Hot and steamy here again today in HOTlanta.
We once again begin this week’s newsletter with our Wealthtech Weekly column from Vasyl Soloshchuk with news from Snappy Kraken, Apex Clearing and Chalice Financial. Our Q&A story this week is with Brian Ross, CEO of wealthtech platform Flyer, which provides trading tools, connectivity, and infrastructure for the wealth management industry.
Next up, Jackie Sergeant, associate editor of Financial Advisor magazine, reports that Envestnet has hired former TD Ameritrade Head of Strategic Development Dani Fava. This is the first major high-profile departure there since the Schwab/TDA merger was approved.
This week, FA Magazine Senior Editor Christopher Robbins has filed four fintech stories for us, including an extensive interview with Brandon Spottswood, CEO of advisor social network AdvisorBid. Robbins first spoke with Spottswood in 2017, shortly after they launched, and remarked that he was amazed at how much they had accomplished since then. I first met Brandon in 2016 and he does a substantial amount of the coding for the platform personally with his team, so they are continuously upgrading the platform offering. In the piece, Spottswood notes that the firm has had a significant uptick in live users since the beginning of the pandemic.
Robbins has also published a piece on N.J.-based Drivewealth, which has also reported a substantial increase - 214% - in retail trading volume in Q2, again, since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic, along with another piece looking at a new automated 401(k) program from Alight Solutions & Retirement Clearinghouse. Finally, Robbins has filed an extensive piece on expanded virtual solutions for advisors from two of the largest wealthtech firms out there – Envestnet & SEI – a must read to learn how these two fintech behemoths are visioning the future of the industry.
Last up, Chip Munn of Signature Wealth Strategies has guest authored a piece for FA Mag entitled “Five Steps To Create A Transitional Retirement Option For Workers.” This is an interesting read that provides a guideline for steps companies should take to manage their workforce in our new work-at-home paradigm, from refining job responsibilities to helping employees create viable retirement programs for their individual needs.
As always, read up and be in the “fintech know!”
Yours in Fintech,
Cindy Taylor