We begin 2026 with a clear narrative: governments are spending more; companies are investing heavily in new technology, and those forces are reshaping where growth and returns will come from. This combination creates a broadly favourable backdrop for markets, but it doesn't deliver a single, uniform outcome. Instead, it sets the stage for concentrated opportunities, where select companies and sectors are likely to outperform.
Wealth managers face the challenge of turning global trends into practical actions by building portfolios, having meaningful client conversations, meeting price and value Consumer Duty requirements and creating operating models that work in a competitive UK market shaped by consolidation, private equity and product innovation. To aid with this, this article highlights seven trends that wealth managers should consider.
Success in 2026 will require disciplined selection, careful execution and client‑focused innovation. WTW is not only analysing the trends shaping the year, but we're also actively delivering solutions that strive to help UK wealth managers navigate regulation, capture concentrated growth, integrate private markets and meet the changing needs of clients in decumulation. We're committed to providing advice, frameworks, insights and solutions to support firms to thrive in this environment with the ultimate focus of creating lasting value for savers.
Subscribe for more wealth updates
To help wealth managers keep up to date with the latest trends and insights, throughout 2026, we will be publishing regular relevant content and hosting roundtable events in collaboration with the Thinking Ahead Institute. Sign up for our wealth newsletter and be the first to hear about these updates:
- 2026 Global Investment Outlook
- Sector deep dives into various topics such as AI
- Decumulation playbooks tailored to UK retirement needs
- Product innovation including Active ETFs and curated private‑market routes
Disclaimer
WTW has prepared this material for general information purposes only and it should not be considered a substitute for specific professional advice. In particular, its contents are not intended by WTW to be construed as the provision of investment, legal, accounting, tax or other professional advice or recommendations of any kind, or to form the basis of any decision to do or to refrain from doing anything. As such, this material should not be relied upon for investment or other financial decisions and no such decisions should be taken based on its contents without seeking specific advice.
Footnotes
- "WTW". Return to article
- "Summary of Latest Guidance from the FCA on Consumer Duty Implementation," Broadbridge. Return to article
- "Multi-firm review of consolidation in the financial advice and wealth management sector," FCA, October 2025. Return to article
- "Baillie Gifford Offers First Regulated UK Tokenised Fund," Markets Media, June 2025. Return to article
- "Population projections," Office for National Statistics. Return to article
- "Latest Retirement Living Standards show costs for Minimum retiree needs have fallen, while Moderate and Comfortable Standards see modest rises," Pensions UK, June 2025. Return to article
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Global Wealth Study 2025
Led by the Thinking Ahead Institute, an innovation network founded by WTW, this study offers a global view from 250 wealth leaders across 27 countries.
