Contributor: Mike Vogel

Investment trends in the $4.5 Trillion Defined Contribution (DC) market are stretching the definition of an ‘open architecture’ investment platform. Historically, open architecture meant you or your partner offered a significant number of mutual funds from a variety of managers. While mutual funds still hold a significant amount of DC assets, alternative investments are taking hold and growing. Recent research from Celent predicts growth in non-mutual fund options, including Collective investment trusts, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), separate accounts and retirement income products. If an investment platform wants to remain truly ‘open,’ it will need to consider extending its mutual fund platforms to include these alternatives and the technology and operational challenges that go with them.... read more