By Amit Chowdhry Yesterday at 4:47 PM

Arax Advisory Partners announced it has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Transcend Capital Advisors, a multi-state registered investment advisor providing wealth management and investment advisory services to high-net-worth individuals and families. With more than $3 billion in assets under management as of June 30, 2026, Transcend will be the seventh firm to join Arax in 2026. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter.

Founded in 2019 by former New York Stock Exchange CEO Duncan Niederauer and a group of partners, Transcend serves more than 1,000 client relationships through a team led by President and Chief Investment Officer Jacob Grossman and Head of Fixed Income Robert Brown, with expertise spanning public equities, fixed income, and private equity. The firm is headquartered in Madison, New Jersey, with additional offices in Michigan, Rhode Island, and Florida. Beyond its wealth management platform, Transcend also operates Transcend Golf, a Name, Image and Likeness initiative launched in 2022 to support elite junior golfers, which Arax said it plans to continue backing.

The acquisition builds on Arax’s recent momentum following its recognition as the No. 1 financial advisory firm in the United States by USA TODAY and the No. 1 fastest-growing RIA in the country on Financial Advisor Magazine’s 2026 list of the Top 50 Fastest-Growing Firms. Houlihan Lokey served as financial advisor to Transcend on the transaction, and Seward & Kissel LLP served as legal counsel.

KEY QUOTES:

“At Arax, we’ve always believed that exceptional wealth management firms are built around exceptional advisors. From our earliest conversations, it was clear that the Transcend team shared that philosophy. They have built an outstanding firm by bringing together seasoned advisors, experienced investment professionals and a steadfast commitment to serving clients.”

Haig Ariyan, Chief Executive Officer, Arax

“When we founded Transcend, we believed clients deserved better: an independent fiduciary committed to putting clients first, delivering objective advice and aligning its interests with those it serves. As we looked to the future, we wanted a partner that would preserve what makes Transcend stand out while expanding what we can deliver to clients.”

Duncan Niederauer, Founder and Vice Chairman, Transcend Capital Advisors

“Every important decision we’ve made at Transcend has been guided by one principle: doing what’s best for our clients. We weren’t actively seeking a partner, we were focused on building a great firm. That changed after meeting Haig and his team.”

Brian Gorczynski, Chief Executive Officer, Transcend Capital Advisors