Is this Investment Platform Legit?

You’ve got an eye for art—you can see emotions and meaning, while the rest of us see a slug. If that’s the case, have you ever thought about using your passion to make money? 

In reality, you don’t need to be Picasso (or even close). Yieldstreet offers you the chance to invest in the world of art. And if you’re not the creative type, there are plenty of other investment opportunities to get your hands on. 

Let’s dive in and see if Yieldstreet, the alternative investment platform, is all it’s cracked up to be. 

Discover more about the world of investing: 

Yieldstreet Review: Key Features

To kick things off, let’s give you a run-down of the basics—

What Is Yieldstreet?

Yieldstreet is an online investment platform that gives accredited investors the chance to invest in a wide range of alternative opportunities. 

Investments range from real estate and art to commercial loans and legal settlements—with the potential for high returns.

Yieldstreet was founded in 2015 by Milind Mehere and Michael Weis to let individual investors get their hands on opportunities that were only ever available to institutional investors. 

Since then, the company has continued to grow. We’ll let the numbers speak for themselves: 

• Investor returns total $2.1 billion so far. 
• Yieldstreet has over 420,000 members and growing. 
• The total invested amount stands at a whopping $3.5 billion. 
• The company has over 400 private market opportunities for investors. 
• Yieldstreet’s valuation was in the range of $500 million to $1 billion in late 2021. 

Overall, Yieldstreet provides investors with a unique opportunity to diversify their portfolio with alternative assets that can generate strong returns.

If you’re keen to step away from the mainstream, check out these pros and cons to see if Yieldstreet is right for you—

Pros

Cons

How Does Yieldstreet Work?

Yieldstreet lets you crowdfund alternative investments. This means you can invest smaller amounts with a bunch of other people to reach the same goal as one big investor. 

How to invest with Yieldstreet

Fancy adding some top-notch artistic splodges to your portfolio? 

Here’s a breakdown of how to invest with Yieldstreet: 

1. Sign up: To begin investing through Yieldstreet, you’ll need to create an account on the platform. The process is simple and can be completed entirely online.
2. Browse investment opportunities: Once you log in, you can browse investment opportunities on the platform—including real estate, art, legal settlements, and more.
3. Invest: If you find an investment that matches your goals and risk tolerance, you’re ready to put down some money. The investment amount can vary, but many come with a minimum of $10,000. 
4. Monitor your investments: If you’re coughing up thousands, you’ll want to keep tabs on your assets. Luckily, Yieldstreet will give you regular updates on the performance of your investments and you can track the progress through your Yieldstreet account.
5. Cash out: Yieldstreet investments typically have a fixed term, ranging from several months to several years. Once the investment term is over, you can cash out your investments, receive your returns, and take a trip to Disneyland. 

Who is Yieldstreet best for?

Yieldstreet is like a VIP club for investors. You’ll need to have accredited investor status (unless you opt for the Prism Fund) and a pretty penny to join. 

Here’s what you need to qualify as an accredited investor: 

• Have a net worth of at least a million (minus your primary residence). 
• Or make $200,000 a year ($300,000 with your spouse) for the past two years and expect to keep it up.

Like with any investment, if you’re willing to take some risks for the chance at big rewards, Yieldstreet is the place for you. 

They offer unique asset classes that you may not find on other platforms so you can diversify your portfolio and potentially earn big bucks. 

How to Open an Account With Yieldstreet?

Creating an account on Yieldstreet is as easy as pie.

Just a few clicks and you’re in:

1. Go to the Yieldstreet website: Open a web browser and navigate to the Yieldstreet website.
2. Sign up: On the website’s home page, locate the “Sign Up” button and click on it.
3. Enter your information: Fill out the required information, including your name, email address, and password. Also, provide information about your investment experience and risk tolerance.
4. Complete accreditation: To complete accreditation, you’ll need to provide information about your net worth and annual income. Yieldstreet will verify your accreditation status through a third-party verification service.
5. Agree to terms & conditions: Read and agree to Yieldstreet’s terms and conditions.
6. Verify your email: Check your email for a verification link from Yieldstreet and click on it to verify your account.
7. Start Investing: Once your account is verified, you can start browsing Yieldstreet’s investment opportunities and investing in the assets that match up with your goals.

What Is the Yieldstreet Prism Fund?

The Yieldstreet Prism Fund is a diversified investment option that lets you put your money in different alternative assets. 

But how is this different from the standard investments on Yieldstreet? 

The Prism Fund is simply more accessible—not only is it open for non-accredited investors, but minimum investments start at a much lower $2,500. 

So even if you’re not a millionaire (yet), you can still get involved.

According to Yieldstreet, the fund pays quarterly distributions at an annualized rate of 8%. 

And with investments spread across various asset classes, the Prism Fund helps reduce your investment risk (like having a multi-purpose superhero to protect your money).

But before you start planning that vacation, remember that all investments come with risks. Investors can also expect annual management fees of 1% and maximum annual admin expenses of 0.5%. 

Unfortunately, nothing lasts forever—the fund is set to expire in March 2024. But YieldStreet warns that it may take up to another 12 months to liquidate all the assets. 

Is Yieldstreet Right For You? 

We’ve given you the basics—but you’re going to need the details if you’re prepared to lay down $10,000 of your hard-earned cash. 

You’ll find the complete breakdown of Yieldstreet’s key features below—

Yieldstreet Investments

Yieldstreet offers a variety of alternative investments to accredited investors:

At Yieldstreet, each investment opportunity is hand-picked and goes through the wringer before it’s approved for investors. 

This includes: 

• A full collateral review.
• An agreed term sheet and screenings.
• In-house due diligence and risk assessment. 
• Third-party investigations and background checks. 
• Credit Committee approval (Yieldstreet founders along with risk and legal teams). 

Yieldstreet’s team of experts is there to swipe right on potential partners to keep the supply flowing. 

In 2021, the company sourced a hefty $12 billion in transaction value across 1,000 investment opportunities from 500+ partners. 

The company also says they also do their due diligence by not letting just any investment slip through the cracks—they claim less than 10% of investments make the cut to be distributed on the platform. 

But think carefully before deciding on which investment type is right for you. 

Ilan Levy-Mayer, Vice President of E-mini by Cannon Trading, says, “While evaluating investment opportunities, it’s important to consider associated fees such as transaction costs, management fees, or commissions, as they can affect overall returns. Liquidity should also be considered, especially in art and real estate investments, as it determines the ease of buying or selling an asset.”

Yieldstreet Fees

Want to invest with Yieldstreet? Don’t forget about the fees:

While some fees can vary, Yieldstreet is crystal clear about its management fee, which covers the costs associated with managing and servicing the investment opportunity. 

(Basically, while you’re busy raking in the dough, Yieldstreet will be working behind the scenes to make sure everything runs smoothly.)

Other charges are harder to track down and can vary depending on the investment type and amount. These extra costs could include origination fees and charges for wire transfers or third-party fees. 

To stay on the safe side, don’t forget to carefully review each investment opportunity’s charges and fee structure before investing. 

Use our free budget calculator to keep track of all your fees and expenses. 

Yieldstreet App

The Yieldstreet app brings you investment opportunities on the go. Here’s the scoop on what you need to know—

Investment opportunities

The Yieldstreet app gives you full access to their range of alternative investment opportunities, including real estate, legal finance, and art. 

Browsing

You can filter investments by income, growth, and type to find opportunities that match up with your goals. 

User-friendly interface

The app is designed with a simple interface that makes it easy for you to browse, review investment details, and make investments.

Account management

You can also use the app to manage your Yieldstreet accounts, including viewing your portfolio, tracking performance, and checking your investment and wallet balance. 

Notifications

The app includes real-time notifications, such as updates on investment performance, payment processing, and investment opportunities.

Security

The Yieldstreet app is secured with bank-level security protocols, such as 256-bit SSL encryption and two-factor authentication, to ensure the security of users’ data.

And it seems that users are pretty happy with the Yieldstreet app—as it scored 4.7 on the Apple Store and 4.4 on Google Play. 

Find out more about the top investment apps. 

Yieldstreet Wallet

With all that cash being thrown at investments, it makes sense to have a wallet. 

The Yieldstreet Wallet is a savings account held at Evolve Bank & Trust and FDIC-insured for your peace of mind. 

The wallet comes with a 3.25% APY—which is on par with the APY for some of the top savings accounts. 

Ultimately, the wallet acts as a handy way to fund your investments through Yieldstreet, including IRAs.

And if you’re familiar with the world of investing, you’ve probably got an eye on the crypto market—something that hasn’t escaped Yieldstreet’s attention. 

You can deposit your Bitcoin or Ethereum by creating a crypto wallet and using the wallet’s address to transfer your funds. A custodian will securely store the currency, so you can rest easy knowing it’s in good hands.

And the best part? You can use your crypto to invest in Yieldstreet’s alternative asset classes, like real estate and art. 

They also offer opportunities to get exposure to digital assets through third-party funds. 

Just submit your investment request, and Yieldstreet will take care of the rest. They’ll even convert your crypto to USD through a trusted third party. 

Check out the top crypto apps if you’re keen to grow your portfolio.

Yield IRA Account 

If you’ve got a Yieldstreet Wallet, you’re in luck—you get hold of the self-directed IRA that comes with “checkbook control”. 

With this account, you can buy and sell alternative assets and add private markets to your retirement portfolio. 

All you need to do is choose between a traditional (tax-deferred) or Roth (tax-free) account then transfer or rollover funds from your retirement plan provider. 

The cost of this account varies depending on your deposit rate. 

If you’re in the under $100,000 club, you’ll pay a cool $299 per year. But if you’re living it large with $100,000 or more, you’ll be dishing out $399 a year. 

Heading to retirement? Use our free tool to find out if you’re financially prepared. 

Yieldstreet Stock

Yieldstreet isn’t a publicly traded company—it’s a privately held corporation held by Yieldstreet Inc. 

So don’t go looking for their stock on the market. It’s not there. This means you won’t be able to find, buy, or sell Yieldstreet stock. 

But don’t worry, Yieldstreet is still open for business for accredited investors, who meet certain criteria set forth by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). 

Think of it like an exclusive club hidden from the general public—you have to meet the requirements to get in. But once you do, the investment world is your oyster.

Check out the best stock apps if you’re eager to start trading. 

Is Yieldstreet Legit?

Yes, Yieldstreet is a legitimate alternative investment platform that’s been up and running since 2015. 

The company is headquartered in New York City and is backed by reputable investors, including Greycroft, Edison Partners, and Raine Ventures.

Yieldstreet is registered with SEC as a broker-dealer and investment advisor, so the company faces strict regulations and is under the watchful eye of government agencies.

The platform has a team of experienced professionals, including investment managers, underwriters, and legal and compliance experts. 

They are the ones responsible for vetting investment opportunities and making sure everything stays above board. 

Yieldstreet also has positive reviews from investors and a high rating on many online review sites, as well as positive customer ratings in their app stores. 

But is Yieldstreet really the golden child of the investment world? 

What Was the Yieldstreet Lawsuit?

In 2020, a group of investors filed a lawsuit against Yieldstreet, claiming the company made false statements about the risks involved in investing. 

Specifically, the lawsuit explains how Yieldstreet misled investors about the creditworthiness of its borrowers and the quality of its underwriting process. 

They also accused Yieldstreet of not being truthful about its ownership stake in some of the companies it was lending to.

The investors demanded $100 million to cover their losses, but Yieldstreet denied the allegations. 

It’s not clear how the situation was resolved—but the plaintiffs released a statement saying that Yieldstreet is under investigation by the FBI and SEC about their practices, interactions with customers, marketing of its crowdfunded products, and business dealings.

Is Yieldstreet entering choppy waters? Time will tell.

What Are the Best Alternative Investment Platforms?

If you think you’ve met your match, don’t overlook all the Yieldstreet alternatives worth considering, and have a look at our Yieldstreet vs. Fundrise vs. Masterworks showdown:

*based on the average net annual return since 2000.

Masterworks 

Investing with Masterworks gives you access to shares in art investments, along with the potential for high returns and diversification.

But there are plenty of drawbacks to think about—such as limited liquidity as the term time stretches to ten years. 

You’ll also find a hard time tracking down the returns and Masterworks takes a 20% commission after artwork is sold. 

So, is Masterworks legit?

While Masterworks doesn’t provide IRR data, historical data shows that blue-chip artwork has outperformed the S&P 500 over the long term. 

Investing in tangible assets like artwork can be a unique way to diversify your portfolio—especially for art lovers.

But don’t go all in just yet. Forking over fees can be a real drag, and the fees associated with investing with Masterworks are no exception—annual charges are set at 1.5%, and the company takes 20% worth of commissions. 

When it comes to art investments, Ilan Levy-Mayer has the following advice, “Factors like the artist’s reputation, historical significance, and market demand play key roles in determining the investment potential. Assessing the authenticity, provenance, and condition of the artwork is crucial. Stay updated on art market trends, attend auctions, and seek expert advice to further enhance investment prospects.”

Fundrise 

Fundrise is one of the leading real estate investment platforms out there. 

The platform provides you with access to a portfolio of private real estate investments that can help diversify your portfolios.

Investing with Fundrise will give you returns of around 5.29%, depending on the investment plan. Not bad—but not the best out there. 

However, you might let that slide when you find out that the minimum investment is only $10—hardly breaking the bank. 

There’s a recommended hold period of 5 years—so you won’t be able to get your hands on your returns for a while. Then there are the fees to think about, with an annual 0.85% flat management fee and a 0.15% advisory fee. 

Investing with Fundrise can be an easy way to diversify your portfolio. Just make sure you’re aware of the potential drawbacks, and don’t forget to read the fine print. 

CrowdStreet

Crowdstreet is one of the big dogs of investment platforms with a flair for exclusivity. 

You’ll have to be an accredited investor to get your foot in the door. Then you’ll need at least $25,000 to make an investment.

Yes, CrowdStreet isn’t accessible for all of us mere mortals—but if you do get signed up, you can expect impressive returns of 19.2%. 

Investment opportunities include real estate, offices, and industrial properties.

Sounds like a nice deal—but keep in mind that the investment is relatively illiquid (3–10 years), so you can’t just cash out whenever you want. Plus, there’s a 1–2% annual management fee and a 1% transaction fee when selling shares.

Crowdstreet is perfect for those who are no strangers to the investment world. Just watch out for extra fees and do your due diligence before handing over the sizeable minimum investment amount.

Find out more with our up-to-date CrowdStreet review. 

Peerstreet

As for a PeerStreet review, don’t let the name fool you—PeerStreet isn’t classed as a peer-to-peer lending platform as it doesn’t lend directly to borrowers. 

The company is essentially a real estate investment platform that’s all about buying loans from private lenders who have already done the heavy lifting and made the deal. 

Most of the loans on the platform are commercial real estate improvement or development loans.

PeerStreet is pretty transparent about its fees and usually takes 1% on each loan it put up for investment. The company also has a servicing charge between 0.25%–1.00%, as well as originator and referral fees. 

That being said, PeerStreet offers the potential for solid returns—with average annualized returns ranging from 7%–12%, depending on the specific investment opportunity.

Is Yieldstreet a Good Investment?

All in all, Yieldstreet is a great platform for those looking for alternative investments and who have enough cash to spare to become accredited and put down the $10,000 minimum amount. 

Due to the high stakes, investing newbies should probably keep a distance until they gain more expertise—although there are plenty of educational resources on the site to brush up on your knowledge. 

Those with less experience (and cash) might want to consider other crowdfunding investment platforms like Fundrise, which has a much lower minimum investment and can be easy to grasp for beginners. 

Key Takeaways