Episode summary
Biggest Trends for 2026: Expert Predictions from Schwab IMPACT
Summary
The strongest 2026 theme across the Schwab IMPACT floor is artificial intelligence, but speakers frame it less as a hype cycle and more as a productivity shift. Several argue that advisers are still early in adoption, while the bigger story will be how AI changes client service, communication, outcomes, and margins rather than the underlying infrastructure around it.
Beyond AI, the panel points to industry structure changes. One common view is that 2026 could be a turning point for consolidation, especially the “aggregation of aggregators” among the roughly 90-plus private equity-backed firms in the RIA space. Speakers also expect more mergers, potentially as interest rates keep falling and five-year investment horizons mature.
Product and portfolio trends also stand out. The conversation highlights broader access to private markets, continued demand for efficient ETF-based portfolios, and the rise of active ETFs as advisers look for alpha and risk control. A separate thread focuses on the aging advisor force and the need to attract and develop a younger generation, while another speaker argues that client experience will become a key differentiator as technology becomes more embedded in firm workflows.
Key takeaways
- AI is the clearest consensus trade for 2026, but the bigger question is how it improves productivity, service, and margins rather than just infrastructure.
- One speaker says advisers are still in the early innings of agentic AI adoption, even as information-gathering accelerates.
- Consolidation may intensify as private equity-backed aggregators approach their five-year mark and begin merging with one another.
- Another speaker expects broader use of private markets, with public and private assets increasingly combined in holistic portfolio construction.
- Active ETFs are expected to gain share as advisers seek tax efficiency, faster portfolio moves, and potential alpha.
- The aging adviser population is a structural issue, with one speaker saying the next generation is smaller and the industry needs more advisors.
Notable quotes
“Like everything else, I think the greatest impact will be AI. Um, advisers in our study um are definitely in information gathering mode”
“I think the biggest trend that we're going to see in 2026 is actually uh some of the first aggregators actually merge with other aggregators”
“I think the biggest trend that's going to have an impact is really being hyperfocused on client experience”
“The trend that I think that will have the greatest impact on our industry in 2026 is artificial intelligence”
How the episode opens
Everybody's talking about what's next in wealth management, but which trends are truly going to reshape the industry in 2026? Here's what the experts at Schwab Impact had to say. — Like everything else, I think the greatest impact will be AI. Um, advisers in our study um are definitely in information gathering mode when it comes to AI tools. However, they are in the early innings when it comes to actual adoption of agentic AI.
The trend that I think that will have the greatest impact on our industry in 2026 is artificial intelligence. The rapid adoption of AI across so many platforms is ultimately going to enable advisors to be able to touch, service, communicate with more clients while also helping them tech enable all aspects of their business which ultimately should allow them to grow faster, drive margins higher and ultimately build more valuable businesses.
I think it's the aging of the advisor roof. uh we have a lot of adviserss on the cusp of retirement and the new generation is smaller than the current generation. So we need more advisors.
When I think about the year to come 2026 and trends that may influence uh the the industry next year, I think there's two things that really come to mind. One is continued innovation. the ability to bring strategies and and and and uh and investment vehicles that used to only be available to qualify to very high net worth clients down to the retail client level and those that many advisers work with today.
The second thing is the continued focus on efficient portfolios. I think that's where the ETF really comes into play. Tax efficiency, the ability to quickly get in and out of positions.
That's going to be a trend that we continue to see in 2026.
From the episode’s captions: roughly the first two minutes, lightly cleaned. Keep watching on YouTube →
Topics
- ai acceleration
- advisor demographics
- aggregator consolidation
- private markets expansion
- active etfs
Companies and tickers mentioned
- SCHW
- Charles Schwab
Watch the episode
Watch “Biggest Trends for 2026: Expert Predictions from Schwab IMPACT” on YouTube
Summary, takeaways and quote selection by Octagon. Quotes are short excerpts; the full conversation is in the episode.
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