The past year has been a pivotal one for the wealth management sector, with a hugely impactful government Budget driving policy in a new direction, as well as plenty of industry activity.

It’s therefore unsurprising that policy has been a key theme in our most-read stories this year, with several Budget announcements featuring on the list.

However, it was an industry move that took the top spot in 2025, with Mercer’s announcement in June that it was expanding its presence in the UK wealth sector with its acquisition of Fundhouse topping the list.

This was followed by the first Budget story on the list, which was the government’s introduction of a so-called ‘mansion tax’ on properties worth more than £2m from April 2028.

Other Budget-related stories in the top 10 included the announcement that inheritance tax (IHT) trust charges for former non-doms would be capped at £5m per 10-year cycle; increased income tax rates on property, savings, and dividends; and the increased demand for life insurance policies among ultra high net worth individuals following 2024’s Budgets.

Stories about the UK’s position in the global wealth landscape also struck a chord this year, with articles about the UK remaining an attractive location for financial services investment and a ‘powerhouse’ in the family office market making the list.

The ways in which clients were looking to manage their wealth was also a key theme this year, with analysis from Rathbones about increased demand for active, tailored wealth management included in the top 10.

Rounding off the top 10 were the Financial Conduct Authority’s (FCA) final rules for the private stock market, Private Intermittent Securities and Capital Exchange System (PISCES), and the announcement that Bank Aston had received authorisation from the Guernsey Financial Services Commission (FSC) to launch a new offshore bank, the first locally licensed bank for nearly 30 years.

Take a look at the full list of top 10 most-read stories of 2025 here:
1. Mercer to expand presence in UK wealth sector with acquisition of Fundhouse
2. Govt to introduce tax on high-value properties
3. Budget announcements drive increased demand for life insurance from UHNWIs
4. Govt caps IHT trust charges for former non-doms but extends NRB freeze
5. UK remains Europe’s most attractive location for financial services investment
6. Tax rates on dividends, property, and savings income raised in Budget
7. UK remains a ‘powerhouse’ in family office landscape but lacks succession plans
8. Demand for active, bespoke management of personal wealth on the rise
9. FCA announces final rules for private stock market PISCES
10. Bank Aston receives Guernsey FSC authorisation to launch offshore bank

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