In the last 7 years (before the advent of cryptocurrency), one of the most talked-about areas of fintech has been Robo Advisors. They have shaken up the world of wealth management and savings, and were seen as the fatal disruptor of this industry. The influx of start-ups into this space has prompted almost every established player to formulate its own robo strategy, whether by building the capability in-house, or by partnering.

A recent survey found that a massive 89% of financial advisers feel traditional advice is under threat from its automated equivalent. Meanwhile, nearly half of US customers are open to ditching human expertise in favour of Robo Advisers. The cost to set up and operate a wealth or investment Robo Adviser is roughly 10 times lower than a traditional wealth management institution, which threatened incumbent large financial advisory firms.

Today: It’s estimated that globally there are around 200 Robo Advisers, operating largely in developed markets, with an AuM that’s approaching US$ 2 trillion. Robo Advisers’ AuM is expected to show an annual growth rate (CAGR 2022-2026) of 14.99% resulting in a projected total amount of US$3,130,452m by 2026. The number of Robo Advisers’ clients is expected to amount to 507.181m users by 2026. The average AuM per user in the Robo-Advisors segment is expected to amount to US$5,141 in 2022. 50% of world’s Robo Advisers are in the US which also accounts for more than 60% of global Robo Advisers’ AuM.

Most importantly, Robo Advisers are offering the Holy Grail that all financial institutions are looking for – a bridge between offering great innovative services while taking a low-cost approach.

For financial inclusion advocates, Robo Advisers promote financial inclusion by facilitating easy investment decisions and giving savers access to higher returns. Despite this and the impressive growth, the Robo Adviser businesses that have achieved profitability and sustainability are less than a handful, which perhaps reflects the difficulties surrounding this business model. An increasing number of industry commentators don’t think human advisors are going away any time soon, saying as convenient as it may be, this technology doesn’t make human financial advisors obsolete. Hence, many traditionally-minded clients remain sceptical about the future of robo advising.

So, how will the future unfold, and are Robo Advisers here to stay? Some say the future of Robo Advisors is Human. Some believe the future of savings management will be a combination of services based on robotics, automation, and a traditional in-person advisory piece, with investors floating between them.