Arta Finance, a digital family office headquartered in Mountain View, California, has received a capital markets services licence from the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), marking its official launch in the city-state.

The regulatory approval will allow Arta to extend what it calls its innovative financial services to Singapore investors, leveraging the city's status as a global wealth hub.

The company exited stealth mode in 2022 after securing over S$120 million (US$89.3 million) from investors such as Peak XV (formerly Sequoia Capital India & SEA), Ribbit, and Coatue, as well as support from the tech and finance sectors.

Among its backers is Eric Schmidt, the former chairman and chief executive officer of Google and co-founder of Schmidt Futures. Schmidt says Arta's blend of advanced financial strategies with artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML) highlights its potential to disrupt investment management.

"Combining advanced financial strategies with AI is the type of visionary thinking that brings about real step-function change," says Schmidt. "I am so impressed with what Arta has built by applying advanced AI and ML to investing strategies and look forward to seeing this fantastic team create tremendous value for so many people."

Arta’s co-founder and CEO Caesar Sengupta stresses Singapore's pivotal role in the company's expansion. "Singapore's rise as a global capital of wealth makes it an ideal location for innovation and financial technology. Launching Arta in Singapore allows us to serve investors globally through this highly trusted financial hub," he says.

In a statement, Arta Finance says it aims to democratize access to high-powered financial strategies typically reserved for the ultra-wealthy.

Through its platform, users can access alternative investments such as private equity, venture capital, and real estate, with initial investments starting from S$10,000. The platform also employs AI to create personalized investment plans and offers sophisticated financial tools without the high fees and administrative burdens of traditional financial advisory services.