The latest mergers, acquisitions and other corporate actions in the wealth management sector.

Accelerated Wealth Partners 
Accelerated Wealth Partners, which specializes in taking minority stakes in advisors – now a busy area for the industry – announced this week that it has taken a stake in RIA Advisors, based in Houston, Texas (pictured).

The specific financial size of the investment stake wasn’t disclosed.

AWP will provide the strategic capital and M&A expertise necessary to accelerate RIA Advisors’ growth.

RIA Advisors’ partners are Connie Mack, Lance Roberts, Richard Rosso, and Danny Ratliff. 

“Connie, Lance, Richard, and Danny have built a remarkable platform that resonates deeply with investors seeking clarity in complex markets,” Eric Amar, founder of Accelerated Wealth Partners, said. “Our vision is to establish RIA Advisors as the leader in the Texas HNW market.”

AWP, based in New York, is backed by a $200 million capital commitment from JC Flowers & Co at the holding company level. 

The deal continues a trend of busy M&A activity in the North American wealth management space. In 2025, deal volume rose by 27.3 per cent year-over-year, the fastest growth rate in the past decade outside 2021, ECHELON Partners, a firm monitoring the area, said in its report. The 466 announced transactions in 2025 represent a 17.8 per cent compound annual growth rate since 2020.

Our US correspondent recently examined how RIAs seeking to attract premium valuations should ensure that their teams receive equity. The median adjusted multiple for RIAs last year was 11.6 times earnings before interest, taxation, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) – an all-time high and 5 per cent more than 2024. But premium firms can command an additional 20 per cent, according to the 2026 RIA Deal Room Report, issued by Advisor Growth Strategy. Among details, the study warned of a “vanishing middle market” for firms with between $500 million and $5 billion in AuM.

Cambridge Investment Research
Cambridge Investment Research, a broker-dealer, has acquired WealthPlanners, a wealth planning and benefits consultancy located in Des Plaines, Illinois. The firm manages nearly $800 million in assets and has operated as a growth-oriented ensemble with Cambridge since 2010.

WealthPlanners joins a group of employed advisors at Cambridge, previously formed to advise client accounts purchased over the years from broker-dealers and advisors. The newly-formed Cambridge WealthPlanners employs seven advisors plus additional associates managing more than $1 billion in assets.

Denny Gustin-Piazza, the prior owner of WealthPlanners, will lead and grow the new team.