South African crypto asset investment platform, Revix, has joined Austria’s Coinpanion and fellow South African crypto investment platform BitFund, to form a first-of-its-kind alternative investment platform called Altify.

Altify aims to empower people to grow their wealth outside of the stock market through a diverse range of alternative investment opportunities that were once reserved for big institutions and the ultra-wealthy. Alternative investments include asset classes such as private credit (private debt), venture capital, real estate, crypto assets, collectibles and more.

In its new form, Altify, will continue to offer the crypto investment products that Revix, Coinpanion and BitFund are known for which includes the world's widest selection of ETF-style Crypto Bundles, that operate similar to an index fund. Other investment options include leading cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin and Ethereum, and even physical gold on the blockchain. Poised for expansion, Altify plans to introduce an exciting range of new alternative investments in 2024.

‍Sean Sanders, Revix’s founder and CEO, takes the reins as Altify's CEO, unifying the 80,000+ customers of Revix, Coinpanion and BitFund under the Altify umbrella.

“To solidify our value for the South African market, we’re excited to expand our investment reach even further with this partnership,” says Sean Sanders, CEO of Altify. “Ultimately, our goal is to enable South African investors the opportunity to harness the power of alternative investment, positioning ourselves as the go-to alternative investment platform across South Africa and the bigger EMEA region,” adds Sanders.

Altify’s mission is to empower our South African investors to access the lucrative alternative investment markets which have, over the long-term, outperformed global stock markets and provided exceptional risk-reducing diversification to investment portfolios. Sanders elaborates, “While High Net Worth Individuals invest an average of over 20% of their wealth in these alternatives, everyday people are at less than 3%. Our aim is to change this by democratising access to these lucrative opportunities, thereby helping people grow their wealth in ways that are both sustainable and impactful."

Sanders elaborates, "The average age of those investing in alternative assets is currently 65. We're engaging with a younger audience, targeting investors aged 25 to 50, providing them with decades to capitalise on compounded returns that can profoundly shape their financial trajectory."

The recent downturn in the crypto market has acted as a catalyst for the merger and accelerated Altify's expansion into non-crypto investment options. According to Sanders, these market dynamics have also primed the environment for consolidation among retail investment platforms, especially in the crypto space. Altify is leaning into these opportunities and is engaging with other investment platforms in the UAE, UK and Europe who could join Altify over the coming months.

“Despite its controversial reputation, the digital asset sector remains the most innovative area in financial services. Unifying with Coinpanion and BitFund reinforces our commitment to staying at the forefront of innovation as we continue to enhance our crypto service offering," adds Sanders.

Both Revix and Coinpanion were established in 2019 and have garnered impressive traction with their innovative ETF-style crypto asset portfolios. Their partnership positions Altify across both Europe and Africa with the necessary regulatory licences, an established customer base and a market-leading investment app and web platform. Collectively, Revix, Coinpanion and BitFund have received over $250 million in deposits.

The transaction was well supported by all companies’ shareholders, who include well-known names such as  Johannesburg stock exchange listed speciality investment group Sabvest, CVVC, Founders Factory, Emurgo, High-Tech Gründerfonds and Calm/Storm Ventures. As well as angel investors like MySugr Founder Frank Westermann and business angel “Hansi” Hansmann, among others.

“As a CFA Charterholder and investor myself, I was frustrated with the lack of investment opportunities and tooling available to the South African market. That's exactly what we plan to solve through Altify; we want to provide our investors with access to a wide-variety of wealth-building options suitable to different risk profiles and help South Africans grow and protect their wealth,” concludes Sanders.