Associate Investment Risk - Risk and Quantitative Analysis

BlackRock's LifePath Solutions offer upscaled TDF possibilities. Expanded offering brings plan sponsors new capabilities found in outsized retirement plans, with private capital and guaranteed income access September 16, 2026 While many workers bemoan the ongoing disappearance of traditional workplace pension plans, a new BlackRock offering aims to give DC plan participants the best of both worlds. On Wednesday, BlackRock announced the launch of its new LifePath Solutions, a target-date fund tool smaller employers can use to customize their plans to incorporate benefits found in much larger retirement plans. BlackRock said LifePath Solutions (LPS) is the first TDF solution that includes plan and participant analysis with the option to add BlackRock's wider investment capabilities in both public and private markets, plus access to guaranteed lifetime income and both active and index strategies. The all-inclusive offering moves closer to providing retirement benefits that are more like a personal pension plan, with professional management and better opportunities for long-term growth and lifetime income - critical aspects as longevity increases and capital markets evolve. "Retirement is entering a new era," said Jaime Magyera, Head of Retirement and U.S. Wealth Advisory at BlackRock, in a release. "As traditional pensions are increasingly scarce and individuals take on greater responsibility for funding retirement, plan sponsors are looking for more effective ways to help American workers achieve better outcomes." Magyera said the LPS offering brings together BlackRock's research, portfolio construction and investment platform to deliver solutions more closely geared to the needs of participants. The system, an offshoot of BlackRock's 30-year-old, $770 billion LifePath platform, analyzes plan sponsors' needs, industry-specific dynamics and participant demographics, and is then able to help determine the appropriate investment approach. BlackRock works with plan sponsors and advisors to examine the retirement plan population, with LPS calibrating a specific TDF solution. That can include traditional indexes, more active approaches, or a blended, whole-portfolio approach blending private and public investments and lifetime income solutions, using tools more often found in traditional pensions. "Over the last three decades, we've built the lifecycle research and portfolio engine behind LifePath while expanding our capabilities across active, index, private markets and guaranteed income," said Nick Nefouse, BlackRock's Global Head of Retirement Solutions and Head of LifePath. The new system, he said, can provide a customized blend for an individual workforce population, providing benefits that more closely replicate those found in traditional pensions. According to BlackRock's 2026 Read on Retirement survey, more and more participants are realizing that their current workplace savings might replace just half of what they need for income in retirement. Almost 75% said they would like access to private markets in their workplace plans, and 90% are interested in guaranteed lifetime income benefits. More than 80% also feel they would benefit from more personalized investment guidance. Keep up with the news, trends, products, and policy shaping the retirement plan industry.

Chainlink heads for Philadelphia Fed Fintech Conference sept. 24. Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov is scheduled to join executives from BlackRock, Vanguard and SharpLink at the Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia's 10th Annual Fintech Conference on September 24. The session will examine how regulation is reshaping digital assets and finance for institutional investors and market participants. Table of contents. Chainlink joins institutions at the September 24 Fed event. Nazarov will join William Su of BlackRock, John Evans of Vanguard and Joseph Chalom of SharpLink. The Philadelphia Fed lists the conference for September 24-25. U.S. lawmakers are establishing clearer rules for digital assets. Conference materials say institutions are leveraging the GENIUS Act while preparing for the CLARITY Act. That places Chainlink's infrastructure work within the policy discussion around institutional blockchain adoption. Chainlink examines blockchain use across traditional finance. Its agenda includes tokenized assets, blockchain integrations and institutional adoption. These topics connect to Chainlink's role as an oracle and interoperability provider. The focus reflects the growing overlap between blockchain infrastructure and established financial markets. LINK has increasingly targeted capital markets alongside DeFi. Its platform provides data and cross-chain connectivity for blockchain. The company has highlighted work with Swift, DTCC and Euroclear in its tokenization strategy. LINK price shows limited response ahead of federal event. LINK traded around $11.59 at the time of writing, according to CoinMarketCap. Its 24-hour volume was about $303.83 million, while market capitalization stood near $8.68 billion. LINK was up 1.83% over the previous 24 hours, indicating a modest positive price reaction ahead of the event. The modest price movement suggests that the upcoming conference has not yet created a significant market reaction. Investors may be waiting for concrete announcements on regulation, tokenization or institutional blockchain adoption. Any new partnerships or developments emerging from the September 24 session could provide a clearer catalyst for LINK. Regulatory changes could shape LINK's institutional role. The GENIUS Act established a federal framework for payment stablecoins, while the CLARITY Act addresses broader digital-asset market structure. Clearer rules could influence how banks and asset managers deploy blockchain systems. The conference gives LINK an opportunity to engage with financial and policy stakeholders. The next potential catalyst is the September 24 discussion itself. Investors will watch whether participants provide details on tokenization, regulation or institutional blockchain deployment. Concrete partnerships or policy signals could carry greater market significance than the event announcement alone. This article contains market analysis and price predictions. These are not guarantees. Crypto markets are volatile. Always DYOR. Not financial advice. Amrin Sanjay Amrin Sanjay is an Industry Reporter at Tron Weekly, covering developments across the cryptocurrency and blockchain sector. Her reporting focuses on Bitcoin, Ethereum, altcoins, and decentralized finance, alongside market activity, protocol updates, and ecosystem trends. She closely tracks Layer 1 and Layer 2 projects, DeFi tokens, and key technical indicators to explain market movements and on-chain activity with clarity and accuracy for both new and experienced readers.

Fidelity hires Steven Cheung as ETF director. Steven Cheung joins from BlackRock where he was head of iShares wealth for Greater China and Southeast Asia. 15 September 2026 Fidelity International has appointed Steven Cheung as director, specialist sales, ETFs, Asia Pacific ex Japan, based in Hong Kong. He will report to Thomas Taw, head of ETF of distribution, Asia Pacific ex Japan. Cheung (pictured) joins Fidelity from BlackRock, where he was most recently head of iShares wealth for Greater China and Southeast Asia. In that role, he was responsible for ETF distribution across clients including asset managers, insurers, private banks and digital platforms. He also led the regional adoption of active ETFs and digital asset-related exchange traded products. As investor demand for ETFs continues to grow, Fidelity International is continuing to expand its ETF business across Asia Pacific, said the US asset manager in a statement. The firm's ETF offering provides investors with a broad range of active and benchmark-aware enhanced strategies, backed by Fidelity's global investment expertise. In his role, Cheung will help drive the growth of Fidelity's ETF business across Asia Pacific ex Japan, working closely with distribution, product and investment management teams to deepen client engagement and increase adoption of Fidelity's ETF offering. Taw commented: "Demand for ETFs continues to grow as investors increasingly seek flexible and efficient ways to access investment opportunities. Steven brings deep expertise in ETF distribution, strong client relationships across Asia Pacific and a proven track record in driving ETF adoption across multiple client segments." "His appointment further strengthens our ability to support clients with innovative ETF solutions and expands our ETF capabilities as we continue to grow the business across the region." MORE ARTICLES ON