As of October 2, 2026, 3,221 independent wealth management RIAs based in California reported $1.5 trillion in regulatory assets under management; the largest by assets was Edelman Financial Engines, with $326.3 billion.
From the SEC's yearly files: SEC-registered independent RIAs based in California, from October 2018, each snapshot classed from its own Form ADV answers.
FirmsSEC-registered independent RIAs. 9 snapshots, October 1, 2018 to October 2, 2026.Firms, SEC-registered independent RIAs in California, in each snapshot from October 1, 2018 to October 2, 2026.Data table
Firms
As of
Firms
October 1, 2018
748
October 1, 2019
774
October 1, 2020
818
October 4, 2021
879
October 3, 2022
899
October 5, 2023
879
October 1, 2024
915
September 2, 2025
925
October 2, 2026
1,081
Regulatory assets under managementSEC-registered independent RIAs. 9 snapshots, October 1, 2018 to October 2, 2026.Regulatory assets under management, SEC-registered independent RIAs in California, in each snapshot from October 1, 2018 to October 2, 2026.Data table
Regulatory assets under management
As of
Regulatory assets under management
October 1, 2018
$699.8 billion
October 1, 2019
$692.3 billion
October 1, 2020
$623.5 billion
October 4, 2021
$716.3 billion
October 3, 2022
$812.7 billion
October 5, 2023
$706.2 billion
October 1, 2024
$1.1 trillion
September 2, 2025
$1.2 trillion
October 2, 2026
$1.5 trillion
Client accountsSEC-registered independent RIAs. 9 snapshots, October 1, 2018 to October 2, 2026.Client accounts, SEC-registered independent RIAs in California, in each snapshot from October 1, 2018 to October 2, 2026.Data table
Client accounts
As of
Client accounts
October 1, 2018
2,616,071
October 1, 2019
2,798,324
October 1, 2020
4,493,385
October 4, 2021
6,700,332
October 3, 2022
6,369,028
October 5, 2023
7,737,752
October 1, 2024
9,681,565
September 2, 2025
9,119,588
October 2, 2026
9,626,569
Median firm size (RAUM)SEC-registered independent RIAs. 9 snapshots, October 1, 2018 to October 2, 2026.Median firm size (RAUM), SEC-registered independent RIAs in California, in each snapshot from October 1, 2018 to October 2, 2026.Data table
Median firm size (RAUM)
As of
Median firm size (RAUM)
October 1, 2018
$239.0 million
October 1, 2019
$221.7 million
October 1, 2020
$249.4 million
October 4, 2021
$272.3 million
October 3, 2022
$300.5 million
October 5, 2023
$259.0 million
October 1, 2024
$287.5 million
September 2, 2025
$312.0 million
October 2, 2026
$300.2 million
The market in California now
Headline figures
Headline figures, as of October 2, 2026
Measure
Independent RIAs
SEC-registered
State-registered
Firms
3,221
1,081
2,140
Regulatory assets under management
$1.5 trillion
$1.5 trillion
$52.6 billion
Accounts
9,761,460
9,626,569
134,891
Clients
12,416,822
12,320,860
95,962
Employees
19,290
16,163
3,127
Advisory employees
11,206
8,538
2,668
Investment adviser representatives
11,785
9,035
2,750
Median RAUM
$58.5 million
$300.2 million
$22.4 million
Average RAUM
$574.7 million
$1.4 billion
$32.1 million
Firms by size
Advisers grouped by regulatory assets under management.
Firms by size, as of October 2, 2026
Measure
Independent RIAs
SEC-registered
State-registered
Firms under $100 million
1,635
36
1,599
RAUM of firms under $100 million
$48.5 billion
$1.1 billion
$47.4 billion
Firms $100 million to $250 million
439
400
39
RAUM of firms $100 million to $250 million
$70.8 billion
$66.4 billion
$4.4 billion
Firms $250 million to $500 million
274
274
0
RAUM of firms $250 million to $500 million
$95.6 billion
$95.6 billion
$0
Firms $500 million to $1 billion
160
159
1
RAUM of firms $500 million to $1 billion
$111.3 billion
$110.5 billion
$762.6 million
Firms $1 billion to $5 billion
142
142
0
RAUM of firms $1 billion to $5 billion
$284.3 billion
$284.3 billion
$0
Firms $5 billion to $10 billion
14
14
0
RAUM of firms $5 billion to $10 billion
$105.0 billion
$105.0 billion
$0
Firms $10 billion and up
21
21
0
RAUM of firms $10 billion and up
$827.4 billion
$827.4 billion
$0
Concentration
How much of the market the largest advisers hold.
Concentration: independent RIAsAs of October 2, 2026.
Measure
Bar
Value
Top 10 share of RAUM
43.6%
Top 100 share of RAUM
72.3%
Concentration, as of October 2, 2026
Measure
Independent RIAs
SEC-registered
State-registered
Top 10 share of RAUM
43.6%
45.2%
3.9%
Top 100 share of RAUM
72.3%
74.9%
20.6%
How advisers are paid
Share of advisers reporting each form of compensation on Form ADV Item 5.E. A firm can report several.
How advisers are paid: independent RIAsAs of October 2, 2026.
Measure
Bar
Value
Charge a percentage of assets
89.9%
Charge hourly fees
51.6%
Charge subscription fees
1.7%
Charge fixed fees
57.6%
Receive commissions
1.7%
Charge performance-based fees
9.4%
Other compensation
8.0%
How advisers are paid, as of October 2, 2026
Measure
Independent RIAs
SEC-registered
State-registered
Charge a percentage of assets
89.9%
96.3%
86.7%
Charge hourly fees
51.6%
49.6%
52.6%
Charge subscription fees
1.7%
1.4%
1.9%
Charge fixed fees
57.6%
64.8%
53.9%
Receive commissions
1.7%
1.6%
1.8%
Charge performance-based fees
9.4%
9.7%
9.2%
Other compensation
8.0%
8.1%
7.9%
Custody
Advisers reporting custody of client cash or securities on Form ADV Item 9.
Custody, as of October 2, 2026
Measure
Independent RIAs
SEC-registered
State-registered
Have custody
22.3%
52.2%
7.2%
Broker-dealer and other affiliations
From Form ADV Items 6 and 7.
Broker-dealer and other affiliations, as of October 2, 2026
Measure
Independent RIAs
SEC-registered
State-registered
Broker-dealer affiliated
1.5%
3.6%
0.5%
New firms and successions
New registrations and firms reporting that they succeeded to another adviser's business (Form ADV Item 4).
New firms and successions, as of October 2, 2026
Measure
Independent RIAs
SEC-registered
State-registered
New registrations
324
129
195
Successions
No data
0
No data
Other measures
Other measures, as of October 2, 2026
Measure
Independent RIAs
SEC-registered
State-registered
Firms reporting RAUM
2,685
1,046
1,639
Discretionary RAUM
$1.4 trillion
$1.4 trillion
$42.8 billion
CFP professionals
3,772
3,031
741
25th percentile RAUM
$15.0 million
$170.8 million
$6.6 million
75th percentile RAUM
$221.2 million
$657.9 million
$50.9 million
90th percentile RAUM
$642.0 million
$1.8 billion
$78.0 million
Average account size
$158,065
$154,819
$389,680
Offer financial planning
72.9%
81.4%
68.6%
RAUM growth, one year
No data
22.0%
No data
As of October 2, 2026. Definitions of every measure are on the methodology page.