Asset Servicing Insights & Research

Asian asset owners are increasing technology investment and AI adoption, but Northern Trust’s 2026 Asset Owners in Focus study suggests that fragmented data remains a defining obstacle to portfolio visibility, reporting, oversight, and decision-making.

The transition to T+1 securities settlement across Europe on 11 October 2027 is firmly in sight. With industry testing expected to begin in early 2027, the focus is shifting from planning to operational readiness. In this article, Natalie Berkecz and Emmanuel Le Marois explore the practical steps firms should be taking now to prepare for this important industry milestone.

Insurance investment portfolios have changed meaningfully over the past decade. The result is a portfolio model that remains income-oriented but is far more complex to oversee, operate, and optimize.

Canadian asset owners’ private markets leadership highlights the importance of data integration, valuation transparency, and scalable operating models.

Insurance investment portfolios have changed meaningfully over the past decade. The result is a portfolio model that remains income-oriented but is far more complex to oversee, operate, and optimize.

APAC asset owners are responding to rising portfolio complexity, liquidity demands, private markets growth, and data challenges by taking a more integrated view of investment strategy, operating model design, and technology infrastructure.

Discover how asset owners are prioritizing decision-ready data to improve investment decision-making, strengthen risk oversight, and unlock greater value from AI and analytics.

OCIOs are being asked to scale increasingly complex mandates while maintaining timely, insight-driven decision-making across a widening range of client portfolios.

How European structures such as LTAFs and ELTIFs may reshape institutional, wealth, and retail private markets investment opportunities.

Key Considerations for Asset Managers to Operate Collective Investment Trusts (CITs) Effectively in Retirement Plan Markets

Considerations for asset managers thinking about retirement plan distribution

Canadian asset owners’ focus on advanced risk frameworks.

Project Acacia shows how tokenized assets - starting with voluntary carbon credits - can settle via delivery-versus-payment using existing bank payment rails, compressing timelines from days to minutes.

Whether aiming to minimize market impact, capture liquidity, or align with valuation metrics, choosing the right trade execution benchmark is essential. Victoria Bryan, Manager Trade Performance and Analytics at Northern Trust, demystifies some of the primary benchmarks for the equity market and provides tips for selecting the optimum ones.

What history suggests for US financial markets during the upcoming congressional midterm elections

The UK’s Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) review of best execution marks the first thematic review since 2014. Simon Abbott, Northern Trust’s Global Head of Banking & Markets examines the importance of best execution as he considers the report’s core themes.

Supporting a global private markets firm’s Luxembourg fund umbrella and its European distribution.

Natalie Berkecz, Global Head of Custody, Tax & Regulatory Product at Northern Trust, explores the regulatory themes set to reshape the landscape for asset servicers and their clients in 2026 and beyond in Northern Trust’s latest Regulatory Outlook.