The global asset and wealth management industry is entering a new phase of rapid expansion. According to the PwC Global Asset & Wealth Management 2025 report, assets under management worldwide are expected to rise from $139 trillion in 2024 to $200 trillion by 2030, marking an increase of nearly 50%. The analysis is based on responses from 300 asset managers, institutional investors and fund distributors.
This growth is driven by three major forces: the accelerated expansion of private markets, the rapid adoption of tokenized funds and the ongoing convergence between asset managers, wealth management platforms and FinTech players. The projected compound annual growth rate stands at 6.2%.
“The increase in assets under management is supported by the rise of investable wealth, expected to reach $500 trillion by 2030. The strongest contribution comes from mass affluent investors and high-net-worth individuals. This trend is also visible in Romania, where we see larger amounts available for investments and growing diversification beyond traditional assets toward private equity, crowdfunding, private lending and cryptoassets,” said Dinu Bumbăcea, Partner at PwC Romania.
North America is expected to remain the largest market with annual growth of 6.2%, while Asia-Pacific will record the fastest pace at 6.8%, driven by household wealth and institutional expansion. Europe is projected to grow at a slower rate of 5.6% due to fragmented markets and higher legacy operating costs.
Private markets will be the main engine of profitability. PwC estimates that revenues generated from private assets could reach $432 billion by 2030, representing over half of the industry’s total revenues. Meanwhile, tokenized funds are projected to surge from $90 billion in 2024 to $715 billion in 2030, reflecting an annual growth rate of 41%.
At the same time, profitability pressure is intensifying. Nearly 89% of asset managers reported margin declines over the past five years. As a result, the industry is accelerating automation, AI integration and the development of digital ecosystems to deliver value more efficiently.
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