The purpose of this research is to provide readers with a comprehensive understanding of the future of wealth & investment management. The core of the research starts by addressing the key driving factors of the economy & markets, natural disasters, world affairs, financial services industry stumbles, consumer & institutional wealth, and the legislative & regulatory environment. The research then outlines the key types of financial products & services, including core services, managed funds products, and other products & services, with a focus on three key growth areas — exchange traded funds (ETFs) & indexing, payments, and wealth management services. The research continues with an overview of the three core markets & distribution channels, including wealth management firms, institutional markets, & international markets, with a focus on the likely winning markets & distribution channels (namely discount & online brokerage firms, fee-based financial advisors (RIAs), & emerging markets). The research also addresses wealth & investment management winning tactics, including developing marketing & lead generation strategies, leveraging technology & outsourcing, developing appropriate staffing & compensation models, and developing winning firm cultures. And the research concludes by defining the most exciting financial services industry investment opportunities, including those in venture capital, public securities, & private equity.

Historical Phases

This research addresses the distinct historical phases of the wealth & investment management industry, including:

  • Emergence Phase
  • Financial Product Development Phase
  • Markets & Distribution Channels Development Phase
  • Maturization Phase

State of the Industry

This research outlines the state of the wealth & investment management industry, including:

  • Wealth & Investment Management Key Driving Factors
  • Wealth & Investment Management Products & Services
  • Wealth & Investment Management Markets & Distribution Channels
  • Wealth & Investment Management Winning Tactics
  • Wealth & Investment Management Investment Opportunities

Future Predictions

And this research makes several future predictions for the wealth & investment management industry, including:

  • Substantial Growth in Wealth & Investment Management
  • Growing Importance of the Intergenerational Wealth Transfer & the Rise of Next Gen, Women-Led, & Mass Affluent Client Segments
  • Continued Dominance of the Big Four Wealth Managers (Fidelity Investments, Morgan Stanley, JP Morgan Chase & Company, & The Charles Schwab Corporation)
  • Continued Consolidation of Independent Advisors (RIAs), Including the Coming Consolidation of the Consolidators
  • Continued Shift to Passive Strategies, Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs), Direct Indexing, & Model Portfolios Amid Ongoing Price Compression
  • Continued Retailization of Alternative Investments & Private Markets, Especially Private Credit
  • Continued Focus on Retirement Income, Decumulation, Downside Protection, & Longevity Planning
  • Emergence of B2C FinTech Firms, Robo & Hybrid Digital Advice Providers, & B2C Artificial Intelligence
  • Continued Digitization of Delivery, with Data & Artificial Intelligence Driving Personalization & Productivity
  • Institutionalization of Marketing & Lead Generation, Technology & Outsourcing, & Financial Advisor Recruiting Tactics
  • Robust Financial Services Industry Investment Opportunities Across Venture Capital, Mergers & Acquisitions, & Initial Public Offerings (IPOs)