Betterment

The advisory landscape is shifting as robo advisors are trending out, thanks to AI as the "next big thing" in wealth management. But that doesn't mean AI will make robo advisors obsolete.

Advisors who use at least two of the services will receive discounted pricing.

The startup is making its platform easier for RIAs to use while moving further away from Wealthfront's vision of "self-driving money."

Even as Bitcoin and other digital currencies increasingly gain acceptance across Wall Street, the robo advisor is still doing its research.

The first deal under new Betterment CEO Sarah Levy will net the firm 17,000 accounts and $190 million in client assets.

The robo's fastest growing business now offers custom model portfolios in a bid to attract more wealth managers.

Without market-leading, high-yield savings accounts, cash management at Betterment and Wealthfront isn’t as attractive as it was in 2019.

Jon Stein was a pioneer of the robo advice industry, building a $25 billion firm over the past decade.

Tools from Betterment, Vestwell and FiduciaryShield make it easy for planners to become retirement plan advisors, but they need to think twice before jumping in.

The robo advisor hopes transparency on employee demographics will encourage change.

While some planners are excited for the opportunity, others don't trust turning workplace retirement over to a robo.

Fintechs are facing unique challenges in the pandemic. There might be a resurgence in funding on the horizon, but startups are looking to see what they can do now to weather the storm.

The digital advice firm is hoping its 500,000 customers will want to consolidate more of their finances under one roof.

The boost in accounts has helped compensate for withdrawals by investors who need cash.

RIAs already on the platform can stick with the old pricing model or transition to the new one.

“It’s no longer about coming to market and getting funding with some kind of novel pitch and seeing if it sticks,” says an industry analyst.

The robo advisor is also pursuing more banking business.

The mutual fund giant’s automated advice plan could price independents out of the market — and commoditize advice even further.

The sector may be edging into dangerous territory, analysts say.

Acquiring clients can be expensive. Some digital investing platforms have turned to a marketing strategy they say may present “conflicts of interest.”