FASA 2025
Platform Provider

Platform Provider

Platform transfer delays have been one of the main priorities for platforms in recent years, and there has been progress in this area with 20 of the amazing providers working together with the Platform Association and Transfers Workstream, which has been set up to work on this issue, as reported by FT Adviser in October this year.

This collaborative approach to transfer delays is likely to create more movement between platforms, and providers need to focus on how it will help the community.

Advisers can now ask platforms who they are working with in this approach and see what they say.

Platform providers reached six five-star awards this year compared with just three five-star awards in 2024.

Fundment remains top scoring and was Simoney Kyriakou’s Editor's Choice this year.

Chief executive officer Ola Abdul founded Fundment in 2018 and in January this year it was a provider for more than 500 firms.

Abdul said: “For the past six years, we have been building Fundment as the all-in-one tech platform to support a financial advice firm’s every need so they can dedicate more time to delivering value to customers.

“We now have over 500 firms relying on Fundment, but we’re still in the early stages of our journey. I’m delighted to have the backing of Highland Europe and look forward to working with the knowledgeable team there as we scale Fundment.”

This comes as Hargreaves Lansdown were rated two out of five-stars on value for money by Which? in March 2025 after the organisation surveyed 3,697 investment platform users for coverage on stocks and shares Isas. Hargreaves Lansdown continues to be high scoring on other metrics in the Which? research.

Quilter and True Potential remained in this category too. Transact are the Most Improved this year, jumping from three to five-stars.

Quilter also garnered five-stars this year, which followed platform NuWealth being bought by Quilter and rebranded as Quilter Invest in October.

It is the only platform offering an Isa, Jisa, pension, junior pension, GIA, integrated cash savings marketplace, a fully integrated onshore bond and 10 types of trust — eight post issue.

Steve Gazard, chief distribution officer at Quilter, said that these are “all available without wrapper fees and with cross-wrapper transfer capability”.

He added: “This comprehensive combination is now even more important given the changes in the financial landscape and upcoming pension changes in 2027 — and the ability to easily gift into bonds wrapped in trust is now crucial for estate planning.

"Our platform allows them to seamlessly manage these multi-generational wealth strategies in one place.

“Our service stands out because of its strong technical foundation, experienced and visible industry experts, and a focus on listening to and acting on adviser and customer feedback.”

Gazard said: “It’s this combination that helps us deliver a service that advisers can rely on, and customers can trust.” 

He added that Quilter knows what advisers need and are searching for, during periods of uncertainty and fears that are “keeping them awake at night”.