Craft Launches Tailwind, the World's First Exchange Fund That Unlocks Frozen Stock Into Usable Wealth

Pod Securities, LLC receives FINRA approval; targeted 6% yield redeemable as cash, private flight credits, and more

MIAMI, May 6, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Craft (https://flycraft.com/), the Miami-based wealth platform backed by investors at Spark Capital, Kleiner Perkins, and Susa Ventures, today announced the launch of Tailwind, a new exchange fund designed to turn concentrated stock positions into usable, income-generating wealth.

Alongside the launch, Craft's wholly owned broker-dealer, Pod Securities, LLC, received approval from the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) to place public securities into the fund. This enables Tailwind to accept contributions starting at $100,000, significantly expanding access compared to legacy exchange funds that often require seven-figure minimums.

As the current wave of IPOs is expected to create thousands of new paper millionaires in the coming year, yet most will face the same limited options: hold concentrated stock and absorb risk, sell and incur major capital gains, or move into traditional exchange funds with illiquid assets that remain inaccessible.

"Everyone is focused on the IPO moment, but almost no one is solving for what comes after," says Izzy Slodowitz, founder and CEO of Craft. "We built Tailwind for the founders and early employees who have spent years creating value, only to face a system that forces them to choose between frozen wealth and a tax bill."

Unlike traditional exchange funds that rely on private real estate as their illiquid component, Tailwind's new approach to exchange funds is structured around operating assets. The fund pairs a public equities sleeve with Craft's owned private aviation fleet, generating real income from charter demand.

This structure enables a targeted 6% annual yield, distributed to members as cash or redeemed for private flight credits at preferred rates, with additional real-world benefits planned.

Private aviation serves as the entry point, but the broader mission is to modernize exchange funds into vehicles where wealth can be both diversified and actively used.

How Tailwind works

Investors contribute appreciated public stock into Tailwind under Section 721 of the Internal Revenue Code, receiving a diversified, tax-deferred position in the fund. Members commit to a seven-year term and receive distributions in cash, flight credits, or a combination.

Pod Securities' in-house broker-dealer capabilities streamline the contribution process, enabling faster onboarding and greater control compared to traditional third-party placement models.

Following early traction, Tailwind builds on Craft's first product, Glidepath, which launched in 2025 with a $1.5 million minimum and has attracted more than $50 million in assets from founders and early employees.

"This is the right product at the right time," said Seth Berman of Susa Ventures. "Craft is opening a structure historically reserved for the ultra-wealthy to the people building today's most valuable companies."

Craft plans to expand Tailwind's redemption options to include airline credits, hotel stays, and other real-world benefits, while introducing additional income-producing asset classes into the fund structure. Investors and advisors can join the Tailwind waitlist and learn more at https://flycraft.com/

About Craft

Craft is a Miami-based wealth platform building the first generation of exchange funds backed by real, usable operating assets. Founded by Izzy Slodowitz and backed by investors at Spark Capital, Kleiner Perkins, and Susa Ventures, Craft gives founders, operators, and early employees at today's most valuable technology companies access to tax-deferred structures previously reserved for institutional private wealth. Craft is the wealth arm of Craft Financials, Inc., which also operates Craft Aviation, a Part 135 private aviation operator. Securities services are offered through Pod Securities, LLC, a FINRA-registered broker-dealer.

Contact:

Natalie Younger

561-400-3084

[email protected] 

SOURCE Craft