Advisor.com, an online platform designed to connect individuals with financial advice, has announced a strategic business partnership with WSJ Buy Side, The Wall Street Journal’s commerce site. This collaboration aims to link WSJ readers with fiduciary financial advisors through a program where the WSJ Buy Side editorial team provides independent reviews and recommendations of financial products and services.
Under this arrangement, Advisor.com will facilitate the monetization of some of these reviews and recommendations. These reviews are developed independently by WSJ Buy Side and are separate from Advisor.com and its commercial partners. Advisor.com utilizes AI-powered advisor-matching technology to pair investors with vetted fiduciary advisors, aligning with their specific investment goals and preferences. The platform features firms such as Creative Planning, Edelman Financial Engines, Empower, Pure Financial, and Vanguard.
Advisor.com’s platform employs a rigorous vetting process for advisors, evaluating factors including regulatory history, assets under management, client ratios, and third-party reviews. The company, headquartered in Charleston, S.
C., recently secured a $9 million seed funding round.
This funding round was led by Walkabout Ventures, with participation from Long Ridge Private Equity Partners Founder and Managing Partner Jim Brown. Advisor.com plans to allocate this investment towards expanding its marketplace by accelerating customer acquisition, enhancing its AI-powered advisor-matching technology, and broadening its network of advisors.
Hunter Stunzi, founder of Advisor.com, stated, “We’re proud to be a WSJ Buy Side partner, aligning our innovative company with one of the leading brands in finance as we advance our mission to connect thoughtful investors with fiduciary financial advisors.”
Beyond its core marketplace, Advisor.com also operates Advisor Wealth Management (AWM), a Registered Investment Advisor (RIA) that combines AI capabilities with human advisor interaction to support households seeking financial guidance. For users, WSJ reader information remains confidential, and there is no obligation to engage with any advisor.
