What Is An RIA?
An RIA is a “registered investment advisor” registered with the SEC (U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission) or one or more U.S. States (Department of Commerce or Securities Agency) to do business as a financial advisor. RIAs manage client portfolios as fiduciaries and typically take fees based on assets managed for services versus commissions on trades or products sold.
RIA Channel Total Market Defined
The total RIA market is diverse, and includes any firm registered as a registered investment advisory firm. It consists of banks, broker/dealers, financial planners, hedge funds, family offices, asset managers, wealth managers and more. If firms want to give advice as fiduciaries for a fee, they must register as RIAs to do so. The following chart aggregates total assets for all registered firms.
Total Market Firms by Assets Under Management (AUM)
| • | Firms With Assets $0 to $50M | 25,372 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $50M to $100M | 3,086 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $100M to $200M | 3,337 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $200M to $500M | 4,085 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $500M to $1B | 2,324 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $1B to $2B | 1,613 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $2B to $3B | 708 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets More Than $3B | 2,676 Firms |
Total Market Aggregate Assets for Firms
Total RIA Market Growth
| • Discretionary AUM |
| • Total AUM |
$141.5TTotal AUM
75,886,267Total Accounts
$3.3BAverage AUM
$129.5TDiscretionary AUM
59,544,580Discretionary Accounts
$3BAverage Discretionary AUM
$4.8TTotal ETF assets (12/31/24)
$5.1TTotal ETF assets (9/30/24)
$27.8TTotal Equities (12/31/24)
$27.1TTotal Equities (9/30/24)
$118.5TFunds, SMA or Other Assets
Wealth Manager Segmentation
Wealth Managers Defined
Wealth managers are a subset of the total RIA market. RIA Database defines wealth managers as firms that provide financial planning, comprehensive wealth services, manager due diligence, asset allocation and investment selection advice to clients. Wealth managers may offer holistic planning including accounting services, tax and estate planning and family office services. Many wealth managers also offer asset management services which may include portfolio management. Pure asset management firms such as fund companies, ETF sponsors or separately managed account firms are not included here.
Wealth Manager Assets and Growth
| • Discretionary AUM |
| • Total AUM |
20,063Firms
$5.5TTotal Assets Under Management (AUM)
$273MAverage Assets Under Management (AUM)
$4.4TFixed Income, Funds, SMAs, Other Investments
$567BTotal Stocks, REITs, ADRs
$685BTotal ETF Assets
Wealth Manager Firms by Assets Under Management (AUM)
| • | Firms With Assets $0 to $50M | 10,698 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $50M to $100M | 2,505 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $100M to $200M | 2,544 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $200M to $500M | 2,405 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $500M to $1B | 978 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $1B to $2B | 479 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets $2B to $3B | 151 Firms |
| • | Firms With Assets More Than $3B | 303 Firms |
Wealth Manager Aggregate Assets for Firms
13,203Firms under $100M
$338.3BTotal AUM of Firms under $100M
5,927Firms $100M – $1B
$1.8TTotal AUM of Firms $100M – $1B
933Firms over $1B
$3.3TTotal AUM of Firms over $1B
Total Market ETF Ownership for Firms by ETF Assets
TAMPs (Turnkey Asset Management Platforms)
$1.1TTotal Assets Under Management (AUM)
$18.8BAverage Assets Under Management (AUM)
4,024,811Total Accounts
$274.8BTotal ETF assets (09/30/23)
New Registered Investment Advisors (RIA Firms)
The number of active SEC and state registered RIA firms includes any firm registered as an RIA (registered investment advisory). Included are some broker/dealers, asset managers, hedge funds and other firms that RIA Channel would define as an RIA “Wealth Manager.”
New RIA Firms By Year
41,388Total Active RIA Firms
200-300New RIA Firms Register Each Month
What Investment Products Are Advisors Using?
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