“Can a self-directed IRA custodian become the infrastructure layer connecting the $19 trillion retirement savings market to private-market issuers at scale?”
Founded as a self-directed IRA platform giving everyday investors access to alternative assets—private equity, venture capital, real estate, and crypto—typically reserved for ultra-wealthy investors. Alto built a two-sided marketplace connecting IRA investors with private market issuers, with Alto Trust Co. acting as custodian. After raising $40M in early 2022, the company expanded its crypto IRA vertical but ultimately divested it to Public in November 2025 for ~$65M, signaling a refocus on its core private-markets IRA and capital-raising business.
Alto Ira discloses BankProv as its banking provider, with Pinnacle Bank as its sponsor bank, according to the Embedded Finance Index 2026.
Alto Ira does not disclose a bank charter of its own; its banking services are provided through Pinnacle Bank.
Alto Ira's crypto products run on Coinbase.
The Embedded Finance Index 2026 maps 3 layers in Alto Ira's stack: Banking / BaaS (BankProv); Sponsor bank (Pinnacle Bank); Crypto (Coinbase).
Alto Ira was founded by Eric Satz and is founded in 2018, headquartered in Nashville, TN.
Alto Ira has raised $40M+ in total (latest round: Series B, January 2022).
Get a read on where your own stack stands against Alto Ira and the rest of its category — what they built versus bought, which providers they use, and where the gaps in your own strategy and competitive set actually are.