There is “significant value” locked up in the information about things that people own and are acquiring, says Scott Walchek, chief executive at Trōv.

There is “significant value” locked up in the information
about things that people own and are acquiring, says Scott Walchek, chief
executive at Trōv.

Trōv describes itself as a private cloud-hosted
“digital locker” where information about personal property and possessions is
collected, organized and continuously updated. Trōv members can then use this information
to sell, borrow against or take other actions to
leverage the value of what they own.

Individuals are increasingly turning their attention
to what financial rewards their treasures may afford. For example, a 2011 ACE
Private Risk Services study of HNW households found that 74 per cent of
respondents cited investment value as a reason to buy rare art, wine, jewelry,
sports memorabilia or classic cars. Meanwhile, a more recent Barclays
report found that high net worth individuals in the US hold an average of 9 per
cent of their wealth in tangible assets. 

“Investors are increasingly looking to hard assets,
such as valuable art, antiques or fine watches and wine collections, because of
the perceived ability of these assets to hold value during market
fluctuations,” said Tom Livergood, CEO and founder of The Family Wealth
Alliance, in a new report published by Trōv and ACE Private Risk Services.