For DIY investors who want to mix traditional assets with alts, there's a new IRA

A new self-directed IRA aims to modernize retirement investing by empowering investors to mix traditional and alternative investments within the same account.

More than four in ten U.S. households own individual retirement accounts, amounting to 55.5 million households, according to a recent report.

Equity Trust Company has launched its Universal IRA which it says is setting a new standard for flexibility and growth potential in retirement planning and make modern portfolio diversification easier than ever.

"After 50 years of helping investors reach their retirement goals, we are excited to introduce the Universal IRA, an offering designed to meet the evolving needs of today's investors," said George Sullivan, CEO of Equity Trust. "This revolutionary IRA combines the stability of traditional investments with the expansive possibilities of alternative assets, providing our clients with a powerful tool to build a more resilient and diversified retirement portfolio."

With a single login investors can access asset classes including real estate, private equity, and cryptocurrency, alongside stocks, mutual funds, and other traditional asset classes, which the firm says removes the need for accounts at multiple IRA companies to achieve true diversification.

Equity Trust Company has more than $52 billion in assets under custody and administration and is offering the Universal IRA to both new and existing clients.

Last year, private market investing platform Yieldstreet announced a strategic partnership with Equity Trust in a bid to simplify adding alternative investments to individual retirement accounts.