Certified Financial Advisor

Vanguard has entered a definitive agreement to acquire Altruist, an AI-forward wealth technology and custody platform serving financial advisors. The deal, expected to close later this year pending regulatory approvals, aims to expand access to financial advice by enabling advisors to serve more clients efficiently. Vanguard first invested in Altruist in 2020 to increase competition in the registered investment advisor custody space. Following the acquisition, Altruist will operate as a standalone business, retaining its leadership, brand, and operating model whilst gaining access to Vanguard's resources and investment expertise. The transaction terms were not disclosed. Altruist will continue focusing on providing integrated technology solutions for independent financial advisors, combining custody services with portfolio management tools.

Vanguard's S&P 500 ETF (VOO) attracted $4.3 billion during a week when the index fell 0.92%, extending its buy-the-dip pattern. The fund has pulled in roughly $69 billion in net inflows this year, more than any other ETF globally. VOO became the first ETF to cross $1 trillion in net asset value on 2 June 2026. It overtook SPY as the world's largest ETF early in 2025, aided by its 0.03% expense ratio versus SPY's 0.09%. The fund's top 10 positions control approximately 37.6% of total assets. Nvidia, its largest holding at 7.55%, reports earnings on 26 August. Apple, the second-largest position at 7.05%, faces a CEO transition on 1 September when John Ternus replaces Tim Cook.

Vanguard launches three global ETFs. 23 August 2026 Vanguard has expanded its UCITS ETF range with the launch of three new funds. The new ETFs will be listed on the London Stock Exchange, Deutsche Borse, Euronext Amsterdam, Borsa Italiana and SIX Swiss Exchange. The Vanguard FTSE Global All-Cap UCITS ETF is designed to give investors broad exposure to the full investable equity market through a single fund, including large-, mid- and small-cap companies across developed and emerging markets. The Vanguard FTSE Global Small-Cap UCITS ETF provides a dedicated way to add global small-cap exposure, while the Vanguard FTSE All-World ex-US UCITS ETF offers an alternative for investors who already hold, or wish to manage separately, their US equity allocation, as well as investors who want broad exposure to developed and emerging markets outside the US. The new ETFs will sit alongside Vanguard's existing FTSE All-World UCITS ETF, which provides exposure to large- and mid-cap companies across developed and emerging markets and form part of Vanguard's broader expansion of its UCITS ETF range in 2026. Jon Cleborne, head of Vanguard Europe, said: "Investors want global equity portfolios that are simple to build, low-cost and flexible enough to meet different allocation needs. "With nearly half of all assets in the global equity UCITS ETF category, Vanguard has become a leading choice for investors seeking straightforward, low-cost global diversification. These new ETFs build on that strength by giving investors more choice in how they access global markets, whether through broad all-cap exposure, dedicated global small-cap exposure, or broad exposure to developed and emerging markets outside the US."