First published in 2023, the WealthTech Radar, which is released annually in cooperation with market experts from wealth management and research, is entitled “The New Generation of Investors: How Self-Service and AI Are Redefining Wealth Management.”

Wealth-X Fincite Wealth Tech Radar 2025 estimates that $18.3 trillion will be inherited globally over the next five years, which is transforming wealth management.

In collaboration with 23 industry experts, the report identifies five key trends that will redefine the market by 2030: individuality, transparency, and self-service are setting the tone, while new asset classes and technologies are becoming mainstream.

"The immediate future of wealth management will be shaped by three pillars: automation, stronger networking, and data-driven advice," Paul Kammerer, chief commercial officer (CCO) and co-CEO of Fincite, said. "Within just one year, the momentum has shifted significantly. The driver of this change is the new, digitally-savvy generation of heirs and affluent individuals who approach financial service providers with completely different expectations."

The upcoming shift in wealth poses new challenges for banks, wealth managers, and advisors. "We are facing a gigantic transfer of wealth: according to estimates, $18.3 trillion will be inherited worldwide by 2030, including $3.5 trillion in Europe," co-author Sebastian Ahlhorn, global head ultra-high net worth individuals (UHNWI) and family offices at Commerzbank AG, said.

Despite the rise of digitalisation, one client group remains underserved: individuals with wealth in the low seven-figure range. They lack access to high-quality financial planning tools and personalised advice. Banks and fintechs have the opportunity here to implement scalable solutions that combine tailored service with efficient technology, the firm continued.

Six trends transforming wealth management
Generational shift: a new generation of investors demands digital control          
While previous generations relied heavily on personal advisors, today’s digitally-savvy investors expect transparent, flexible, and scalable solutions. They increasingly use digital platforms that combine self-service features with personalised advice and leverage AI-powered tools.

Interactive, tailored financial planning replaces standard solutions
Individual investment strategies and real-time advisory interfaces are gaining in importance. Clients want more than just products; they want to be actively involved in decision-making. They want to model scenarios themselves and steer their personal financial goals. This fundamental shift in expectations is forcing the industry to reinvent itself.

Alternative investments and new technologies reshape asset allocation        
The question of diversification is being redefined – even beyond traditional assets. Private equity, private debt, and infrastructure, as well as crypto investments, are gaining relevance. Fractional ownership and tokenization ease access to these markets, while automation makes smaller transactions more cost-effective. The message is clear: clients want broader investment options with lower entry barriers.

Reorienting sustainable investments: beyond ESG
In the context of diversification, the ESG trend is starting to seem somewhat outdated. Familiar ESG rules are losing their appeal and demand redefinition. New concepts such as impact investing are emerging, albeit without clear definitions and standards. "Impact investing" remains a vague term today – but it is undeniably the new trend.

"Latest forecasts show that ESG assets will exceed the $40 trillion mark by 2030. While impact investing currently represents $600 billion to $1.6 trillion, depending on the estimate, annual growth is around 19 to 20 per cent," Ravi Anupam, senior vice president, GIST, said.

Data-driven wealth management: open finance and AI as game changers
Open finance and standardised interfaces are connecting more and more external data sources. This presents new challenges for wealth management: it must break down data silos – both internal and external – to make the data usable, and deliver it through user-friendly interfaces. Providers must not only integrate these data but also use them to inform return and risk profiles and generate investment recommendations.

Infrastructure as a key factor – also in investing
A major problem in wealth management remains the lack of interoperability between different providers. While crypto platforms already use standardised APIs, traditional institutions are still struggling with basic integrations. Infrastructure-as-a-Service providers could play a key role here by acting as intermediaries between systems and reducing technical complexity.

The WealthTech Radar 2025 shows those banks that focus on digital innovation, alternative investments, and data-driven advice will be able to compete successfully in the long term against neo-challengers.

The report includes input by experts from Commerzbank, DWS, Hauck Aufhäuser Lampe, lemon.markets, Microsoft, NAO, and the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management.