BlackRock

BlackRock manages investments for individuals and institutions, including pension funds, and provides financial technology for investment professionals. Its offerings include iShares ETFs and Aladdin, a platform for building portfolios, managing performance and risk, and handling operations and accounting. Aladdin connects public and private market investments through a common data language, giving investment teams an integrated view across asset classes. BlackRock uses the platform alongside its external clients.

Founded in New York in 1988 to manage fixed-income assets, BlackRock developed Aladdin initially for portfolio and risk management. Chairman and CEO Larry Fink and President Robert Kapito are among its eight co-founders. Its AI Labs applies machine learning and optimization to financial problems. Research includes portfolio allocation methods that account for illiquid assets, delays and uncertainty, and tax-aware portfolio construction that incorporates capital-gains liabilities alongside return, risk and transaction costs.

BlackRock reported $15.3 trillion in assets under management as of June 30, 2026—money managed for clients. Its technology business also serves other investment firms: Franklin Templeton selected Aladdin to unify its public-market investment technology. Acquisitions have extended the platform into private markets, with eFront adding investment capabilities and Preqin supplying data that enhances both eFront and Aladdin.