Investment Product & Service Launches

Centro Launches API Integration With MetLife

Centro Benefits Research LLC, a fully-owned subsidiary of OneDigital, announced the launch of an API integration with MetLife Inc. intended to streamline the request for proposal process for carriers and brokers for all ancillary employee benefits products.

“Centro is creating a unique value by pairing our domain knowledge and experience with powerful software to deliver an all-in-one modern platform that eliminates most of the manual steps across the value chain for the carriers and brokers we serve,” Treg Balding, chief revenue officer at Centro, said in a statement. “Working with MetLife to launch the RFP and Quoting API integration is a big step towards modernization of these processes.”

This API connection will enable Centro and MetLife to exchange RFP and quote proposal data directly between the Centro platform and the MetLife Group operating platform. It is intended to significantly improve the speed, accuracy, operational efficiency and cost of this manually intense process for employers with fewer than 100 employees.

“With developments such as API integrations and the latest RFP and Quoting integrations, we continue to bring growth and digital transformation to the industry,” Beata Rogala, Centro’s chief operating officer and a senior vice president of digital transformation at OneDigital, said in a statement.

MassMutual Announces New Fixed Deferred Annuity

Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Co. announced the introduction of a new fixed deferred annuity to its retirement savings and income offerings, MassMutual Premier Voyage, joining MassMutual Stable Voyage on its fixed annuity shelf.

MassMutual Premier Voyage provides the choice of multiple guarantee periods—from two to seven years—in which to invest an initial purchase payment, as well as the ability to easily renew the contract value into the same or a different multi-year guarantee period at the end of the initial guarantee period. Additionally, a free withdrawal amount is available each year of the contract.

MassMutual Premier Voyage also offers a higher issue age, higher annuitization age and more rate bands than previous multi-year guarantee annuities issued by MassMutual, as well as the ability to add purchase payments on the renewal date.

“This new offering can help retirees protect what they have without worrying about what the stock market is doing or if they might outlive their income,” Phil Michalowski, head of annuity product at MassMutual, said in a statement.

American Trust Wealth Launches Mobile App and Client Portal

American Trust Wealth, a subsidiary of American Trust Co., announced the launch of a new mobile app and client portal, as well as enhancements to its AmericanTrustWealth.com website to provide clients with enhanced access to market intelligence and portfolio insight.

“We’re always looking for ways to use technology to make it easier for investors to reach their investment goals,” said Kevin Avent, managing director for wealth management at American Trust Wealth, in a statement. “With the launch of the new mobile app and client portal, we can keep clients well-informed, equip them with market insights and empower them to grow their wealth.”

The augmented client portal, now built on Envestnet’s Tamarac technology platform, is easier to navigate and provides deeper portfolio insights, including real-time performance, income projections, ATFMI scores, investment research and more.

CAIS Launches SaaS Platform to Streamline Alternative Investment Workflow

CAIS, the leading alternative investment platform for independent financial advisers, announced its new SaaS platform, CAIS Solutions, which will centralize and streamline alternative investment funds.

“CAIS Solutions will reduce the operational burden of executing and managing alternative investments by leveraging CAIS’ pre-trade, trade, and post-trade technology,” said Matt Brown, founder and CEO of CAIS, in a statement.

Among several features, CAIS Solutions centralizes all alternative investment funds onto one platform, providing a unified and scalable end-to-end solution. This includes funds purchased directly from managers, funds sourced from other platforms and all legacy fund positions.

CAIS Solutions offers two technology products that can be utilized together or separately: CAIS Trade, which streamlines the alternative investment subscription process, and CAIS Post-Trade, which scales the operational management of a firm’s data and document requirements.