Over the last decade, the RIA market has become larger, more digital, and more complex. SEC data showed 15,441 SEC-registered advisory firms in 2023, up 35% from 2009, while regulatory assets under management increased from $39.4 trillion to $128.8 trillion. This growth has made manual processes harder to support as firms manage more clients, accounts, documents, reporting needs, billing cycles, and compliance records.

At the same time, clients expect faster digital service, clearer reporting, and secure access to information. Regulators expect stronger documentation, better data protection, and clear records of firm activity. These trends have made technology a core part of how RIAs scale, manage risk, and serve clients.

Why RIAs Are Moving Away From Disconnected Tools

Many RIAs added technology one tool at a time: CRM, reporting, billing, documents, and client service systems. Over time, that often created fragmented data. Advisors and operations teams had to check several systems, reconcile small differences, and confirm which information was current before serving a client.

This is why connected operations have become a major RIA technology trend. Firms need systems that share data cleanly and give teams a reliable view of each client relationship.

J.D. Power’s 2025 investor satisfaction study found that trust and ease of doing business were the strongest drivers of satisfaction among advised and self-directed investors.

Compliance, Cybersecurity, and AI Governance

Compliance now shapes how RIAs choose technology. Under SEC Rule 204-2, firms must keep required books and records, including advisory agreements, client communications, trade records, policies, and business records.

Cybersecurity is part of the same issue. In 2024, the SEC adopted Regulation S-P amendments requiring covered firms, including registered investment advisers, to maintain written incident-response programs and notify affected clients within 30 days after certain breaches involving sensitive customer information.

AI is also entering the RIA stack, mainly through work that can be reviewed before it affects a client record or communication.

EY’s 2025 wealth and asset management survey found that 95% of firms had already scaled GenAI across multiple use cases, while 78% were exploring agentic AI.

Technology Stack in Overlooked Areas

The RIA technology stack is expanding into areas that were historically overlooked because they were hard to manage at scale. One example is securities class action recovery. With advances in technology and AI, RIAs can now automate eligibility matching, claim preparation, filing, and payout tracking instead of relying on manual processes.

In 2025, securities class action settlements reached $8 billion, but many eligible funds remained unclaimed because the process was traditionally difficult to manage manually. With the development of technology and AI, platforms such as 11th.com can now automate this workflow, allowing recovered proceeds to return directly to client accounts. For RIAs, settlement recovery is becoming a more practical and scalable technology opportunity.

What RIAs Will Focus on Next

The next stage of RIA technology will center on work that is repetitive, document-heavy, and hard to supervise manually. That includes areas like service workflows, advisor support, compliance review, and securities class action recovery.

For RIAs, technology decisions will be judged by practical outcomes. The question will be whether the system helps the firm serve clients faster, reduce rework, and recover value that manual processes often missed.

FAQ:

What are the main RIA technology trends in 2026?

Connected systems, stronger compliance records, cybersecurity, controlled AI use, and cleaner data.

How does compliance affect RIA technology choices?

RIA systems must support recordkeeping, communication archives, reviews, and clear audit trails.

How are RIAs using AI today?

Mostly for reviewable work such as meeting notes, CRM updates, research retrieval, and draft communications.

How does securities class action recovery fit into the RIA stack?

It helps RIAs identify eligible client claims, file them, track deadlines, and return recovered proceeds.

What will RIAs prioritize next?

Systems that reduce manual work, improve records, protect data, and capture missed recovery value.