Help your clients to achieve their goals with more personalised and precise investment solutions
Over the past two decades, index allocations have become a portfolio staple in the wealth management marketplace. More recently, direct indexing has risen to prominence in the index investing conversation.
As a growing number of wealth management firms and advisors implement direct indexing solutions, it’s essential they don’t underestimate the importance of index selection.
Our goal is to help wealth and asset managers add value for their clients via direct indexing solutions that are carefully tailored to their specific needs and preferences.
Our world-famous benchmarks, such as the Russell US Indexes, provide a solid foundation for personalised investment strategies.
With approximately $19 trillion* in reported fund AUM for our benchmarks, advisors trust our indices to provide them with a robust, rules-driven and transparent foundation, providing a clear market segmentation across size (from micro to large cap) and style (growth, value, defensive, dynamic).
*Data as of June 30, 2024, Morningstar for active retail mutual funds, insurance products, and ETFs, and passive assets directly collected by FTSE Russell. AUM includes blended benchmarks and excludes futures and options. AUM data does not include active and passive assets not reported to a 3rd party source or FTSE Russell. For funds where the AUM was not reported as of December 31, 2023, the previous period AUM was used as an estimate. No assurances are given by FTSE Russell as to the accuracy of the data.
Features & benefits
Why use FTSE Russell indices?
The definitive benchmark for US equities. A broad ecosystem to support your direct indexing solutions and help you add value
Our world-famous Russell Style Indexes give you a precise measure of growth and value
Indices, data and expertise to help you meet your clients’ sustainable investment objectives with more precision
Key resources
Advisors signal strong direct indexing opportunity, especially among wealthy clients
Financial advisors are increasing direct indexing adoption to grow their business, while citing implementation and education as challenges to overcome
- Direct indexing has become a mainstream wealth management solution, helping financial advisors deliver personalised portfolios and improved after-tax outcomes for clients. The percentage of advisors using direct indexing has grown significantly in 12 months, according to our third annual survey. [Note1]
- Advisor adoption continues to grow, with direct indexing increasingly viewed as essential for staying competitive and serving high-net-worth (HNW) clients. Allocations are rising in both number of clients and the percentage of client assets under management (AuM).
- Younger advisors, larger practices and the wirehouse channel are driving direct indexing growth, demonstrating the highest levels of usage, familiarity, and interest in expanding their expertise.
- Future growth prospects remain strong, as current users plan to increase adoption. Improving platform integration, making implementation easier, and advisor education could further accelerate direct indexing’s momentum across the wealth management industry.
[1] Conducted by 8 Acre Perspective, the survey solicited input from 400 advisors between May 19th and June 9th, 2026. For more information, see about our research at the back of this report. | Back to Note 1
Contact us
Talk to our experts about direct indexing
Adam Gebler
Mike DiSanti
Featured Content
The index matters – Find out why
It is a common misperception that two indices covering the same market segment must be, essentially, interchangeable. But a better constructed index can enable you to capture your clients’ investment requirements with greater precision and get earlier access to fast-growing stocks. How your index is constructed and maintained may sound theoretical – but the potential impact on performance is real.
2025 FTSE Russell Direct Indexing Survey
- Most advisors are planning to step up their use of direct indexing (DI) in the next 12 months, with most advisors under 45 seeing it as key for remaining competitive. According to our survey, they see the greatest opportunity coming from wealthy clients. [Note2]
- Tax management is DI’s greatest benefit, followed by its potential as a tool for reducing portfolio concentration. Artificial intelligence (AI) is serving as a catalyst speeding adoption, as it can automate implementation of tax efficiencies.
- But education remains a challenge, especially explaining DI to clients. Additionally, some advisors perceive implementation as a difficulty.
[2] Conducted by 8 Acre Perspective, the survey solicited input from 402 advisors between March 7 and March 24, 2025. For more information, see about our research at the back of this report. | Back to Note 2
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