Across asset management, growth models are being rigorously tested. The feasibility of using traditional approaches to expand and drive revenue is colliding with the demands and nuances of increasingly differentiated market landscapes. Within this context, global firms are challenged to reconceptualize the way products are packaged, priced and distributed. There is no universal solution or playbook for asset managers to follow. Achieving—and sustaining—growth requires a nuanced approach that balances continuity, innovation and adaptation across markets and distribution channels.
In partnership with Ignites, SS&C surveyed leading global asset managers to learn how they are navigating complexity in a market that’s anything but one-size-fits-all.
Divergent Product Strategies Across Regions
Survey analytics reveal a pronounced divergence in product strategies across regions, shaped by investor expectations and entrenched regulatory frameworks.
- North America demonstrates notable momentum in product diversification. The adoption of flexible, tax-advantaged vehicles, such as ETFs, reflects shifting investor objectives and a willingness to explore new product categories. SMAs and UMAs are also dominant.
- EMEA and APAC continue to rely predominantly on mutual funds and managed investment schemes. Longstanding regulatory regimes sustain these structures, including superannuation in Australia, which reinforce incumbent market practices and investor trust.
Demand for private assets is emerging as a common denominator across geographies. And emerging opportunities, such as tokenization and expectations for longstanding strategies like direct indexing, also revealed surprising results.
Optimizing Product and Distribution Strategies
The evolving nature of growth mandates asset managers refine both product and distribution strategies with exceptional precision. A deep understanding of regional regulatory regimes, investor behaviors and preferred distribution channels is essential to construct scalable yet locally responsive business models. Strategic decisions regarding where to preserve established offerings, where to explore diversification and how to execute regional scaling will set the pace for both revenue resilience and innovation.
Finding this equilibrium between continuity and innovation is not only preferable, but essential. Asset managers who can systematically translate local market intelligence into globally aligned, yet regionally optimized, growth strategies will define the next era of market leadership.
To learn more about how asset managers are recalibrating their approaches to product and distribution across global markets, download our full "Expansion Under Pressure" report.
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