ETF servicing scores are climbing again after a three-year slide, but the rebound is uneven, the provider gap is widening, and the industry's biggest structural shift is still to come.

Senior executives from BNP Paribas, State Street and FNZ discuss evolving trends in wealth management, and how private markets, digital assets, AI and rising investor expectations are reshaping the relationships between asset servicers and their clients in this space.

As organisations continue to digitise operations and expand their technology footprints, cyber security has become a critical pillar of operational resilience. Global Custodian’s Sophia Thomson explores how leading providers are responding to an increasingly sophisticated threat landscape, driven by rising volumes of data, greater connectivity across market infrastructures and heightened regulatory scrutiny.

Global Custodian sits down with leaders from both organisations to hear how their new strategic partnership aims to move beyond industry promises and into practical implementation.

With the SEC’s US Treasury clearing mandate scheduled for a phased rollout by 2027, Natasha Cocksedge examines how the shift to central clearing will reshape the market, and explores whether firms across the globe are equally prepared for the new rules, or whether the mandate remains largely on the US’ playing field.

Eight years after its launch as a joint initiative between Hong Kong and mainland China, Bond Connect has entered into a new phase. In this feature, Sophia Thomson explores its evolution from a simple access channel to a cross-border platform for settlement, collateral and liquidity management. 

Private markets are booming, with capital inflows and investor interest accelerating at breakneck speed. But that growth has exposed the complex web of systems and processes holding up the sector. For custodians and administrators, it represents both a challenge and an opportunity to redefine their role – untangling the web, automating infrastructures and driving the next stage of growth.

Following the SEC's approval of Dimensional Fund Advisors’ ETF-as-a-share class structure, asset managers are racing to adopt the model that has been tipped to reshape the global investment landscape.

Providers of prime brokerage services appear relatively upbeat at the moment. Is their optimism justified? Richard Schwartz reports. 

The fund administration space continues to be a key breeding ground for M&A activity – driven by the need for scale, tech investment and global reach. As providers race to keep pace with increasingly complex demands and requirements, consolidation has become a strategic necessity.

The GENIUS Act has passed in the US, creating a federal regulatory framework for stablecoins. Global Custodian explores how this moment provides clarity for the securities services industry and how it could further pave the way for the digital future for custodians.

Following a similar issue with the US move to T+1, the second iteration of Thursday conundrum for ETFs trades has emerged as divergent settlement systems around the globe continue to cause headaches for traders.  

A long-anticipated decision from the SEC on ETF share class structures is expected imminently – an inflection point that industry experts believe could trigger the next major wave of growth in the global market.  

The Middle East is no longer just a rising market – it's a melting pot of opportunity for custodians, with sovereign wealth funds managing trillions, capital markets booming and economic diversification in motion. From record-breaking IPOs to a surge in alternative investments, Sophia Thomson examines how the custody industry is evolving in the region – and why success depends on tailor-made solutions and lasting relationships built on trust.

As the new US administration takes bold steps to reshape the regulatory landscape for digital assets, the financial services industry sits poised for transformative change.