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22 January 2025
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The number of financial planners is shrinking, the price is increasing, and trust is still low. With increasing numbers of Baby Boomers heading into retirement, the need for advice has arguably never been greater.
Impact investing is moving out of the fringe and into mainstream investing, and the trend is supported by millennials who will soon benefit from a massive wealth transfer.
Nobel Laureate, Robert C. Merton, says technology and fintechs will find it difficult to build trust, but how much trust do we have in "the contradiction of the country’s most hated company"?
Almost every day, there is a new and exciting fintech announcement of the next big thing. Some checks improve the chances of finding the financial services winners.
As fintech funding platforms and instant payment systems grow, small businesses will benefit from greater choice and bargaining power when it comes to obtaining finance and managing cashflows.
Every investor deals with a range of service providers, but it's important to know the strengths and weaknesses of each and tap their capabilities accordingly.
Consumers of financial products are increasingly willing to place their trust in new intermediaries, including fintechs driving change with innovation and consumer-driven processes.
Behind the glossy facade of the website of the roboadviser, how effectively will the business model deliver quality financial advice and appropriate investment outcomes at a competitive price?
There is healthy activity in fintech startups across Australia, and many new businesses will come to market in the next few months. What did the audience think when they saw 31 such businesses present in rapid-fire?
Fintechs are often viewed as disruptive to traditional financial services businesses, but in reality they present great opportunities for savvy organisations, especially within wealth and asset management.
The Cuffelinks articles on disruption and the future of wealth management have been among the most popular we have published. Here is some suggested additional reading from external sources.
Looking at the decade ahead, who are the likely winners and losers in the wealth management industry as it adapts to technological innovations, with a particular focus on superannuation? (Plus see related video)
Last year, I wrote an article suggesting returns from ASX stocks would trample those from housing over the next decade. One year later, this is an update on how that forecast is going and what's changed since.
The housing market was subdued in 2024, and pessimism abounds as we start the new year. 2025 is likely to be a tale of two halves, with interest rate cuts fuelling a resurgence in buyer demand in the second half of the year.
The renowned investor has penned his first investor letter for 2025 and it’s a ripper. He runs through what bubbles are, which ones he’s experienced, and whether today’s markets qualify as the third major bubble of this century.
This examines the performance of key asset classes and sub-sectors in 2024 and over longer timeframes, and the lessons that can be drawn for constructing an investment portfolio for the next decade.
Key lessons include expensive stocks can always get more expensive, Bitcoin is our tulip mania, follow the smart money, the young are coming with pitchforks on housing, and the importance of staying invested.
Check out the most-read Firstlinks articles from 2024. From '16 ASX stocks to buy and hold forever', to 'The best strategy to build income for life', and 'Where baby boomer wealth will end up', there's something for all.