# Interview with Jason Wenk, Founder of Altruist

Revolutionizing financial advice with AI technology

- **Source:** [The Big Picture](https://ritholtz.com)
- **Published:** 2026-07-20
- **Topic:** [Finance](https://brifing.si/c/finance)
- **Original article:** <https://ritholtz.com/2026/07/transcript-jason-wenk/>
- **On Brifing:** https://brifing.si/s/57a8df3c-fba0-44cc-b84c-b7315794220a

## Introduction

Jason Wenk, founder of Altruist, offers an AI-powered low-cost financial advisory platform as an alternative to traditional giants. His tech background at Morgan Stanley steered him toward fintech innovation.

## Early Career

Wenk interned at Morgan Stanley at 19, approaching finance from a tech perspective. His early projects involved converting CD-ROM-based Morningstar databases into networked systems.

## Financial Awareness

Coming from a family without financial literacy, Wenk recognized early how traditional mutual fund criteria failed to predict future performance, leading him toward data-driven solutions.

## Licensing Process

After obtaining Series 7, 8, 24, and 3 licenses, Wenk completed broker training but chose to build tech solutions rather than work directly with clients.

## Tech-Finance Intersection

Following the dot-com crash, Wenk entered finance, trained as a broker in 2001, but abandoned plans to return to the Midwest when he realized the impracticality of helping acquaintances with limited means.

## Birth of Altruist

Wenk founded Altruist to offer an AI-powered modern alternative to legacy custodians like Fidelity and Schwab, aiming to make financial advice more accessible.

## AI Integration

Altruist employs machine learning models instead of traditional criteria for portfolio management, leveraging Wenk's mathematics and computer science background.

## Cost Advantage

Free from legacy infrastructure burdens, Altruist uses AI to reduce operational costs, aiming to expand access to advisory services.

## Industry Response

Traditional financial institutions resist Altruist's disruptive model, but Wenk believes technological efficiency gains are inevitable.

## Future Vision

Wenk aims to increase transparency in financial advising and democratize the industry through AI-powered personalized solutions.

## Entrepreneurial Perspective

Wenk's story highlights for tech-finance entrepreneurs the importance of combining domain knowledge with technical expertise.

## Conclusion

Jason Wenk's Altruist exemplifies how tech-driven innovation can reduce costs and increase access in financial services, establishing him as a fintech pioneer.

## Sources covering this story

- https://ritholtz.com/2026/07/transcript-jason-wenk/ — 

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_Summary written by Brifing from the original reporting. Copyright in the original article belongs to its publisher; read the full piece at the link above._