Asset & Wealth Management

Simplicity Group Acquires Whitney and Associates, Altitude Capital

Summit, N.J. – September 16, 2026 -- Simplicity Group has acquired Whitney and Associates, LLC, a Des Moines, Iowa-based independent marketing organization, along with its affiliated Altitude Capital Management RIA, an integrated wealth and investment management platform.

Simplicity adds two new partners through the deal

Mitchell Whitney and Charles Johnson join Simplicity Group as Partners as part of the transaction. Both previously led Whitney and Associates, a wholesale IMO specializing in annuity, life insurance and wealth management solutions for independent advisors.

FP Markets Secures Category 5 License from UAE's CMA

Limassol – – September 16, 2026 -- Global multi-asset broker FP Markets has obtained a Category 5 license from the United Arab Emirates' Capital Markets Authority (CMA), formerly the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), marking its formal entry into the UAE market.

FP Markets gains authorization to solicit clients across Dubai and the wider Emirates

The license, held by group entity FP Markets MENA Securities L.L.C. S.O.C., permits the broker to conduct marketing, promotional and client acquisition activities throughout Dubai and the UAE. The Australian-founded broker joins a growing list of brokers, fintechs and financial service providers establishing regulated bases in the UAE to build regional client rosters.

FP Markets Secures UAE CMA Category 5 License to Expand Gulf Presence

Limassol – September 16, 2026 -- FP Markets, a multi-asset Forex and CFD broker founded in Australia, has obtained a Category 5 license from the United Arab Emirates' Capital Markets Authority (CMA), formerly known as the Securities and Commodities Authority (SCA), extending its global regulatory footprint into one of the world's fastest-growing financial hubs.

License holder FP Markets MENA Securities L.L.C. S.O.C. gains rights to market and onboard clients across the UAE

The license permits FP Markets to conduct marketing, promotion and client acquisition activities in Dubai and across all seven Emirates. The UAE has drawn a growing number of brokers, fintech firms and financial service providers seeking to operate under a more robust regulatory framework as they expand regional client bases.

ADGM Assets Under Management Surge 54% as Abu Dhabi Licenses Hit 14,000

Abu Dhabi – September 16, 2026 -- Assets under management at Abu Dhabi Global Market (ADGM) climbed 54% year-on-year in the first half of 2026, while active business licenses reached 13,974, cementing the emirate's position as the largest international financial centre by license count in the MEASA region.

Fund manager base expands 23% as capital inflows accelerate

The number of fund and asset managers based at ADGM rose to 190, up from 154 in H1 2025, with 11 new managers added in the second quarter alone -- the sharpest quarterly increase on record for the centre. Funds domiciled at ADGM grew to 276, a 32% increase from 209 a year earlier. Collectively, asset managers that set up at ADGM during the period oversee more than $2.1 trillion in assets globally.

Zhang Financial CEO Co-Chairs China Institute Centennial Gala in NYC

NEW YORK – September 16, 2026 -- Lynn Chen-Zhang, CEO of Zhang Financial, served as Co-Chair of the China Institute of America Centennial Grand Fashion Gala, held September 16, 2026, at The Pierre in New York City to mark the institute's 100th anniversary.

Gala draws top fashion designers and cultural leaders to mark 100-year milestone

The event was chaired by television personality and cultural ambassador Yue-Sai Kan, with designers Guo Pei and Vera Wang serving as Gala Ambassadors. Featured designers included Jason Wu, Vivienne Tam, Grace Chen and Laurence Xu. The gala also honored Fern Mallis, credited as the creator of New York Fashion Week.

Envestnet to Acquire Vestmark, Combining $8T and $2T WealthTech Platforms

Berwyn, Pa. – September 15, 2026 -- Envestnet has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Vestmark, merging a wealthtech platform serving more than a third of U.S. advisors with $8 trillion in assets with a trading and portfolio management provider supporting $2 trillion in assets and over five million investor accounts.

Envestnet gains institutional-grade trading and tax transition technology from Vestmark

The acquisition adds Vestmark's portfolio management technology, institutional-grade trading infrastructure, and outsourced investment management services to Envestnet's ecosystem. Vestmark, headquartered in Wakefield, Massachusetts and founded in 2001, has built its client base over 25 years working with wirehouses and firms running institutional-scale trading operations.

CogniCor Expands Advisory Board to Fuel RIA AI Platform Growth

Palo Alto, Calif. – September 15, 2026 -- CogniCor, an intelligence and orchestration platform for registered investment advisors, has expanded its Advisory Board with six new industry figures to accelerate its push into firm-wide AI adoption across wealth management.

Beacon Pointe co-founder joins board overseeing $62 billion RIA

Shannon Eusey, Chairman and Co-Founder of Beacon Pointe Advisors, one of the largest RIAs in the country with more than $62 billion in assets under advisement, joined the board as both a CogniCor customer and RIA operator.

FMG Suite Launches Connect Layer to Link Advisor Tech Stacks

San Diego – September 15, 2026 -- FMG Suite has launched FMG Connect, an integration and orchestration layer designed to unify the fragmented technology stacks that financial advisors and insurance professionals rely on for prospecting, planning, and client communication.

FMG Connect automates handoffs between previously disconnected advisor tools

Advisors typically juggle separate systems for meeting notes, lead scoring, and financial planning that do not communicate with one another, forcing advisors to manually transfer data between platforms. FMG Connect closes that gap by triggering automated follow-up the moment a meeting ends, launching personalized outreach as soon as a new prospect enters the system, and syncing client context across planning tools and contact records without manual entry.

Aqua Raises $18.8M, Launches First Turnkey Alternatives Platform

New York – September 15, 2026 -- Aqua has raised $18.8 million in total funding and launched what it calls the industry's first turnkey alternative investments platform (TAIP), targeting wealth managers, RIAs, banks, trust companies and fund sponsors.

Aqua secures $3.8 million seed round backed by Google's AI Fund and Y Combinator

The seed round preceded a $15 million Series A led by Arthur Ventures, with participation from Alumni Ventures. Aqua plans to direct the capital toward accelerating platform development, expanding engineering and partnership teams, and deepening integrations with custodians and fund sponsors.

RegimeSignal Posts 84% Average Accuracy Across S&P 500 Cycle Signals

Santa Barbara, Calif. – September 15, 2026 -- Cronus Market Intelligence, LLC disclosed that its RegimeSignalTM platform posted an average 84% out-of-sample accuracy across four signals tracking the full S&P 500 market cycle, with bear signals hitting 86%, correction 84%, pullback 83% and recovery 82%.

Four signals cover every stage of the market cycle

Each accuracy figure represents the share of signal fires that were correct, measured on an out-of-sample basis. The recovery signal, the weakest performer at 82%, is described as a historical upper bound and was the specific signal flagged with qualifications in independent review.