For complex customer relationship management (CRM) #Thomson #Reuters Financial and Risk, now known as Refinitiv, has partnered with #Squirro to make better use of the multiple CRM systems that #wealth #managers and #commercial #bankers often have to rely on.
Financial Technology
#Robo-advisors are causing an uproar and the #wealth management industry needs to #adapt to this new #environment, says Morgan Stanley, one of the largest wealth #managers on Wall Street.
According to Michael Cyprys, an equity analyst at the firm: “The rising threat from robo-advice leads financial advisor’s role to evolve: greater focus on financial planning, embracing digital tools such as robos as a means to become more efficient; pairing human and machine.”
&8220;Digital capabilities become increasingly more important as Millennials are more digital savvy than previous generations which is transforming the investment and wealth management landscape; innovative new entrants such as Robos could take share,&8221; Cyprys wrote in a note earlier this year.
A survey conducted by Morgan Stanley found that 58% of Millennials and 50% of Generation X are interested in using robo-advisors.
Robo-advisors, or automated digital wealth management solutions, have attracted about US$ 50 billion in assets, according to Aite Group LLC. These solutions charge fewer fees, are more open to smaller investors, and are more convenient, offering mobile access and sleek, easy to use apps and websites.
Although the figure remains relatively small compared to the US$ 130 trillion in assets currently under management globally, robo-advisors &8220;have a long runway for growth,&8221; Cyprys said.
Addressing the emerging trend, many firms and #banks have created hybrid models such as Charles Schwab and Vanguard, both of which have developed services that allow their advisors to make significant use of algorithms and robo-advisors.
RBC has teamed up with BlackRock&8217;s FutureAdvisor, Wells Fargo is planning to launch its own robo-advisor in 2017, and UBS&8217;s American wealth management division has invested in robo-advisor SigFig earlier this year.
Going further, Royal Bank of Scotland announced in March that it would replace 220 investment staff with robo-advisors. The bank said that in the future, only clients with £250,000 or more to invest will get face-to-face advice.
Despite the growing appetence for robo-advisors, industry observers and experts believe that these solutions will not necessarily displace traditional wealth managers.
&8220;This is not a human vs. robot competition where one will win,&8221; Jon Stein, CEO of Betterment, an American automated investing service, told Bloomberg.
&8220;There will be customers who want an online driven solution and there will be customers who want the in person relationship, but even those people will expect better #technology as part of the relationship.&8221;
Echoing Stein&8217;s statements, Citi analysts wrote in a report released earlier this year:
&8220;We see the advent of robo-advice as an example of automation improving the productivity of traditional investment advisers, and not a situation where there is significant risk of job substitution. Higher net worth or more sophisticated investors will, in our view, always demand face-to-face advice.&8221;
Holger Spielberg, head of digital innovation at Credit Suisse, shares this sentiment. In an interview earlier this year, Spielberg argued that automated investment services bring many benefits and opportunities to both customers and the banking sector.
&8220;At the end of the day, we #need to look not at what it means for banking, but for the user – the recipient of financial services,&8221; he said. &8220;We need to put them at the forefront.&8221;
Technological disruption is inevitable, Spielberg said. However, he also believes that some aspects of the traditional wealth management services will remain relevant, notably human engagement.
&8220;The human element is a crucial aspect of our strategy,&8221; he said. &8220;What isn&8217;t changing, even with all the changes, is the intent in receiving value.&8221;
Rather than creating a faceless and unresponsive automation, robo-advisors may very well add value and efficiency to private wealth management.
In July, former Credit Suisse bankers Bastian Lossen, Giles Keating and Felix Roescheisen announced plans to launch a new robo-advisor service called Werthstein, according to Finews.
Werthstein has created a new approach in digital wealth management. The solution combines a multimedia platform with portfolio management. The platform will provide wealth management services for free. Customers will only pay a subscription fee for video and multimedia content provided through the platform. These will mainly consist of video clips of bankers and experts sharing investment ideas.
Other robo-advisor services in Switzerland include True Wealth, Glarner KB, Swissquote, and InvestGlass.
Featured image: Robot hand by Ociacia via Shutterstock.com.
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S.E.A. Asset Management a boutique fund manager in #Singapore, announced it has listed its UCITS compliant Asian short duration high yield strategy on the Fundbase platform in Switzerland.
Via LinkedIn
The award winning #Swiss #Fintech company Fundbase has developed a database that acts as gateway for investors helping them to find and follow alternative investments that interest them.
Fundbase offers built-in analytics tools as well as the ability to track investment funds via watch lists and collaborate with funds via their user interface.
Alexander Zeeh CEO
“We are proud to cooperate with the leading platform for discovering, analyzing and executing alternative investments” said Alexander Zeeh, CEO of S.E.A. AM. “Fundbase will allow us to increase our exposure and allow us to connect with qualified investors in Switzerland”.
Gallen Tay, CIO of S.E.A. AM is overseeing the company’s fixed income and equity investments out of Singapore.
Dieser Artikel erschien zuerst auf dem Finanzprodukt Blog
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A new survey has found that nearly two-thirds (64%) of #asset #managers #expect to #using #blockchain #technology within the next #five #years.
A new report from #JPMorgan Chase and Oliver Wyman argues that #blockchain #technology is an #opportunity for #asset #managers.
CoinDesk
The rise of #technology has altered how we live and do business, impacting all parts of the economy, including finance and #wealth management. But as #digital disruption advances, wealth #managers are found to be “dangerously #behind” the curve in #adoption, overestimating their capabilities and underestimating the impact of emerging technologies such as #robo-advisors, according to PricewaterhouseCooper (PwC).
In a new report, the consultancy firm explores expectations among high net worth individuals (HNWIs) for wealth management and their use of digital technology, and assesses attitudes to, and provision of, digital technology within the wealth management industry.
The findings of the report, based on survey responses from 1,000 HNWIs and interviews with 100 client-facing relationship managers who work in wealth management firms, suggest that there is a big gap between HNWIs’ expectations and wealth managers&8217; perception of digital technologies.
The research found that wealth management is one of the least #tech-literate sectors of financial services; a trend that comes into conflict with HNWIs&8217; growing enthusiasm in adopting new technologies.
85% of HNWIs are using three or more digital services in their day-to-day lives, and yet, only 25% of wealth managers are offering digital channels beyond email.
Over half of HNWIs surveyed believe it is important for their financial advisor or wealth manager to have a strong digital offering – a proportion that rises to almost two-thirds among HNWIs under 45.
47% of HNWIs who do not currently use robo-advice services would consider using them in the future. Meanwhile, two-thirds of wealth relationship managers said they do not consider robo-advisors a threat to their business and repeatedly insist their clients do not want digital functionality.
Only 39% of clients would recommend their current wealth manager, highlighting the growing dissatisfaction. This figure decreases to 23% for US$ 10m+ clients. This weak affiliation to traditionally wealth managers is creating a sector vulnerable to #fintech incomers, the report says.
&8220;This conflict within wealth management firms, combined with a client-base that feels only weak affiliation to its chosen providers, is creating a sector that is now acutely vulnerable, to digital innovation from fintech incomers, including robo-advice services,&8221; said Barry Benjamin, global asset and wealth management leader at PwC.
&8220;Ignoring this state of affairs is not an option. If firms do not respond now, they simply will not survive in the medium to long term.&8221;
To survive, PwC advises wealth management firms to accelerate efforts to adopt a comprehensive digital infrastructure that integrates every aspect of their activities and corporate culture, harness the potential of digital, and be willing to partner strategically with fintech innovators.
PwC&8217;s ‘Sink or Swim: Why wealth management can&8217;t afford to miss the digital wave&8217; report echoes another paper released two weeks ago by Capgemini that advises wealth management firms to explore partnerships with fintech ventures to ensure their long-term success.
Capgemini, which surveyed 5,200 HNWIs and 800 wealth managers, found that clients&8217; demand for automated advisory services, or robo-advisors, has risen to nearly 20% points over the last year, from 49% in 2015 to 67% in 2016. The report also found that the wealth management sector has been falling to exploit their digital capabilities including social media and mobile tools.
However, Capgemini said that wealth management firms were beginning to wake up to the digital gap issue, noting that several of them have been exploring accelerator programs to attract startups, partnering, investing in or acquiring robo-advisory companies.
Featured image: Robot by Ociacia, via Shutterstock.com.
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As #fintech surges, Luxembourgers #asset #managers and servicing firms “are well-positioned to ensure that Luxembourg is in the driving seat for innovation,” according to Simon Ramos, partner of Deloitte Luxembourg.
In a new paper entitled ‘How can fintech facilitate fund distribution,’ Deloitte Luxembourg and the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI) explore Luxembourg&8217;s vibrant fintech scene and further dive into the impact of new technologies on the distribution model of the asset management industry.
With over 150 fintech companies based in Luxembourg, the domestic fintech scene has been flourishing, and new technologies, including #blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital investment platforms, and peer-to-peer lending, are quickly emerging.
According to Denise Voss, chairman of ALFI, fintech will have a fundamental impact on the operating model of asset managers, distribution intermediaries and services providers. Fintech should not only allow the investment management ecosystem to increase in efficiency, it should also enable the industry to provide better customer experience and that, at a cheaper cost.
&8220;The asset management industry has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-imagine and modernize its distribution model to address market and operational challenges – for future and current investors,&8221; Voss said in a statement.
The new generation of investors will redefine the service level expected from asset managers by imposing more interaction with the brand, the report says. It notes that there is also a strong #need for online and enhanced execution platforms. This includes market insight, wealth reporting as well as social investment interaction with peers.
The report further dives into the key fintech innovation trends which are expected to redefine the industry.
Machine learning will enhance prediction-based portfolio management techniques.
Digital investment platforms and #robo-advisors will become more and more popular, especially in execution-only-driven D2C. They will also enable a strong investor education about products and #their related risks.
Peer-to-peer lending is on its way to become an alternative asset class.
Big data offers a lifetime opportunity for investment management actors to make use of and create value out of the enormous amount of information at their disposal. Possibilities include digital wealth reports, market intelligence, and peer comparison insights to the end investors.
Nevertheless, the increased digital interaction on online platforms will increase cyber risk, a top priority for digital businesses.
Asset servicing providers can leverage the benefits of blockchain #technology to offer a cost efficient and automated asset-servicing model.
Infographic via Deloitte
The report urges Luxembourg actors to actively drive the fintech innovation locally, as well as engage with disruptors, modernizers, and enablers in order to be ahead of developments and avoid relying on innovation from abroad.
The report advises for greater cooperation, calling for the investment management ecosystem to collectively explore initiatives in terms of enhanced online trading platforms, white label data analytics, managed services, regtech, blockchain or digital distribution passports.
The organizations foresee further growth and tech developments in the sector. It predicts that in the near future, many more companies offering technological solutions streamlining the current operating model and addressing the needs of new generation of investors, will be entering the market.
As fintech grows, so will competition. Hence, the report advises incumbent firms to #adapt to this emerging trend. A possible strategy would be for them to develop their own technological solutions. They can also collaborate with fintech companies or even absorb them in their business model.
This technological shift will be a challenge for incumbents but will also bring many opportunities.
Get Deloitte Luxembourg and ALFI&8217;s &8216;How can Fintech facilitate fund distribution?&8217; whitepaper: http://www2.deloitte.com/lu/en/pages/technology/articles/how-can-fintech-facilitate-fund-distribution.html
Featured image by Denphumi via Shutterstock.com.
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The use of #alternative #data for #asset management has grown in popularity, but the industry is far from a complete #adoption, Bina Kalola head of global strategic direct investments for global banking and markets at Bank of America, said during the Future of #Fintech Conference this morning. “Data is beingRead More
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