Why Hybrid-Digital Financial Advice Matters in 2025 and Beyond

By W.B. King

When Whitney Houston released her hit song, the “Greatest Love of All” in 1985, she famously sang: “I believe children are our future.” Many of those same children became known for interweaving technology and social media into both their personal and professional life—the digital-first generation. And while tech is a driver in many of their financial decisions, the good news for credit unions is that according to a new report from FinTech Futures and Apex Fintech Solutions, The Rise of Hybrid Digital Advice in 2025, when it comes to financial advice, they still prefer a human touch.

“Personalized advice is ranked as the number one priority by 67% of millennials and 73% of Gen X, but they’re not sure how to find the right financial advisor for their needs,” the report stated.

Along with providing fintech news and analysis, the London-based FinTech Futures hosts a portfolio of industry honors, including the Banking Tech Awards, Banking Tech Awards USA, PayTech Awards and PayTech Awards USA. Headquartered in Dallas, Apex Fintech Solutions bills itself as providing essential infrastructure and a comprehensive ecosystem of cloud-based digital investing products to enable and streamline trading, wealth management, cost basis, and tax reporting.

A New Look at Investing

When it comes to planning for their futures, however, millennials and Gen X are pivoting from financial investing practices employed by their parents and grandparents. To this end, three out of four millennial and Gen Z investors surveyed believe it’s “not possible to achieve above-average returns solely on traditional stocks and bonds,” which has led to interest in alternative investments.

“Gen Zers who are 21 and older and millennials hold just a quarter of their portfolio in stocks, compared with over half (55%) of portfolios of older investors; 90% of Gen Z and millennials consider company sustainability policies when selecting investments, compared to 44% of investors over 43 years old, who are largely Gen X and baby boomers,” the report continued. “These younger generations have grown accustomed to a digital, instant world that emphasizes immediacy.”

Rise of Robo Technology 

To meet what Apex Fintech Solutions refers to as “hybrid digital advice,” the company offers its product, Augmented Advice. “Whatever the name, the concept is simple: Count on ‘robo technology’ to support investors, while providing on-demand human advice to those who want it. The goal is to enable your business to scale the number of investors you serve while retaining your personal touch. The idea is catching on.”

According to the report, in 2026, 20% of “net new flows” will be driven by digital self-service options that will be added on to a financial institution’s existing tech stack—all aimed at enhancing the custodial relationships with account holders.

“Your ability to serve more clients at any levels of wealth, including white-glove treatment for those who command it and the ability to offer automated help for everyone else,” the report noted. “Because if you can start engaging next-gen investors earlier in their wealth-accumulation journeys, you can earn their trust along the way.”

Thriving in the Digital-First Era

For financial institutions looking at a hybrid or robo model, the report suggests selecting a company that offers the following services:

• A unified advisor user interface (UI), which can minimize inefficiencies from switching between siloed workflows.

• Mirrored advisor and client portal views to help keep both parties on the same page, making it easier to explain the details that investors want to know.

• Fully digital account opening and funding so new clients can set up and fund an account within seconds.

• Self-service account holder solutions that can empower investors to make routine updates without an advisor’s help.

• Personalization at scale with smart tools to help attract and engage the up-and-coming generations.

• Built-in business intelligence tools to help create data visualizations and leverage artificial intelligence (AI) to help surface insights.

“Although it may be tempting to delay big business decisions, you can’t wait too long. According to PwC [PricewaterhouseCoopers], one in six (16%) asset and wealth managers globally are expected to be swallowed up or fall by the wayside by 2027, twice the historical rate of turnover,” the report continued. “Now is the time to pursue organic growth with the best technology and service you have at your disposal. This isn’t just about adapting; it’s about thriving in the digital-first era.”