Dan Ives, a Wedbush Securities analyst.
Scott Mlyn | CNBC
Dan Ives, one of Wall Street’s most recognizable technology analysts, is leaving his longtime role at Wedbush Securities to launch a merchant bank that will combine research, advisory, capital raising and investing in a single platform.
After eight years at Wedbush and more than 25 years covering technology stocks, Ives said the new venture will aim to build what he calls a “modern merchant bank” designed to help companies and investors seize opportunities created by artificial intelligence and broader economic shifts.
“It’s been a phenomenal eight years at Wedbush,” Ives said in an interview. “But moving forward, I’m looking to create a modern merchant bank with great partners, long‑term capital and something I think will change the way Wall Street views investment banks.”
The firm, which Ives expects to announce formally in the coming weeks, will provide proprietary research, strategic advisory, capital‑raising and investment services across technology, energy and financial sectors. He also plans to continue publishing technology‑stock research while expanding the broader business.
The departure marks an unusual career pivot for a top sell‑side analyst whose bullish AI calls, frequent television appearances, colorful personal style—including a clothing line he launched last year—and occasional advisory roles (such as serving on Zeta Global’s board and leading Eightco Holdings’ Worldcoin‑focused crypto treasury) have made him a well‑known figure in investor circles.
At Wedbush, Ives also chaired Eightco Holdings, where he led a crypto‑treasury strategy centered on Worldcoin, the digital token tied to Sam Altman’s identity venture.
The new firm intends to recruit top Wall Street talent and position itself at the heart of the AI‑driven transformation reshaping industries.
“My career has almost built up to something like this,” Ives said. “In this AI revolution, it’s about spotting the opportunities just around the corner, and that’s what I think this firm will be able to deliver.”