GCC wealth management is undergoing a profound transformation as investors demand greater personalization, advanced technology integration, and transparency from their financial service providers.
According to the 2025 EY Global Wealth Research Report, 55% of GCC investors have increased their engagement with advisors amid market volatility significantly above global averages.
Clients now expect a holistic approach to wealth management that places as much emphasis on financial well-being and product variety as on portfolio performance.
However, managing wealth is becoming more complex only 57% of GCC respondents feel well-prepared to meet their long-term financial goals, highlighting the need for more comprehensive advisory support.
Additionally, GCC investors exhibit less loyalty to single providers and an appetite for alternative investments, while showing higher trust in AI-driven solutions than their peers elsewhere.
Multihoming and Alternative Investments Redefine Loyalty
Many GCC investors are “multihoming” – engaging multiple wealth managers instead of relying on a single provider reflecting a fragmentation of traditional loyalty.
This approach lets clients tap a wider range of expertise and opportunities, but it also forces providers to differentiate their value proposition more clearly. Over a third (36%) of investors in the region plan to increase the number of wealth management relationships they maintain.
Nearly half (50%) are open to working with multiple providers, signaling a deliberate diversification of advice sources and reduced brand loyalty. At the same time, 69% of GCC clients are allocating capital to alternative investments, pointing to a sophisticated appetite beyond conventional asset classes.
According to Mayur Pau, EY MENA Financial Services Leader, shifts are upending longstanding industry assumptions and forcing firms to adapt.
He notes that accelerating economic changes and technology disruption are “heightening the urgency for wealth managers to offer more clarity, agility, and proactive guidance in an environment defined by uncertainty”.
Pau adds that “clients also expect greater depth and breadth of the product shelf than ever,” underscoring the need for firms to understand and deliver what truly drives client satisfaction regardless of market conditions.
Trust in AI Outpaces Global Levels
The GCC stands out globally for its investors’ openness to artificial intelligence. About 13% of GCC clients express a high level of trust in AI-powered financial advice more than double the share in North America (6%) and significantly above Europe (9%).
For context, investors in Asia-Pacific and Latin America report trust levels around 15–16%, placing the GCC among the world’s most AI-enthusiastic regions. Moreover, over 70% of GCC investors expect their wealth managers to integrate AI into their services, a demand especially pronounced among younger and mass affluent clients.
This enthusiasm for digital innovation suggests that GCC wealth clients are more ready than most to embrace AI-driven and personalized solutions.
Navigating AI-Related Concerns
Despite their enthusiasm, GCC investors remain cautious about certain risks of AI. Key concerns include potential misuse of personal data and the reliability or accuracy of AI-generated insights.
Industry experts stress that the way to sustain client trust is through education, transparency, and ethical AI implementation. Wealth managers should clearly communicate how AI is used responsibly highlighting data privacy safeguards, regulatory compliance, and that AI augments rather than replaces the human advisor’s.
Evolving Fee Models and Transparency
Investor preferences in the GCC are also reshaping traditional fee models. Unlike many markets, 27% of GCC clients remain comfortable paying the classic percentage-of-assets fee, compared to roughly 15% globally.
By contrast, subscription-style and fixed fees are less favored in the region. The good news is that transparency around costs has improved markedly more than 90% of GCC clients feel they are charged fees fairly for the services they receive.
This reflects efforts by firms to simplify fees and increase clarity, addressing past concerns about hidden charges.
Performance and Product Breadth Drive Switching
When it comes to choosing or changing wealth managers, performance speaks loudest for GCC investors. The top two reasons clients in the region would switch providers are to obtain better investment performance (cited by 55% of respondents) and access a wider range of products and services (53%).
By comparison, only 26% say that lower fees alone would prompt them to move to a different provider indicating that delivering strong returns and broad offerings matters more than competing on price.
In other words, value and results are paramount – competitive fees are expected, but they are not the primary driver of client loyalty.
Strategic Imperatives for Wealth Managers
In light of these evolving expectations, successful wealth managers must realign their strategies to stay ahead. Key strategic priorities include:
- Invest in AI and analytics: Leverage artificial intelligence for personalized advice, efficient portfolio management, and proactive client insights.
- Expand product offerings: Provide access to a broader range of investment products – including alternative assets – to meet clients’ sophisticated diversification needs.
- Optimize pricing and transparency: Align fee structures with client preferences and maintain high transparency to build trust in the value provided.
- Deliver holistic, client-first advice: Go beyond portfolio management to offer comprehensive financial guidance that addresses each client’s overall well-being and goals.
For GCC wealth managers, this means looking beyond asset management to nurture client relationships and trust, while harnessing technology for superior service delivery in the digital age.
As EY’s Hamdan Khan succinctly puts it, “The future of wealth management is not just about managing assets; it’s about building relationships, fostering trust and leveraging technology to create exceptional client experiences.”
