FE fundinfo. (2026, September 2). FE fundinfo extends Nexus for Financial Advisers into face-to-face client meetings with new mobile app. https://www.fefundinfo.com/insights/fe-fundinfo-extends-nexus-for-financial-advisers-into-face-to-face-client-meetings-with-new-mobile-app FE fundinfo launched a mobile app for Nexus for Financial Advisers, extending its AI-powered meeting support to face-to-face client meetings for the first time and making it available to all Nexus Assistant users on Android and iOS. Information recorded during in-person meetings on a phone or tablet becomes part of the same client record used across the wider advice process rather than remaining isolated in a separate tool. Meetings recorded on the app follow the same workflow as video meetings, including transcription, structured note generation, client data extraction, adviser review and approval, and transfer into Nexus for Financial Advisers or connected CRM systems. AI-generated outputs are attributed to their source and adviser actions remain auditable. FE fundinfo's Financial Adviser Survey 2026 found that 95% of advisers say they use too many software applications, with data reconciliation between systems consuming an average of 192 hours annually. The app forms part of an expanded investment in Nexus for Financial Advisers, with more than 25 new capabilities planned by the end of 2026. Autumn developments include AI-generated suitability reporting, automated client vulnerability assessment, expanded back-office integrations, a consolidated client profile, and AI-powered fund research and cashflow modelling.

Aquiline Capital Partners has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a controlling interest in Flourish, the RIA-focused cash and lending platform currently owned by MassMutual. The transaction was announced on September 2, 2026 and is expected to close in the fourth quarter, subject to customary closing conditions and regulatory approvals. Terms were not disclosed. MassMutual will retain a significant stake and remain a strategic partner and client of the business. Wells Fargo acted as exclusive placement agent and financial advisor to Flourish and MassMutual. Founded in 2017 and based in New York, Flourish gives independent advisors private-bank-like tools for the parts of a client balance sheet that sit outside the managed portfolio. The firm works with more than 1,300 RIA firms representing over $2.6 trillion in assets under management, and its advisor-led cash solution grew from $1 billion to $8 billion in assets under custody over five years while driving more than $1 billion in net new flows to custodians. It recently launched a home lending product built for the independent channel. David Canter, who previously led Fidelity's RIA and Family Office segments, joins as executive chairman. Chief Executive Max Lane said the new structure preserves the MassMutual relationship while providing agility to accelerate the roadmap, with expanded checking capabilities and AI-driven lending optimization planned. The deal maps to the Family Office as-a-Service theme, in which technology carries high-touch services such as cash management, liability optimization, and family lending down-market. For RIAs competing with banks and wirehouses, owning the banking layer of the client relationship is becoming asset defense as much as a growth channel. MWnote: MassMutual selling control while staying a shareholder, partner, and client is about as close to the ideal corporate venture outcome as one can get. More insurers sitting on WealthTech assets should be studying the structure. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/aquiline-to-invest-in-flourish-a-leading-wealthtech-platform-for-independent-advisors-302867632.html

Orion. (2026, September 1). Orion adds BlackRock, Fidelity Investments, and Vanguard to Tailored Allocation Portfolios [Press release]. Business Wire. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260901726412/en/Orion-Adds-BlackRock-Fidelity-Investments-and-Vanguard-to-Tailored-Allocation-Portfolios Orion added model portfolios from BlackRock, Fidelity Investments and Vanguard to its Tailored Allocation Portfolios offering. The offering combines third-party model portfolios with Orion's Custom Indexing technology to deliver tax management and personalized investing at scale. The three managers join Brinker-Main Management, First Trust Advisors, Frontier Asset Management, Janus Henderson and Russell Investments, bringing the program to eight strategists since its October 2025 launch. Advisors can select an asset manager whose investment approach aligns with their own and build custom models on that foundation. Paired with Custom Indexing, the offering allows gradual migration of assets for clients with concentrated positions, legacy holdings or unique tax sensitivities. Tailored Allocation Portfolios are available across Orion Wealth Management, Orion Investment Portal, Wealth Advisory and Orion OCIO. Orion Custom Indexing surpassed $17.1 billion in assets under management as of July 31, 2026. Knote: UK friends, please take notice. It should not take 30 days to rebalance your customized model portfolios.

Velati, A. (2026, August 31). Morningstar's retirement advisory biz drops ByAllAccounts for Plaid. Financial Advisor IQ. https://www.financialadvisoriq.com/c/5240934/752664 Morningstar Investment Management will move account aggregation services for its retirement advisory clients from its own ByAllAccounts unit to Plaid next month, according to an Aug. 18 regulatory filing. Managed accounts and advisor-managed accounts are part of the transition, and Morningstar Retirement's managed accounts held $19.4 billion in assets under management and administration as of June 30. A Morningstar spokesperson said the retirement group planned the change in part based on connectivity practices of recordkeeper networks in that specific segment. The spokesperson said the change is limited to those retirement advisory services and unrelated to discussions regarding ByAllAccounts ownership, and that ByAllAccounts continues to serve Morningstar Investor and Direct Advisory Suite. Morningstar announced in April that it intended to sell ByAllAccounts to fintech investor Pello Companies, and those plans halted when the deal fell through in July. ByAllAccounts, formed in 1999 and sold to Morningstar by State Street in 2014 for $28 million, services over 6,000 advisory firms and over 70 wealth platforms including Addepar, Advyzon and Halo. Craig Kilgallen of Fuse Research said Plaid's aggregation capabilities appear strong for retirement accounts and could provide a proof point before Morningstar transitions other parts of its business. Knote: I wish the US would adopt an open banking standard like the UK has except extend it to cover investment accounts. It would make holistic advice a lot easier (and more accurate).

Fuse Research Network (2026, August 25). Next-gen advisors embrace models. Fuse Research Network. https://fuse-research.com/next-gen-advisors-embrace-models/ Fuse Research Network reported that 47% of surveyed advisor accounts are now managed through model portfolios, based on its "Portfolio Construction: The Advisor View" study. Model portfolios are increasingly central to advisor portfolio construction, and younger advisors are significantly more likely to use them. Advisors under 45 manage 56% of accounts through models. Advisors aged 45 to 60 manage 47% of accounts through models. Advisors age 60 and older manage just 40% of accounts using models. Fuse said that as younger advisors gain a larger share of industry assets, model portfolios are likely to become an increasingly important route to market. Fuse said asset managers should prioritize model solutions and placement to build relevance with the next generation of advisors and position for future asset growth. Knote: The UK is behind the US in this, but heading in the same direction.

Zocks. (2026, September 1). Archive Intel partners with Zocks to streamline AI compliance reviews. https://www.zocks.io/press/archive-intel-partners-with-zocks-to-streamline-ai-compliance-reviews Archive Intel, an AI-powered communications compliance platform for financial institutions, announced an integration with Zocks, a privacy-first AI platform for financial services. SEC and FINRA requirements mandate that records generated by AI notetakers be treated as electronic client communications subject to review and to five-year retention. Through the integration, Zocks data flows automatically into Archive Intel's platform, where AI contextually reviews transcripts and notes, identifies potentially non-compliant language, and archives records for audit-ready access. Larry Shumbres, founder and CEO of Archive Intel, said the integration helps firms capture, review and retain data from their AI assistant while strengthening compliance oversight, organizing critical records and reducing the risk of costly violations. Mark Gilbert, co-founder and CEO of Zocks, said the integration addresses the challenge of managing compliance across a growing number of client communication channels and provides a more efficient way to review and retain AI-generated records within existing compliance workflows. Archive Intel clients can activate the Zocks integration for $12 per user per month. Captured, reviewed, and archived data synchronizes automatically between the two platforms. Knote: One step closer to the dream of fully automated direct surveillance that can be outsourced to 3rd party compliance consultants.

Ajaib, a Jakarta based online stock trading platform, said Friday it has raised $270 million from Tokyo listed SBI Holdings in what could be Indonesia's biggest fundraising round since 2022. The Series C brings the company's total funding to more than $500 million since its founding. Ajaib did not disclose a current valuation but said the round represents a significant step up from the unicorn valuation it reached in 2021 on a $153 million Series B. SBI said separately that it will hold a 20% stake, which would value Ajaib at roughly $1.35 billion. Ajaib, which means magical in Indonesian, launched in 2019 as a Robinhood style trading app with no minimum deposit, built for millennial and Gen Z investors. Cofounders Anderson Sumarli and Yada Piyajomkwan, Stanford M.B.A. classmates, joined Forbes Asia's 30 Under 30 list the following year. The platform now serves more than seven million users. Sumarli said customers who once bought a single share at a time as college students now hold global stocks, crypto and stablecoins on the platform. Yoshitaka Kitao, founder, chairman and president of SBI Holdings, said global infrastructure for digital assets matters more than ever in an era of tokenization, and described Ajaib as a fit for SBI's vision because it handles traditional financial products alongside digital assets. For platform operators and integrators, the round signals that mobile first brokerages with large, young installed bases remain attractive to strategic partners.

Janowski, D. (2026, August 31). Altruist soft-launches AI financial planning agent. WealthManagement.com. https://www.wealthmanagement.com/advisor-support-platforms/altruist-launches-ai-financial-planning-agent Custodian and technology provider Altruist has soft-launched a financial planning agent within its Hazel AI platform that generates comprehensive financial plans within minutes. The agent covers retirement planning, investment optimization, cash flow analysis, estate planning, tax strategy, and insurance and risk assessment. The tool provides real-time scenario modeling and is available to firms regardless of their custody arrangements with Altruist. Founder and CEO Jason Wenk stated that the agent allows a single advisor to do much of the work that a shop full of specialists would do, in a fraction of the time. The platform gathers data from financial documents, client meetings, and connected sources under zero data retention agreements with AI model providers, using AI for data collection while relying on dedicated calculation programs for financial computations. Pricing was not immediately available, though the company indicated it would mirror its tax planning capability, where Hazel Admin AI costs $50 per seat monthly annually or $125 monthly with tax planning included. The announcement follows Vanguard's agreement to acquire Altruist for $4.6 billion in an all-cash transaction expected to close later in 2026. Knote: I like that they are only using AI for data collection and input, not the actual planning decisions.

Ortolani, A. (2026, September 1). Hightower picks FinTech Dispatch for onboarding in its Signature Wealth channel. WealthManagement.com. https://www.wealthmanagement.com/ria-news/hightower-to-use-dispatch-for-signature-wealth-channel Wealthmanagement.com is reporting that Hightower Advisors, a Chicago-based wealth management firm with more than 800 advisors, will work with fintech Dispatch to provide advisor transitions, client account opening and management, and data syncing across platforms for Hightower Signature Wealth. Under the agreement, Dispatch will provide the movement, validation and synchronization of client data across custodians, including Schwab and Fidelity, and across advisory systems as Hightower brings advisors into the channel. Hightower Signature Wealth, the firm's nationally branded employee advisor practice launched last year under CEO Larry Restieri, has reached $35 billion in AUM across 30 locations and 100 advisors, and announced its second external RIA acquisition to the channel in August. Restieri stated that Dispatch provides the data infrastructure that keeps client information accurate and synchronized across supporting systems, reducing operational friction for advisors. Dispatch launched in late 2022 as OneAdvisory, rebranded in 2024 alongside additional seed funding, has raised $28 million in total funding, and reports more than $9 trillion in client assets on its platform. Dispatch added former Hightower CEO Bob Oros to its board according to an August announcement, and in May launched Advisor Transitions, software for moving advisors, client accounts and assets between firms. Dispatch was one of the first third-party providers to use custodian Schwab's API-based account onboarding process, allowing users to initiate an account opening from their CRM into the Schwab Advisor Center without leaving the Dispatch system.

GCash. (2026, August 27). Ph fintech Mynt scales GStocks into country's largest online retail platform for local stock market. PR Newswire Asia. https://en.prnasia.com/releases/apac/ph-fintech-mynt-scales-gstocks-into-country-s-largest-online-retail-platform-for-local-stock-market-545470.shtml GStocks PH currently serves over 2 million Filipinos through broker AB Capital Securities Inc. and accounts for over 50% of all online retail stock market accounts with the Philippine Stock Exchange, making GCash the country's largest online retail platform for investing in local stocks. Mynt, the parent company of the Philippines' number one finance super app GCash, is expanding access to investing through its wealthtech platform alongside its digital payments business. The Philippine Stock Exchange recorded 3.64 million stock market accounts in its 2025 Stock Market Investor Profile report, of which 99.2%, or 3.61 million, belong to retail investors and 3.22 million are held online through digital platforms and e-wallets. The same report found online retail accounts grew 30.5% year over year. GCash has 8.8 million registered GFunds users, and as of 2025 as much as four in five unit investment trust fund transactions in the Philippines were conducted through GFunds via partners ATRAM, BPI-IMI, and Manulife IM. Winsley Bangit, Group Head of New Businesses at Mynt, said simple signup and paperless registration that eliminates the need to physically visit a bank or brokerage enables more Filipinos to invest in-app via GStocks, GFunds, GBonds, and other products. GCash is preparing for the anticipated sandbox introduction of GStocks Global with the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission, which will give more Filipinos access to US-listed stocks, and also offers Pera Coach, an AI-powered wealth coach providing on-demand financial guidance in-app. Knote: Half my family is Filipino and I can assure you that they know how to save money. And 2 million users is off-the-charts given that only about 2% of the population invests in the stock market (vs 62% in the US).

RQD* Clearing announced on August 27 a $74 million minority growth investment led by Bain Capital Tech Opportunities, with participation from ABN AMRO Clearing Bank and Nyca Partners. The firm plans to use the capital to expand across North America, Asia, and the Middle East and to continue investing in technology and product development, including digital asset custody and tokenization capabilities. RQD provides clearing and custody services to broker-dealers, registered investment advisors, and foreign financial institutions seeking access to U.S. markets. Built on proprietary infrastructure rather than legacy systems, the platform supports equities, options, ETFs, and mutual funds, offers 24x5 U.S. equity market access, and gives clients real-time risk management and operational visibility. Year to date, the firm has cleared 515 million equity transactions representing roughly $2 trillion in notional value, about 2.43% of the NMS equities market. CEO Michael Sanocki called the investment a significant milestone validating the platform and the opportunity ahead, while Bain Capital partner Michael Grandfield said RQD provides the mission-critical infrastructure financial institutions need as markets become more global, digital, and continuous. For advisors, platforms, and integrators, the deal signals continued investor appetite for the infrastructure layer of wealth management, where modern clearing rails increasingly differentiate the custodians and platforms serving advisory firms. MMnote: This had to have already been in the works, but on top of Altruist<>Vanguard this week, clearing and custody is looking hot. Specifically, how to do so effectively with all asset classes. Link to Article

Nexedge Capital, an Indian wealth management and multi-family office firm, has raised $20 million in its first funding round, co-led by Mirae Asset Venture Investment and Elev8 Venture Partners. The round valued the firm at about $250 million. Nexedge said it will use the capital to strengthen its technology platform, expand its network of senior bankers, and extend across India, including smaller Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities. The firm was founded in February 2025 by Anirudha Taparia, previously co-founder and joint chief executive of 360 ONE Wealth, formerly IIFL Wealth. In 18 months it has reached more than $3 billion in assets under management across over 1,300 clients, with more than 95 senior bankers. Nexedge is built on employee ownership, with over 150 senior staff investing their own capital in the firm. Mirae Asset Venture Investment is the venture arm of Mirae Asset Global Investments, a South Korean group managing more than $1 trillion across 19 countries. Nexedge aims to become India's first net-worth management firm, managing a family's entire balance sheet rather than only its investible surplus, bringing together investments, portfolio management, estate planning, business expansion, and support for relocating abroad. That ambition sits squarely within the Family Office as-a-Service theme, where technology carries the high-touch, low-scale services of a traditional family office down-market. For advisors and platforms, the signal is that growth increasingly comes from widening the service set rather than simply adding more clients. MWnote: India's affluent and mass affluent population is expanding faster than the supply of experienced advisors available to serve it, so a firm that can push family office style services into Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities on a technology platform is addressing demand that traditional relationship coverage cannot realistically reach.