IBD Elite 2026: Ranking of Top Independent Brokerages

The IBD Elite 2026 study, published Aug. 18, 2026, ranks 37 independent broker-dealers based on each firm’s reported annual revenue. The report compiles firms’ revenue figures and related data into a printable PDF that users can download.

The PDF contains multiple tables that break down advisory fees, commissions and other revenue categories for every firm in the list. It also includes six exclusive top-10 rankings: revenue growth, payout growth, advisor headcount growth, firms with the largest share of advisory business, firms with the highest percentage of women among producing registered representatives, and firms with the largest volume of client account assets. Each table shows the firm-by-firm figures used to build those lists.

An interactive version of the IBD Elite data is available for users who want to sort and filter the results. The ranking is paired with a feature titled ‘The cryptic costs of clearing and custody for advisors,’ which examines fees and operational costs that affect independent broker-dealers and advisors.

The IBD Elite series is produced annually and relies on firms’ self-reported revenue to measure the size and revenue composition of wealth-management businesses across independent brokerages. The printable materials include the numeric breakdowns that supported the 2026 rankings.