Apollo, Athene and Motive Ventures Invest in ARS to Accelerate Availability of Guaranteed Income Offerings in Defined Contribution Market
Apollo (NYSE:APO), Athene, and Motive Partners have announced the acquisition of ARS, a guaranteed lifetime income solutions provider for the defined contribution market. The investment involves purchasing all outstanding ARS shares through a new entity owned by Athene and Motive Partners-advised funds.
ARS's flagship technology, Lifetime Income Builder, enables guaranteed lifetime income to be integrated into defined contribution systems and target date fund products. This technology is currently powering the State Street GTC Retirement Income Builder Series, available across multiple recordkeeping platforms.
The acquisition addresses a growing market need, with over 11,000 Americans turning 65 daily and a projected 40% increase in the 65+ population by 2050. ARS will maintain independent operations while scaling its multi-carrier offerings across the defined contribution ecosystem.
Apollo (NYSE:APO), Athene e Motive Partners hanno annunciato l'acquisizione di ARS, un fornitore di soluzioni per il reddito garantito a vita per il mercato delle contribuzioni definite. L'investimento prevede l'acquisto di tutte le azioni in circolazione di ARS attraverso una nuova entità di proprietà di Athene e fondi consigliati da Motive Partners.
La tecnologia di punta di ARS, Lifetime Income Builder, consente di integrare un reddito garantito a vita nei sistemi di contribuzione definita e nei prodotti di fondi con data obiettivo. Questa tecnologia alimenta attualmente la State Street GTC Retirement Income Builder Series, disponibile su più piattaforme di registrazione.
L'acquisizione risponde a una crescente necessità di mercato, con oltre 11.000 americani che compiono 65 anni ogni giorno e un aumento previsto del 40% della popolazione over 65 entro il 2050. ARS manterrà operazioni indipendenti mentre espande le sue offerte multi-carrier nell'ecosistema delle contribuzioni definite.
Apollo (NYSE:APO), Athene y Motive Partners han anunciado la adquisición de ARS, un proveedor de soluciones de ingresos garantizados de por vida para el mercado de contribuciones definidas. La inversión consiste en la compra de todas las acciones en circulación de ARS a través de una nueva entidad propiedad de Athene y fondos asesorados por Motive Partners.
La tecnología insignia de ARS, Lifetime Income Builder, permite integrar ingresos garantizados de por vida en sistemas de contribuciones definidas y productos de fondos de fecha objetivo. Esta tecnología está impulsando actualmente la State Street GTC Retirement Income Builder Series, disponible en múltiples plataformas de registro.
La adquisición aborda una creciente necesidad del mercado, con más de 11,000 estadounidenses cumpliendo 65 años diariamente y un aumento proyectado del 40% en la población de 65 años o más para 2050. ARS mantendrá operaciones independientes mientras amplía sus ofertas de múltiples proveedores en el ecosistema de contribuciones definidas.
아폴로 (NYSE:APO), 아테네 및 모티브 파트너스가 ARS의 인수를 발표했습니다. ARS는 정립 기여 시장을 위한 보장된 평생 소득 솔루션 제공업체입니다. 이번 투자는 아테네와 모티브 파트너스 자문 펀드가 소유하는 새로운 법인을 통해 ARS의 모든 발행 주식을 구매하는 것입니다.
ARS의 주력 기술인 Lifetime Income Builder는 보장된 평생 소득을 정립 기여 시스템 및 목표 날짜 펀드 제품에 통합할 수 있게 합니다. 이 기술은 현재 여러 기록 관리 플랫폼에서 사용할 수 있는 State Street GTC Retirement Income Builder Series를 지원하고 있습니다.
이번 인수는 매일 11,000명이 넘는 미국인이 65세가 되는 증가하는 시장 수요에 대응하며, 2050년까지 65세 이상 인구가 40% 증가할 것으로 예상됩니다. ARS는 독립적인 운영을 유지하면서 정립 기여 생태계 전반에 걸쳐 다중 제공업체의 서비스를 확장할 것입니다.
Apollo (NYSE:APO), Athene et Motive Partners ont annoncé l'acquisition de ARS, un fournisseur de solutions de revenu garanti à vie pour le marché des contributions définies. Cet investissement implique l'achat de toutes les actions en circulation d'ARS par le biais d'une nouvelle entité détenue par Athene et des fonds conseillés par Motive Partners.
La technologie phare d'ARS, Lifetime Income Builder, permet d'intégrer un revenu garanti à vie dans les systèmes de contributions définies et les produits de fonds à date cible. Cette technologie alimente actuellement la série State Street GTC Retirement Income Builder, disponible sur plusieurs plateformes d'enregistrement.
Cette acquisition répond à un besoin croissant sur le marché, avec plus de 11 000 Américains atteignant 65 ans chaque jour et une augmentation prévue de 40 % de la population de 65 ans et plus d'ici 2050. ARS maintiendra des opérations indépendantes tout en élargissant ses offres multi-porteurs dans l'écosystème des contributions définies.
Apollo (NYSE:APO), Athene und Motive Partners haben die Übernahme von ARS, einem Anbieter von garantierten lebenslangen Einkommenslösungen für den Bereich der definierten Beiträge, bekannt gegeben. Die Investition umfasst den Kauf aller ausstehenden ARS-Aktien durch eine neue Einheit, die von Athene und von Motive Partners beratenen Fonds gehalten wird.
Die Haupttechnologie von ARS, Lifetime Income Builder, ermöglicht die Integration von garantiertem lebenslangen Einkommen in Systeme für definierte Beiträge und Produkte von Zielterminfonds. Diese Technologie treibt derzeit die State Street GTC Retirement Income Builder Series an, die über mehrere Aufzeichnungsplattformen verfügbar ist.
Die Übernahme reagiert auf einen wachsenden Marktbedarf, da täglich über 11.000 Amerikaner 65 Jahre alt werden und bis 2050 ein Anstieg der über 65-Jährigen um 40 % prognostiziert wird. ARS wird unabhängig operieren und gleichzeitig sein Angebot an Multi-Carrier-Lösungen im Ökosystem der definierten Beiträge ausweiten.
- Strategic acquisition provides Athene entry into growing defined contribution market
- Technology solution addresses significant market opportunity with aging population
- Multi-carrier technology platform already operational with State Street GTC series
- Maintains independent operations allowing continued multi-carrier strategy
- Integration and scaling challenges may affect implementation timeline
- Multiple carrier model could increase operational complexity
Insights
Athene's acquisition of ARS represents a strategic expansion into the growing defined contribution market. This move positions the company to capitalize on a significant demographic trend, with over
The acquisition solves a critical market challenge - the lack of an efficient delivery mechanism for guaranteed income products. ARS's proprietary Lifetime Income Builder technology enables annuity products to be seamlessly integrated into target date funds, the dominant investment vehicle in the defined contribution landscape. This solves a major distribution hurdle that has historically annuity penetration in 401(k) and similar plans.
The deal structure is noteworthy - ARS will continue operating independently under a new entity owned by Athene and Motive Partners-advised funds. This multi-carrier approach preserves ARS's ability to work across the ecosystem while still providing Athene preferred access to this distribution channel. The technology is already implemented with State Street GTC Retirement Income Builder Series, demonstrating market validation.
With
This acquisition addresses a fundamental structural problem in the retirement industry. The defined contribution system has excelled at accumulating assets but struggled with distributing sustainable lifetime income - precisely what ARS's technology facilitates.
The significance becomes apparent when examining retirement statistics: the average 401(k) participant approaching retirement has insufficient assets to generate sustainable income. By embedding guaranteed income directly into target date funds through ARS's technology, Athene can help solve the most pressing challenge facing retirement plan participants.
The multi-carrier approach is particularly astute. Rather than limiting the technology to Athene's products alone, maintaining independence allows broader adoption across numerous recordkeeping platforms. This creates a network effect - as more insurers join, more recordkeepers implement, creating a virtuous adoption cycle.
What makes this truly innovative is that participants don't need to actively select annuities - they gain lifetime income protection through their default investment option. The behavioral economics implications are profound, as inertia becomes an advantage rather than obstacle to adoption.
State Street's implementation provides vital social proof for an industry historically resistant to change. With regulatory tailwinds from SECURE 2.0 legislation supporting lifetime income in retirement plans, Athene has positioned itself at the nexus of technology, distribution, and demographic trends driving the future of retirement security.
With Over 11,000 Americans Turning 65 Every Day, ARS’s Technology Addresses Growing Need for Security of Lifetime Income, Delivered Directly into Target Date Funds
Investment Accelerates Athene’s Ability to Bring Guaranteed Income Offerings to the Defined Contribution Market
WEST DES MOINES, Iowa, March 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Apollo (NYSE:APO), Athene, and Motive Partners today announced the purchase of ARS, an innovative guaranteed lifetime income solutions and technology provider for the defined contribution market.
With the number of Americans age 65+ expected to increase
ARS has created a distinctive multi-carrier technology, Lifetime Income Builder, that allows guaranteed lifetime income to seamlessly fit into the defined contribution ecosystem, including directly into target date fund products.
“ARS’s technology for the defined contribution market will redefine the way Americans use guaranteed income to retire with certainty,” said Jim Belardi, CEO of Athene. “With ARS, we have a platform to deliver next generation target date fund solutions that are needed to drive better retirement outcomes.”
“We were first to market with an innovative technology that embeds guaranteed income in retirement products, removing a common hurdle for target date fund managers and recordkeepers,” said Dave Paulsen, CEO of ARS. “Apollo, Athene and Motive’s backing will be transformative in helping us scale our technology and expand access to guaranteed income solutions.”
The investment in ARS was made by the acquisition of all outstanding shares by a new entity owned by Athene and funds advised by Motive Partners. ARS will continue to operate independently as it seeks to scale its multi-carrier offerings across the defined contribution ecosystem. Lifetime Income Builder technology is currently powering the State Street GTC Retirement Income Builder Series, sponsored by Global Trust Company, which is available across a growing number of recordkeeping platforms. Lifetime Income Builder includes annuity guarantees backed by multiple insurers within a target date fund construct.
About Apollo
Apollo is a high-growth, global alternative asset manager. In our asset management business, we seek to provide our clients excess return at every point along the risk-reward spectrum from investment grade credit to private equity. For more than three decades, our investing expertise across our fully integrated platform has served the financial return needs of our clients and provided businesses with innovative capital solutions for growth. Through Athene, our retirement services business, we specialize in helping clients achieve financial security by providing a suite of retirement savings products and acting as a solutions provider to institutions. Our patient, creative, and knowledgeable approach to investing aligns our clients, businesses we invest in, our employees, and the communities we impact, to expand opportunity and achieve positive outcomes. As of December 31, 2024, Apollo had approximately
About Athene
Athene is the leading retirement services company, with over
About ARS
ARS is a leading lifetime income solutions company dedicated to solving the retirement income challenge with innovative, participant-first solutions. Founded in 2020, ARS is led by a team of industry veterans with a combined 175 years of experience in retirement plans, annuities, and asset management. ARS’s Lifetime Income Builder seamlessly integrates lifetime income into target date funds. Learn more at www.arsfinancial.com.
About Motive Partners
Motive Partners is a specialist private equity firm with offices in New York City, London and Berlin, focusing on growth equity and buyout investments in software and information services companies based in North America and Europe and serving five primary subsectors: Banking & Payments, Capital Markets, Data & Analytics, Insurance and Wealth & Asset Management. Motive Partners brings differentiated expertise, connectivity and capabilities to create long-term value in financial technology companies. Motive Ventures is the early-stage investment arm of Motive Partners, focused on pre-seed through to Series A financial technology investments in North America and Europe. For more information, please visit www.motivepartners.com.
Contacts:
Joanna Rose
Global Head of Corporate Communications
Apollo Global Management, Inc.
212-822-0491
communications@apollo.com
Jeanne Hess
Vice President, External Relations
Athene
646-768-7319
jeanne.hess@athene.com
FAQ
What is the strategic importance of ARS acquisition for Athene?
How does ARS's Lifetime Income Builder technology work in target date funds?
What is the market opportunity driving this acquisition?
Will ARS continue to operate independently after the acquisition?
