RIAs want tools that help them work smarter, cut costs, and scale without friction. That’s why so many wealth management platforms have pushed to the cloud. Cloud and SaaS solutions come with smaller footprints, lower maintenance, and easier access, and after the pandemic, they became essential for remote work.
But not every cloud rollout has been smooth. Some cloud‑native firms closed their doors. Others ran into painful migration issues or long delays. So how do RIAs reduce risk and choose a cloud solution that’s built to last?
We’re seeing four qualities that separate successful cloud providers from the rest.
The strongest providers don’t rush. They take a thoughtful, strategic approach to moving advanced, integrated platforms to the cloud.
When you evaluate a cloud offering, look for:
If both versions share common code, it means more efficient development and more choice for you as your firm evolves.
A cloud version should feel familiar. It should deliver the majority of the capabilities, workflows, and integrations you rely on today.
But parity shouldn’t be short‑term, it needs to be a long‑term commitment. Some providers shift focus after launch, favoring cloud development and letting the desktop version fall behind. That creates gaps, forces clients to migrate before they’re ready, and limits flexibility for future mergers or infrastructure changes.
As your firm grows, whether from $500M to $5B or through an acquisition, your technology should grow with you. Providers that advance both desktop and cloud in tandem give you true choice in how you work.
Parity matters, but innovation matters too. Cloud should unlock new capabilities, not limit them. Strong providers understand the unique benefits of cloud environments and use them to:
Take consolidated order management and rebalancing as an example. When advisors can act on drifts, review orders, and manage workflows from anywhere in the system, they stay ahead of risk and work far more efficiently. Cloud should make your day easier, not add friction.
Cloud isn’t just for small firms. It should support large, complex practices with:
As your business grows, your platform should keep pace without costly overhauls or performance issues.
Most advisory firms don’t want to manage infrastructure anymore. Some don’t have the internal resources even if they wanted to. But not every cloud solution is built with the reliability and long‑term commitment RIAs need.
Too often, providers overpromise on innovation, stability, and scale - then fall short. And when cloud solutions fail, the disruption, cost, and risk fall on the firm.
A future‑fit cloud platform should offer:
We believe wealthtech providers have a responsibility to deliver cloud solutions that truly improve front, middle, and back‑office operations — not just shift them to a different environment.