Financial Adviser Market Insights, August 27, 2026
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Adviser numbers rose by 11 for the week, moving from 15,146 to 15,157
An eighth consecutive week of growth, though the smallest gain of the run. Calendar 2026 has now pushed to +102, comfortably ahead of the same point last year (-77), and the financial year to date sits at +275.
Movement was again broad rather than concentrated with 22 licensee owners recording net gains against 15 with losses.
Two new licensees commenced during the week: One as another solo adviser licensee and PWP Advisory, which is linked to parent-owned Private Wealth Partners Group and the advisers remain authorised there, so this appears to be an internal restructure.
A total of 60 advisers were affected by appointments and/or resignations this week, including 10 new entrants to the register.
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Key Adviser Movements for the Week
15,157 current advisers
Net change of advisers: +11
New Entrants: 10
New licensees commenced: 2
Licensees ceased: 0
22 licensee owners had net gains
15 licensee owners had net losses
Net Change Calendar 2026 YTD: +102
Net Change Financial Year 2026/27 YTD: +275
Net change last 12 months: (-238).
Growth - Licensee Owners
Canaccord Group up by three to 199 - two new entrants, plus one adviser returning to advice after a break, last current at Ord Minnett roughly five months ago.
Lifespan up by three to 306 - one adviser joined from UniSuper, one from ASVW Holdings, and one returned after a break of around three months, last current at a small licensee
Simmons Moore - Index Tracking Advice, up by three to four, with a team of three advisers who switched together from Flow Financial's MIPLAN Advisory licence (see Losses).
Perpetual Group up by two to 78, with three more advisers joining from ANZ Banking Group (adding to the five from last week), and losing one adviser to UniSuper.
Picture Wealth Group up by two to 378 — one adviser joined Capstone from Count's Merit Wealth licence and two were new entrants, with one departure from Capstone offsetting the gain.
A tail of 17 licensee owners up by net one each, including Centrepoint Group (602, a new entrant) and Craig Smith (Accru Wealth Management) and Advice Evolution.
Losses - Licensee Owners
Flow Financial Holdings down by three to 1, with all three departing advisers switching together to the newly formed Simmons Moore (see Growth).
Entireti & Akumin Group down by three to 1,091, none of the departing advisers yet reappointed.
A tail of 13 licensee owners down by net one each, including Infocus Group, SGN Financial, Bluewater Financial Advisors and Gary Darren Hasler (Boutique Advisers Pty Ltd).
Losses were light overall, with no licensee reduced to zero advisers this week.
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The Australian Financial Adviser Market 2026 is Padua's data-driven read on the state of the profession. Drawing on the ASIC Financial Adviser Register and adviser exam data, it maps six forces behind a market that has stopped shrinking but is far from recovered: 15,012 advisers, ageing fast, against 3.6 million Australians who need advice. The conclusion is a shift in the question itself, from how to grow the workforce to how to get more from the one we have.
