Special Report

The World's Biggest Asset Management Firms in 2021

Nikada / E+ via Getty Images

Despite the stock market doldrums since the beginning of the year, the pandemic has been generally good to investors. The S&P 500 finished 2020 up over 16% and 2021 with a near 27% return. Many asset manager firms were able to capitalize on this, as assets continued to balloon – a combination of investment returns and new client assets.

In fact, BlackRock’s assets under management surpassed $10 trillion for the first time in the fourth quarter of 2021, the company said when it reported its financial results on Jan. 14. The company reported $19.3 billion in revenue for the year and nearly $540 net inflows. BlackRock is the largest investment manager by assets under management.

To find the 20 asset managers with the most assets under management, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed and updated ADV Ratings World’s Top Asset Managers Firms list using recent company filings and company websites. 

We included only assets under management as reported, though in the case of Bank of America, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan Chase, managed client assets may be considerably higher. These are noted.

Asset management companies help clients invest their money. Often, their clients include large institutional investors such as pension funds, government or corporate, and endowments. Many also manage mutual funds and other vehicles individual investors can invest in. High net worth investors are also among these firms’ clients. (These are the countries where the 1% holds the most wealth – countries with the richest rich people.)

The firms on the list are mostly American, but several are European based. Some, like Bank of America, offer consumer banking, while many also offer investment banking services. Most firms also reported double-digit increases in assets under management compared to a year ago.

Whether asset managers can repeat their recent success in 2022 remains to be seen. With inflation roaring at four-decade high and the Federal Reserve warning of different measures it plans to take, markets have been reeling. (The price of this household item is soaring.)

Click here to see the world’s biggest asset management firms in 2021

Courtesy of Franklin Templeton

20. Franklin Resources (operating as Franklin Templeton)
> Assets under management, 12/31/2021: $1,578,100,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: 5%
> Country: US

[in-text-ad]

Stephen Chernin / Getty Images News via Getty Images

19. Bank of America
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $1,578,630,000*
> Year-over-year change in assets: 23%
> Country: US

*Total client balances were $3,692,833,000

Nikada / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

18. Morgan Stanley
> Assets under management, 12/31/2021: $1,565,000,000*
> Year-over-year change in assets: N/A
> Country: US

*Including wealth management client assets of $4,900,000,000, total client assets under management were $6,465,000,000.

RiverNorthPhotography / Getty Images

17. T. Rowe Price
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $1,612,300,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: 23%
> Country: US

[in-text-ad-2]

Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Scalable Grid Engine / Wikimedia Commons

16. Edward Jones Investments
> Assets under management, 6/25/2021: $1,700,000,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: N/A
> Country: US

15. Prudential Financial
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $1,726,600,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: 5%
> Country: US

[in-text-ad]

Sergio Delle Vedove / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

14. Credit Suisse
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $1,736,610,000*
> Year-over-year change in assets: 10%
> Country: Switzerland

*Reported assets under management of 1.623 billion Swiss francs.

Courtesy of Legal & General

13. Legal & General
> Assets under management, 6/30/2021: $1,835,000,000*
> Year-over-year change in assets: N/A
> Country: UK

*Includes LGIM in the U.K., U.S., and Hong Kong. Conversion rate: 1 GBP = 1.3838 USD, as of June 30, 2021.

ridvan_celik / E+ via Getty Images

12. Amundi
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $2,120,000,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: N/A
> Country: France

[in-text-ad-2]

Courtesy of PIMCO

11. PIMCO
> Assets under management, 12/31/2021: $2,200,000,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: N/A
> Country: US

10. Bank of New York Mellon
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $2,310,000,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: 13%
> Country: US

[in-text-ad]

Chris Hondros / Getty Images

9. Goldman Sachs
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $2,372,000,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: 17%
> Country: US

Courtesy of Capital Group Companies

8. Capital Group
> Assets under management, 6/30/2021: $2,600,000,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: N/A
> Country: US

Sean Gallup / Getty Images News via Getty Images

7. Allianz Group
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $3,003,582,400*
> Year-over-year change in assets: 7%
> Country: Germany

*Total assets under management reported 2,548 billion euros.

Includes PIMCO and Allianz Global Investors

[in-text-ad-2]

insta_photos / iStock via Getty Images

6. State Street Global Advisors
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $3,862,000,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: 23%
> Country: US

subman / iStock Unreleased via Getty Images

5. JPMorgan Chase
> Assets under management, 12/31/2021: $3,113,000,000*
> Year-over-year change in assets: 15%
> Country: US

*Total client assets $4,295,000,000, up 18%

[in-text-ad]

Chip Somodevilla / Getty Images News via Getty Images

4. Fidelity Investments
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $4,227,500,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: 22%
> Country: US

Chris Hondros / Getty Images News via Getty Images

3. UBS Group
> Assets under management, 9/30/2021: $4,432,000,000*
> Year-over-year change in assets: 16%
> Country: Switzerland

*Consists of invested assets for global wealth management at $3,198 billion, asset management at $1,154 billion, and personal & corporate banking.

Courtesy of The Vanguard Group

2. Vanguard Group
> Assets under management, 12/1/2021: $8,200,000,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: 15%
> Country: US

[in-text-ad-2]

hapabapa / iStock Editorial via Getty Images

1. BlackRock
> Assets under management, 12/31/2021: $10,010,143,000
> Year-over-year change in assets: 15%
> Country: US

Get Ready To Retire (Sponsored)

Start by taking a quick retirement quiz from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes, or less.

Each advisor has been vetted by SmartAsset and is held to a fiduciary standard to act in your best interests.

Here’s how it works:
1. Answer SmartAsset advisor match quiz
2. Review your pre-screened matches at your leisure. Check out the advisors’ profiles.
3. Speak with advisors at no cost to you. Have an introductory call on the phone or introduction in person and choose whom to work with in the future

Get started right here.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.