AJ Bell
“Can AJ Bell expand from low-cost investment custody into a full savings-and-investments platform that competes with both digital banks and traditional wealth managers?”
Founded in 1995 as a SIPP specialist, AJ Bell expanded into broader direct-to-consumer investing with Youinvest and then IPO'd in 2018, becoming one of the UK's largest retail investment platforms. The company has progressively embedded more financial infrastructure — most visibly adding a Cash Savings Hub (2023) powered by ClearBank for banking rails and Raisin for savings marketplace technology — shifting from pure investment custody toward a broader savings and investments platform. The 2025 launch of AJ Bell Touch, integrating open banking payments for account funding, signals ongoing investment in frictionless customer journeys. Throughout, AJ Bell has remained self-operated for investment custody while selectively partnering for banking, payments and compliance infrastructure.