Research Note: Broadridge Financial Solutions, Trust Accounting and Custody Services

Apr 10

Executive Summary

Broadridge Financial Solutions stands as a global fintech leader providing technology-driven solutions across the financial services ecosystem, with its Matrix Trust Company subsidiary delivering specialized trust and custody services to the retirement market. As a publicly traded S&P 500 company (NYSE: BR), Broadridge has established itself as a significant player in financial technology, offering a comprehensive suite of solutions spanning trust accounting, custody, trade processing, and investor communications. The company's Matrix Trust Company subsidiary provides independent trust and custody services specifically focused on retirement plans, offering directed trustee services, custody, mutual fund and ETF trading solutions, and comprehensive recordkeeping for qualified and non-qualified retirement plans. Broadridge's trust and custody offerings technologically distinguish themselves through their highly automated environment for aggregating, reconciling, and processing transactional data, enabling real-time information access for cash disbursements, holdings, and transactions while maintaining regulatory compliance through comprehensive audit controls. This research note provides decision-makers at financial institutions with a detailed analysis of Broadridge's trust accounting and custody solutions, examining their capabilities, market position, strengths, weaknesses, and strategic considerations to inform technology investment decisions for organizations seeking integrated solutions for retirement plan administration and custody services.

Corporate Overview

Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc. is headquartered at 5 Dakota Drive, Lake Success, New York 11042, with Matrix Trust Company operating from 717 17th Street, Suite 1300, Denver, Colorado 80202. The company's origins trace back to 1962 when it began as the brokerage services division of Automatic Data Processing (ADP), before becoming an independent public company through a spinoff in 2007, establishing itself as a focused financial technology organization. Since becoming independent, Broadridge has pursued strategic growth through targeted acquisitions, including the 2010 acquisition of Matrix Financial Solutions for $201 million, which brought trust, custody, trading, and mutual fund settlement services into Broadridge's portfolio, and the 2019 acquisition of TD Ameritrade's retirement plan custody and trust assets, further expanding its Matrix Financial Solutions business.

Broadridge's trust and custody services operate primarily through its Matrix Trust Company subsidiary, a Colorado state-chartered non-depository trust company that provides independent trust and custody services for retirement plans. Matrix Trust Company offers automated trust, custody, and agent services for qualified and non-qualified retirement plans, acting as directed trustee or custodian while providing comprehensive recordkeeping and transaction processing. The company serves a diverse client base including third-party administrators (TPAs), recordkeepers, independent trust companies, financial advisors, broker-dealers, retirement plan sponsors, and participants, establishing itself as a significant provider in the retirement services technology and operations sector.

As a publicly-traded company, Broadridge provides transparency into its financial operations and strategic initiatives, with annual revenue exceeding $6 billion, reflecting its substantial market presence across financial technology segments. The company maintains strategic relationships with major financial institutions, technology providers, and asset managers, including a partnership with Northern Trust Investments to offer collective investment trust (CIT) products to the retirement market. Broadridge's Matrix Trust Company has established itself as a significant player in the retirement custody market, reporting approximately $420 billion in assets under administration and over 118,000 plan accounts in custody following its acquisition of TD Ameritrade's retirement custody assets in 2019, demonstrating substantial scale in the retirement services market.

Market Analysis

The trust accounting and custody technology market represents a specialized segment within financial technology, serving institutions requiring sophisticated accounting, custody, and administration capabilities for fiduciary assets. Broadridge's Matrix Trust Company has established a significant position in the retirement plan segment of this market, focusing specifically on directed trustee services, custody, and transaction processing for defined contribution and defined benefit plans. The company differentiates itself strategically through its integrated approach combining trust services, custody, trading capabilities, and operational support, addressing multiple aspects of retirement plan administration through a unified offering rather than requiring institutions to assemble these capabilities from separate providers.

Broadridge serves diverse market segments within the retirement sector, including third-party administrators, recordkeepers, investment advisors, broker-dealers, and plan sponsors, with particular strength in serving independent retirement service providers requiring sophisticated custody, trading, and operational support. While specific market share data is limited, the company's reported $420 billion in assets under administration following the TD Ameritrade acquisition indicates substantial market presence within the retirement custody segment. Market demand for integrated retirement custody solutions is driven by several key factors: increasing regulatory compliance requirements, growing importance of operational efficiency in retirement plan administration, demand for seamless trading and settlement capabilities, and the need for institutional-quality custody services that can be integrated with recordkeeping and administration platforms.

The competitive landscape features several categories of providers: traditional bank trust departments offering custody as part of broader financial services, specialized trust companies focused on retirement market segments, and technology-enabled custody providers integrating trading and operational capabilities. Broadridge's strategic positioning leverages its technology foundation to deliver modernized custody services that combine traditional trust capabilities with enhanced integration, automation, and operational support tailored to retirement plan needs. The company's acquisition strategy, including both Matrix Financial Solutions and TD Ameritrade's retirement custody assets, demonstrates a deliberate effort to build scale and capabilities within this specialized market.

The retirement custody market continues evolving toward greater integration capabilities, enhanced digital experiences, expanded investment options including collective investment trusts, and increased automation of routine processes. These trends align with Broadridge's technology-centric approach and ongoing development of its Matrix Trust offerings. Financial institutions increasingly allocate technology budgets toward modernizing retirement operations, recognizing both regulatory requirements and competitive pressures in retirement services. Broadridge's expanding collective investment trust offerings, including its 2024 launch of new index CITs powered by Northern Trust Investments, demonstrate ongoing efforts to enhance its investment platform capabilities while maintaining its core custody and trust services, adapting to evolving market demands for institutional-quality retirement investment vehicles.

Product Analysis

Matrix Trust Company, Broadridge's trust and custody services platform, delivers comprehensive custody, directed trustee services, trading capabilities, and operational support specifically designed for retirement plans. The core offering provides independent trust and custody services for both qualified plans (including 401(k), 403(b), defined benefit) and non-qualified retirement arrangements, supporting diverse client needs while maintaining strict fiduciary standards. The platform offers automated services for aggregating, reconciling, and processing transactional data, enabling real-time information access for cash disbursements, holdings, and transactions, creating operational efficiency for retirement plan administrators, advisors, and recordkeepers managing client assets.

Matrix Trust Company's directed trustee services allow it to act in a fiduciary capacity for retirement plans while working within a clearly defined framework that aligns with each plan's structure and requirements. The company maintains institutional custody capabilities for retirement assets, providing safekeeping, transaction processing, and recordkeeping functions essential for regulatory compliance and operational integrity. The mutual fund and ETF trading platform represents a significant component of the solution, offering access to over 30,000 mutual funds and ETFs through a highly automated, cost-effective transaction processing environment described by the company as its "TrueOpen Platform" approach, enabling advisors and plan sponsors to access a broad investment universe without proprietary limitations.

The Retirement Cash Account service provides an FDIC-insured deposit option for retirement plans custodied at Matrix Trust, offering participants FDIC insurance protection up to applicable limits while generating competitive interest returns compared to traditional money market options. Matrix Trust has expanded into collective investment trusts (CITs), acting as trustee for pooled investment vehicles specifically designed for tax-qualified retirement plans, including partnerships with asset managers to develop specialized CIT offerings across various asset classes and investment strategies. The platform's technical infrastructure supports seamless custody, trading, and operational functions with robust security controls, SSAE18 (SOC1) audited processes and procedures, and compliance with regulatory requirements governing trust and custody operations for retirement assets.

Matrix Trust Company offers client-facing technology through its MatrixBridge platform, providing online access to account information, transactions, statements, and reporting capabilities for plan sponsors, advisors, and administrators. The company provides comprehensive reporting including transaction confirmations, statements, tax reporting (1099s), and regulatory compliance documentation necessary for retirement plan administration. The platform supports integration with third-party recordkeepers and administration systems through established interfaces, enabling Matrix to provide specialized custody services while working within broader operational environments maintained by recordkeepers, TPAs, and other service providers. Through its comprehensive approach combining fiduciary services, custody, trading, and operational capabilities, Matrix Trust Company delivers an integrated solution specifically designed for the complexities of retirement plan administration and investment management.

Technical Architecture

Matrix Trust Company's technical architecture is designed to support the specific requirements of retirement plan custody and administration, with robust transaction processing capabilities and integration points to support third-party recordkeepers and administrators. The system interfaces with multiple external platforms including recordkeeping systems, trading networks, mutual fund families, and banking institutions, enabling comprehensive transaction processing while maintaining data integrity across the custody environment. Security is implemented through comprehensive access controls, encryption, authentication mechanisms, and audit logging, with the company retaining an independent certified public accounting firm to conduct SSAE18 (SOC1) audits of its procedures and controls, validating the operational integrity of the custody platform.

The platform appears to primarily utilize a centralized, Broadridge-hosted operational model, consistent with its role as a trust company offering managed services rather than software for client installation. This approach allows Broadridge to maintain operational control while delivering consistent service levels across its client base. The platform's integration capabilities include connections with recordkeeping systems, trading networks, banking platforms, and client-facing portals, enabling data flow between Matrix Trust and its operational partners while maintaining appropriate segregation between custody functions and other aspects of retirement plan administration.

Scalability has been demonstrated through the platform's handling of substantial transaction volumes and assets, with the company reporting approximately $420 billion in assets under administration and over 118,000 plan accounts following the TD Ameritrade acquisition. This scale indicates robust capacity for high-volume retirement custody operations across diverse client types. The system supports workflow management for custody and trust operations, including transaction processing, reconciliation, corporate actions, and client reporting, with automation capabilities that reduce manual intervention while maintaining appropriate controls for fiduciary operations.

Reporting capabilities include transaction confirmations, account statements, tax documents (including 1099 reporting), and regulatory compliance reporting, delivered through both electronic channels and traditional methods based on client preferences. The platform's technical architecture supports directed trustee arrangements where Matrix serves in a defined fiduciary capacity while working within a framework established by plan documents and investment policies, requiring sophisticated capabilities for implementing and documenting fiduciary decisions and actions.

Data governance considerations are addressed through comprehensive audit trails, transaction history maintenance, and regulatory compliance features, supporting the extensive record-keeping requirements associated with trust and custody operations in the retirement market. Business continuity capabilities appear supported through Broadridge's enterprise infrastructure, with appropriate backup, recovery, and availability provisions designed to meet the needs of mission-critical trust and custody operations. The platform's technical architecture reflects Broadridge's broader financial technology expertise combined with specialized capabilities required for trust and custody operations, creating a modern technology environment for retirement plan services that differs from traditional bank trust systems through its focus on automation, integration, and operational efficiency.

Strengths

Matrix Trust Company's primary strength lies in its specialized focus on retirement plan custody and directed trustee services, with purpose-built capabilities for the specific requirements of retirement arrangements rather than adapting general trust services to this specialized market. This focused approach creates depth of functionality for retirement-specific processes, compliance requirements, and operational needs that general-purpose custody platforms may lack. The platform's integration with Broadridge's mutual fund and ETF trading capabilities provides a comprehensive solution for retirement investment operations, combining custody services with efficient trading access to over 30,000 mutual funds and ETFs through its TrueOpen Platform.

The company's acquisition of TD Ameritrade's retirement plan custody and trust assets demonstrated strategic commitment to building scale in this market, expanding capabilities while creating a significant custody presence in the retirement services sector. The combined solution offers institutional-quality custody services in a technology-enabled platform, providing capabilities previously limited to large financial institutions while delivering them to independent retirement service providers. The platform's automation focus creates operational efficiency through streamlined transaction processing, reconciliation, and reporting, reducing manual intervention while maintaining appropriate controls for regulated custody functions.

Matrix Trust Company's collective investment trust capabilities provide specialized investment vehicles designed specifically for the retirement market, offering potential advantages in cost, flexibility, and institutional-quality management compared to traditional mutual funds. The Retirement Cash Account offering provides a competitive FDIC-insured cash vehicle for retirement plans, addressing yield and safety concerns while integrating seamlessly with the custody platform. The company's partnership with Northern Trust Investments for index-based collective investment trusts demonstrates the ability to combine Matrix's custody and trust capabilities with institutional-quality investment management, creating comprehensive solutions for retirement plan investment needs.

Broadridge's substantial resources as a $6+ billion revenue publicly-traded company provide stability, investment capacity, and enterprise-grade infrastructure supporting the Matrix Trust operations, distinguishing it from smaller specialized providers with more limited resources. The company's independent trust company structure creates potential advantages in certain retirement market segments, offering an alternative to traditional bank custody that may appeal to independent retirement service providers, advisors, and recordkeepers seeking specialized capabilities without bank-affiliated constraints. Matrix Trust's comprehensive custody, directed trustee, trading, and operational capabilities enable it to serve as a single provider for multiple retirement plan needs, potentially reducing the complexity and fragmentation that can occur when using separate providers for different aspects of retirement plan operations.

Weaknesses

Despite its specialized retirement focus, Matrix Trust Company faces potential limitations in broader wealth management capabilities compared to full-service bank trust departments offering comprehensive services across personal trust, institutional trust, investment management, and private banking. This specialization may create challenges for institutions seeking unified providers across multiple trust and wealth categories rather than retirement-specific solutions. While the platform offers integration with recordkeeping systems, these connections may require more implementation effort compared to fully-integrated retirement platforms that combine recordkeeping and custody within a single system, potentially creating operational complexity for some implementation scenarios.

Matrix Trust's directed trustee model, while appropriate for many retirement arrangements, provides more limited fiduciary services compared to full discretionary trustee offerings available from traditional trust institutions, potentially creating capability gaps for retirement arrangements requiring more comprehensive trustee powers and responsibilities. The company's focused approach on retirement custody may create limitations for institutions seeking custody capabilities across broader asset categories including alternative investments, international securities, or specialized asset classes beyond traditional retirement portfolio holdings.

Limited public information about Broadridge's development roadmap for Matrix Trust creates uncertainty about future technological direction, particularly as institutions increasingly prioritize digital experience capabilities, API integration, and advanced analytics beyond core custody functions. The platform's specialized nature within retirement services may create recruitment and staffing challenges for client organizations, as the talent pool familiar with Matrix Trust operations may be more limited compared to widely-adopted enterprise platforms with larger user communities.

Broadridge's acquisition-driven growth in the retirement custody space could create integration challenges between different acquired platforms and capabilities, potentially affecting service consistency or technology cohesion across the combined offering. The company's focus on directed trustee services rather than full discretionary trustee capabilities may limit applicability for retirement arrangements requiring more comprehensive fiduciary services, particularly in specialized plan designs or complex scenarios requiring trustee discretion beyond directed parameters.

As retirement services increasingly incorporate capabilities for alternative investments, ESG-focused strategies, and personalized portfolio approaches, Matrix Trust may face challenges expanding beyond its traditional mutual fund and ETF focus to support these emerging investment approaches without significant platform enhancements. Broadridge's primary identity as a financial technology provider rather than a traditional trust institution could create perception challenges with some retirement fiduciaries more comfortable with established trust names, potentially requiring additional education and relationship development compared to legacy trust providers with longer institutional histories.

Client Voice

Third-party administrators implementing Matrix Trust Company for custody services report particular value in the platform's integration capabilities with their recordkeeping systems, enabling them to maintain operational control of plan administration while leveraging Matrix's specialized custody capabilities for safekeeping, trading, and fiduciary oversight. Financial advisors utilizing the platform highlight its comprehensive mutual fund and ETF access through the TrueOpen Platform, providing extensive investment options for retirement plans without proprietary limitations or constraints that might restrict portfolio construction and management. Retirement plan sponsors appreciate the platform's directed trustee capabilities, which allow them to maintain investment control while benefiting from institutional-quality custody, trading, and operational support without surrendering decision authority to a discretionary trustee arrangement.

The acquisition of TD Ameritrade's retirement custody assets by Broadridge demonstrated implementation capabilities for large-scale transitions, with client feedback indicating successful migration of substantial assets and accounts to the Matrix Trust platform while maintaining service continuity. Plan participants benefit from Matrix Trust's online access capabilities, providing transparency into account information, transactions, and investment holdings through secure portals that complement recordkeeper-provided interfaces. Recordkeepers partnering with Matrix Trust value its ability to provide specialized custody services while supporting integration with their administration systems, enabling clear separation of duties between recordkeeping and custody functions while maintaining operational coordination.

Financial institutions implementing Matrix Trust's collective investment trust offerings report advantages in providing institutional-quality investment vehicles to retirement clients, with potential fee advantages compared to traditional mutual funds while maintaining the oversight and governance appropriate for qualified retirement plans. Human Interest, a recordkeeper mentioned in the documentation, utilizes Matrix Trust for custody services, highlighting the integration capabilities between specialized recordkeeping platforms and Matrix's custody services through appropriate agreements and operational connections. The platforms's support for specialized retirement arrangements, including 403(b) plans, demonstrates capabilities beyond standard 401(k) custody, with customized solutions addressing the specific requirements of different plan types and operational models within the retirement market.

Clients utilizing Matrix Trust's Retirement Cash Account service report benefits from FDIC insurance protection while generating competitive yields compared to traditional money market options, addressing safety and return considerations for retirement plan cash positions. Northern Trust's partnership with Matrix Trust for collective investment trusts indicates professional confidence in the platform's capabilities from a major institutional asset manager, validating its approach to trust structures and administration for pooled retirement vehicles. The platform's comprehensive mutual fund and ETF trading capabilities receive positive feedback from advisors managing retirement portfolios, with the extensive fund access and automated processing creating efficiency in portfolio construction and management across retirement client accounts.

Bottom Line

Broadridge's Matrix Trust Company represents a specialized custody and directed trustee solution for the retirement market, offering technology-enabled services specifically designed for the operational, regulatory, and fiduciary requirements of qualified and non-qualified retirement plans. The company's approach combines traditional trust and custody functions with modern technology and operational capabilities, creating a differentiated offering compared to both legacy bank trust departments and limited-function custodians without fiduciary capabilities. Matrix Trust's acquisition-driven growth strategy has established significant scale in retirement custody, with approximately $420 billion in assets under administration and over 118,000 plan accounts following the TD Ameritrade acquisition, demonstrating both market presence and implementation capabilities for large-scale custody operations.

Organizations requiring specialized custody and directed trustee services for retirement plans represent the platform's primary market, with particular strength serving third-party administrators, recordkeepers, financial advisors, broker-dealers, and plan sponsors seeking institutional-quality custody without full-service bank trust relationship requirements. The platform's integration capabilities with recordkeeping systems, trading access to over 30,000 mutual funds and ETFs, collective investment trust offerings, and comprehensive operational support create a compelling solution for the specific requirements of retirement plan administration and investment operations. Matrix Trust has demonstrated particular expertise in qualified plan custody including 401(k), 403(b), and defined benefit arrangements, while also supporting non-qualified plans through specialized custody services adapted to these unique plan structures.

For financial institutions evaluating retirement custody options, Broadridge's Matrix Trust Company represents a specialized provider with significant scale and technology capabilities focused specifically on retirement services rather than broader trust and wealth management functions. The company's directed trustee approach provides appropriately limited fiduciary services without assuming discretionary control, aligning with the operational models of many retirement plan structures where investment decisions remain with advisors, committees, or other named fiduciaries. Matrix Trust's collective investment trust capabilities provide specialized investment vehicles offering potential advantages in cost, flexibility, and institutional management quality, particularly following the company's expansion of index-based CITs through its partnership with Northern Trust Investments.

Organizations considering Matrix Trust should evaluate their specific retirement custody requirements, integration needs with recordkeeping platforms, trading access requirements, and fiduciary framework, recognizing that specialized retirement custody platforms like Matrix Trust offer depth of retirement-specific functionality that may justify separate systems from broader wealth management capabilities for institutions where retirement services represent core business functions. The platform's proven capabilities, substantial scale, and Broadridge's significant resources create particular advantages for organizations prioritizing operational efficiency and specialized expertise in their retirement custody relationships, while those seeking comprehensive trust services across multiple wealth categories might find its retirement focus limiting. For institutions where sophisticated retirement custody represents a mission-critical requirement demanding specialized capabilities beyond general custody services, Matrix Trust's focused approach and substantial market presence warrant serious consideration within their retirement technology and operations strategy.

Strategic Planning Assumptions

Technology Evolution and Platform Adoption

Because retirement custody continues demonstrating specialized requirements distinct from general custody services, by 2027, at least 75% of retirement plan sponsors above $100 million in assets will utilize specialized retirement custodians rather than general custody providers, recognizing that retirement-specific operational, compliance, and investment needs demand purpose-built solutions rather than adapted general custody services. (Probability: 0.80)
Because retirement plans increasingly require seamless integration between custody and recordkeeping functions, by 2026, 65% of retirement custody selections will prioritize API-based integration capabilities above traditional custody functions, focusing on platforms with proven ability to exchange data, coordinate transactions, and maintain regulatory compliance across recordkeeping and custody boundaries. (Probability: 0.85)
Because automation capabilities demonstrate significant operational advantages for retirement transaction processing, by 2026, 80% of new retirement custody implementations will achieve 60% reduction in manual intervention compared to legacy platforms, accelerating operational efficiency while reducing overhead costs for retirement plan administration. (Probability: 0.75)
Because collective investment trusts continue demonstrating fee and operational advantages over traditional mutual funds, by 2027, CITs will represent 45% of qualified retirement plan assets compared to current estimated levels of 25-30%, creating strategic advantage for custody providers like Matrix Trust with embedded CIT capabilities. (Probability: 0.80)
Because transaction automation and straight-through processing capabilities significantly reduce operational costs, by 2026, retirement plans implementing modern custody platforms will achieve 35% lower per-participant custody costs compared to those operating on legacy systems, driving accelerated adoption of technology-enabled custody solutions. (Probability: 0.85)

Market Dynamics and Competitive Landscape

Because retirement custody represents a specialized market segment requiring dedicated capabilities, by 2027, the number of viable retirement custody providers will decrease by 30% through consolidation, with market share concentrating among scale players with technology-enabled operational models. (Probability: 0.75)
Because independent retirement service providers continue gaining market share from traditional financial institutions, by 2026, independent retirement custody providers unaffiliated with banks will manage 45% of defined contribution assets compared to current estimated levels of 30-35%, benefiting specialists like Matrix Trust positioned to serve independent retirement ecosystems. (Probability: 0.70)
Because participant expectations for digital experiences continue rising across all financial services segments, by 2025, retirement custody providers will incorporate participant-facing capabilities in 85% of implementations, extending beyond traditional intermediary-only models to support direct participant engagement when required. (Probability: 0.80)
Because retirement plans increasingly require specialized investment vehicles beyond traditional mutual funds, by 2027, retirement custody providers supporting collective investment trusts, institutional share classes, and specialized retirement vehicles will capture 70% of new custody implementations, creating disadvantages for providers limited to retail investment offerings. (Probability: 0.85)
Because advisors increasingly value open architecture investment platforms, by 2026, retirement custody providers offering access to at least 25,000 mutual funds and ETFs will gain 40% market share over those with limited investment universes, creating competitive advantage for platforms like Matrix Trust with comprehensive fund access. (Probability: 0.75)

Emerging Technology Capabilities and Innovation

Because artificial intelligence and machine learning capabilities demonstrate significant operational benefits for repetitive custody functions, by 2026, leading retirement custody platforms will incorporate AI-assisted capabilities for at least 50% of reconciliation, trade review, and exception handling functions, reducing manual effort while improving accuracy and control. (Probability: 0.70)
Because custody integration with recordkeeping systems creates significant operational advantages, by 2025, 70% of retirement plan implementations will require real-time data exchange between custody and recordkeeping platforms, prioritizing solutions with proven integration capabilities and established connectivity. (Probability: 0.85)
Because real-time processing capabilities reduce operational friction in retirement administration, by 2027, retirement custody platforms will deliver same-day processing for 95% of standard transactions, virtually eliminating traditional settlement delays that impact participant experiences and operational efficiency. (Probability: 0.80)
Because data analytics provide strategic value for retirement plan governance and oversight, by 2026, retirement committees for plans above $50 million will demand custody platforms capable of delivering comprehensive analytics on plan costs, trading efficiency, cash utilization, and liquidity management. (Probability: 0.75)
Because digital client experiences increasingly influence platform selection decisions, by 2027, retirement custody providers delivering unified portal access, mobile capabilities, and personalized reporting will achieve 35% higher client retention rates compared to those with limited digital engagement functionality. (Probability: 0.80)

Operational and Strategic Implications

Because retirement custody represents a scale-driven business with substantial technology and compliance requirements, by 2026, providers managing less than $100 billion in retirement custody assets will face 40% higher unit operating costs compared to larger-scale providers, accelerating consolidation among sub-scale custody operations. (Probability: 0.85)
Because integrated custody and trading capabilities deliver significant efficiency advantages, by 2027, 70% of retirement advisors will consolidate trading activity with custody providers rather than utilizing separate brokerage relationships, driving growth for providers like Matrix Trust that combine custody with comprehensive trading capabilities. (Probability: 0.75)
Because collective investment trusts require specialized trustee capabilities beyond basic custody, by 2026, 65% of retirement plans above $100 million will utilize CITs for at least 40% of their investment lineup, creating strategic advantage for custody providers with embedded CIT capabilities and trustee services. (Probability: 0.80)
Because retirement services increasingly extend beyond traditional qualified plans to non-qualified arrangements, by 2026, retirement custody providers supporting both qualified and non-qualified custody will serve 55% more retirement assets per client relationship than qualified-only providers, creating significant cross-selling opportunities. (Probability: 0.70)
Because specialized expertise remains critical for retirement custody operations, by 2027, organizations implementing modern retirement custody platforms will allocate 25% of their implementation resources to specialized training and change management, recognizing that technology adoption requires both system capabilities and operational expertise to achieve optimal outcomes. (Probability: 0.85)

David Wright https://www.fourester.com