Monark Raises $8.1M in Strategic Funding Round to Build Standard Rails for Private Markets

Funding will accelerate Monark's distribution partnerships and expand its product and asset-class coverage

NEW YORK, Feb. 18, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Monark Markets, a New York-based fintech company building the rails connecting brokerage firms and wealth platforms to private markets, is announcing $8.1 million in strategic financing. The round is led by F-Prime with participation from The Treasury, Commerce Ventures, Grit Capital Partners, and BBAE Holdings.

Monark's API-first infrastructure powers major fintech platforms like Apex Fintech Solutions, Altruist Financial, and BBAE, embedding private market investments directly into existing customer accounts and reaching over 30 million retail investors with $450 billion of captive assets. Monark provides access to Pre-IPO companies as well as 40' act registered evergreen funds from prominent alternative asset managers.

"We believe that retail portfolio allocation to private markets should and will grow to 15-20% over the next decade, mirroring the portfolio allocation of institutional investors and family offices," says Ben Haber, CEO of Monark Markets. "This structural shift in capital allocation from retail investors will drive trillions of dollars of investment into private markets, fueling demand for innovative investment products, new investment rails, and increased liquidity."

As private-market demand grows, Monark addresses a core infrastructure gap for brokerage and wealth platforms: many still lack the capabilities to manage the full alternative investment lifecycle - including deal sourcing, subscription processing, custody and reporting, and secondary liquidity - from within their native investor experience. Monark's embedded API infrastructure enables platforms to natively offer private investments, with full compliance and marketing support. By bringing private-market access directly into existing platforms, Monark supports scalable, low-cost access for issuers to the $27 trillion in private wealth held by mass-affluent and affluent U.S. investors, and a more streamlined investor experience.

"Alternative assets have experienced remarkable growth, growing from $5 trillion in 2011 to nearly $16 trillion today," said David Jegen, Managing Partner of F-Prime's Technology Fund. "Asset managers are seeking new retail investors to grow AUM, and financial advisors and a changing regulatory environment are guiding to higher allocations to alternatives. Ben, Paul, and the team at Monark are building the digital rails that will make this expansion possible at scale."

Behind the APIs, Monark works closely with distribution partners to build a curated marketplace of private investment opportunities. This includes sourcing issuers, conducting due diligence, and negotiating distribution economics. This end-to-end support is increasingly critical as retail demand grows for exposure to key engines of economic growth in the private markets, including U.S. reindustrialization and next-generation defense, as well as AI, blockchain, and space exploration.

Monark will use the new capital to scale its distribution network through integrations with additional brokerage and wealth management platforms, as well as to expand access to new products and asset classes, including evergreen funds, fractional real estate, and secondary trading of private securities. 

About Monark Markets, Inc.

Monark Markets, Inc., is a venture-backed, New York-based fintech providing "Alts-As-A-Service" infrastructure to brokerage firms and wealth management platforms. Monark's b2b APIs enable embedded access to private markets from within partners' existing trading platforms. https://monark-markets.com

About MMM Securities LLC

MMM Securities LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Monark Markets, Inc., is a FINRA-member broker-dealer authorized to conduct private placements, retail mutual fund sales, and operate an alternative trading system. Investments in private securities and alternative assets involve substantial risks, including illiquidity, loss of principal, limited transparency, and extended holding periods. Past performance is not indicative of future results. The firm is committed to maintaining the highest standards of compliance and meeting the regulatory requirements for its services. Member FINRA/SIPC. Check the background of this firm on FINRA's BrokerCheck.

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SOURCE Monark Markets