Are You Asking the Right Questions About Your Custodian?

Is your custodian helping your firm grow or quietly holding it back?

Traditionally seen as asset protectors, custodians now influence everything from operational efficiency to client satisfaction, and the stakes have never been higher.

Our latest eBook, The Critical Role of Custodians in Wealth Management | Ten Key Considerations for Choosing the Right One, explores what you need to know to make the right choice, including:

• Why Custodian Choice Is More Critical Than Ever

  Today, wealth management firms and trust companies are not just looking for a safe place to hold assets. They need custodians who can enable agility, enhance transparency, and support a firm’s ability to scale across multiple business lines. When the custodian relationship does not actively support a business’s goals, it becomes a drag on operations, adding manual processes, creating compliance gaps, and limiting how quickly a firm can pivot when markets change.

• Two Custodial Models: Which Fits Your Future?

  When selecting a custodian, it's essential to understand the two main models: fully disclosed and omnibus. Each offers distinct advantages and challenges, from transparency and client control to operational complexity and compliance burden. Understanding which model aligns best with your firm's strategic goals is critical. If you plan to scale, expand services, or better serve a digitally engaged client base, your custody model should support that growth rather than constrain it.

• What Most Firms Miss When Evaluating Custodians

  Most firms evaluate custodians based on a handful of obvious factors: cost, account coverage, and reputation. However, many miss critical risks hiding beneath the surface. These blind spots often lie in areas like data integration, fee transparency, service scalability, and real-time reconciliation capabilities.

Custodians are at the heart of the financial industry's transformation. As trust and wealth management converge and clients demand more personalization and immediacy, firms need custodians who can seamlessly integrate with technology, enable real-time operations, and adapt to new asset classes.

Forward-thinking firms are anticipating what comes next: AI-powered automation, digital asset custody, ESG compliance frameworks, and shifting regulatory expectations. A static or limited custodian relationship could hold you back just as new opportunities emerge.

Firms that future-proof their custodial partnerships today will be better positioned for growth tomorrow. Read The Critical Role of Custodians in Wealth Management | Ten Key Considerations for Choosing the Right One today. 

For more information on how our solutions can support your wealth management business, request a personal demo of the SS&C Black Diamond Wealth Platform, call 1-800-727-0605, or email info@advent.com.