Santander Private Banking International continues to strengthen its Miami office, having hired André Schelbauer as Executive Director and Senior Banker, according to a LinkedIn post published by the Spanish-origin private banking division.
“We are pleased to announce that André Schelbauer has joined our Miami team as a Senior Banker. On behalf of the entire Santander Private Banking International team, we warmly welcome him,” the bank stated in its post.
“I’m pleased to share that I’m taking on a new role as Executive Director at Santander Private Banking International,” the private banker wrote on his personal LinkedIn profile.
Since 2022, Schelbauer had been working at JP Morgan Private Bank, also in Miami, where he was promoted to Executive Director last year. Previously, he worked in New York at Delta National Bank and Trust Company as Vice President of Business Development. In his native Brazil, he held a Senior Relationship Manager position at Banco Alfa and gained earlier experience in trading at Banco ABC Brasil and HSBC, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Schelbauer holds a degree in Business Administration from FAE Business School in Curitiba. He also holds the CPA-20 certification from ANBIMA, the CFP designation awarded by Planejar – the Brazilian Financial Planning Association, and FINRA Series 7 & 66 licenses.
According to experts, the recent weakening of the US dollar has real consequences for investment portfolios. As investors consider whether or not to make changes in terms of currency exposure, the debate over the dollar’s behavior remains open and vibrant.
In fact, the greenback posted a slight recovery yesterday after President Trump clarified he had no intention of removing Fed Chair Jerome Powell, easing concerns over the central bank’s independence. Additionally, a more conciliatory tone toward China helped revive risk sentiment, boosting demand for US assets and reducing appetite for emerging market currencies.
Lale Akoner, Global Markets Analyst at eToro, notes that in the current context, investors seeking better currency balance might want to diversify their FX exposure. “Holding wealth in a single currency concentrates risk. Some investors are allocating to euro-, yen-, or Swiss franc-denominated assets. Others are using international funds with currency-hedged share classes to broaden their safety net and neutralize FX risk. Alignment is key: US investors anticipating continued dollar weakness tend to avoid hedging to capture foreign gains, while European or UK investors with US assets may prefer hedging to mitigate FX losses,” says Akoner.
She highlights that during Q1 2025, the depreciation of the US dollar had a significant impact on Latin American currencies, driving widespread appreciation across the region. According to analysts, this trend is tied to factors such as uncertainty surrounding US trade policy under Donald Trump’s administration and expectations of interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve. So what’s happening with these currencies?
The Strength of the Mexican Peso
In this context, the performance of certain Latin American currencies stands out. For instance, earlier this week, the Mexican peso gained ground against the dollar, reaching multi-month highs, as investors responded to the greenback’s weakness.
“The Mexican peso has maintained a positive trend against the US dollar, trading below the 19.50 pesos per dollar zone. This appreciation has been driven by both external and internal factors, which have strengthened investor confidence in the national currency. In an uncertain global environment, the peso’s stability stands out as a sign of economic resilience and relative strength,” explains Antonio Di Giacomo, Financial Markets Analyst for LATAM at XS.
He adds that from a technical standpoint, the USD/MXN exchange rate is at a critical level. “The 19.50 mark acts as a key support, and a potential downward break is being closely watched, which could open the door for further peso appreciation. This technical outlook has become an additional factor fueling short-term positive expectations,” he notes.
However, according to Quasar Elizundia, Market Analysis Strategist at Pepperstone, the Latin currency could face headwinds. “In the US, easing fears of political interference in the Fed and renewed hopes of a trade truce between the US and China could boost the greenback.”
Elizundia points out that domestically, while Banxico’s relatively high benchmark interest rate and favorable interest rate differential continued to attract inflows, mixed data may cloud the peso’s trajectory. “Retail sales fell 1.1% year-over-year in February, a sharp reversal from the 2.7% increase in January. Although monthly growth remained marginally positive, the data confirmed a loss of household consumption momentum. This weakness coincided with the IMF’s downward revision of Mexico’s economic forecast, now expecting GDP to contract by 0.3% in 2025.”
Brazil, Chile, and Argentina: Advancing Against the Dollar
Looking at Brazil and Chile, the trend is similar. The Brazilian real appreciated by 1.01%, trading at 5.7055 per dollar, mainly strengthened by the global retreat of the dollar and expectations of interest rate cuts by the Central Bank of Brazil. Analysts add that a positive outlook for its trade balance also played a role, as rising export prices—especially commodities—have boosted foreign currency inflows. “However, the sustainability of this trend will depend on the country’s ability to address its fiscal challenges and control inflation, as well as on the global economic outlook,” they note.
Meanwhile, the Chilean peso rose 0.86%, trading at 918.80 per dollar, driven by higher copper prices—the country’s main export. As in Brazil, two other factors supported the currency: monetary policy and the dollar’s depreciation. In this regard, it’s notable that the Central Bank of Chile has maintained a restrictive monetary policy to control inflation, which has contributed to peso stability.
Finally, the appreciation of the Argentine peso reflects a different context. Following the liberalization of exchange controls, the peso showed an upward trend, trading around 1,088 pesos per dollar. According to experts, this appreciation was driven by the urgent need for local currency liquidity and by monetary policies implemented by President Javier Milei’s administration.
“The Argentine peso maintained its upward bias at the beginning of the week as the market adjusted following the recent exchange liberalization, showing an urgent need for local currency liquidity that encouraged the unwinding of dollarized positions. Traders agreed that the monetary policy implemented by ultraliberal President Javier Milei’s government is driving a sustained revaluation of the peso, approaching the central bank’s (BCRA) buying rate,” Reuters reported.
Colombian Peso: Going Against the Grain
On the flip side—quite literally—is the Colombian peso, which has weakened against the dollar and rising trade optimism. According to Elizundia from Pepperstone—a brokerage specializing in international financial and crypto markets—this midweek decline stemmed from both internal and external factors. “Locally, oil prices continued to fall amid signs that OPEC+ may further increase production. Falling oil prices directly harm Colombia’s terms of trade and fiscal outlook,” he explains.
Externally, he adds that the latest dollar rebound further weighed on the currency.
Finally, the analyst notes that looking ahead, all eyes are on next week’s interest rate decision. “After holding rates steady in the previous meeting, any rate cut could reduce the peso’s appeal and increase depreciation pressures,” Elizundia concludes.
The Dollar Loses Its Smile
According to Benoit Anne, Senior Managing Director of Strategy & Insights Group at MFS Investment Management, we are facing a new market paradigm in which the defensive characteristics of the US dollar are weakening. He notes that the DXY index has dropped to around 98.40—a level not seen since early 2022.
“The US dollar is much cheaper than it was a few months ago, but that doesn’t mean it’s historically cheap. If we look at the Fed’s broad real trade-weighted dollar index, the current level remains 17% above its 30-year average, indicating significant overvaluation. Overall, the current market environment does not seem favorable for the dollar, at least based on available information. This suggests that non-US assets could be well positioned to deliver better returns going forward,” Anne concludes.
Global cryptocurrency exchange OKX has formally launched its U.S. operations, introducing a centralized trading platform and self-custody Web3 wallet as part of a broader expansion strategy. The company has also appointed Roshan Robert as CEO of its U.S. division and established a regional headquarters in San Jose, California.
The exchange is now available to existing OKcoin users, who are being transitioned to the OKX platform. New customers will be onboarded in phases ahead of a nationwide rollout later this year. The platform offers a high-performance trading engine, competitive fee structure, deep liquidity, and integrated support for U.S. dollar deposits and withdrawals.
In addition to its exchange, OKX has launched a Web3 wallet aimed at simplifying digital asset management. The wallet supports more than 130 blockchains and allows users to conduct token swaps, transfer assets across chains, explore NFTs, and access decentralized applications—all within a single mobile or browser-based interface.
“With Roshan leading our US operations and our new San Jose headquarters, we’re reinforcing OKX’s commitment to regulatory excellence, responsible innovation and talent recruitment,” said Hong Fang, Global President of OKX.
Roshan Robert, who brings extensive experience in capital markets and regulatory strategy, will lead the company’s U.S. operations. His role will focus on advancing regulatory engagement and ensuring the development of compliant digital asset solutions.
“I’m excited to lead OKX’s efforts in the US and bring our customers a flexible, high-performance crypto experience,” Robert said.
To reinforce its commitment to transparency, OKX continues to publish monthly proof-of-reserve reports, independently verified by blockchain security firm Hacken. These reports confirm that customer assets held on the platform are fully backed.
The expansion positions OKX as a new competitor in the U.S. crypto market, offering institutional-grade infrastructure while navigating a regulatory environment that remains under active development.
Foto cedida. Wells Fargo vende su negocio de gestión de activos a GTCR LLC y Reverence Capital Partners
Every year, millions of eligible Americans miss out on valuable tax credits like the Earned Income Tax Credit —leaving billions unclaimed and families without crucial financial support. In 2021 alone, 22% of eligible households failed to claim the EITC, resulting in an estimated $8.2 billion left on the table.
To help close this gap, Prosperity Now and the Wells Fargo Foundation have awarded $200,000 in grants to 15 community-based organizations through the 2025 VITA Support Fund. These nonprofits will provide free, IRS-certified Volunteer Income Tax Assistance services in 12 U.S. markets, helping thousands of taxpayers file their returns and claim refundable credits like the EITC and Child Tax Credit.
“When we support community-based tax preparation, we’re not only helping families strengthen their financial footing, but we’re also keeping dollars circulation in local economies,” said Marisa Calderon, President & CEO of Prosperity Now.
The cost of professional tax preparation, which averages around $400 for basic returns, can be a financial hurdle for families earning between $20,000 and $60,000 annually. VITA programs eliminate that barrier by offering no-cost, accurate filing in trusted local settings.
The 15 funded organizations, chosen for their cultural competency and deep community roots, are expected to prepare over 20,000 tax returns in 2025. Collectively, their efforts are projected to return an estimated $25 million in refunds and credits to eligible households. Beyond tax season, many of these groups provide financial coaching, access to safe banking options, and assistance with public benefits.
“Supporting VITA programs is an important way we can make a difference on people’s path to financial security,” said Bonnie Wallace, head of financial health philanthropy at Wells Fargo.
The VITA Support Fund initiative underscores Prosperity Now and the Wells Fargo Foundation’s shared goal of expanding financial opportunity by investing in accessible, community-centered services.
The total unpredictability and the unprecedented policy shifts of the Trump administration, along with Europe’s seismic response to these, have led to a drastic reversal in investor sentiment and positioning in recent times. Experts at Xtrackers by DWS have identified several significant changes in performance and asset allocation, including that investors are moving away from U.S. equities and the Magnificent Seven toward regions previously “forgotten” and with low exposure such as, for example, Europe and China.
“There is a clear reversal in the European narrative following the elections in Germany and the change in the U.S. approach to the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. From our point of view, this makes the recent rally in Europe more than just a reversal effect. In times of high uncertainty, ETF flows seem to indicate that the market has finally heard the wake-up call for greater diversification beyond U.S. large caps,” they explain.
Chart: Relative performance versus the S&P 500 (last 12 months, total return in dollars)
U.S. equity ETFs are seeing a sharp drop in new inflows, as investors turn to European, global, and emerging market indices.
One of the main conclusions they draw is that the market inflection point could open opportunities to recalibrate portfolios, as these are experiencing a key reversal of the so-called “Trump Trade”, with a sharp drop in U.S. equities so far this year. In contrast, they point out that more attractive valuations of European equities, along with announcements of larger infrastructure and defense investments, have pushed markets upward in Europe. “This movement is supported by structural factors, such as the new uncertainties around AI and the capital expenditure (capex) investment story that comes with it, as well as the renewed fiscal momentum in Europe,” they clarify in their latest analysis.
At the same time, they believe that geopolitical tensions could make recalibrating risk exposure a priority: “For investors, this represents a window to reposition their portfolios, diversify beyond traditional winners and take advantage of evolving macroeconomic and thematic drivers. Several regions and sectors have been identified as structural laggards by investors (including Europe, China, and the world excluding the U.S.). With very low initial sentiment and a new geopolitical environment, these could become candidates for sustained recovery.”
The New Narrative: Europe’s “Whatever It Takes”
On one hand, the experts point out that a possible ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine is improving market sentiment, which contrasts with the urgency of EU members to substantially increase defense spending, with the goal of reducing their dependence on the U.S. “Germany has announced plans to make major investments in infrastructure and defense, financed through a relaxation of the debt brake and a special fund of 500 billion euros. This could increase indebtedness and the public debt ratio, but at the same time boost economic growth. Other EU countries are likely to follow this path,” they note as an example.
From the firm, they expect these measures to accelerate growth, especially starting next year. Xtrackers forecasts estimate that Germany will grow 0.4% in 2025 and 1.6% in 2026. For the Eurozone as a whole, they project growth of 1% in 2025 and 1.5% in 2026. Meanwhile, the ECB has further supported European markets with interest rate cuts, making equities more attractive compared to traditional savings products and, over time, easing the interest burden for companies.
Lastly, private consumption is beginning to recover thanks to a surprisingly strong labor market and declining inflation. Additionally, macroeconomic surprise indicators have turned positive for Europe. “We believe the euro could strengthen in the short and medium term. Moreover, European stocks, especially mid-caps, which have lagged in the recent rally, could benefit from the planned spending increase,” the analysts explained, adding that Europe’s macroeconomic momentum has become a tailwind for equities so far this year, while U.S. indicators have turned downward.
“Positive economic environment, positive risk appetite, positive structural factors (the historically forecasted higher EPS should drive superior profitability over the cycle, the adjusted valuation of Europe’s SME sector compared to large caps is below the historical average), greater domestic market exposure than large-cap companies,” conclude the experts at Xtrackers.
The ETF industry continued to deliver record-breaking numbers: in the United States, the sector received net inflows of $298 billion during the first quarter, according to ETFGI’s March 2025 report on the state of the ETF and ETP industry. The report highlights that this figure is the highest ever recorded, and that March marked the 35th consecutive month of net inflows. Will the spell be broken going forward?
“The S&P 500 Index fell 5.63% in March and we are down 4.27% YTD in 2025. Developed markets excluding the U.S. index dropped 0.36% in March and rose 5.70% in 2025. Denmark (-11.58%) and the United States (-6.34%) posted the largest declines among developed markets in March,” said Deborah Fuhr, managing partner, founder, and owner of ETFGI.
“The emerging markets index rose 0.65% in March and 0.91% over the course of 2025. The Czech Republic (+14.00%) and Greece (+13.13%) posted the highest gains among emerging markets in March,” she added.
As of the end of March, the ETF sector in the United States comprised 4,140 products, with assets totaling $10.40 trillion, from 384 providers listed across 3 exchanges.
In March alone, ETFs recorded net inflows of $96.24 billion. Equity ETFs registered net inflows of $41.56 billion, bringing total Q1 inflows to $108.53 billion—surpassing the $106.41 billion in net inflows during Q1 2024.
Fixed income ETFs brought in $11.43 billion in net inflows in March, raising total Q1 net inflows to $56.66 billion, well above the $31.68 billion recorded in the same quarter of 2024.
Commodity ETFs saw net inflows of $6.61 billion in March, pushing Q1 inflows to $11.74 billion, a turnaround from net outflows of $4.93 billion in Q1 2024. Meanwhile, active ETFs attracted $32.28 billion in net inflows during the month, with Q1 net inflows reaching $120.78 billion—nearly double the $63.23 billion seen in the same period of 2024.
The top 20 ETFs by new net assets collectively brought in $72.98 billion in March. The iShares Core S&P 500 ETF (IVV US) gathered $23.63 billion, the largest individual net inflow.
Finally, the top 10 ETPs by net assets collectively gathered $519.03 million in March. The MicroSectors FANG+ 3X Leveraged ETN (FNGB US) saw the largest individual net inflow, totaling $186.27 million.
During March, investors favored investments in equity ETFs/ETPs, the report states.
The tax efficiency offered by ETFs has made them the preferred structure for advisors. Given the rising wealth of U.S. retail investors, advisors are expected to continue focusing more on tax-minimizing solutions, and the transfer of assets from separately managed accounts (SMA) to the ETF structure may be one of the components, according to the study The Cerulli Edge–The Americas Asset and Wealth Management Edition.
In 2017, 29% of practices focused on high-net-worth (HNW) clients—those serving households with $5 million or more in investable assets—offered guidance on tax planning. That proportion had increased to 45% in 2023.
In a 2024 Cerulli survey, HNW firm executives ranked tax minimization first, alongside wealth preservation, as the goals they perceived as most important for their clients: 73% rated them as very important.
Beyond tax efficiency, operational efficiency—including cost—is a critical component of SMA-to-ETF conversions. “The use of the ETF structure can enable more agile security purchases and avoids the need to distribute them across accounts, a challenge that grows along with the number of accounts, the complexity of the strategy, and the lowering of the minimums to access SMAs,” says Daniil Shapiro, director at the Boston-based international consultancy Cerulli.
“Even if these ETFs are intended solely for the firm’s clients, the ETF structure solves a major operational challenge. It has been suggested that ETFs can help an advisor generate hundreds of thousands in cost savings,” he adds.
The addressable market for SMAs and other advisor-managed securities to be converted into ETFs remains difficult to define at this early stage. The Cerulli study estimates that the total figure for the SMA sector stands at $2.7 trillion, of which more than half ($1.6 trillion) corresponds to wirehouses, and another $484 billion to the RIA channel.
However, according to the study, 45% of advisors report using separately managed accounts, compared to 90% who use the ETF structure.
The average SMA allocation for an advisor is 7.7%, although it declines rapidly for lower-market-base practices. Advisors with $500 million or more in practice assets report a considerable allocation of 12%, which they plan to increase to 15% by 2026.
“It is possible that, although initial discussions around conversion focus on the benefits for RIAs, there is a broader group in the wirehouse channel,” notes Shapiro.
Cerulli states that the main challenges for these conversions will be price and scale. With ETF launch costs and annual operating costs running into hundreds of thousands of dollars each, wealth management firms will need to contribute significant assets for each ETF conversion to make it attractive,” says the Cerulli director.
The consulting firm believes there is a significant opportunity for white-label providers and ETF issuers to offer support to RIAs and other clients in the wealth management segment interested in launching their own ETF product or converting.
The industry’s attention around direct indexing has surged over the past five years. However, adoption of these solutions among financial advisors has yet to match the perceived popularity across the wealth management landscape, according to the report The Cerulli Edge–U.S. Managed Accounts Edition.
According to the Boston-based global consultancy, overall demand for separately managed accounts (SMAs)—including direct indexing strategies—remains high throughout the wealth management sector.
At the end of 2024, direct indexing assets totaled $864.3 billion, compared to $9.4 trillion in indexed ETFs and $6.6 trillion in mutual funds. Adoption of direct indexing models remains low at $17.2 billion, but this has more than tripled since Q4 2021.
About half of distribution executives in 2024 cited model-based SMAs (53%) and manager-directed SMAs (44%) as the most in-demand products for wirehouses and broker/dealers.
While demand is not as strong among independent registered investment advisors (RIAs)—with 27% demand for model-based and 34% for manager-directed—there is still substantial interest in these strategies.
By the end of 2024, direct indexing strategies accounted for 37.6% of manager-traded assets declared by SMA asset managers, more than doubling since 2020.
Although the sector has seen strong growth in direct indexing, there is still a long way to go, as only a small segment of financial advisors has adopted the solution.
In 2024, 18% of advisors reported using direct indexing strategies, up from 16% in 2023. More than a quarter of advisors (26%) choose not to use it despite having access to the strategy, and 12% do not know what direct indexing is.
“Advisor education is crucial for adoption, as it’s unlikely that advisors will recommend direct indexing strategies to their clients if they don’t fully understand them,” explained Michael Manning, research analyst at Cerulli.
“Wealth and asset managers who want advisors to adopt these solutions must make a concerted effort to educate them on potential use cases, added benefits, and the tax optimization element,” he added.
Although both the buzz around direct indexing and the interest from industry firms are significant, it’s important to remember that the core goal of these strategies is to deliver better outcomes for clients to help them meet their objectives.
“As the industry evolves and product innovation moves rapidly, stakeholders must continue to monitor how their offerings fit into the changing ecosystem,” said Manning. “Both wealth and asset managers are working to add these capabilities to their platforms, so adoption is likely to be uneven, and firms that create the best advisory experiences will gain market share,” he concluded.
The gathering took place at Hutong Miami. And the industry said “present!”
Karim Aryeh and Miguel Zablah, members of the CAIA Florida Board of Directors, organized the Spring 2025 networking event, which once again brought together around one hundred professionals from the alternative investment sector in the city of Miami.
Sponsored by CORPAG and with Funds Society as media partner, industry participants shared an afternoon at Hutong, the venue specialized in Northern Chinese cuisine, where they met and networked.
Karim Aryeh, executive of CAIA’s Florida chapter and director at Deutsche Bank, was in charge of welcoming the attendees. In a brief speech, he reminded everyone that the Chartered Alternative Investment Analyst Association has 13,000 members in various parts of the world, more than 400 of whom are based in the state of Florida.
Aryeh emphasized CAIA’s primary mission: to promote education and transparency within the sector, and to build a community of professionals in the alternative investment industry.
Then, Enrique Travieso, Managing Director at CORPAG, introduced the company and its financial and trust services. He also announced that the firm has appointed a new director in Mexico.
In that setting, surrounded by appetizers and great company, industry professionals made new connections within South Florida’s investment community.
CAIA Florida, founded in 2016, has the mission of growing, strengthening, and promoting education in alternative investments and fostering networking among local investment communities throughout the state.
SK Capital Partners has appointed John Novak as Managing Director and Head of Business Development. In this role, Novak will lead efforts to identify and execute new investment opportunities, working closely with the firm’s teams to support ongoing growth.
“I am excited to join SK Capital and look forward to working alongside the firm’s talented team to help drive continued growth and success,” said Novak.
Bringing over 20 years of experience in private equity and investment banking, Novak has a strong background in strategic relationship-building and deal sourcing.
Before joining SK Capital, Novak served as Managing Director at Paine Schwartz Partners, where he led business development and capital markets initiatives, overseeing a robust pipeline of new investments. His earlier experience includes roles at Swander Pace Capital and Banc of America Securities.
“John has a proven track record of building strong relationships and identifying compelling opportunities that align closely with SK Capital’s investment strategy,” said Mario Toukan, Managing Director of SK Capital.
