From delayed communication and client attrition to cultural clashes, neglected next-gen talent, and integration misfires, industry leaders share risks of M&A that emerge once the ink has dried.

InvestmentNews caught up with Altruist CEO Jason Wenk after his time at Future Proof to discuss the conference, Altruist's deal with Josh Brown's Ritholtz Wealth Management, and Robinhood's planned entry into the RIA custody market.

Amid recent $10 billion pro team valuations, Goldman Sachs' report highlights both the growth and gap in sports investing.

"At the end of this year, every employee is going to have equity, and part of annual compensation will include profit interest rates going forward," James Bogart told InvestmentNews in an exclusive. The $3 billion RIA aims to reach $22 billion AUM by 2033.

With more ETFs than US stocks now trading, strategists say cybersecurity, energy infrastructure, and animal care rank among the most viable themes for ETF investing.

"More often than not, when two firms come together they're both Envestnet firms or we are going to end up with the lion's share of the assets," Envestnet CEO Chris Todd said amid record-breaking M&A activity for RIAs.

Modern Wealth Management has grown to $10 billion AUM as it becomes the second RIA aggregator in the past month to acquire a firm that specializes in advising firefighters and police officers.

"The future will really belong to firms that treat talent as infrastructure and invest with urgency, otherwise more firms will drift into mediocrity," founder and CEO David DeVoe told InvestmentNews.

Oregon-based Eagle Wealth Management and Idaho-based West Oak Capital give Mercer 11 acquisitions in 2025, matching last year's total. 

"We've seen two so far, and it feels like something that the industry has been talking about for years," Turkey Hill Management's Jessica Polito says following the recent Cresset-Monticello and MAI-Evoke Advisors mergers, which could be a sign of future consolidation among large RIAs.