Yieldstreet review 2024: Alternative investments online

In a nutshell

Yieldstreet is an alternative investments platform that offers a wide range of alternative asset classes, including art, real estate, private credit and more.

• Alternative assets are the type of assets that do not depend on the performance of the financial markets.
• Yieldstreet is for advanced investors and accredited investors. It may not be valuable for people with limited capital and limited investing experience.

Pros and cons

Yieldstreet overview

There are compelling reasons for holding at least a slice of your total investment portfolio with Yieldstreet. First is that Yieldstreet offers what are considered alternative investments. That includes the type of asset classes not available on major exchanges, such as art, private equity, short-term notes and venture capital.

The combination of alternative asset classes has enabled Yieldstreet to outperform a traditional portfolio composed of a mix of 60% stocks and 40% bonds. While the traditional portfolio has returned an annualized average of 6.2% from 2015 to June 2023, Yieldstreet investments have returned an annualized average of 9.6% in the same period.

One of the obstacles to investing in alternative asset classes is that they are usually available only as individual investments. Building a diversified portfolio of any single asset class would require spreading funds across multiple investments. Yieldstreet simplifies that process, by enabling investors to invest through pre-made portfolios, funds and real estate investment trusts (REITs). A single investment can be spread across multiple assets within the same class.

On the negative side, Yieldstreet investments require a minimum investment of $10,000. However, that’s just the starting point. Some investments offered require more, up to $25,000. That will exclude small and even many medium-sized investors.

Another potential barrier to entry: Nearly all investments offered by Yieldstreet include an accredited investor requirement. To qualify as an accredited investor, you must have either a minimum net worth of $1 million (not including your personal residence) or an annual income of $200,000 ($300,000 if you are married filing jointly).

Finally, because they are alternative investments, Yieldstreet investments are not liquid. You’ll need to tie up your funds for between a few months and a few years. You should not invest with Yieldstreet with money you may need in the near future.

Yieldstreet features and services

Yieldstreet offers a number of investments, typically the type you won’t find available with large brokers like Fidelity and Charles Schwab. All but two investments offered by Yieldstreet require accredited investor status. The Growth & Income REIT and the Yieldstreet Alternative Income Fund are open to anyone, regardless of investor status.

The asset classes offered include:

• Art.
• Crypto.
• Legal.
• Multi-asset class fund.
• Private equity.
• Private credit.
• Real estate.
• Short-term notes.
• Transportation.
• Venture capital.

Because of the diversity of asset classes, investments are not always available in each. There may be investment opportunities in five or six at any given time.

Each of these asset classes is available through sources specializing in those investments. The main advantage Yieldstreet offers investors is an opportunity to invest in multiple alternative asset classes on the same platform. And while some investments may require an investment up to $30,000 (and up) each, Yieldstreet enables you to participate with an investment of as little as $10,000.

A description of each asset class is provided below.

Art

You can invest in art through one of two funds currently offered on the platform (as of Dec. 2023).

Diversified Art Debt Portfolio III invests in loans secured by artwork produced by blue-chip artists. The minimum investment is $10,000, with interest payments made quarterly. The portfolio has an expected term of 48 months. Annual fees total 1.25%. No annual return is provided.

Art Equity V is a fund holding equity in “globally acclaimed artworks.” The minimum investment is $15,000, with a term of five years. The fund purchases artwork at below fair market value, with the intention of selling at a profit at the end of the term. Investors will receive 85% of the gains, with 15% retained by Yieldstreet.

Crypto

No details of the type of crypto investments are provided. It may be an asset class Yieldstreet is planning to offer in the future. There are no crypto investments offered on the platform as of Dec. 2023.

Legal

This asset class provides an investment marketplace for investors in legal finance, with plaintiffs and law firms. It focuses specifically on strong cases with a need for capital. There are no legal investments offered on the platform as of Dec. 2023.

Private equity

Private equity funds can be used to acquire private or public companies, or even to invest in buyouts. There are no private equity investments offered on the platform as of Dec. 2023.

Private credit

Yieldstreet offers two opportunities in its private credit asset class. 

The Diversified CLO Portfolio III offers a diversified mix of investment-grade collateralized loan obligations. These include more than 200 senior secured corporate or middle-market loans. The minimum investment is $25,000, interest is paid quarterly and the term is 24 months. Annual fees totaled 1.75%, but no income information is provided.

Yieldstreet also offers the Powersports Loan Portfolio I, which has a minimum investment of $10,000, a 50-month term and a monthly payment schedule. The investment is a portfolio of more than 12,000 consumer loans backed by various motor vehicles, including motorcycles, utility vehicles, mowers and snowmobiles. Annual fees total 2.25%.

Real estate

Yieldstreet offers the following real estate funds:

Short-term notes

Yieldstreet currently offers two funds focused on short-term notes:

Short Term Note Series CXII is a fund with a focus on very short-term notes. The minimum investment is $10,000, payments are made monthly and the term is six months. The realized net annualized return has an average of 4.9% There is no fee associated with this fund.

Short Term Note Series CX focuses on notes with a maturity of nine months. The minimum investment is $10,000 and interest is paid on a monthly basis. There is no fee associated with this fund. The realized net annualized return is 4.7%.

Transportation

There are currently no transportation investments offered on the platform.

Venture capital

There are currently no venture capital investments offered on the platform.

Yieldstreet Alternative Income Fund

Formally known as the Yieldstreet Prism Fund, this fund provides enhanced income through the use of diversified private markets. The minimum investment is $10,000, and income is distributed quarterly. The fund has a net annualized yield of 8.7% as of Dec. 2023, exclusive of 1.5% in fund fees. It comprises more than 20 investments, including real estate and private credit. Accredited investor status is not required for this investment.

Self-directed IRAs (SDIRAs)

Self-directed IRAs (SDIRA) are offered through a partnership with Equity Trust, a company specializing in SDIRAs, with more than $39 billion in assets under management. Most investments offered by Yieldstreet are available for the SDIRA.

If you plan to open an IRA with Yieldstreet investments, be advised that these are not available in traditional retirement accounts offered by mainstream brokers, like Fidelity or Charles Schwab. Since they are alternative asset classes, they must be held through a SDIRA. Those are only offered through trustees like Equity Trust.

The annual fee schedule with Equity Trust is as follows:

1. Account value up to $100,000, $250.
2. $100,001 – $250,000, $350.
3. Over $250,000, $450.

There is also a one-time account set-up fee of $50.

Who is Yieldstreet best for?

Yieldstreet is a provider of alternative investments. Since these asset classes are considered higher risk than conventional investments, Yieldstreet is best used by those who have both an understanding of the types of investments they are making, as well as the risk tolerance to deal with any potential setbacks.

In addition, while cash investments with the platform are FDIC-insured for up to $250,000 per depositor, there is no SIPC coverage for the investments held in your account. However, this is typical with alternative investments, and not unique to Yieldstreet. SIPC does not extend to alternative investments because they are unique and highly diversified.

This is why most investments offered by Yieldstreet require accredited investor status. Participating investors must have the financial strength to be able to absorb any potential losses. Even if you do qualify as an accredited investor, you should hold no more than 5% or 10% of your portfolio in alternative assets.

That said, the entire purpose of alternative investments is that they are a true diversification away from traditional asset classes, like stocks and bonds. That’s because the performance of alternative investments is not closely correlated with stocks and bonds. These assets can rise in value even when financial assets are declining, and decline even when financial assets are rising. That’s what makes them valuable as a portfolio diversification.

How Yieldstreet compares

If you are not an accredited investor, and you want to invest specifically in commercial real estate deals, Fundrise is an alternative. Best of all, you can begin investing with as little as $10. However, Fundrise does have certain investments in real estate and private credit that do require accredited investor status.

If you are interested primarily in art-related investments, check out Masterworks. It’s a one-of-a-kind investment platform where you can invest specifically in fine art. You won’t purchase the artwork itself, but rather shares of ownership in the work. You do not need to be an accredited investor, but the minimum investment is $15,000. Investments on the platform are long-term in nature. Since Masterworks serves as an online art marketplace, it may be possible to sell your shares to another investor.

If you are looking for a mix of more traditional investments, Empower can be an excellent choice. Not only do they provide a free financial dashboard, where you can connect and track all your financial accounts in one place, but also managed investing, self-directed investing, and a high-yield cash account. It’s virtually a one-stop shop for traditional investments.

Methodology

This review is based on information provided on the Yieldstreet website, as well as third-party sources providing relevant information.

We make no specific recommendation to invest with Yieldstreet, or any of the specific asset classes available on the platform.

You should discuss alternative asset investing, and Yieldstreet in particular, with your financial advisor before investing any money.

Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Is Yieldstreet legit?

Yieldstreet has been in business since April 2015. The company has a Better Business Bureau rating of “B”, on a scale of A+ to F. It has a Trustpilot rating of 2.5 (“poor”), but that is based on just 18 reviews.

However, it is important to report that while cash investments held with the platform are FDIC-insured for up to $250,000 per depositor, investments are not covered by SIPC insurance against broker failure or fraud. This is common with alternative asset investments.

In addition, you should be aware that the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), brought an action against Yieldstreet in September 2023 for failing to disclose critical information to investors in a $14.5 million asset-backed securities offering.

Is Yieldstreet good for beginners?

No, in fact, Yieldstreet is designed primarily for accredited investors, which is a class of investors with significant financial wherewithal. Since the service invests in alternative asset classes, these are considered higher risk than more conventional investments, like stocks and bonds.

Does Yieldstreet charge a monthly fee?

Yieldstreet doesn’t charge monthly fees, but there are annual management fees that can be as high as 2.25% of your investment in a fund.