AUMdb

Methodology

AUMdb is built exclusively from public regulatory filings. Our first source is the SEC's Investment Adviser Public Disclosure (IAPD) data, derived from Form ADV — the registration form investment advisers file with the SEC and state regulators.

Every figure on this site traces to a specific filing, shown with its source and the date the data was current. Where data is missing from a filing, we show nothing — we never estimate or fill gaps. Content generated with AI assistance (plain-English firm summaries, brochure extractions) is labeled as such and always derived from a specific underlying document.

Found an error? All data originates from the advisers' own regulatory filings. Corrections to the underlying record are made through the regulator; corrections to our presentation are welcome.

How we classify firms

Every firm is assigned one category and one size band, computed deterministically from its own Form ADV answers. We never hand-label. Each firm page shows the classification together with the exact rule that produced it (hover the category badge).

Categories — checked in order, first match wins

  1. Bank / Trust Company / Insurance-Affiliated / Broker-Dealer — what the firm is, from Item 6.A ("actively engaged in business as a…"). These take precedence over client mix.
  2. Multi-Family Office — either the legal name self-identifies as a family office, or the data signature matches one: ≥70% of RAUM from individuals/HNW clients and average AUM per client ≥ $10M (Items 5.D, 5.F). The data rule captures firms like multi-family offices that never use the term; single-family offices generally don't register and won't appear.
  3. Mutual Fund / Asset Manager — ≥50% of RAUM from registered investment companies (Item 5.D). Example: Vanguard (100%).
  4. Private Fund Manager — ≥40% of RAUM from pooled investment vehicles and advises private funds (Items 5.D, 7.B). Example: Bridgewater (76%).
  5. Wealth Manager — ≥50% of RAUM from individuals and high-net-worth individuals (Item 5.D).
  6. Institutional / Pension Advisor — ≥40% of RAUM from pension and profit-sharing plans.
  7. Endowment & Foundation Advisor — ≥40% of RAUM from charitable organizations.
  8. Investment Adviser — no dominant signal; the honest default.

Size bands (by regulatory AUM, Item 5.F)

Mega $100B+ · Large $10B–$100B · Mid-sized $1B–$10B · Small $100M–$1B · Boutique under $100M.

Known limitations: RAUM shares double-count across fund complexes and their advisers; state-registered firms report less detail; client-mix rules describe who a firm serves, not what it calls itself.