Financial Adviser Market Insights, September 24, 2026
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Adviser numbers rose by 6 for the week, moving from 15,163 to 15,169
Adviser numbers rose by six this week to 15,169, a second straight week of gains. The calendar year to date is +113, against (-38) for the same period last year, and the financial year to date is +286, the strongest start to a financial year in the series, which runs back to 2019/20.
The week was broad rather than big, with 23 licensee owners up against 18 down.
Of the 27 advisers who arrived this week, 12 were new entrants, a nice uplift, no doubt attributable to the latest Financial Adviser Exam results being published over the past few days - see more below. In additions, seven advisers came back to the register after a break of four weeks or more. Two new licensees commenced and three ceased.
A total of 81 advisers were affected by appointments and/or resignations this week, including 12 new entrants to the register.
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Key Adviser Movements for the Week
15,169 current advisers
Net change of advisers: +6
New Entrants: 12
New licensees commenced: 2
Licensees ceased: 3
23 licensee owners had net gains
18 licensee owners had net losses
Net Change Calendar 2026 YTD: +113
Net Change Financial Year 2026/27 YTD: +286
Net change last 12 months: (-260)
Growth - Licensee Owners
A new licensees commenced with four advisers - details given to members
Three licensee owners up by three
Evans Dixon (92), all three new entrants to the register.
Solomons Wealth Management Australia (PGW Financial Services) (58), two from Centrepoint Group's Alliance Wealth. Of the three that joined, one did so after a break.
Flow Financial Holdings (MiPlan) (4), all three from Simmons Moore's Index Tracking Financial Advice.
Four licensee owners up by two
Lifespan (310), both from Entireti and Akumin Group's Personal Financial Services.
FSSSP Financial Services (Aware) (124), both joined did after a break, one from Bluewater Financial Advisors and one from MUFG Retire360.
Merchant Wealth Partners (MBS Advice Licence) (45), a new entrant and one from Skye Money.
EBSPH (Cutcher & Neale) (24), a new entrant and one from Bombora Advice.
A tail of 15 licensee owners up by one, including Entireti and Akumin Group (1,096), Ord Minnett (278), Canaccord Group (200) and Fiducian Financial Group (84). Four of the tail were new entrants and four joined after a break of four weeks or more.
Losses - Licensee Owners
WT Financial Group (504) (-5), three to Centrepoint Group's Alliance Wealth, one who remains with Choice Financial Advisors and one departure. WT is down 22 over the past four weeks.
Invest Blue (25) (-3), all three from Lambert Group Management to Entireti and Akumin Group's LFC Group. This is part of Ironbark’s consolidation to have all advisers on the one licensee. Note: They own Invest Blue
VIGEO that arrived last week, has disappeared from the FAR files that arrived last week (We believe this to be an error), it is still current on the ASIC Online FAR search.
Three licensee owners down by two
Picture Wealth Group (380), two departures from Insight Investment Services and Capstone Financial Planning.
Shaw and Partners (192), two departures, one after more than 22 years with the licensee.
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management (47), two departures, both with more than 12 years at the licensee.
A tail of 13 licensee owners down by one, including Count Limited (550), Rhombus Enterprises (RI Advice) (481), Euroz Hartleys (63) and MIQ Holdings (MIQ Private Wealth) (16).
Coeus Financial and Vigeo Financial Services were each reduced to zero.
The financial adviser exam August 2026
The most recent sitting of the financial adviser exam, in August, had 220 candidates, up 11 on June. Of those, 173 were sitting for the first time and 47 were repeat candidates, a repeat share of 21.4 per cent, the lowest in the series, which runs back to August 2022. The published pass rate was 67.7 per cent, down almost four points on June, with 149 candidates passing.
The three 2026 sittings have produced 508 passes, while 399 people have recorded a first ever appointment on the register so far this year. The running total of passes now stands at 21,262, around 6,100 more than the 15,169 advisers on the register today.
For more details of the Financial Adviser Exam - click 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.
