Mastering Private Investments: How "Arch" Streamlines Data and Capital Calls for RIAs
The Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) landscape is undergoing a dramatic transformation. As highlighted in our 2026 RIA Technology Benchmark Analysis, firms are facing fee compression, wealth transfer challenges, increased regulatory burdens, and elevated client expectations. In this environment, technology is no longer a luxury; it's a necessity for survival and growth.
A critical area where technology can significantly impact an RIA's success is in managing private investments. This asset class, once the domain of ultra-high-net-worth individuals, is becoming increasingly accessible to a wider range of investors. However, the complexities of managing private investments—from data intake and subscription documents to capital call administration—can be daunting. This article explores how specialized platforms like Arch are revolutionizing this process, enabling RIAs to efficiently and effectively incorporate private investments into their clients' portfolios.
The Growing Importance of Alternative Assets
The traditional "60/40" portfolio (60% stocks, 40% bonds) is facing headwinds in today's market. Low interest rates and volatile equity markets are pushing investors to seek alternative sources of return. Private investments, including private equity, private debt, real estate, and venture capital, offer the potential for higher returns and diversification benefits.
However, managing these assets presents unique challenges:
- Data Complexity: Private investment data is often unstructured and difficult to aggregate. Unlike publicly traded securities with standardized data feeds, private investments require manual data entry and reconciliation.
- Subscription Documents: The subscription process for private investments is notoriously cumbersome, involving lengthy legal documents and manual signatures.
- Capital Call Administration: Private equity and real estate funds frequently require investors to contribute capital over time through a series of capital calls. Managing these calls, tracking commitments, and ensuring timely payments can be administratively burdensome.
- Reporting & Compliance: Regulatory reporting requirements for private investments are complex and evolving. RIAs must ensure they are accurately reporting these assets to clients and regulators.
The Core-and-Spoke Architecture: A Foundation for Efficient Private Investment Management
As our 2026 Benchmark Report highlights, the RIA technology stack is consolidating around a "Core-and-Spoke" architecture. In this model, a central Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform acts as the operational nucleus, with essential platforms for portfolio management, financial planning, and data aggregation forming a tightly integrated core.
Integrating specialized tools for alternative asset management, like Arch, into this core is essential for RIAs looking to scale their private investment offerings. These tools can streamline the entire private investment lifecycle, from initial due diligence to ongoing reporting.
2.1 The Role of Arch in Simplifying Private Investment Management
Platforms like Arch are specifically designed to address the challenges of managing private investments. They offer a range of features that streamline data intake, subscription documents, and capital call administration. Our research indicates that 65% of RIA firms in our sample utilize platforms like Arch, indicating its growing importance in the industry.
Key Features of Platforms Like Arch:
- Automated Data Intake: These platforms can automatically extract data from subscription documents, capital call notices, and other sources, reducing manual data entry and improving data accuracy.
- Digital Subscription Process: They offer a digital subscription process that streamlines the paperwork and allows investors to sign documents electronically.
- Automated Capital Call Management: These platforms automate the process of sending capital call notices, tracking commitments, and ensuring timely payments.
- Integrated Reporting: They provide integrated reporting capabilities that allow RIAs to easily track the performance of their private investments and generate reports for clients and regulators.
2.2 Benefits of Using Platforms Like Arch
By leveraging specialized platforms like Arch, RIAs can reap numerous benefits:
- Increased Efficiency: Automating manual tasks frees up advisors' time to focus on client relationships and strategic initiatives.
- Improved Data Accuracy: Automating data intake reduces the risk of errors and ensures data accuracy.
- Enhanced Client Experience: Streamlining the subscription process and providing clear and concise reporting improves the client experience.
- Reduced Risk: Automating compliance workflows and tracking regulatory changes reduces the risk of non-compliance.
- Scalability: These platforms enable RIAs to scale their private investment offerings without adding significant overhead.
Building a Robust Technology Stack for Private Investments
Integrating a platform like Arch into your existing technology stack requires careful planning. Here's a framework for building a robust technology stack for private investments:
- CRM Integration: Ensure that your alternative asset management platform integrates seamlessly with your CRM (e.g., Salesforce, Wealthbox, HubSpot). This integration is crucial for maintaining a unified view of client data and ensuring that all client interactions are tracked.
- Portfolio Management System Integration: Integrate the platform with your portfolio management system (e.g., Black Diamond, Addepar,
RA,Profile) to ensure accurate reporting and performance tracking. - Data Aggregation Integration: Integrate the platform with your data aggregation tools (e.g.,
NDEX) to consolidate data from various sources and provide a comprehensive view of client assets. This integration minimizes manual data entry and reconciliation. - Workflow Automation: Automate key workflows, such as capital call notifications, subscription document processing, and performance reporting.
- Security and Compliance: Ensure that the platform meets the highest standards of security and compliance, including data encryption, access controls, and regulatory reporting.
3.1 Integrating Arch with Your Existing Technology
The key to successfully integrating an alternative asset management platform like Arch is to choose a platform that offers robust API integrations and supports open standards. This will allow you to seamlessly connect the platform with your existing technology stack.
- Salesforce Integration: For RIAs using Salesforce, look for platforms that offer native Salesforce integration. This will allow you to access private investment data directly from Salesforce and automate workflows.
- Orion Integration: For firms using Orion Advisor Services, ensure that the platform integrates with Orion's portfolio accounting and reporting system. This integration will streamline data reconciliation and ensure accurate reporting.
- eMoney Integration: For RIAs using eMoney Advisor, look for platforms that offer eMoney integration. This will allow you to incorporate private investment data into your clients' financial plans.
3.2 Data Security Considerations
When integrating any new technology into your stack, especially when dealing with sensitive financial data, data security should be a top priority.
- Encryption: Ensure that the platform uses strong encryption to protect data in transit and at rest.
- Access Controls: Implement strict access controls to limit access to sensitive data to authorized personnel only.
- Security Audits: Conduct regular security audits to identify and address vulnerabilities.
- Compliance: Ensure that the platform complies with all relevant regulations, including GDPR, CCPA, and SEC regulations.
Case Study: Alpine Legacy Capital
Alpine Legacy Capital is a hypothetical RIA firm that adopted Arch to manage its growing private investment business. Prior to implementing Arch, Alpine Legacy Capital struggled with the manual processes associated with private investments. Data intake was time-consuming and error-prone, subscription documents were cumbersome, and capital call administration was a logistical nightmare.
After implementing Arch, Alpine Legacy Capital saw significant improvements in efficiency and accuracy. The automated data intake features reduced manual data entry by 80%, the digital subscription process streamlined the paperwork, and the automated capital call management system ensured timely payments. As a result, Alpine Legacy Capital was able to scale its private investment offerings without adding significant overhead. Using Arch, Alpine Legacy Capital can now manage the data intake, subscription documents, and capital call administration for all private investments.
Conclusion: Embracing Technology to Unlock the Potential of Private Investments
Private investments offer the potential for higher returns and diversification benefits, but they also present unique challenges. By leveraging specialized platforms like Arch and integrating them into a robust technology stack, RIAs can efficiently and effectively incorporate private investments into their clients' portfolios.
The "Core-and-Spoke" architecture, with its emphasis on CRM integration and specialized applications, provides a solid foundation for managing private investments. By carefully selecting and integrating the right technology tools, RIAs can unlock the full potential of private investments and deliver superior results for their clients. The strategic proliferation of specialist applications is one of the key findings of the 2026 benchmark report and is a characteristic of market-leading firms.
Ready to transform your private investment management process? Contact us today to learn how Golden Door Asset can help you build a technology stack that drives efficiency, improves accuracy, and enhances the client experience. Invest in your tech and invest in your future!
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