Automated investing

SigFig is partnering with Citizens Bank to launch an advice platform in its effort to become a direct competitor to legacy core systems providers.

Copying big banks, smaller institutions are pairing with robos to meet changing mass-affluent preferences in long-term investment products.

To keep pace with its peers, Morgan Stanley is ramping up its online offerings in banking and wealth management.

Digital advice is still in its early days, says SigFig CEO Mike Sha.

Apps aimed at the very wealthy have lagged behind those for other groups, but there's interest in developing them, especially ones that track total net worth.

New financial products may be exciting for wealth managers — but one group of people isn't benefitting, warns Neesha Hathi, the chief digital officer for Charles Schwab.

Data about client behavior will drive better user experiences.

Big banks and wealth managers are unwilling to sacrifice fee income and make other changes to catch up with their customers' digital demands, fintech leaders said.

In an investor-backed power play, the robo tech firm wants banks to turn to it instead of traditional core software providers as they upgrade to digital-banking-friendly technology.

They will be deployed to the branches and teach veteran brokers how to make use of the firm's new high-tech wealth management tools, the company says.