The $200b managed accounts market warrants more scrutiny
The adviser and investor benefits of managed accounts are well-evidenced. But the meaningful nuances between the various incarnations get lost in all the marketing noise and there are still questions around performance reporting, transparency and pervasive conflicts of interest.
April 03, 2025
Lack of private assets a ‘threat’ to firms despite regulatory pressure
Amid the regulatory pressure mounting on private markets, research has revealed 40 per cent of Australian wealth managers consider a lack of access to private assets as a “threat” to their business. The findings come as the corporate regulator is figuring out the most efficient way to regulate the sector.
April 03, 2025
Inside Viridian’s project to combat vertical integration
Viridian Advisory, widely seen as one of the nation’s leading advice boutiques, has undertaken a multi-year project to separate its advice and asset management arms. A Professional Planner investigation found a number of aggrieved former Viridian advisers had accused the firm of harbouring conflicts of interest emanating from its separately managed accounts offering.
April 02, 2025
Coalition says advice reform within 100 days of winning office
Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor has pledged the Coalition will introduce an omnibus financial services bill that would include advice reform within 100 days should they win the Federal Election on 3 May. However, the announcement lacked further detail about which advice-specific reforms will be pursued.
April 02, 2025
Three themes driving global private infrastructure investment
The definition of infrastructure has broadened significantly in the past 10–15 years, giving investors exposure to a larger set of themes and opportunities, greater diversification, and potentially higher risk-adjusted returns, writes KKR’s Andrew Jennings.
April 02, 2025
Shield, First Guardian distributor starts referring clients
Clients of the troubled Venture Egg financial advice firm, which has drawn scrutiny from the regulator for disproportionately placing clients into Shield and First Guardian Master Funds, have been referred to licensee Infocus in a last-ditch attempt to help salvage client money.
April 01, 2025
ASIC ‘pleased to see’ industry re-assessment of private credit
The corporate regulator’s paper highlighting a growing interest in private credit resulted in welcomed industry feedback. ASIC commissioner Simone Constant says the regulator is “pleased” the industry is re-assessing the application of private credit in client portfolios.
April 01, 2025
WT-Merchant deal signals move from ‘quasi-investor’ to full capital partner
After years of expounding a variable licensee fee structure which WT Financial Group describes as “quasi–equity” in advice practices, a joint venture with capital investment firm Merchant marks the next evolutionary state of the licensee as it becomes the latest player to move into taking direct equity stakes.
March 31, 2025
Super funds left to figure out how to pay for better service
ASIC’s oversight over super fund death benefits is just the latest in what will be a multi-year programme to lift member services, but funds will be left to navigate the pressure to have lower fees while maintaining best in class service.
March 31, 2025
Alternative alpha: How the wealthy invest
The rapid growth of alternative investments, particularly among high net-worth investors, highlights how crucial the asset class has become as a component of modern portfolio construction, Praemium’s Matt Walsh.
March 31, 2025
See no evil: ASIC report reveals super’s death benefits failure
A damning new ASIC report into death benefit claims handling in superannuation lays bare the scale of the problem and the measures that funds will have to take if they want to solve it. The findings underscore the gap in service standards from some of the major industry funds responsible for hundreds of millions in member retirement savings.
March 31, 2025
Bucking the trend, these licensees say new advice record is ‘a big step forward’
While criticism over the replacement of Statements of Advice with Client Advice Records continues, there is a growing segment of the industry that considers it “a big step forward” with the separation of the advice record and record keeping for compliance purposes presenting a significant change.
March 28, 2025
