Articles published 3/2024
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As Betterment AUM balloons to $45 billion, Tom Moore ends DFA's exclusive mutual fund deal for RIAs and opens the floodgates; PIMCO, T.Rowe, Fidelity and Vanguard get first crack at DFA 'menu' hegemony
The New York City RIA custodian now has 850,000 end investors and admits mutual funds are a 'top request,' but big limits remain on how RIAs can manuever with mutual funds.
March 30, 2024 at 2:19 AM
In 'forced-evolution,' Robinhood subtracts a co-founder and pivots to credit cards to create captive sales that dried up after its phone-app trading platform and zero-commission novelty act imploded
Co-founder Baiju Bhatt exits management, but Deepak Rao is just getting started as CEO Vlad Tenev goes all in on making Robinhood a credit card company.
March 29, 2024 at 5:02 AM
Altruist ups its game with new 5.1%, FDIC-backed cash accounts to lure RIAs, but the digital custodian is still a couple clicks shy of cash management disruption
Near to break even, the young LA custodian will sacrifice some revenue to compete and 'stand out,' but sweep accounts will remain cash cows.
March 28, 2024 at 2:00 AM
Clara Shih lands new Salesforce AI power title, with 'healthy' trepidation • Skience patents onboarding auto-fill for RIAs • Another Brit invasion [attempt] meets its Breed's Hill • Defusing an RIA time bomb
If Salesforce gets winning [and safe] AI strategy, thank Hearsay founder • Salesforce reseller patently harvests data to onboard assets • Kingswood thoughts IBDs were US trash but Brit treasure
March 27, 2024 at 1:47 AM
Two RIAs made misleading artificial intelligence marketing claims; that's not good, but neither was the SEC's decision to tar them for 'AI-washing'
AI is real and a very likely a boon to financial advice and discouraging anybody from marketing artificial intelligence solutions is an overreach
March 26, 2024 at 12:31 AM
Briefs: Schwab shares soar past $71 as two negatives get more positive • Yodlee upgrades after writedown • eMoney's new dashing portal lands • Ritholtz drops freebie
Schwab pares short-term borrowing costs • Yodlee hires document-scraper • eMoney adds portal customization • Ritholtz settles into middle-age with fatter fees.
March 22, 2024 at 12:33 AM
Breen Blitz: Mercer seals Vanguard OCIO buy • Goldman[Sachs] & Cohen split • PIMCO joins ETF shift • AdvisorEngine-Schwab bond grows • Ellevest milestone • Lonsdale nets new chief • Fidelity leaks data & staff move • Collation wins RIAs • Justin Wisz returns as investor • LPL nets CMO & Tifin a CEO
OCIO sale to Mercer may be Buckley's last act • Goldman's retail lead departs • PIMCO latest to convert mutual funds • Software firm upgrades Schwab data • Krawcheck preaches wisdom of naps • Fidelity hit by data snafu, but D&I on track • New Lonsdale tech shop imminent • Vestorly founder now funding start-ups • Eight month wait for CMO ends at LPL.
March 21, 2024 at 4:41 AM
Two 'RIAs' that allegedly falsely advertised using 'artificial intelligence' to aid investment decisions cough up real SEC settlements and censure
Accused of 'AI washing,' Delphia and Global Predictions are liable for $225k and $175k, respectively, after leading investors to believe that AI machines were madly carrying out valuable processes.
March 20, 2024 at 3:53 AM
Dani Fava is out at Envestnet -- to capitalize on AI revolution at a new firm, she hints
The ex-TD Ameritrade talent was hired by CEO Bill Crager in 2020 to harmonize acquisitions -- not least MoneyGuidePro and Yodlee that the company still grapples with
March 20, 2024 at 1:25 AM
SmartAsset bars new RIA clients from buying referral milk without renting the whole lead-generating cow for $25K a year -- a smart move, analysts say
The New York City referral generator is countering rival Zoe with broader offer, but it may now encounter out-of-niche providers like SS&G, FMG, or Hearsay.
March 19, 2024 at 1:30 AM
Jeff Yabuki puts InvestCloud 'brand identity' under McKinsey & Co. review and signals that no job is safe as Pete Hess exits: report
The 64-year-old InvestCloud CEO got dragged out of the Motive boardroom to reclaim control of the private equity firm's ROI -- and he's proving that nothing is sacred.
March 15, 2024 at 11:34 PM
Fraudulent-'wire' claims bedevil RIAs and their E&O insurers in 2023 -- and investors also asked for RIAs to compensate them for reliance on bonds as 'safe' asset
Some insurers saw a spike in 2022 claims although exerience varied, and impact was mitigated by shared risk.
March 14, 2024 at 3:38 AM
DFA undergoes a sea change -- literally -- with a fancy yacht soirée, cigars and champagne as it attempts to sail away from its mutual fund image into the world of ETFs
Having just about staunched net outflows with its embrace of ETFs, DFA is embarking on a cultural shift as it tries to figure out how to sell more, even though it's less unique than it used to be.
March 13, 2024 at 1:46 AM
Fidelity lays off 700 -- not for costs or [bad] performance -- but to shift headcount and hire more client-facing and tech staff, touching off 'panic posting' on job board
The $12.6 trillion Boston investments eyes 2,000 new hires to speak directly to clients or develop more tech products, but lack of clarity jars some staffers
March 12, 2024 at 1:08 AM
Alan Moore can't catch a break; AdvicePay CEO exits after seven months, adding job he hoped to escape back on top of XYPN role; search on for new AdvicePay president
The job will be step below CEO, and new hire must have affinity for both touchy-feely culture and aggressive growth in Montana's wide open expanses
March 9, 2024 at 2:58 AM
High wattage Shannon Spotswood starts spending Long Ridge capital on three big talents, including Abby Salameh, a 25-year veteran executive who pioneered marketing and advisor outreach
The president of the little-known Birmingham, Ala., advisory with $4.8 billion of AUA is using freshly raised funds to bring A-listers to the staff
March 8, 2024 at 1:25 AM
Kartik Srinivasan bounces back from highly publicized Schwab layoff to work with a Morningstar 'mafia' of old colleagues at Advyzon to supercharge software offerings
The Morningstar mafia reintegrated one of its own into the brotherhood with new weapons, a Big Five mandate and every incentive to succeed.
March 6, 2024 at 11:53 PM
Inside Goldman Sachs' on-again, off-again custody play; a cacophony of false starts, pauses, delays, staff departures, technology glitches and morale issues bedevil RIA custody unit, RIABiz learns
Four years after buying Folio Financial, Goldman Sachs is testing the patience of RIAs, and maybe its own partners according to analysts and sources inside and outside the firm; but Goldman is preaching a new "optimism" and pledging lessons learned.
March 5, 2024 at 4:52 AM
Orion surprises RIAs with 8.9% price jump, effective April 1 (no joke!); blames 'extreme inflation' -- a possible boon for upstart competitors
Orion President Brian McLaughlin used snail mail to break the news and explain necessity; Omaha, Neb., firm is sharing in the pain of data price increases.
March 2, 2024 at 12:28 AM
Tim Buckley sends shockwaves by retiring as Vanguard CEO after adding $750 billion per year during his stay in the executive suite
The 54 year-old lasted just over six years in the job, delivered on targets, but he also made head-scratching decisions and never solved its technology woes
