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ECHELON Partners Unveils 2025 RIA M&A Deal Report

In its recent announcement, ECHELON Partners released the highly anticipated 2025 RIA M&A Deal Report, which provides an extensive analysis of merger and acquisition trends within the wealth management industry for the past year. This year’s report highlights an impressive 27% increase in deal volume compared to the previous year, marking the most rapid growth in transaction activity since 2021, despite a backdrop of economic uncertainty.

The report, which has earned recognition through a WealthManagement.com Industry Award for 2025, underscores ECHELON's dedication to delivering insightful market analysis and thought leadership. Readers can access the report in its entirety by visiting echelon-partners.com.

According to Dan Seivert, CEO and Founder of ECHELON Partners, the current RIA M&A landscape reflects well-planned strategies rather than opportunistic moves. He emphasizes that buyers are actively seeking to develop unique platforms, while sellers are focusing on aligning their businesses for sustained growth and positive outcomes for their clients and employees.

Outlook for 2026: Consolidation and Strategic Opportunities

Looking forward to 2026, ECHELON anticipates that transaction volumes will not only maintain pace with 2025 but may also exceed it, although the total number of transactions is expected to remain below 500. Various factors are poised to shape the next evolution of consolidation in the sector:

New Buyers Entering the Market

The number of buyers has surged by 17.6% year-over-year. This growth is supported by a renewed confidence among sponsors and increased platform investments, indicating a robust appetite for scalable advisory platforms in the market.

Acceleration of Service Expansion Mergers

Cross-functional advisory models that integrate comprehensive planning, tax, estate, and investment services are becoming central to growth strategies. Research indicates that these models significantly outperform traditional investment-only approaches in terms of client acquisition and asset growth. Top Registered Investment Advisors (RIAs) are actively acquiring firms to fill service gaps, a trend that is further fueling transaction activity.

Surge in Mega Recapitalizations

With private equity holding periods lengthening, several significant platforms may opt for recapitalization events in 2026, leading to potentially game-changing transactions in the coming year.

Mid-Scale Firms Seeking Strategic Partnerships

RIAs managing between $1 billion and $10 billion in assets are increasingly considering partnership strategies as a means to accelerate growth and manage operational complexities. This segment has seen a notable uptick in transaction activity over the past year.

IPO Paths Reopening

As equity markets stabilize, the option of initial public offerings (IPOs) is becoming viable for profitable, scaled advisory firms, complementing the existing private market M&A routes.

Dan Seivert further reaffirmed the wealth management industry’s allure, stating, "The wealth management sector continues to attract long-term investments. We foresee a sustained level of transaction activity as firms aim for greater scale, enhanced capabilities, and strategic alliances to thrive in the next decade."

The 2025 RIA M&A Deal Report goes beyond mere transaction figures. It provides valuable insights into the motivations behind these deals, how strategic thinking is evolving, and the implications these changes hold for the future of the wealth management industry. The complete report is available for download at echelon-partners.com.

About ECHELON Partners

Founded in 2001, ECHELON Partners is a niche investment banking and consulting firm specifically serving the wealth and investment management sectors. With a proven track record of facilitating over 600 transactions totaling more than $750 billion in assets, ECHELON Partners provides a comprehensive suite of investment banking, strategic consulting, and valuation services tailored to meet the needs of premier firms, advisors, and investors in the industry.