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Single platform strategies but no exits
Article
Blog
Twenty-five years ago Cerulli Associates predicted Australia’s platform sector would consolidate to five players, yet the market remains crowded with no sign major competitors plan to exit soon.
16% of 1.8 Million German Traders Just Ditched Their Brokers—Here’s Why
Article
Blog
Germany’s online investing market rose 3% to 1.79M traders in 2025, driven by new and returning investors. Broker switching hit a record 16% as clients demanded more value, simplicity, and innovation.
Comfortable retirement income gender gap widens
Article
Blog
Research from 2024 reveals women’s retirement confidence has declined, with the gap between expected and required income for a comfortable retirement widening to a median of $1,500 per month.
How much does financial advice cost?
Article
Blog
Only 7% of Australians get financial advice, with cost the biggest barrier. Fees range from basic super queries to full holistic planning, covering SOAs, implementation, ongoing and asset-based charge
North unveils innovative AI FileNote assistant for advisers
Article
Blog
North’s AI FileNote assistant, built for advisers, transcribes meetings into structured notes, saving time, reducing compliance risk, and enabling more focus on client relationships.
Platforms rise to multi-pronged set of challenges
Article
Blog
The advice community is being well-serviced by platforms, according to the research house Investment Trends’ 2024 Platform Competitive Analysis & Benchmarking Report.
CFS Edge bolsters global managed account range
Article
Blog
Colonial First State (CFS) has added several new international managed accounts to its Edge platform.
GCC Traders Thrive on Risk, Move with Oil’s Tide
Article
Blog
Oil and gold dominate GCC trading, with younger traders favouring algorithmic and high-frequency strategies, while experienced traders lean toward gold and forex amid oil price swings.
Practice support staff less welcoming of AI tools
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Investment Trends shows support staff are less open to AI than advisers, with 31% refusing its use. Both groups want more education, while experts stress privacy, cyber security, and accuracy.
Surge in Managed Account Usage Among Australian Advisers
Article
Blog
Managed accounts now hold 71% of client assets on average, with FUM up 23.2% to $232.8B in 2024. Adoption has tripled in a decade, and adviser demand suggests usage could soon reach three-quarters.
3 in 5 Australian advisers now using managed accounts
Article
Blog
Investment Trends research, backed by State Street Global Advisors, shows nearly three in five advisers use managed accounts, citing performance and platform availability as key reasons.
Managed account use at record high: Data
Article
Blog
State Street Global Advisors and Investment Trends report 59% of Australian advisers use managed accounts, with performance continuing to rank as the top selection criterion.
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