Articles published 5/2025
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Wealthfront renews 'passive' vows -- with a 10% play-money clause -- after it dissolves 'failed' fund and counters Silicon Valley next-door nemesis Robinhood's entry into hyper-active robo-investing
The $36-billion AUM Palo Alto robo-advisor published a Bogle-level passive investing defense, after dissolving much maligned 'Risk Parity' fund, ahead of Vlad Tenev's entry into game.
May 31, 2025 at 1:32 AM
UBS finally throws in towel on using robo-RIA to incubate investors to feed to its human stockbrokers -- with SigFig a casualty and clients in play
SigFig got into business to disrupt Wall Street, then got buoyed by UBS, but now both are part of a long-augured robo shakeout.
May 29, 2025 at 12:49 AM
Envestnet drops plan -- for now -- to enter RIA custody, opting for 'deepened integrations' with Fidelity, Schwab, and Pershing in first major reveal since Bain Capital buyout
New CEO Chris Todd promises technology, solutions, insights and partnership with custodians, also including Goldman Sachs, Altruist and Axos
May 28, 2025 at 4:28 AM
Focus unwinds another RIA hub and adds, again, to Adam B's internal empire • Top SSGA alts exec resigns after fund kerfuffle • SEC and judge deliver one-two ordering Vanguard to pay investors' legal fees
The New York City rollup doesn't need six hubs • Shewta Narasimhadevara is leaving SSGA after just five months in her current role • Judge blocks what class accepted, telling lawyers there's a better deal on the table
May 24, 2025 at 12:36 AM
Schwab's 'superhighway' project could supercharge RIA business, yet fees elicit sticker shock and its leap to RIA 'support' channel may test critical alliances
Schwab's 'ProDirect' is aimed at winning sub-$300-million stockbrokers, possibly from IBDs, but a whole world of symbiotic networks may feel the heat of competition from their RIA custodian
May 22, 2025 at 3:38 AM
Fidelity piloted 'free-money' 401(k) matches for eight years before going live last year; now Schwab is 'bolting-on' a third-party gizmo and imitating its rival with the launch of its own program
Big 401(k) recordkeepers are racing to avail plan participants of billions in cash employers are eager to funnel to them under new scheme unlocked by the SECURE Act 2.0
May 20, 2025 at 4:45 AM
Advyzon founder and CEO confirms receiving 'unsolicted' interest from M&A suitors and capital providers, and Charles Schwab Corp has emerged as potential suitor, driven by its RIA side, a source says
Hailin Li issued a detailed response to an RIABiz query acknowledging his company causes merger hearts to flutter, but he stands pat: 'not for sale'
May 17, 2025 at 1:46 AM
Robinhood's new 'robo-advisor' is disrupting 'robo' norms; three early users report some eye opening findings and how it targets young trade-hungry investors
The Menlo Park, Calif. maverick has a history of attunement to what young investors want and that spirit and business model has made the transition to its first 'wealth management' offering -- hazarding sub-index returns and conflicts, analysts say.
May 16, 2025 at 6:08 AM
Addepar finally confirms massive 'G' raise months past closing, but with terms intact and previously unnamed PE firm as co-lead; analyst calls it 'positive sign'
The Mountain View, Calif. firm had the $230 million lined up in January, expected to announce late February, but broke the news today.
May 14, 2025 at 4:11 AM
Vanguard's and Blackstone's plan to bring 'alts' to the masses revealed in SEC filing, but protagonists take passive role, leading analyst to brand the new fund a 'dud'
Industry analysts expected much more after Vanguard CEO Salim Ramji and Blackstone president and chief operating officer Jon Gray did a joint video, brimming with promise.
May 13, 2025 at 1:41 AM
Vivek Ramaswamy jumps on the next new thing, a Bitcoin treasury company, with a 'mad science' twist -- a reverse merger and tax-advantaged investments to build a $1 billion crypto horde
Anti-ESG ETF company owner keys move to President Trump's Mar. 2 executive order, announcing the formation of a government Bitcoin crypto reserve.
May 12, 2025 at 2:39 AM
LPL shares surge on earnings beat; Commonwealth deal, 'tracking towards 90% retention' keeps firm on path to be 'best in wealth management'
CEO Rich Steinmeier delivers first-quarter results -- good early signs on retaining Commonweath advisors -- that please Wall Street analysts and investors but he wants more. Much more.
May 9, 2025 at 1:31 AM
Philip Palaveev brings hard math -- and his heart -- to topic of RIA staffer 'moms' ahead of Mother's Day with timely new study
The Ensemble Practice CEO shows just how much women with kids love being financial advisors and why it'd be wrong not to love them back, by giving them room to parent
May 8, 2025 at 1:42 AM
AdvicePay, co-founded by Alan Moore and Michael Kitces, buys payroll software solution from LPL RIA owner that should ease a major headache for RIAs -- getting staff paid
AdvisorBOB, formerly RIAFees.com, is acquired from owner of Great Valley Advisor Group to replace clunky spreadsheets for RIAs with mad alluvial comp deals.
May 7, 2025 at 2:45 AM
Schwab's Rick Wurster is green with praise • SmartAsset called out for 'profanity' over Ass mascot • Morningstar Office closure will cost millions
Robinhood's betting business is growing fast with $20 million of annual revenue already • Zoe nets $30 million in Series B raise• Roll-up buys RIA for YouTube chops • CFP Board hikes fees • Two senators could create new $5.3 trillion retirement prize.
May 6, 2025 at 12:42 AM
CD&R again wipes away more vestiges of Focus Financial's 'financial-engineering' legacy by making Adam Birenbaum president, and revealed their 60 RIA ADVs add up to $450 billion
The long-time Buckingham CEO, 47, ascends to run day-to-day operations of rollup that acquired his firm as reverse merging and consolidation of power continues.
May 3, 2025 at 2:29 AM
The unbreakable 1% RIA fee looks vulnerable to new threats from young clients in skinny jeans, says Cerulli study, but falling fees are not a fait accompli, analysts counter
RIAs are willing to yield some ground to win chiseling millennials pressuring margins, but AI, supply and demand, and innovative pricing are all in the RIA's favor.
May 2, 2025 at 12:41 AM
BlackRock adds Fidelity's retail legend and Morgan Stanley ex-retail chief, sparking belief Larry Fink is eyeing wealth channel
The Wall Street asset giant added Kathleen Murphy and Greg Fleming to its board and retail investors know iShares and Aladdin.
