Digital asset infrastructure provider Talos has secured 45 million dollars in a Series B funding extension led by new investors including Robinhood Markets and Sony Innovation Fund. This latest injection of capital follows an initial 105 million dollars raised in 2022 and brings the total round to 150 million dollars. Existing backers such as BNY and Fidelity Investments also participated in the round which values the New York based company at approximately 1.5 billion dollars. The company provides a comprehensive technology stack for professional firms to manage and trade digital assets across various exchanges and market makers. Its platform includes tools for order execution and price analysis alongside post trade services like reporting and settlement. Since its founding in 2018 the firm has supported over 700 billion dollars in trading volume for a global client base that includes banks and brokerages. This funding highlights the rise of corporate venture capital as established financial institutions seek closer alignment with digital innovation. Strategic partners like Robinhood, BNY, and Fidelity are using these investments to secure insights into how traditional asset classes are migrating to digital rails. Talos intends to use the proceeds to expand its product development across portfolio construction and risk management tools to support this ongoing industry transition. Mnote: Many of these names have big ties into the wealth management segment. My guess is that they want a clearer read on how this industry is rapidly progressing. By getting some exposure to digital asset market infrastructure, they’re contributing to R&D for their own firms while also securing an option for future distribution if and when the timing is right. Full article here

Wealth.com . (2026, January 27). Wealth.com Launches Integrated Tax & Estate Planning Platform . https://www.wealth.com/resources/press/wealth-com-launches-tax-planning/ Wealth.com announced the launch of a next-generation tax planning solution that unifies tax strategy, estate planning, and execution workflows into a single platform for financial advisors. The platform addresses complex client needs such as multi-state residency, concentrated equity positions, and advanced trust structures within a unified interface. Key features include multi-state tax scenario modeling, intuitive "Quick Actions" for guided workflows, and natural-language data capture to streamline client intake. The system enables advisors to model forward-looking tax strategies to understand their downstream impact on estate outcomes, gifting capacity, and long-term family legacy. Wealth.com also introduced major advancements to its Ester® AI engine, which now analyzes tax and estate documents simultaneously to identify planning risks and conflicts. New execution-focused capabilities such as Mobile Notary services and nationwide deed preparation have been integrated to ensure planning leads directly to implementation. The Wealth.com Tax Planning suite is scheduled for official release on April 2, 2026, and features new integrations with firms like Goldman Sachs, Jump, and Zocks. Knote: When Wealth.com paid seven-figures to secure their domain name, I admit that I scratched my head a bit wondering why they didn't save a lot of money and go with something more targeted at their core business of estate planning. But it appears that they are growing into the url and may end up being that Family Office as-a-Service platform that advisors need.

French personal trading app Shares has reportedly entered exclusive negotiations to acquire 100% of Treezor from Société Générale. Treezor is a major European Banking-as-a-Service platform that provides the underlying infrastructure for accounts, payments, and card issuance to over 150 clients. This move follows a strategic pivot for Shares as it expands from a retail trading app into the broader wealth management and savings sectors. The acquisition would allow Shares to own its banking license and core infrastructure rather than relying on third-party providers. For wealth managers and advisors, this integration aims to create a more seamless digital finance platform that combines traditional investment services with embedded payment and account features. The combined entity intends to streamline complex financial flows and automate key stages of the investment process such as identity verification and fund redistribution. This transaction aligns with the family office as a service theme as technology providers look to integrate high-touch services like bill payment and cash management into scalable digital platforms. By owning a banking-as-a-service leader, Shares can provide the infrastructure necessary for advisors to collaborate at the center of a client financial life. This capability is essential for bringing family-office-style holistic advice down-market to a wider range of investors. Knote:  This is the Robinhood play. Personal trading apps are good at amassing huge user-bases but with tiny balances. For many, this is because they don’t have a lot of money. But for most, it’s because their main financial lives are elsewhere and their account represents just a little bit of “play money.” By expanding services they can cross-sell a full financial platform to their user base and pull those outside balances inside. It’s also playing the long game since it will be difficult for the Merrills and Morgan Stanleys to pry those assets loose once they get large enough to be interesting. Link to Article

RIABiz. (2026, January 29). BNY appoints new Pershing chief in latest sign it wants to solidify No. 3 status among RIA custodians, executed by ex-Goldman Sachs CEO with cross-selling vision embedded in the culture . https://riabiz.com/a/2026/1/29/bny-appoints-new-pershing-chief-in-latest-sign-it-wants-to-solidify-no-3-status-among-ria-custodians-executed-by-ex-goldman-sachs-ceo-with-cross-selling-vision-embedded-in-the-culture BNY has appointed a new leader for its Pershing division to strengthen its position as the third-largest RIA custodian behind Charles Schwab and Fidelity. The leadership change is part of a broader corporate initiative to integrate wealth management services and increase cross-selling across the firm's various business units. CEO Robin Vince is leveraging his experience from Goldman Sachs to implement a "one-firm" cultural shift aimed at streamlining client service. The appointment follows a series of strategic moves intended to modernize Pershing's technology stack and improve its competitive edge in the independent advisor market. Pershing aims to capture a larger share of the RIA market by offering a unique combination of clearing services and institutional banking capabilities. Industry observers suggest that the new leadership will focus on breaking down internal silos to provide a more cohesive experience for multi-custodial advisory firms. This transition reflects BNY’s commitment to maintaining its scale while aggressively pursuing growth in the highly competitive custodial landscape. Knote: I'm not sure if this means they will unify their tech platform as well (if that is even possible). We are going to keep an eye on this one and are looking forward to more details on the plan.

Focal. (2026, January 28). Focal Partners With Shaping Wealth to Deliver Science-Backed Behavioral Coaching That Strengthens Advisor-Client Interactions . Business Wire. https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260128785792/en/Focal-Partners-With-Shaping-Wealth-to-Deliver-Science-Backed-Behavioral-Coaching-That-Strengthens-Advisor-Client-Interactions WealthTech platform Focal has announced a strategic partnership with Shaping Wealth to integrate behavioral finance coaching into its advisor ecosystem. The collaboration aims to provide financial advisors with science-backed tools and training to improve client engagement and emotional intelligence. Shaping Wealth will provide Focal’s users with access to specialized content and coaching modules focused on the psychology of financial decision-making. This initiative addresses the growing industry demand for "human-centric" advice that moves beyond traditional portfolio management. Advisors using the Focal platform will be able to utilize these behavioral insights to build deeper trust and long-term loyalty with their clients. The partnership highlights a shift in the WealthTech landscape toward prioritizing behavioral coaching as a core value proposition for wealth management firms. Executives from both firms emphasized that the integration of behavioral science is essential for modern advisors to deliver meaningful outcomes in a digital-first environment. Knote: We continue to see the old "notetaker" segment expand functionality in order to survive the horse race. A while ago, we changed the "notetaker" segment of our market map to "Client Meeting Support" and now we have just changed it to "Meeting Management". Delivering Shaping Wealth's behavioral coaching real-time in-meeting seems like a win to me.

Your guided tour of the interesting events in WealthTech for the week The Profitability Paradox: Competing for Relevance and Returns Wealth management firms are facing a structural squeeze as the cost of client acquisition rises while fee compression limits traditional revenue growth. Strategic survival now depends on scaling operational efficiency through integrated technology rather than relying solely on asset under management growth. Read More Schwab Creates Organization for Neesha Hathi to Head up at Intersection of Wealth and Banking Charles Schwab has appointed Neesha Hathi to lead a newly formed division dedicated to integrating wealth management services with retail banking operations. This organizational shift aims to capture greater wallet share by breaking down silos between investment advisory and day-to-day banking functions. Read More BlackRock and Partners Group Launch First-of-its-Kind Multi-Asset Private Markets Solution for the Wealth Market BlackRock and Partners Group have debuted a unified managed account solution that provides retail investors with diversified access to private equity and credit. The collaboration lowers the barriers to alternative investments, marking a significant step in the "democratization" of institutional-grade private markets. Read More WealthAI Launches AI-Native Operating System Following Pre-Seed Funding WealthAI has introduced a new operating system built on generative AI to automate core workflows and data management for independent financial advisors. By positioning AI as the foundational layer rather than an add-on, the firm seeks to redefine the efficiency benchmarks for advisory back-office operations. Read More Transactions Mine Secures 14 Million to Launch AI-Driven Financial Agent for Young Adults Vennre Secures 9.6 Million to Expand Private Market Access Gridline Raises $18.5 Million to Scale Private Market Infrastructure Zocks Secures $45 Million to Advance Agentic AI for Financial Advisors JP Morgan Acquires WealthOS for Personal Investing Push in UK If you would like these delivered straight to your inbox, subscribe on our web page here

McKinsey & Company. (2026, January 29). US wealth management in 2035: A transformative decade begins . https://www.mckinsey.com/industries/financial-services/our-insights/us-wealth-management-in-2035-a-transformative-decade-begins   The US wealth management industry is entering a decade defined by the convergence of AI technology, demographic shifts, and evolving consumer trust.  Wealth management is expected to transition from traditional investment advice toward integrated "life management" that blends financial and personal goals.  Four dominant archetypes will likely define the future competitive landscape: mega-platforms, boutique specialists, independent advisor platforms, and AI-native digital managers.  Large-scale mega-platforms will leverage proprietary technology and retail banking leads to create integrated wealth ecosystems for all client segments.  A growing shortage of human advisor talent will likely drive specialized expertise upmarket, leaving a void for AI-first firms to serve mass-affluent investors.  Eroding faith in traditional intermediaries and governments may require firms to establish new sources of trust through hyper-personalization and transparency.  Strategic M&A and the embedding of agentic AI will be critical levers for firms seeking to scale their operations and deepen client distribution reach.

Kelly, B. (2026, January 30). Schwab creates organization for Neesha Hathi to head up at intersection of wealth and banking after Rick Wurster identifies it as the 'No. 1 thing' from RIAs; analysts say, not so much. RIABiz. https://riabiz.com/a/2026/1/30/schwab-creates-organization-for-neesha-hathi-to-head-up-at-intersection-of-wealth-and-banking-after-rick-wurster-identifies-it-as-the-no-1-thing-from-rias-analysts-say-not-so-much Charles Schwab Corp. has launched a new integrated unit led by Neesha Hathi to merge wealth management services with banking products. CEO Rick Wurster identified the convergence of banking and wealth as the primary demand from RIAs seeking more streamlined financial solutions. The initiative aims to simplify the client experience by providing a unified platform for lending, deposits, and investment management. Industry analysts express skepticism regarding whether this organizational shift addresses the core technological and service needs of independent advisors. Neesha Hathi, formerly the Chief Digital Officer, will oversee the strategic alignment of these two previously distinct divisions. The move follows a broader corporate effort to maximize wallet share by capturing more of the cash and lending business from existing RIA clients. Critics suggest that while the integration benefits Schwab’s internal efficiencies, it may not significantly alter the competitive landscape for RIA custody. Knote : I am a big believer in the necessity of RIAs to provide the same sort of banking resources to their clients that can be had at Chase or BoA. With most clients being within 20 nautical miles of a Chase, Wells Fargo, or Bank of America branch, we believe this to be a critical defensive maneuver. And, advisors simply cannot be at the center of their clients' lives without it.

BlackRock Inc. (2024, September 12). BlackRock and Partners Group launch private markets SMA for wealth platforms . https://www.blackrock.com/corporate/newsroom/press-releases/article/corporate-one/press-releases/blackrock-and-partners-group-launch-private-markets-sma-for-wealth-platforms BlackRock and Partners Group have partnered to launch a first-of-its-kind retail solution that provides access to private equity, private credit, and real assets within a single managed account. The collaboration aims to simplify private markets investing for financial advisors by offering a diversified, multi-asset portfolio through a streamlined "one-click" subscription process. The solution utilizes a sub-advised model that combines BlackRock’s extensive portfolio management capabilities with Partners Group’s deep expertise in private markets investment. The initiative addresses the growing demand from wealth managers for institutional-quality private market exposure as individual investors seek to diversify beyond traditional public equities and bonds. By integrating this solution into existing wealth platforms, the firms intend to reduce the operational complexity and high entry barriers typically associated with private market investments. BlackRock’s Aladdin technology platform will provide the necessary infrastructure for risk management and reporting to support the new managed account framework. This partnership reinforces the broader industry trend of democratizing alternative investments for high-net-worth individuals and retail wealth management clients. Knote: One very viable strategy for Alts2Wealth scaling in the early days is prepackaged portfolios from single providers or narrow partnerships. I think we will see quite a few of these sorts of announcements this year. Eventually, and perhaps very quickly, we will likely see a shift to open architecture where portfolios are built with product from many managers, which is a trend we have seen before and seems to be a clear preference for wealth managers.

PwC. (2025, November 24). The profitability paradox: Competing for relevance and returns . https://www.pwc.com/gx/en/issues/transformation/asset-and-wealth-management-revolution.html Global assets under management are projected to reach $200 trillion by 2030, yet industry profit as a share of these assets has declined significantly since 2018. Asset managers face structural profitability pressure driven by high cost-to-income ratios and relentless fee competition across both traditional and alternative asset classes. Passive investments and private markets are emerging as dominant value pools, with private markets expected to generate over half of total industry revenues by 2030. Artificial intelligence and tokenization are serving as primary catalysts for business model reinvention by enabling mass personalization and operational efficiency. Digital transformation is blurring the boundaries between wealth management, fintech, and traditional asset management to provide more integrated client solutions. A critical shortage of talent in AI, data science, and cybersecurity remains a major strategic constraint for firms attempting to modernize their operations. Success in the next decade will depend on firms choosing a distinct strategic path, such as becoming a full-scale hypermarket, a specialized niche champion, or a low-cost manufacturer.

WealthAi recently secured one million dollars in pre-seed funding to advance its artificial intelligence-driven operating system designed for the wealth management sector. This initial investment round was led by Fuel Ventures and Founders Factory to support the company’s mission of modernizing fragmented technology environments. The platform currently serves family offices, private banks, and wealth managers who face operational challenges due to disconnected software systems that often require manual data entry and increased labor costs. The company provides an AI-native interface that functions as an agentic assistant to help advisors and compliance teams automate end-to-end tasks. WealthAi focuses on integrating various tools across the technology stack into a single modular architecture, allowing firms to adopt specific modules for suitability or CRM automation at their own pace. This approach aims to reduce operational expenses and improve client personalization without the risks associated with a complete core system overhaul. Founded in 2023 by Jason Nabi and Paul de Gruchy, WealthAi officially launched its platform in early 2025. The operating system includes a marketplace of pre-integrated services from established providers such as Morningstar and Capital Economics. By embedding artificial intelligence at the core of the wealth management workflow, the firm seeks to help industry professionals scale their operations and achieve better performance through seamless data access and automated process coordination. MNote: It's nice to see participation and growth in the WealthTech infrastructure sphere. There are quite a few behemoths out there raising LOADS of money, but I'm excited to see what some pre-seed fellows can do with a million dollars. See Article Here

Mine, a financial technology company previously known as Fizz, has successfully raised $14 million in a Series A funding round to debut its new AI-driven money agent. This capital injection was led by 359 Capital and includes participation from several prominent investors such as Kleiner Perkins, FJ Labs, Y Combinator, and U.S. News & World Report. The company specializes in providing a comprehensive platform that integrates credit building, spending analysis, and personalized financial guidance specifically designed for the needs of Gen Z and younger consumers.    The core of the new offering is MoneyGPT, an autonomous agent that acts as a personalized financial assistant to help users navigate complex monetary decisions. By leveraging large language models, the platform moves beyond traditional rules-based engines to offer highly tailored advice on budgeting, debt management, and savings strategies. This approach directly aligns with the industry trend of using artificial intelligence for deep personalization and enhanced client engagement, which are considered high-value applications for the technology in the current WealthTech landscape.    For the broader wealth management industry, Mine represents a significant shift toward democratizing sophisticated financial tools that were once the province of high-net-worth individuals. While the industry often identifies investment advice as a regulated and risky area for AI, Mine’s focus on the "good" uses of AI (such as personalization and client engagement) highlights a path for platforms to serve the mass market effectively. https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/mine-raises-14m-to-launch-ai-money-agent-built-to-help-young-adults-feel-in-control-of-their-money-302670029.html