Northern Trust Earns Double Recognition for Digital Innovation in Wealth Management
Northern Trust, a global leader in wealth management, has achieved top honors in two prestigious categories at the Financial Times and Professional Wealth Management (PWM) Wealth Tech Awards for 2025. The firm has been named both the “Best Private Bank in the U.S. for Digital Wealth Planning” and the “Best Private Bank in the U.S. for Digital Customer Experience.” These accolades solidify Northern Trust’s reputation as a technology-forward institution committed to elevating the wealth management experience for high-net-worth clients and family offices alike.
The Wealth Tech Awards, organized annually by PWM in collaboration with the Financial Times, recognize exceptional achievements in the application of financial technology within the private banking and wealth management sectors. The awards are judged by a panel of independent industry experts who evaluate entrants based on the quality and innovation of their technology platforms, as well as the tangible impact these solutions have on client satisfaction and investment performance.
For Northern Trust, these wins are not merely symbolic—they reflect a strategic, long-term commitment to digital transformation rooted in client-centric innovation and operational excellence.
Digital Wealth Planning That Drives Outcomes
This year marks the third consecutive time that Northern Trust has been named the Best Private Bank in the U.S. for Digital Wealth Planning. The repeat victory speaks to the continuous evolution and improvement of the firm’s proprietary wealth management platform, Goals Powered Solutions, which serves as the backbone of its pioneering Goals Driven Wealth Management (GDWM) methodology.
The GDWM approach focuses on aligning a client’s portfolio strategy directly with their life goals, helping to ensure their wealth serves its intended purpose—whether that’s legacy planning, philanthropic giving, funding future generations, or maintaining a certain lifestyle. What distinguishes Northern Trust’s approach is the integration of real-time data analytics, scenario modeling, and intuitive dashboards that bring complex financial planning tools directly into the hands of clients and their advisors.
“In 2024, we dramatically accelerated our speed to market, rolling out new features that improved financial outcomes and heightened satisfaction for our clients,” said Jason Tyler, President of Northern Trust Wealth Management. “These awards validate the strategic and creative efforts of our incredible technology teams who continue to push boundaries on what’s possible in digital wealth planning.”
The newly enhanced platform now allows users to simulate different economic scenarios—such as interest rate changes, market volatility, or geopolitical instability—and observe how these shifts could affect their wealth trajectories. These dynamic planning tools enable faster, better-informed decision-making, particularly for families with complex holdings across multiple asset classes, business interests, and jurisdictions.
Digital Experiences Tailored for the Ultra-Affluent
In addition to its wealth planning accolades, Northern Trust was also named the Best Private Bank in the U.S. for Digital Customer Experience, a category that highlights advancements in usability, personalization, and secure client interactions. The recognition is largely attributable to the firm’s proprietary platform tailored specifically for ultra-high-net-worth (UHNW) individuals and family offices.
This platform is designed to empower clients to manage their full financial ecosystem—from investment portfolios to liquidity management and payment execution—all through a single, integrated interface. It supports seamless digital interactions with Northern Trust advisors and third-party service providers, while also offering robust tools for monitoring investment performance, tracking historical cash flows, and generating detailed reports for family governance and fiduciary oversight.
Notably, the platform includes an enhanced money movement solution that integrates payment processing into the day-to-day operations of family offices. This streamlines treasury functions and reduces operational risk, ensuring that families can transact efficiently and securely, no matter how complex their financial needs.
“From our experience supporting sophisticated clients globally, we don’t just deliver technology—we provide digital tools that work where they matter most,” said Henry Johnson, Chief Operating Officer of Northern Trust Wealth Management. “Our focus is on combining intuitive design with powerful analytics to give clients and advisors the visibility and control they need in an increasingly complex financial environment.”
Embracing a Culture of Innovation
Winning both categories in the Wealth Tech Awards highlights Northern Trust’s broader commitment to innovation—a value deeply embedded in the company’s culture. With a history spanning over 130 years, the firm has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of its clients, adopting new technologies and frameworks without compromising its core principles of fiduciary responsibility and client-first service.
In recent years, Northern Trust has invested heavily in digital infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and cybersecurity to stay ahead of industry trends and regulatory requirements. The firm’s innovation roadmap is driven by client feedback, data science, and a cross-disciplinary team of technologists, product managers, and client advisors working in tandem to deliver next-generation solutions.
“Innovation doesn’t happen in a silo,” said Tyler. “It’s the result of deep collaboration between our internal experts and our clients, who help guide us toward what matters most in their financial lives. These awards reflect our relentless pursuit of excellence and our willingness to experiment, learn, and improve.”
Northern Trust has also partnered with fintech companies, academic institutions, and research labs to explore emerging technologies such as blockchain for asset servicing and machine learning for fraud detection and behavioral analytics. These initiatives ensure that the firm not only adapts to the digital age but also leads it.
A Global Footprint, A Personal Touch
Northern Trust’s wealth management division serves a global clientele that includes affluent individuals and families, family offices, endowments, foundations, and privately held businesses. As of March 31, 2025, the firm managed $446.9 billion in wealth assets. Despite its global scale, Northern Trust prides itself on delivering highly personalized service that reflects the unique values and priorities of each client.
“At the heart of our digital strategy is the idea that no two clients are alike,” said Johnson. “Our platforms are flexible enough to adapt to those differences, whether someone is managing intergenerational wealth, executing complex estate plans, or simply looking for real-time financial insights.”
The awards were presented at a formal ceremony in London on May 8, 2025, bringing together industry leaders and technology innovators from around the world. For Northern Trust, the recognition marks a meaningful milestone in a journey that is far from over.
About Northern Trust
Northern Trust Corporation (Nasdaq: NTRS) is a leading provider of wealth management, asset servicing, asset management and banking to corporations, institutions, affluent families and individuals. Founded in Chicago in 1889, Northern Trust has a global presence with offices in 24 U.S. states and Washington, D.C., and across 22 locations in Canada, Europe, the Middle East and the Asia-Pacific region. As of March 31, 2025, Northern Trust had assets under custody/administration of US$16.9 trillion, and assets under management of US$1.6 trillion. For more than 135 years, Northern Trust has earned distinction as an industry leader for exceptional service, financial expertise, integrity and innovation. Visit us on northerntrust.com. Follow us on Instagram @northerntrustcompany or Northern Trust on LinkedIn.
Northern Trust Corporation, Head Office: 50 South La Salle Street, Chicago, Illinois 60603 U.S.A., incorporated with limited liability in the U.S. Global legal and regulatory information can be found at https://www.northerntrust.com/terms-and-conditions.
