Lido Advisors Considers Strategic International Expansion
CEO Ken Stern reports the firm is looking toward global markets to drive future growth in wealth management.
Updated on Oct. 23, 2026 in Business Strategy
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Lido Advisors is exploring international expansion as a strategy to maintain growth within the competitive wealth management sector. Co-CEO Ken Stern revealed the firm's ambitions to tap into foreign money centers, potentially through the acquisition of an overseas company.
Why it matters
Expanding into international markets allows U.S.-based firms to diversify their client base and access capital in foreign financial hubs. This strategy aims to sustain momentum as companies look beyond domestic growth opportunities to scale their operations.
Wealth management firms are currently navigating an annual net new asset growth rate of 5% to 6% across the industry. Recent sector activity includes acquisitions of firms like Atlantic Swiss, which manages $1 billion in assets with a team of 20 employees.
The players
Ken Stern
Ken Stern is the co-chief executive officer of Lido Advisors who is currently leading the firm's exploration of global expansion.
Lido Advisors
Lido Advisors is a wealth management firm based in the United States that is currently seeking new avenues for growth.
Baseline Wealth Management
Baseline Wealth Management is a firm with locations in Geneva and Zurich that was acquired by Creative Planning in 2026.
Creative Planning
Creative Planning is a wealth management firm that recently expanded its footprint by acquiring Baseline Wealth Management.
Corient
Corient is a financial organization that actively participated in the consolidation of the wealth management sector by acquiring two U.K.-based firms in 2025.
The details
Lido Advisors intends to navigate complex regulatory jurisdictions to successfully execute cross-border deals. The firm follows a growing trend of U.S. wealth managers entering global markets, a move recently seen by companies like Creative Planning and Corient.
Timeline
In 2025, Corient completed the acquisition of two U.K.-based wealth managers.
In 2026, Creative Planning finalized its acquisition of Baseline Wealth Management.
During October 2026, Ken Stern outlined the growth ambitions of Lido Advisors at the RIA Edge conference.
Market Landscape
Lido Advisors' potential expansion follows a pattern set by industry peers like Creative Planning and Corient, which have already initiated cross-border consolidation. This shift signals a broader move to capture market share within global money centers beyond the United States.
Clients of firms undergoing international expansion may eventually gain access to a broader range of global investment opportunities and diverse wealth management services. These corporate moves are designed to increase firm stability and service capabilities for high-net-worth individuals.
The takeaway
Wealth management firms are increasingly looking abroad to stay competitive as domestic growth targets become harder to achieve. Investors should watch how these international acquisitions influence the long-term stability and service offerings of their financial providers.
Further reading
For more on industry consolidation, visit the Business Strategy section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by WealthManagement.
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