Oisín Breen
Articles written by Oisín Breen
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Fisher Investments launches 'fiduciary.com' to 'educate' clients and RIAs, but site smacks of 'naked lead-gen,' says Fiduciary Institute's head
The Plano, Texas, RIA bought the URL, 'fiduciary.com,' in 2024, and shows that if you can disclose it, you can often declare it in a client's best interest.
June 6, 2025 at 10:56 PM
Orphaned RIAs cry foul after Morningstar socks them with stark choice -- pay up with Black Diamond, or scramble to get data to new provider, at big expense
Hundreds of Morningstar Office users are facing 'early' 2026 deactivation but a Cadillac exit awaits if RIAs transfer solely to Black Diamond.
June 4, 2025 at 12:02 AM
Strive's plan to buy cheap Bitcoin • Vanguard's path to lift crypto ban • Addepar buys 'AI' shop • Data is key, AdvisorEngine says • Vestwell's chicken coup • Carson's new chatbot 'smarter'
The anti-ESG shop launches more unusual financial engineering • Will Vanguard lift crypto ban? • Addepar AI Leaps • AdvisorEngine just sealed five new deals • Carson and Fava go AI to get smart.
June 3, 2025 at 1:02 AM
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
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
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
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
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
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.
May 1, 2025 at 1:47 AM
Vanguard gets new CFO, Salim Ramji's second, strategic and handpicked selection • High rates but lower-balance money markets • SEC loses nearly 1-in-5 staff -- largely from its legal nerve center
Vanguard CEO puts John Bendl in strategic role • Money markets fall off record highs • Capital Group joins private credit goldrush • John Thiel signs on with DPL • RIA poaches top AssetMark exec, names him president.
April 29, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Betterment will add self-directed investing in 2025 as part of grander post-robo plan-- something co-founder Jon Stein admits is likely long overdue
CEO Sarah Levy also green-lit bridge-borrowing against investments as company moves beyond child-proof model to allow investor discretion -- and into more direct competiton with Schwab, Fidelity and Robinhood.
April 25, 2025 at 1:02 AM
Robinhood's surefire 'RIA' play -- custody and robo-advice -- just got shakier as its 'betting' ambitions go full bore and eight states (blue and red) throw up resistance
'DNA' and rule issues are real but legal sources say Congress could soon make the firm's gambling foray a moot point.
April 22, 2025 at 2:24 AM
Vanguard's deal with Blackstone follows its bleak, almost black, market prognosis • SSGA launches another 'Apollo' product, sans Apollo brand • SEC OKs 'green' exchange • Senators call out Trump 'fraud' in letter to new SEC chair
Recession signals grow • Confirmed as chair, SEC's Atkins faces Trump decision • InvestCloud nabs ex-Envestnet COO • Tibergien protégé lands at RIA • RIAs still see direct-indexing as a solution hunting for a problem • Software companies hire & launch.
