Public Launches Fully Customizable Direct Indexing for Retail Investors
Public, the investing platform built for long-term investors, has announced the launch of its fully customizable direct indexing product, allowing members to build personalized portfolios from a wide range of foundational indices. The offering brings a strategy once reserved for high-net-worth individuals into the retail market with low minimums and tax optimization features, democratizing access to a powerful investment tool.
Direct indexing allows investors to own individual stocks from an index rather than purchasing a derivative such as an ETF. This approach not only enables greater personalization — investors can decide which stocks to include or exclude — but also opens the door to sophisticated strategies such as tax-loss harvesting. Public’s new product integrates both, giving members the ability to craft a customized version of indices such as the S&P 500®, along with automated tax optimization.
“Sophisticated investors want control over their portfolios,” said Leif Abraham, Co-CEO and Co-Founder of Public. “Our new direct indexing product not only gives people the widest range of indices but also total control over what companies they want to be invested in, and which not. Essentially giving people the opportunity to turn indices like the S&P 500 into their own personalized S&P index.”
Democratizing a Once Exclusive Strategy
Traditionally, direct indexing was only available to institutional clients and wealthy investors, often requiring five- or six-figure minimums to participate. Recently, however, falling investment minimums and advances in technology have made the strategy more accessible to everyday investors. Public is pushing accessibility even further, setting its minimum investment at just $1,000 with a low annual management fee of 0.19% per index.
By removing the historical barriers to entry, Public is tapping into a trend where retail investors demand the identical degree of sophistication and control long enjoyed by institutions. This is particularly relevant as younger generations increasingly value flexibility and personalization in financial products. Public’s answer lowers the threshold for experimenting with direct indexing while still providing tools for diversification and risk management.
With more than 100 indices available through partnerships with Solactive and S&P®, investors can choose broad market benchmarks like the S&P 500® or focus on sector-specific indices, such as technology or healthcare. This flexibility lets members tailor portfolios to align with both financial goals and personal values.
Takeaway
Tax Efficiency Meets Personalization
One of the key advantages of direct indexing is tax optimization. By holding individual stocks, investors can take advantage of tax-loss harvesting, tradeing underperforming securities to offset gains elsewhere in the portfolio. This strategy has long been used by , but Public is now embedding it directly into a retail platform.
Beyond tax efficiency, personalization is another draw. Investors can exclude companies that do not align with their values — such as those in fossil fuels or certain sectors — or overweight companies they believe have stronger long-term potential. In effect, Public is providing tools to customize broad indices without losing the diversification benefits of holding a basket of securities.
This hybrid of control and automation could appeal to a broad spectrum of retail investors, from those viewking to optimize taxes to others motivated by values-based investing. The ability to tailor exposure while still maintaining a diversified, index-based strategy reflects broader aimed at personalization.
Takeaway
Expanding Retail Access to Index Innovation
Public’s expansion into direct indexing aligns with a wider movement to bring institutional tools into the hands of retail investors. In recent years, fintech platforms have introduced fractional shares, commission-free trading, and thematic ETFs, all of which reduce barriers to sophisticated investing. Direct indexing is the next frontier in this .
For investors, the potential benefits extend beyond control and tax efficiency. Owning individual stocks provides more transparency into portfolio composition compared to ETFs, which often bundle securities together. It also creates opportunities for unique weighting strategies, where investors can lean into certain sectors or companies while maintaining exposure to the broader market.
By offering access to Solactive and S&P® indices, Public ensures that users can customize exposure across both well-established and niche benchmarks. This provides flexibility for investors who want to replicate broad market indices but with specific tfragiles, or those who prefer focused exposure to sectors driving innovation.
Takeaway
Outlook: Personalization as the Future of Investing
The launch of fully customizable direct indexing marks a pivotal moment for Public as it expands its offerings beyond traditional brokerage services. By combining accessibility, tax efficiency, and personalization, the company is positioning itself as a platform for long-term investors who want more than passive exposure through ETFs.
As investor expectations evolve, personalization is increasingly viewed not as a luxury but as a necessity. Younger investors, in particular, viewk platforms that allow them to align portfolios with both financial objectives and personal beliefs. Direct indexing, once available only to elite clients, could become a mainstream strategy as platforms like Public continue to scale and simplify access.
Leif Abraham summed up the mission: “Our new direct indexing product gives people total control over what companies they want to be invested in, and which not.” In doing so, Public may be shaping the next era of retail investing — one where technology, accessibility, and investor empowerment converge.
