The wealth management industry is undergoing a significant transformation, driven by evolving client expectations, behaviours, and life stages. This shift is particularly evident among clients aged 35 to 55 – a demographic navigating a complex financial phase. They are actively building wealth, supporting families, and thoughtfully planning for retirement. At this stage, they need more than just investment portfolios; they require flexible, holistic solutions that align with their diverse financial goals.
At the same time, the industry is moving away from simply selling individual products. Today’s clients aren’t just looking for financial tools – they want tailored strategies that deliver meaningful outcomes. This includes considerations like tax efficiency, family planning, and long-term financial security. Wealth management has become deeply personal, and firms that recognise and adapt to this shift will be the ones that thrive in the evolving landscape.
The blurring of lines in wealth management
The boundaries between digital advice, DIY investing, and traditional wealth management are fading. Clients no longer want to choose between speed and support – they expect both. This is where hybrid models come in. Digital tools should make investing seamless and efficient, but expert guidance must be available when needed. This balance fosters trust and leads to better outcomes.
The demand for a unified experience
Managing pensions, ISAs, and investments across multiple platforms is frustrating for clients. The new standard is a single, integrated experience that brings everything together in one place. Firms that fail to offer this level of convenience risk losing client engagement over time.
The struggle to balance scale and personalisation
Many wealth management firms recognise the need to evolve but struggle to execute change effectively. One of the biggest challenges is finding the right balance between scalability and personal service.
- Too much automation can make the client experience feel impersonal and disconnected
- Too much reliance on human advisers increases costs and limits scalability
This creates a gap in the market for firms that can successfully integrate both, offering digital ease while ensuring clients have access to expert support when needed.
Overcoming technology debt
Outdated systems are another major roadblock. Many firms still rely on legacy technology that wasn’t built for today’s digital demands. These outdated systems make it difficult to:
- Launch new features quickly
- Integrate with third-party tools
- Improve the overall user experience
As a result, firms struggle to innovate and keep up with changing client expectations.
The need for proactive engagement
Another key challenge is client engagement. Too often, firms wait for clients to act instead of taking a proactive approach. Without access to smart data and real-time insights, they miss crucial life moments – such as career changes, inheritances, or market shifts – where support and guidance are most valuable.
Failing to act on these moments doesn’t just mean lost opportunities; it weakens trust and reduces long-term client loyalty.
The path forward: a hybrid, tech-enabled approach
To stay competitive, wealth management firms must rethink both their technology and service delivery. The most effective approach is a hybrid model that:
- Leverages automation for efficiency
- Provides expert guidance when needed
- Creates a personalised, scalable experience without driving up costs
This approach enables firms to grow while strengthening client relationships.
Modernising technology for agility
Firms that successfully adapt are those moving away from outdated systems and embracing a modular technology approach – blending in-house solutions with best-in-class third-party platforms. This strategy allows for:
- Faster feature rollouts
- More responsive client service
- Better cost management
A flexible technology stack ensures firms can adapt to a rapidly changing market.
Giving clients greater control
Clients want flexibility in how they interact with their wealth management service. Some prefer a hands-on approach, while others want to delegate. Many want a mix of both. Firms that offer multiple engagement paths – allowing clients to self-manage some areas while receiving expert support in others – build stronger trust and long-term loyalty.
The competitive advantage of hybrid wealth management
The benefits of this approach are clear. A hybrid model leads to:
- Higher client engagement
- Greater satisfaction
- Long-term retention and growth
By combining seamless digital experiences with expert human support, firms can create a wealth management service that evolves with clients – delivering lasting value and staying ahead in a competitive landscape.
Moneyfarm – making investment simple and accessible
Over the last five years, Moneyfarm has grown from a focused, single-product digital wealth manager into a broader, more complete wealth partner. We have expanded our range of services to meet the growing and more complex needs of our clients. But through that growth, we have stayed true to our original purpose: to make investing simple and accessible without compromising on quality.
We continue to serve the same core audience. These are informed investors aged between 35 and 55, with between £100k and £500k in investable wealth. They want to make smart financial decisions, but they also want expert guidance and a digital experience that is intuitive and easy to use.
Our goal has always been to deliver investment success without making it feel like hard work. We do this by combining smart technology with real people. Clients benefit from a smooth digital journey but can also speak with qualified investment consultants when they want guidance. This mix of automation and human expertise is a key part of the trust we build. For us, trust is not just about what you invest in. It is about who you invest with.
To support that trust, we have expanded the breadth and flexibility of our platform. Everything is now available through a single, integrated user experience, accessible on Android, iOS, and a fully responsive web app. Clients can shape their journey based on how much control they want, what types of accounts they need, and what level of investment guidance suits them best.
Here are some of the key areas we have developed:
Service models
- Managed portfolios: clients can choose from socially responsible portfolios that focus on ESG factors, or classic portfolios with global diversification, all managed by Moneyfarm’s internal asset allocation team.
- DIY share investing: the DIY platform offers access to a wide range of asset classes, including individual stocks, ETFs, bonds, and mutual funds, all within the same digital experience.
Tax-efficient wrappers
- A wide range of account types, including: SIPPs and ISAs.
- Support family-focused options like Junior ISAs and unit-linked insurance contracts in Italy (which help with tax planning, inheritance, and protecting assets where appropriate).
Investment management styles
- Fully managed portfolios, which follow a long-term strategic asset allocation but are also actively managed by our asset allocation team to take advantage of short-term market opportunities, or…
- Fixed allocation strategies, which follow a set long-term allocation and are typically rebalanced annually for those who prefer a more hands-off approach.
Investment sophistication
We now offer thematic investing through a core and satellite model. Clients choose a theme like technology or sustainability, and we build a tailored portfolio based on their risk profile. In Italy, our Primary Markets feature gives clients access to new investment opportunities based on current economic trends. And unit-linked insurance contracts offer extra benefits like tax efficiency and estate planning advantages.
We continue to explore new ways to expand our offering and are currently evaluating a private markets solution to further diversify client portfolios.
Moneyfarm – the secure, one stop shop that brings everything together in one place
All of this is delivered through the same secure and easy-to-use platform. It brings together everything clients need to manage their wealth in one place. As our clients’ needs grow, our platform grows with them, always focused on making things simpler, more personal, and more effective.
Interested in reading the European WealthTech Landscape Report 2025? You can read the report online here.
About The European Wealth Landscape Report 2025
The European WealthTech Landscape Report 2025 is a new WealthTech Landscape Report from The Wealth Mosaic, focused on the wealth management sector in Europe.
With the rapid pace of change in financial services, understanding technology's impact on this sector is more crucial than ever. This Europe-focused Landscape Report features a series of insightful articles that explore the trends, challenges, and innovations surrounding technology adoption in wealth management. Contributions come from a range of organisations, including AWS, Croesus, Deloitte, ERI, EY, Fincite, Finfox, First Rate, Infront, Intellect Design Arena, Moneyfarm, Raise Partner and WealthOS.
The articles you will find within the report provide valuable perspectives on how technology is transforming the wealth management industry. They discuss various aspects of technology adoption, from the latest innovations to how firms can leverage technology to enhance client engagement, streamline operations, and comply with regulatory demands.
We trust you find this report invaluable to your business needs and supportive of your understanding of the fast-moving technology marketplace surrounding the European wealth management market.
Click here for more information.
About The WealthTech Landscape Report Series
Our goal with our WealthTech Landscape Reports (WTLRs) is to collate relevant, insightful content and comments from both wealth managers and vendors operating in a specific region. Each WTLR is founded on a curated directory of hundreds of relevant technology and related solution providers to the business needs of the wealth management community in focus. The directory is supported by a rich variety of thought leadership articles and interviews with industry participants from both buy and sell side, plus a section of Solution Showcases. We also look at country, regional, and sectoral trends.
If you are interested in contributing to our editorial projects, don't hesitate to get in touch.
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