Trends & Insights
Are Wealth Management Firms Ready for the Great Wealth Transfer?
By John Rivers — On 23 October 2025
With trillions in wealth set to change hands across Europe over the next decade, the wealth management industry is entering a critical era — driven by digital transformation, generational shifts, and rising client expectations. But in a landscape full of disruption, what does true readiness really mean for wealth management firms?
Seismic's report, The Pulse: The State of Wealth Management in 2025, offers a first-hand look into how firms are adapting to changes across the wealth management industry. Based on insights from 200 senior leaders and decision makers across five key European regions, this report explores how firms are navigating modernisation, where they're investing next, and what it will take to keep pace with a new generation of clients.
Here's what's inside — and why it matters.
Do wealth management firms feel ready to serve the next generation?
Millennials and Gen Z are fast becoming the core client base for advisors — and they bring new expectations for digital experiences, personalisation, and real-time value. As the industry evolves, firms need to modernise to keep pace, reimagining how they engage and support these emerging investors.
The question is, are firms truly prepared to meet these rising expectations?
Discover how leaders across Europe assess their own readiness in this report. You'll see where confidence is high, where transformation is still underway, and where some firms are only just beginning to make progress.
What challenges are firms facing — and how can they overcome them?
Wealth management leaders across Europe are navigating rising complexity — from shifting client expectations to fragmented tech stacks and internal resistance to change. But which challenges are proving most difficult to overcome, and how do those obstacles vary across regions?
In the report, find out how leaders are ranking these challenges, and what their insights reveal about their most pressing pain points. As an example, over half (53%) of wealth management firms say their biggest challenge is an inability to deliver personalised, timely communications.
You'll also discover how firms are overcoming internal friction and equipping advisors to deliver more relevant, digital-first client experiences.
Where are firms modernising — and how is AI shaping the path forward?
Firms are discovering new opportunities to modernise — from AI to onboarding to self-service — but many are struggling to turn strategy into execution. AI, in particular, is emerging as a key lever for personalisation, predictive insights, and advisor efficiency. In fact, over half (54%) of firms see providing AI-powered tools and insights to client-facing advisors as the single biggest opportunity to modernise their operations.
But how many firms are embedding AI meaningfully across the client journey, and which strategies are actually moving the needle?
Discover where innovation is happening within wealth management, and how firms are adopting AI today. You'll see why investment in these capabilities over the next 12 – 18 months could be a defining move for firms looking to pull ahead.
Get the full picture: Download the report
Seismic's The Pulse: The State of Wealth Management in 2025 offers an unfiltered look at how European firms are navigating modernisation — from the tech they're prioritising to the internal challenges they're seeking to overcome.
Read this report to get data-backed insights on:
- The state of digital readiness across Europe and where gaps remain
- Where AI is driving real impact, and what sets high-adoption firms apart
- How leaders are overcoming resistance to change, budget pressures, and tech complexity
- The strategies top-performing firms are using to lead with innovation and scale success
Don't just keep pace with innovation, set the pace.