The Model Context Protocol (MCP) is now the standard for connecting AI tools to external data. For investment teams using Claude, Cursor, or custom agents, this means you can pull alternative data directly into your research workflow without writing custom integrations or copying outputs between systems.
But not all alternative data MCP servers are built to the same standard. This post compares the main options available in 2026: what they expose, how they handle entity mapping, and which is best suited for professional investment research.