IFA Leading Surpasses 90 Billion Yen in Assets Under Management

IFA Leading Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Manabu Hasegawa), an independent financial advisor (IFA) firm aiming to transform financial services in Japan, is pleased to announce that as of February 2026, the assets under management mediated by the company have surpassed 90 billion yen.

■ Trends in Mediated Assets and Number of Clients

■ Independent Advisors: The Mainstream Model in the U.S.

The development of independent advisors in the U.S. dates back to the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. This legal framework established the concept of "RIA" (Registered Investment Adviser), which carries a fiduciary duty to prioritize the client's interests above all else.

Since the 1980s, the shift from commission-based models to fee-based models, where advisors are compensated directly by clients, has grown, and RIAs have become essential infrastructure for individual wealth management.

Data from the end of 2024 shows that among approximately 720,000 registered securities advisors in the U.S., "hybrid" advisors—who serve as both investment advisers and brokers—account for the largest share at 45% (approx. 323,000). Combined with those exclusively serving as investment advisers (12%), the majority of the industry now functions under the RIA model. The number of SEC-registered investment advisers has increased for 12 consecutive years, reaching an all-time high of 15,870 firms.

(Source: FINRA "2025 Industry Snapshot" (September 2025), Investment Adviser Association & COMPLY "Investment Adviser Industry Snapshot 2025" (May 2025))

■ Expanding IFA Presence in Japan: System Overview and Market Growth

In Japan, the legal equivalent of an IFA is a "Financial Instruments Intermediary." Rather than being directly employed by a specific financial institution, IFAs are businesses or individuals who provide asset management advice from an independent standpoint after entering into a business consignment agreement with a registered financial instruments business operator.

According to data from the Japan Securities Dealers Association, the number of registered sales representatives for financial instruments intermediaries has been steadily increasing over the past few years, and the IFA industry as a whole is on a growth trend. The Financial Services Agency is also promoting fiduciary duty and "customer-oriented business conduct" as policy, which is considered a tailwind for the independent advisor model.

Furthermore, the widespread adoption of digital tools, which has enabled IFAs to gather information and manage clients effectively even in an independent environment, is considered another factor driving the industry's expansion.