The offshore business of Old Mutual Wealth polled over 300 advisers from around the world and found that other early adopters of platforms included the Middle East (60%) and Asia (72%).
Mainland Europe, however, was found to be lagging, with only just over half of advisers (53%) claiming to have used online technology for new business.
UK advisers are also using the technology for the greatest proportion of their clients, with the survey finding 58% of UK advisers business was transacted online, compared to 13% in the Middle East, 15% in Europe and 19% in Asia.
Advisers across all regions predicted in the survey that the amount of business they place online is rising. According to the survey 66% of advisers believed the use of transact technologies would increase, with only a third expecting it to stay the same and less than 1% expecting it to decrease.
Out of those who said they expect it to increase, some said they expect it to ‘increase a lot’ – with advisers in the Middle East leading the way at 27%.
Skandia head of proposition marketing Phil Oxenham said that the firm has been developing and enhancing the online functionality for its offshore proposition, in anticipation that the demand for the technology “could increase significantly”.
He added: “The UK seems much further ahead in their use of technology compared to the other regions surveyed, and is testimony to how quickly and extensively advisers have adopted the use of platforms in the UK.
“Online technology can help support the adviser in all stages of the advice process, and can play a pivotal role in helping advisers run their business more efficiently and effectively.”
