Plus, How Prevalent Are Cryptocurrency Services in Banks Anyway?
2026 is off to a promising start for Kehrer Group’s Influencers. Average annualized revenue growth was 13.2% through the end of the first quarter in Influencer-led investment services firms according to the latest run of the quarterly Influencers Poll. The Influencers previously reported that they have been asked to grow revenue by 10.3% in 2026, on average, suggesting that revenue growth in the early part of the year is trending above goal.
Indeed, six of the fourteen Influencers from banks and credit unions that responded to the end-of-quarter poll say they substantially exceeded or somewhat exceeded plan through the first quarter, and the balance reported being on target.
Assets under administration grew at an annualized rate of 5.8% during the first three months of the year, somewhat below last year’s growth rate (11.5%). Meanwhile, Influencer-led firms continue to make net additions to advisor headcount despite the challenging recruitment environment.
Now in its third year, the quarterly Influencers Poll takes the pulse of a couple dozen leaders with exceptional insight and reach from all corners of the bank and credit union financial advice industry: investment services directors in banks and credit unions, top executives in the third-party broker dealers, clearing firms, and product and technology providers, and our fellow consultants.
The latest Influencers Poll also asked the Influencers to share what’s going on with cryptocurrency in their financial institutions and weigh in on the evolving picture around widow investors.
Financial institutions with Influencer-led investment services firms are moving cautiously on cryptocurrency. According to recent research by Bitcoin financial services firm River, nearly 60% of the largest 25 banks in the US are either already offering cryptocurrency-related services or expect to do so. We checked that finding against the experience of the Influencers.
Among Influencers from banks and credit unions, 86% say their financial institution does not yet offer custody services for cryptocurrencies, and 100% say their institution does not yet offer cryptocurrency trading. Influencers from vendors, TPMs, and consulting firms largely agree, however one reported having a client with announced plans to offer cryptocurrency trading. Assuming that the report from River is correct, these institutions have been slow to adopt cryptocurrency services compared to the largest US banks.
Most Influencers are skeptical of the 70% claim. We are all familiar with the finding that 70% of widows fire their financial advisor within two years of their spouse passing. As researchers, we have always been curious to find its origin. Ken was able to track down a citation in a 2015 article to a 2011 study. The problem? When contacted, the firm cited as the author disavowed the study, saying that the 70% claim should not be credited to them. Whoops. Our own research using RFI Global’s MacroMonitor survey suggests that the share of widows who change advisors could be as low as 14%. What do the Influencers think is correct?
When presented with the backstory for the 70% claim, none of the Influencers chose to stick by it. One third of Influencers like Kehrer Group’s finding that 14% widows change advisors, and the rest feel the true figure probably lies somewhere in between. For such a ubiquitous claim, it is striking how quickly the Influencers abandoned it. Were they convinced by Ken’s detective work? Or has the 70% claim not matched the Influencer’s real-world experience for some time?
Download the full results from the latest Influencers Poll.
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About Kehrer Group
Kehrer Group is the bank and credit union financial advice community’s trusted partner for original thought leadership, insight based on data, and strategies that drive success. Kehrer Group’s legacy of research and analysis has advanced the delivery of investment services in banks and credit unions and shaped the industry into what it is today. Kehrer Group’s principals meld the wisdom gained from its long history in the industry with cutting-edge analytics, data that is robust and diverse, and a deep understanding of the key drivers of performance.
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