How Do RIAs Scale Assets Under Management In 2026?

RIAs continue expanding their share of the U.S. wealth management market. Industry projections suggest RIAs could oversee roughly one-third of all U.S. investable assets by 2028, driven in part by the ongoing intergenerational wealth transfer and the continued migration of capital from traditional banks toward independent advisory platforms.

At the same time, rising client-acquisition costs and operational complexity are reshaping how advisory firms approach growth. For many RIAs, scaling assets under management increasingly depends not only on attracting new clients, but also on optimizing the value of existing portfolios and operational infrastructure.

What Are the Primary Drivers of AUM Growth for RIAs?

Industry research suggests that advisory firms are gradually shifting from traditional prospecting toward a broader “Total Alpha” approach to growth. Instead of relying exclusively on new client acquisition, firms are placing greater emphasis on maximizing value within existing client relationships.

Historically, AUM growth has been driven by three primary factors:

Acquiring new clients;
Market appreciation of invested assets;
Mergers and acquisitions between advisory firms.

While these drivers remain important, the cost and difficulty of acquiring new households has increased significantly. As a result, many firms are focusing more heavily on operational efficiency and internal sources of value that can improve portfolio outcomes without expanding marketing budgets.

What Optimization Strategies Are RIAs Using in 2026?

Operational improvements remain an important part of this shift. Many firms are deploying automation across reporting, compliance, document management, and portfolio monitoring to reduce administrative workload and improve advisor productivity.

Another often overlooked but increasingly in-demand source of value is Recovery Alpha, which primarily refers to reclaiming funds owed to investors through securities class action settlements. Although rarely discussed as a core growth driver, it remains one of the most efficient ways to increase AUM.

More than $8 billion in settlement funds become available to investors each year, yet a meaningful share of these assets remains unclaimed.

How Does Recovery Alpha Affect AUM?

Historically, filing settlement claims required extensive documentation and manual effort, making systematic recovery impractical for many advisory firms. However, modern automated recovery platforms increasingly integrate settlement monitoring and claim filing into standard portfolio operations.

Because settlement proceeds are returned directly to investor accounts, recoveries create an immediate increase in AUM.

Over the next five years, industry projections suggest that roughly $50 billion in settlement proceeds could become available to investors.

For advisory firms, this means Recovery Alpha is increasingly viewed not simply as litigation administration, but as a practical mechanism for returning overlooked assets to clients while simultaneously increasing total AUM.

FAQ

What is 11th.com?

11th.com is an AI-driven recovery platform that delivers class action settlements as seamlessly as dividends. Its AI agents continuously scan global markets, courts, and regulatory filings to identify recoveries, match them to investor holdings, file claims, and distribute funds back to investors. The platform is natively integrated with major custodians, TAMPs, and broker-dealers.

How much can I recover?

Recovery amounts vary depending on investment strategy, asset mix, and portfolio turnover. Historically, recovery alpha typically ranges between 3 and 30 basis points annually on portfolio value. These returns are additive and independent of market performance.

How can I submit a claim?

Investors can submit claims manually through claim administrators, a process that is often complex and fragmented. Automated solutions like 11th.com allow investors to connect their portfolios once and automatically collect eligible settlement proceeds. The experience mirrors dividend collection—fully passive, continuous, and operationally seamless.

How does it technologically work?

Proprietary AI agents scan all global markets, courts, dockets and filings, surface every recovery opportunity, match it to holdings, file claims and deposit funds back to investors.

In 2025, $9.3 billion was available to investors through securities class action settlements, SEC Fair Funds, and other regulatory compensation programs.