Investment accounts in Monarch are made up of holdings. A holding is how much of a particular stock, fund, or security you own, along with its current market price and what you originally paid. When you connect an investment account to Monarch, we automatically pull in the holdings your brokerage or financial institution provides.

Sometimes the data we receive is incomplete or incorrect, or your institution may not be supported at all. In these situations, you can add or edit holdings manually so that your portfolio stays accurate.

If you're creating a new manual investment account, you'll choose between two tracking modes during setup.

Tip: If you are trying to track employee stock options (ISO, NSO) or RSUs with a vesting schedule, use the dedicated Equity Tracking feature instead of a standard manual investment account. This allows you to track vesting events automatically.

Table of Contents

• Will Monarch update prices automatically for manual holdings?
• Can I add custom investments (private stock, crypto, alternatives)?
• Do manual holdings affect performance, allocation, or net worth?
• Can I add transactions to a manual investment account?
• Can I track dividends manually?
• Can I mix synced and manual holdings in the same account?
• I chose the wrong tracking mode — how do I switch?
• What if I enter the wrong quantity?

When to use manual holdings

Manual holdings are useful if:

• Your brokerage does not share holdings with Monarch.
• You have employee stock (ESPP, RSUs, or options) not shown correctly.
• You own crypto, private equity, or alternative investments outside of supported institutions.
• Monarch shows placeholder holdings (like $0 or unvested shares, or other incorrect data).

Important notes

• Adding a manual holding does not change the balance of a connected account.
  • If you need to adjust a connected account’s balance, create a manual investment account set to Track balances manually instead.
• Prices for recognized securities update automatically with the market once entered.
• You’ll need to manually update holdings whenever you buy or sell shares.

Add a manual investment account

1. Go to the Accounts tab.
2. Select + Add account (web) or + (mobile).
3. At the bottom, choose Add manual account.
4. Select Investments.
5. Name the account and set the account type (e.g., Brokerage, IRA, 401k).
6. Choose how you want to track:
   • Track holdings manually
     • Search for securities by name or ticker.
     • Enter the quantity you own.
     • Monarch will update the account balance automatically as market prices change.
     • Transactions can't be added to this type of account manually.
     • Example: Add 100 shares of AAPL; the value will always reflect Apple’s market price.
   • Track balances manually
     • Enter only a total balance — no individual holdings.
     • The balance updates only when you edit it yourself.
     • You can add transactions to this account manually.
     • Example: Useful for tracking private investments or assets without ticker symbols.
7. Select Next. If you chose Track holdings manually, add your first holding now. If you chose Track balances manually, enter your starting balance.

Add a manual holding to an existing account

You can add manual holdings to connected investment accounts and to manual accounts set to Track holdings manually.

On web:

1. Go to the account’s detail page.
2. Click Add holding.

On mobile:

1. Open the investment account.
2. Tap … (top right).
3. Select Add holding.

You can also use + Add holding on the Investments page. Accounts set to Track balances manually won't appear in the account list there.

If you don't see an Add holding option at all, the account is set to Track balances manually, which doesn't support individual holdings.

Edit or delete a holding

To edit a holding:

• Open the account.
• Expand the holding you want to change.
• Adjust the quantity or other details.

To delete a holding:

• Open the account.
• Expand the holding you want to remove.
• Select … and then Delete.

Notes:

• Deleting is permanent. If the holding came from a synced account, the only way to restore it is to remove and re-add the entire account connection.
• Removing a holding does not automatically change the account’s balance unless the account is set to Track holdings manually.

Frequently asked questions

Will Monarch update prices automatically for manual holdings?

Yes, if the holding is tied to a recognized security like a stock or ETF. Prices update throughout the trading day.

Can I add custom investments (private stock, crypto, alternatives)?

Yes. If a ticker isn't found, you can create a manual account set to Track balances manually and enter a total value instead. This is often the more reliable option for crypto, private stock, and other assets without a ticker — but note that a balance-tracked account can't hold individual securities, and the tracking mode can't be changed later. If your asset does have a recognized ticker, choose Track holdings manually so prices update automatically.

Do manual holdings affect performance, allocation, or net worth?

Yes. Manual holdings and balances roll up into your portfolio charts, allocation, and net worth like any other account.

Can I add transactions to a manual investment account?

It depends on how the account tracks:

• Track balances manually — yes, you can add transactions manually.
• Track holdings manually — no. Adjust your holding quantities instead when you buy or sell.

Can I track dividends manually?

Monarch doesn't support manual dividend entry. If you reinvest, update the holding quantity to match.

Can I mix synced and manual holdings in the same account?

Yes, but keep in mind that deleting or editing synced holdings may require reconnecting the account. For full control over every holding, create a manual account set to Track holdings manually.

I chose the wrong tracking mode — how do I switch?

Tracking mode can't be changed after an account is created. To switch, delete the account and create a new one with the mode you want. Deleting an account removes its holdings and balance history, and the new account starts fresh — history isn't carried over.

What if I enter the wrong quantity?

You can edit a holding anytime.