Betterment Launches Pilot of RIA Referral Program

Ortolani, A. (2026, February 13). Betterment Launches Pilot of RIA Referral Program. WealthManagement.com. https://www.wealthmanagement.com/ria-news/betterment-launches-pilot-of-ria-referral-program

• Betterment has launched the Betterment Advisor Network, a pilot referral program designed to connect retail clients with independent registered investment advisors on its custodial platform.

• The firm will charge participating RIAs an annual fee of 0.25% on the assets of clients referred through the program.

• This initiative aims to provide retail investors who have complex financial needs with access to personalized advice from human professionals.

• Referral matches will be determined based on specific client criteria, including financial situation, service requirements, location, and preferred communication methods.

• The program is currently restricted to a limited group of advisory firms as Betterment gathers data on client demand and advisor requirements.

• Betterment’s entry into the referral space positions it as a direct competitor to established custody giants like Charles Schwab and Fidelity Investments.

• The company currently supports approximately 600 custodial firms and manages more than $60 billion in total assets across its retail and advisor segments.

Knote: According to WealthManagement.com, Betterment now has their much awaited advisor referral program in a closed pilot. We like the Self-Directed Trading as Lead Gen theme and it applies to digital advice as well. These platforms are realizing what Schwab and Fidelity have known for a long time: there is a lot of future wealth tide up in those small accounts.