Merchant, a global provider of growth capital and strategic support for independent financial services firms, has formed a strategic partnership with Sterling Trustees. Sterling Trustees, an independent trust company based in South Dakota, administers over $11 billion in client assets globally and maintains its independence by separating the trustee and investment advisory roles.
Serving clients in more than 25 countries, Sterling specializes in cross-border trusts and works with clients’ chosen advisors and custodians.
This partnership broadens access to a network of estate law, tax, investment, and philanthropic experts. Sterling’s advisor-centric and technology-driven approach ensures efficient administration, keeping advisors at the center of client relationships. Chartered in South Dakota, Sterling offers progressive trust law and flexible planning tools ideal for RIAs.
KEY QUOTES:
“The demand for high-quality, independent trust services has never been greater—both within the Merchant community and across the broader independent wealth management space. Our partnership with Sterling is a direct response to that demand, and reflects our ongoing commitment to connecting advisors with essential service providers who elevate the client experience. Sterling brings the objectivity, scale, and cross-border expertise that RIAs need to meet the complex estate planning needs of today’s high-net-worth families, while staying true to the advisor-first ethos that defines our ecosystem.”
Tim Bello, Co-Founder and Managing Partner at Merchant
“At Sterling, we pride ourselves on objective, independent trust administration. Partnering with Merchant allows us to extend that unbiased platform directly into the advisor ecosystem, powering legacy-building strategies with institutional-grade resources—and ensuring each client’s trust benefits from balanced, forward-thinking counsel.”
Antony Joffe, Chairman of Sterling Trustees
“We took great care in evaluating trust service providers globally, knowing how critical this capability is to the advisors and clients we support. Sterling stood out not only for their deep expertise and independence, but for the caliber of leadership in Antony—someone who’s highly respected both inside and outside of the Merchant ecosystem. With a meaningful portion of their business coming from non-U.S. clients, Sterling is uniquely positioned to help advisors meet the growing demand for sophisticated estate planning across jurisdictions.”
David Mrazik, a Managing Partner at Merchant
