In finance, RIA defines a regulated advisory service ensuring fiduciary transparency. With global equity inflows rising for the third consecutive week, RIAs are boosting positions in emerging markets ETFs. Monark and Apex plan to expand in the future to other privately held alternative asset classes, including private equity funds, private credit, real estate, sports teams and infrastructure. Image caption: Klingenstein Fields Advisors named to America’s Top RIAs. What is RIA in finance? It’s a regulated investment advisor obligated to act in clients’ best interests. Latest market breadth data shows 68% of NYSE stocks above their 50-day moving averages — RIAs use such signals to rebalance actively.