Small alt data providers feel pressure to specialize

When GTCOM-US, the American subsidiary of Beijing-based data and research company Global Tone Communication Technology, arrived on the alternative data scene in 2018, it was one of many bespoke shops. That meant hedge funds and asset managers would come to the firm with their data requests and inquiries, and GTCOM-US would provide them with tailor-made solutions. Since late last year, however, it has narrowed its offering significantly, and rebranded itself as the “gateway to China alternative