Financial Adviser Market Insights, October 8, 2026.
We’re testing some short video formats for the posts - any comments / ideas for improvement please advise at colin.williams@paduasolutions.com
Adviser numbers rose by 12 for the week, moving from 15,162 to 15,174
A return to growth after last week's dip, and a broad one range of growth with 32 licensee owners recorded net gains against 22 with losses.
The standout move was a team switch: seven advisers left George Sabini (Bespoke Wealth) together and all landed at JA Kumar Investment (CHPW Financial), taking that licensee from four advisers to 11 and leaving Bespoke Wealth with three. Elsewhere, three advisers returned to the register at Solomons Wealth Management Australia (PGW Financial Services) after a break of around four months, all from Macquarie Group, and Gill and Co Advisory added four, this time drawn from Count Limited, Endeavor, and Boutique Advisers rather than from Sequoia.
Calendar 2026 now sits at +118, against (-44) at the same point last year, a turnaround of 162 advisers, while the financial year to date has reached +292.
Note: Ironbark via the LFC Licensee attached with Entireti & Akumin Group, reached 101 Advisers this week after another 13 advisers were transferred across. As this is predominately movement within Entireti & Akumin Group, it is not shown at the Licensee Owner level. However, Members can view the details by selecting ‘View By Lic Only’ on Dashboard 1 of Adviser Fast Facts
A total of 100 advisers were affected by appointments and/or resignations this week, including 11 new entrants to the register.
First Month Now Only $39.00 Selecting 'YEARLY' cost is only $950
Key Adviser Movements for the Week
15,174 current advisers
Net change of advisers: +12
New Entrants: 11
New licensees commenced: 2
Licensees ceased: 0
32 licensee owners had net gains
22 licensee owners had net losses
Net Change Calendar 2026 YTD: +118 (2025 same period: (-44))
Net Change Financial Year 2026/27 YTD: +292
Net change last 12 months: (-255)
Growth - Licensee Owners
JA Kumar Investment (CHPW Financial Pty Ltd) up by seven to 11, the week's largest gain. All seven advisers joined together from George Sabini (Bespoke Wealth Pty Ltd) (see Losses).
Phillip Alexander (Gill and Co Advisory Pty Ltd) up by four to 53. Two advisers from Count Limited's Merit Wealth licence, one from Endeavor Asset Management and one from Gary Darren Hasler (Boutique Advisers Pty Ltd).
Solomons Wealth Management Australia (PGW Financial Services Pty Ltd) up by four to 63. Three advisers returning to advice after a break of around four months, all last current at Macquarie Group's Macquarie Bank Limited licence, and one adviser joining from Rhombus Enterprises' RI Advice Group.
Picture Wealth Group up by three to 383, with one new entrant, one adviser from the National Tax & Accountants' Association's Advice Assist Australia, and two returning after a break (one last current around six months ago, the other at Lifespan a little over three months ago), with one departure offsetting the net gain.
Two licensee owners up by two: PrimeStock Group (10), with two advisers newly authorised across both PrimeStock Securities and PrimeStock Wealth Management, both of whom remain authorised at Cardinal Financial Services; and WT Financial Group (507), one adviser returning after a break since 2023, last current at FSSSP Financial Services (Aware Financial Services Australia), and one from Pareto Group.
A tail of 26 licensee owners up by net one each, including Entireti & Akumin Group (1,097), Centrepoint Group (598), Count Limited (550), Canaccord Group (200) and ART Group Services (67), alongside two newly commenced single-adviser licensees - details given to members.
Losses - Licensee Owners
George Sabini (Bespoke Wealth Pty Ltd) down by seven to 3, all seven departing advisers moving together to JA Kumar Investment (CHPW Financial Pty Ltd) (see Growth).
Sequoia Group down by three to 79 — one adviser to Springboard Holdings (Springboard Wealth Pty Ltd), one to Lifespan and one to Entireti & Akumin Group's Akumin Financial Planning.
Three licensee owners down by two: Kingsley Davidson Pty Ltd (Empower Wealth Financial Management Pty Ltd) (5), with neither departing adviser yet reappointed; Bentleys Wealth (Victoria) (1), both advisers moving to Entireti & Akumin Group's Fortnum Advice; and Perpetual Group (74), one adviser to OpenMarkets Australia and one not yet reappointed.
A tail of 17 licensee owners down by net one each, including Daintree Topco (202), Infocus Group (183), Beryllium Advisers (39), H.E.S.T. Australia (36) and Guideway Financial Services (33).
No licensees were reduced to zero advisers this week.
Credit Reps - Mortgage Broker Update
We have updated our Credit Representative reporting which focuses on the major groups that provide mostly home loan / broking services to consumers. The update include refreshing our Credit Reps Dashboards - Currently available for free.
The updated report is available here
The Financial Adviser Market Report - get your copy now - No Fee
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.
