Cresset Capital Acquired National Advisors Trust
The investment firm will integrate its trust division into the national trust platform to scale services.
Updated on Oct. 5, 2026 in Financial Planning
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Cresset Capital Management has agreed to acquire National Advisors Trust to expand its service capabilities. Cresset plans to transition its $5.4 billion trust division onto the established NAT infrastructure.
Why it matters
By leveraging the national trust charter of NAT, Cresset aims to provide additional resources to its partners and support the growth of an external advisor base. The move allows the firm to scale its trust operations while maintaining support for existing wealth firm partnerships.
Cresset Capital oversees $250 billion in total client assets, while National Advisors Trust currently serves 340 wealth firms, 13,000 advisors, and 17,000 families. The acquisition will combine these entities to create a $13.1 billion national trust business.
The players
Cresset Capital Management
This investment management firm based in New York oversees more than $250 billion in total client assets.
National Advisors Trust
Headquartered in Leawood, Kan., this institution serves as a national trust platform for hundreds of wealth management firms.
The details
Cresset intends to invest in the NAT platform to improve service delivery for the broader network of external advisors. This strategic integration follows a series of recent industry moves aimed at expanding national trust capabilities through targeted acquisitions.
Timeline
National Advisors Trust was founded in 2001.
F.L.Putnam acquired Darwin Trust Company in 2024.
Cresset acquired Monticello Associates in 2025.
Alvarez & Marsal created a national trust company in 2026.
Market Landscape
This transaction follows the pattern set by the 2024 acquisition of Darwin Trust Company by F.L.Putnam, reflecting an industry-wide trend of consolidating trust assets. The move strengthens the firm's position against competitors by centralizing trust infrastructure under a single national charter.
The transition of trust services onto the NAT platform is expected to occur gradually to ensure continuity for existing clients. Advisors and families currently using these services may see enhanced technological support and broader service availability as the platform scales.
The takeaway
Consolidation within the trust sector highlights a broader movement among investment firms to internalize trust charters for better control over client outcomes. Investors should monitor how these integrations affect the speed and quality of fiduciary services offered by their wealth advisors.
Further reading
For more context on professional wealth management, visit Financial Planning.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WealthManagement.
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