Simplify Investments

Harley Bassman serves as Chief Investment Officer and founder, having previously structured volatility-linked products at Merrill Lynch. The firm's investment committee oversees strategy, with Bassman as the primary decision-maker (per SEC ADV filings).

Simplify uses options-based strategies designed for tail risk hedging and income generation, employing derivative overlays on equity and fixed income positions. This allows the firm to seek returns in low-volatility environments or during market dislocations (per the firm's product documentation).

Simplify focuses on liquid public markets, primarily through exchange-traded funds and separately managed accounts. It targets daily-traded instruments, making it distinct from private market or venture capital strategies.

Simplify does not invest in private equity, real estate, or illiquid credit. Its focus is solely on public market derivatives and cash securities, avoiding sectors requiring long lock-ups or active management of operating businesses.

Simplify is a registered investment advisor under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, operating as an independent firm rather than a family office or hedge fund. It offers both ETFs and SMA strategies subject to daily liquidity and regulatory transparency.

Like all options-based strategies, Simplify faces counterparty, liquidity, and market risk. The firm's ETF structure limits leverage and provides daily pricing, reducing some risks but not eliminating tail risk from option premium erosion (per the firm's prospectus).