EY Global Wealth Research Report 2023: Top 5 Investors Financial Goals are to Protect Wealth, Investment Returns, Adequate Income, Savings & Reduce Taxes
Hong Kong | 6th May 2023
EY has released the 2023 EY Global Wealth Research Report, providng key insights on global investors including HNWs & UHNWs managing their wealth & investments, selecting service providers, and how wealth managers can create opportunities in a complex & uncertain world. The survey was conducted with over 2,600 investors (Affluent, HNW, VHNW, UHNW) in 27 countries. In 2023, the top 5 financial goals for investors are to Protect wealth, Investment returns, Adequate income, Save to meet goals, Reduce taxes. The top 5 factors to select wealth manager are Investment performance (46%), Competitive fees (43%), Range of product (36%), Brand reputation (31%), Digital offering (19%). Clients top 3 preferred fee structure are Performance based (25%), Fixed Combination fee of fee (18%), Percentage of assets under management (15%). Clients looking for more advice from 5 Investment Services: Family office (57%), Commercial / Retail Bank (54%), Full service institution (54%), Private Bank (52%), Asset / Fund Manager (52%). Clients looking for more advice from 5 Financial Planning Services: Family office (56%), Full service institution (53%), Private Bank (52%), Asset / Fund Manager (52%), Annuity Providers (52%). The top 5 Portfolio management activities most important to clients are Portfolio performance reviews, Changes to investment portfolio, Involvement in investment model & product selection, Ability to simulate portfolio strategies, Incorporating investments that align with their values. See below for key summary & findings | View report here
“ Top 5 Investors Financial Goals are to Protect Wealth, Investment Returns, Adequate Income, Savings & Reduce Taxes “
Mark Wightman, EY Asia-Pacific Wealth and Asset Management Consulting Leader: “Changes in the macroeconomic and geopolitical environment and the impact on different asset classes are creating a lot of questions for investors right now, so there’s huge demand for expert wealth advice. The needs across Asia-Pacific are quite different, but one thing we have seen across the region is a clear signal toward more active allocations and strong focus on switching or adding new wealth management providers, underscoring the opportunities for companies outperforming peers in this environment. The role of the wealth manager is crucial right now and will remain in the spotlight, even as investors look for alternatives among FinTechs and new digital providers.
Given volatility in markets and uncertain macro environment, it will come as no surprise that the main focus for investors now is on protecting their wealth and making sure their assets are keeping pace with persistent inflation pressures. Certainly, younger people are feeling it much more acutely than the older generation, which have learned from past economic downturns and market instability.”
2023 EY Global Wealth Research Report
EY has released the 2023 EY Global Wealth Research Report, proving key insights on global investors including HNWs & UHNWs managing their wealth & investments, selecting service providers, and how wealth managers can create opportunities in a complex & uncertain world. The survey was conducted with over 2,600 investors (Affluent, HNW, VHNW, UHNW) in 27 countries.
Introduction
- Wealth managers, like their clients, are facing a complex and uncertain world
- Economic and geopolitical instability is heightened, investment strategies are evolving at pace and industry practices are being rapidly transformed by technology
- Volatility and complexity are having a profound impact on investors’ needs and behaviors.
- Clients of all types are seeking out additional advice and investment strategies
- Hungry for support and expertise and are increasingly willing to work with new providers.
- Engagement preferences, influenced by the pandemic and social media, are changing too.
- Greater appetite than before for virtual interactions such as video calls.
- Rapid pace of innovation is creating opportunities to prioritize hybrid models
- New collaborative features that will help to educate clients and involve them in the management of their own wealth.
- Trends are particularly marked in fast-growing regions and, above all, among younger investor
- Millennials and those expecting to inherit wealth feel a greater sense of uncertainty, have above-average appetite for advice and education, and show heightened willingness to try new ideas and to switch providers
Key Summary
- Top 5 financial goals – Protect wealth, Investment returns, Adequate income, Save to meet goals, Reduce taxes
- Top 5 factors to select wealth manager – Investment performance (46%), Competitive fees (43%), Range of product (36%), Brand reputation (31%), Digital offering (19%)
- Satisfaction rate for Investment Services – Active funds (68%), Passive funds (57%), Alternative investments (48%)
- Satisfaction rate for Financial Planning Services – Retirement planning (67%), Tax planning (61%), Estate planning (60%)
- Satisfaction rate for Specialized Services – Private healthcare services (54%), Financial education services (49%), Concierge/luxury services (37%)
- Top 3 Preferred methods to be contacted by a new wealth management provider – Call or email from advisor, 37%, Call or email from provider, Digital marketing
- Global Pricing Transparency – Understand charged fees (73%), Trust manager to charge fairly (71%), Get value for charged fees (70%), Concerned with hidden costs (54%)
- Clients Top 3 Preferred Fee Structure – Performance based (25%), Fixed Combination fee of fee (18%), Percentage of assets under management (15%)
- Investors who have looked for more advice due to market volatility by region – Global 33% vs APAC 42%
- Top 3 Wealth Management Providers to use in the next 3 years – Asset / Fund Manager, Brokerage / Platform, Full service institution
- Clients looking for more advice from 5 Investment Services – Family office (57%), Commercial / Retail Bank (54%), Full service institution (54%), Private Bank (52%), Asset / Fund Manager (52%)
- Clients looking for more advice from New Investment Services – Fintech (72%), Digital Assets / Crypto Trading (67%), Alternative Investment (63%)
- Clients looking for more advice from 5 Financial Planning Services – Family office (56%), Full service institution (53%), Private Bank (52%), Asset / Fund Manager (52%), Annuity Providers (52%)
- Top 3 Preferred engagement channel during account opening – In-Person (48%), Video / Chat / Email (23%), App / Website (29%)
- Top 5 Account opening activities most important to clients – Track status digitally, Clear on-boarding steps, Ability to share setup documents digitally, Introduction to the wealth management team, Ability to initiate funding
- Top 5 Portfolio management activities most important to clients – Portfolio performance reviews, Changes to my investment portfolio, Involvement in investment model and product selection, Ability to simulate portfolio strategies, Incorporating investments that align with my values
- On Delivering value: Strengthening product choice and education, creating closer connections with clients, strengthening tax and succession planning and providing greater clarity over costs and benefits will not only increase transparency, but they will also play a critical part in building greater client satisfaction, trust and value.
2023 EY Global Wealth Research Report
1) Investors Goals & Needs
Top financial goals in 2023:
- Protect wealth – 43%
- Grow investment returns – 40%
- Ensure adequate income – 32%
- Save to meet goals – 25%
- Reduce taxes – 25%
- Diversify wealth – 23%
- Financial freedom – 21%
- Wealth transition – 16%
Top 3 Services:
- Would like more financial planning services – 50%
- Would like more investment services advice – 48%
- Would like more specialized services – 46%
Global Satisfaction rate for Investment Services:
- Active funds – 68%
- Passive funds – 57%
- Alternative investments – 48%
- Digital assets – 29%
- Sustainable investments (ESG) – 36%
Global Satisfaction rate for Financial Planning Services:
- Retirement planning – 67%
- Tax planning – 61%
- Estate planning – 60%
Global Satisfaction rate for Specialized Services:
- Private healthcare services – 54%
- Financial education services – 49%
- Concierge/luxury services – 37%
2) Selecting Platform to Manage Wealth
Top factors to select Wealth Manager:
- Investment performance – 46%
- Competitive fees – 43%
- Range of product – 36%
- Brand reputation – 31%
- Digital offering – 19%
- Personal contact referral – 17%
- Access to research – 17%
- Independent reviews – 12%
- Sustainable investment options – 12%
- Professional – 10%
- Diverse team – 10%
- Other – 2%
Use of Wealth Management Providers in the next 3 years:
- Asset / Fund Manager – 41%
- Brokerage / Platform – 38%
- Full service institution – 35%
- Commercial / Retail Bank – 28%
- Financial Advisory firm – 27%
- Private Bank – 26%
- Alternative Investment – 24%
- Fintech (Robo Advisor, Neobank)- 18%
- Annuity Provider – 16%
- Digital Assets / Crypto Trading – 15%
- Family office – 9%
- Other – 1%
Preferred methods to be contacted by a new wealth management provider:
- Call or email from advisor – 37%
- Call or email from provider – 31%
- Digital marketing – 25%
- Direct mail – 20%
- Advisor matching service provider – 19%
Clients with plans to switch providers:
- Clients with no plans – 56%
- Clients who plan to switch, move or add new providers in next 3 years – 44%
Clients who plan to switch, move or add new providers in next 3 years breakdown:
- Switching by closing a relationship with one provider and moving assets to another – 9%
- Moving a portion of money from one provider to another – 21%
- Adding a new provider – 14%
Percentage of Portfolio to be switched to another provider in the next 3 years:
- 0 – 25% of Portfolio – 45%
- 26% to 50% of Portfolio – 44%
- 51% to 75% of Portfolio – 8%
- 76% to 100% of Portfolio – 4%
3) Pricing Preference
Pricing Transparency – Global:
- Understand charged fees – 73%
- Trust manager to charge fairly – 71%
- Get value for charged fees – 70%
- Concerned with hidden costs – 54%
Pricing Transparency – APAC vs North America / Europe:
- Understand charged fees – 73% vs 73% / 71%
- Get value for charged fees – 67% vs 72% / 68%
- Trust manager to charge fairly – 66% vs 75% / 70%
- Concerned with hidden costs – 62% vs 51% / 45%
Clients Preferred Fee Structure:
- Performance based – 25%
- Fixed Combination fee of fee – 18%
- Percentage of assets under management – 15%
- Transaction based – 12%
- Subscription – 7%
- Per hour of support – 3%
4) Investors Insights on Market Volatility & Complexity
Actions taken by clients in response to market volatility (Increase vs No Change):
- Reviews with advisor – 39% vs 48%
- Allocation of portfolio/net investable assets to active investments – 34% vs 46%
- Allocation of portfolio/net investable assets to savings and deposits – 33% vs 46%
- Seeking out independent professional financial advice – 33% vs 54%
- Investment in alternative investment products – 27% vs 56%
- Allocation of net investable assets to riskier investments – 23% vs 42%
- Movement of assets holding to a country other than that of my main residence – 21% vs 63%
Investors who have looked for more advice due to market volatility by region:
- Global – 33%
- North America – 19%
- Asia-Pacific – 42%
- Europe – 33%
- Middle East – 48%
- Latin America – 51%
Investors who have looked for more advice due to market volatility by Generation:
- Millennial – 49%
- Gen X – 34%
- Boomer – 23%
Investors who have looked for more advice due to market volatility by Investable assets:
- Mass affluent – 30%
- High net worth – 30%
- Very-high net worth – 43%
- Ultra-high net worth – 39%
5) Complexity in the last 2 years:
Investing:
- More complex – 45%
- Same – 43%
- Less complex – 12%
Managing Wealth:
- More complex – 40%
- Same – 46%
- Less complex – 14%
Financial Planning for Retirement:
- More complex – 34%
- Same – 50%
- Less complex – 16%
Financial Planning for Inheritance / Wealth Transfer:
- More complex – 31%
- Same – 53%
- Less complex – 16%
6) Increased Search for Advice & Services
Clients looking for more advice – Investment Services:
- Family office – 57%
- Commercial / Retail Bank – 54%
- Full service institution – 54%
- Private Bank – 52%
- Asset / Fund Manager – 52%
- Financial Advisory firm – 52%
- Brokerage / Platform – 50%
- Annuity – 48%
- Other – 23%
Investment services – New Providers:
- Fintech – 72%
- Digital Assets / Crypto Trading – 67%
- Alternative Investment – 63%
Clients looking for more advice – Banking & Insurance:
- Family office – 54%
- Full service institution – 46%
- Commercial / Retail Bank – 44%
- Private Bank – 44%
- Asset / Fund Manager – 53%
- Financial Advisory firm – 42%
- Annuity – 40%
- Brokerage / Platform – 38%
- Other – 24%
Banking & Insurance – New Providers:
- Fintech – 61%
- Digital Assets / Crypto Trading – 57%
- Alternative Investment – 56%
Clients looking for more advice – Financial Planning:
- Family office – 56%
- Full service institution – 53%
- Private Bank – 52%
- Asset / Fund Manager – 52%
- Annuity – 52%
- Commercial / Retail Bank – 51%
- Financial Advisory firm – 50%
- Brokerage / Platform – 49%
- Other – 40%
Financial Planning – New Providers:
- Fintech – 68%
- Digital Assets / Crypto Trading – 63%
- Alternative Investment – 59%
Clients looking for more advice – Specialized Services:
- Family office – 53%
- Full service institution – 52%
- Asset / Fund Manager – 50%
- Private Bank – 48%
- Annuity – 48%
- Commercial / Retail Bank – 48%
- Financial Advisory firm – 46%
- Brokerage / Platform – 44%
- Other – 8%
Specialized Services – New Providers:
- Fintech – 65%
- Digital Assets / Crypto Trading – 63%
- Alternative Investment – 59%
7) Important Considerations for Clients
Account opening activities most important to clients:
- Track status digitally – 74%
- Clear on-boarding steps – 72%
- Ability to share setup documents digitally – 69%
- Introduction to the wealth management team – 68%
- Ability to initiate funding – 67%
- Personalized welcome experience – 60%
- Pre-filled data entry based on submitted accounts – 57%
- Pre-filled linked data from external accounts – 52%
Financial activities most important to clients:
- Monitoring & reviewing progress to goals – 85%
- Creating & maintaining financial plan – 82%
- Advice on how external variables impact plan – 76%
- Discussing how values are reflected in and impact the plan – 66%
- Creating a holistic plan using data from other providers – 59%
8) Investment management activities most important to clients
Portfolio management:
- Portfolio performance reviews – 81%
- Changes to my investment portfolio – 77%
- Involvement in investment model and product selection – 68%
- Ability to simulate portfolio strategies – 65%
- Incorporating investments that align with my values – 62%
Receiving investment advice:
- Advice on market trends/access to market knowledge or expertise – 76%
- Ability to understand my purpose & values – 72%
- Access to product specialists – 68%
- Advice on environmental, social and governance (ESG) and sustainable investing – 46%
9) Ongoing account management and maintenance activities most important to clients:
General account updates
- Swift responses to queries – 84%
- Complete online view of financial position – 77%
- Regular/periodic contact – 71%
Account management:
- Update risk suitability profile so that it is more accurate and up to date – 72%
- Customize how I receive and view reporting – 65%
- Schedule and change ways to communicate with provider – 61%
Receiving/discussing exclusive offerings:
- Access to senior team members or specialists – 65%
- Receive preferential/invitation-only products or pricing – 55%
- Events to meet and socialize with wealth provider and other customers – 46%
Preferred engagement channel during account opening:
- In-Person – 48%
- Virtual (Video, Chat, Email) – 23%
- Digital (App, Website) – 29%
Preferred engagement channel for financial planning activities – In-Person / Virtual with Advisor / Self-DIY:
- Creating and maintaining financial plan – 44% / 37% / 19%
- Monitoring and reviewing progress to goals – 32% / 38% / 31%
- Advice on how external variables impact plan – 36% / 48% / 16%
- Discussing how values are reflected in and impact the plan – 40% / 43% / 17%
- Creating a holistic plan using data from other providers – 37% / 43% / 21%
Preferred frequency for financial planning activities – Regularly vs Once a year & lesser:
- Creating and maintaining financial plan – 40% vs 60%
- Monitoring and reviewing progress to goals – 64% vs 36%
- Advice on how external variables impact plan – 57% vs 43%
- Discussing how values are reflected in and impact the plan – 40% vs 60%
- Creating a holistic plan using data from other providers – 35% vs 65%
Preferred engagement channel for investment management & advice:
- In-Person – 28%
- Virtual (Video, Chat, Email) – 46%
- Digital (App, Website) – 25%
Important to have access to different types of product specialists / market specialists:
- Global – 68% / 76%
- Mass affluent – 63% / 72%
- High net worth – 66% / 75%
- Very-high net worth – 78% / 83%
- Ultra-high net worth – 93% / 93%
10) EY Conclusion
Navigating complexity: Providing more frequent, specialized and meaningful support and advice, based on a deep understanding of clients’ goals, preferences and behaviors. This might include:
- Optimizing the ability to capture new clients, to identify those looking for additional advice and support, and to provide them with the help they need to navigate complexity at different times.
- Redefining personalization to deliver differentiated experiences at every stage of clients’ financial journeys, especially at moments that matter, but also proactively to prepare the ground for crises.
- Harnessing the rapid evolution of AI and other tools, integrating them into new and existing technology in ways that maximize efficiency and scalability while enhancing human-led client engagement.
- Positioning themselves as agile players within a digitalized marketplace, using a unified and scalable platform to expand offerings, collaborate with other organizations and differentiate on both specialization and convenience.
- Pivoting from a “sole provider” strategy to one that harnesses the depth and reach of wealth management ecosystems, supporting every client uniquely.
Empowering clients: Engaging more closely with clients, using next generation models to deliver meaningful, proactive interactions how and when they want. This might include:
- Reinventing business models, finding innovative ways to provide operational and technological support
to advisors and clients — enabling quicker, more efficient engagement. - Developing omni-channel hybrid models that deliver virtual contact alongside in-person and digital connections, harnessing collaborative digital tools to make the most of every interaction.
- Harnessing data analytics and clients’ willingness to share data in exchange for greater personalization, helping to anticipate needs and offer proactive, insightful solutions.
- Integrating new technology tools with human advice, enabling staff to make every interaction differentiated. This could involve using AI to generate personal insights, or using virtual scenario modeling to simulate shocks and prepare clients for volatility.
Delivering value: Harnessing education and collaboration to build an aligned view of goals, products, portfolios and performance that creates transparent value.
- Integrating purpose-driven approaches through building client trust and knowledge around personal finance and investing — especially among younger clients — and helping advisors to develop personalized approaches that match client values.
- Providing bespoke services, enabling clients to be
a part of the portfolio construction and planning process — aligning products and services with goals, and improving ownership of investment outcomes. - Using greater personalization and specialization to boost product performance satisfaction, especially for new asset classes and providing closer expert support on tax and succession planning.
- Delivering clear value propositions, backed up with high levels of transparency, helping clients to understand the links between costs and returns and building client trust.
Summary
Navigating complexity: Clients are changing their investing approach in response to uncertainty. The need for a trusted advisor is high, and clients plan to work with more providers than before, seeking out the options and expertise they need to navigate complexity. Providers need to “do more for less,” creating challenges — and opportunities.
Empowering clients: Personalized engagement, especially at key moments, remains crucial to building client confidence, but how it is delivered is rapidly evolving. Refreshed hybrid models enhanced with digital collaboration tools will strengthen accessibility and interactivity, boosting client empowerment.
Delivering value: Strengthening product choice and education, creating closer connections with clients, strengthening tax and succession planning and providing greater clarity over costs and benefits will not only increase transparency, but they will also play a critical part in building greater client satisfaction, trust and value.
Final Word: Helping clients achieve their goals amid growing complexity holds the key to lasting success in wealth management.
2,600 Investors
- UHNW – More than $30 million
- VHNW – $5 million to $29.9 million
- HNW – $1 million to $4.9 million
- Affluent – $250k to $900k
Age
- Millennials – 21 to 41 years old
- Gen X – 42 to 57 years old
- Baby Boomers – 58+ years old
Methodology: The EY organization worked with Savanta to conduct a broad survey of over 2,600 wealth management clients in 27 geographies to understand what they value most in their wealth management relationships across service models, engagement choices and value-aligned advice. The EY organization profiled clients not just by traditional segments, such as age, gender, wealth and location of residence, but also by risk appetite, life stages, profession, sexual orientation, race and ethnicity and psychographic profiles. The EY organization also asked respondents to rate their knowledge in managing their finances and divided them into low, average and high categories depending on their knowledge of common and complex financial products.
Geographic coverage: North America including the US and Canada; Latin America including Mexico, Argentina, Brazil and Chile; EMEA including France, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Netherlands, Switzerland, and UK; Nordics including Denmark, Finland, Norway and Sweden; Middle East including Saudi Arabia, Qatar and UAE; Asia-Pacific including Australia, mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, India, Japan, Republic of Korea and Singapore.
About EY
EY exists to build a better working world, helping to create long-term value for clients, people and society and build trust in the capital markets. Enabled by data and technology, diverse EY teams in over 150 countries provide trust through assurance and help clients grow, transform and operate. Working across assurance, consulting, law, strategy, tax and transactions, EY teams ask better questions to find new answers for the complex issues facing our world today. EY refers to the global organization, and may refer to one or more, of the member firms of Ernst & Young Global Limited, each of which is a separate legal entity. Ernst & Young Global Limited, a UK company limited by guarantee, does not provide services to clients. Information about how EY collects and uses personal data and a description of the rights individuals have under data protection legislation are available via ey.com/privacy. EY member firms do not practice law where prohibited by local laws. For more information about our organization, please visit ey.com.
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