In 2025, advisors meaningfully expanded how they used the Altruist Model Marketplace to manage client portfolios at scale. Platform AUM grew 119% across 2025, reflecting deeper adoption of customizable models, broader use of direct indexing, and increased reliance on tax-aware portfolio construction tools.
Below is a look at the key trends, top models, and performance highlights that shaped the year.
Model Marketplace
by the Numbers
The continued growth of strategies on the platform reflects strong advisor adoption and the expanding diversity of models available.
Model portfolios are accelerating asset growth, not just adoption.
A diverse manager ecosystem, curated for choice without complexity.
Advisors are scaling portfolio construction through standardized, reusable models.
The Year’s Top Trends
Expanded Use of Direct Indexing
Advisors continued to deepen their use of direct indexing as a core portfolio tool in 2025. Altruist Direct Index strategies ranked among the most widely adopted and fastest-growing models on the platform, with the U.S. Large-Cap Direct Index alone adding $208.7M in net deposits across 2025.
A more robust lineup of direct index models supported both standalone mandates and blended UMA approaches, giving advisors greater flexibility to tailor portfolios to client goals, preferences, and tax needs.
Enhanced Tax Management Tools
In 2025, Altruist conducted a tax management backtest illustrating how advisors who consistently use a comprehensive suite of tax-aware tools may improve long-term, after-tax portfolio outcomes, reinforcing the value of intentional tax management in portfolio construction.
Tax management was central to portfolio construction throughout the year. Altruist expanded tax optimization across taxable and mixed-account households, enabling advisors to more easily implement tax-aware strategies at scale. Improved automation and model coverage supported more consistent tax loss harvesting, rebalancing, and gains budgeting, helping advisors improve after-tax outcomes with less tax complexity.
The full backtest report is intended for institutional audiences and includes additional methodology and disclosures. The hypothetical results shown are for illustrative purposes only, do not reflect actual client accounts, rely on the benefit of hindsight, and are not guaranteed. Results will vary based on market conditions and individual tax circumstances.
Improved Taxable Transition Assistance
Helping advisors move clients into optimized portfolios without unnecessary tax drag was a key focus in 2025. Improvements to transition tooling made it easier to upgrade portfolios thoughtfully, preserve after-tax value, and minimize friction during change, especially for clients with embedded gains.
Performance Highlights
Top Performing Models
Key insight
International equity strategies led performance in 2025, with ESG, Developed Ex-U.S., and Emerging Markets portfolios delivering strong returns and attractive risk-adjusted results.
The models below delivered the strongest performance on the platform based on returns, volatility, and Sharpe ratio:
Performance shown represents model-level results for the stated period and does not reflect the performance of any individual investor account. These figures are shown net of underlying model fees and expenses, but do not reflect all advisory, platform, or account-level fees that may apply. Calculations assume daily rebalancing to target weights and may not reflect actual trading activity or implementation. Past performance is not indicative of future results.
Actual client results may differ materially from model-level performance due to timing, customization, tax considerations, and individual account circumstances.
Most Popular Managers
Key insight
Advisors concentrated AUM with a small group of managers that blend scalable core allocations with selective active strategies to support a wide range of client needs.
The managers below generated the highest total AUM on the platform:
- Altruist
- BlackRock
- Potomac
- Zacks Investment Management
- Vanguard
Most Popular Paid Models
Key insight
Advisors favored paid models that deliver broad market exposure through cost-efficient, rules-based strategies with transparent fees.
The models below attracted the highest AUM among paid offerings:
- Altruist Strategist Series
- BlackRock Target Allocation ETF Series
- Altruist U.S. Large-Cap Direct Index
- Zacks Focus Growth
- Altruist U.S. All-Cap Direct Index
Most Popular Free Models
Key insight
Free models served as essential building blocks for advisors focused on simple, diversified, and cost-efficient portfolio construction.
The models below saw the highest AUM among free offerings:
- Altruist Simplicity Series
- Potomac Bull Bear Series
- Redwood ERB Series
- Aptus Impact Series
- Main Management Active Sector Rotation Series
Fastest Growing Models
Key insight
Advisors increased allocations to customizable, tax-efficient strategies that integrate well into UMA workflows, including direct indexing and dynamic risk-managed models.
The models below experienced the fastest net deposit growth on the platform:
- Altruist U.S. Large-Cap Direct Index
- Potomac Bull Bear
- Altruist Strategist Equity ETFs
- Altruist U.S. All-Cap Direct Index
- Altruist Simplicity Equity Model
What Advisors Are Saying
Discover how the Altruist Model Marketplace can transform your clients’ portfolios.
Rankings and categorizations (e.g., “top,” “most popular,” “fastest growing”) are based on platform data for the stated period and do not constitute investment recommendations or indicate suitability for any particular investor.
Altruist LLC and its affiliates (together, “Altruist”) and the Model Marketplace model providers do not render investment advice to retail clients, rather Altruist makes available certain model portfolios for independent RIAs’ use in managing their retail investment clients’ assets. RIAs are responsible for suitability of all transactions in and decisions regarding client accounts, and must maintain trading authority over client accounts which are subscribed to Model Marketplace model portfolios.
Certain instructions from model providers who are providing models to the Altruist Model Marketplace may not be executed based on system limitations, including securities that are not available to trade on the Altruist platform and rebalancing instructions that are not supported by the Rebalancer and trades that are below supported minimum trade sizes. Performance of individual accounts assigned to a model portfolio may deviate from the target model performance as a result of a number of factors, including Rebalancer settings, and timing and amount of cash flows and system limitations that impact execution of model provider instructions. Model Marketplace portfolios utilize Altruist’s Rebalancer and may use Altruist’s Tax Management tools. See the Tax Management and Rebalancer disclosure available at altruist.com/legal.
For more information on Altruist’s Model Marketplace please see the Form ADV Part 2A, Model Marketplace Agreement and Altruist LLC Fee Schedule on altruist.com/legal.
Nothing in this communication should be construed as an offer, recommendation, or solicitation to buy or sell any security.
