure with an easy one-click process, improving access and education.
Up Next

This CNBC video, published January 08, 2026, features Matt Brown discussing Alternative investments, Private markets, Basket of alternative asset managers. 2 trade ideas extracted by AI with direction and confidence scoring.

Speakers: Matt Brown  · Tickers: Alternative investments, Private markets, Basket of alternative asset managers