LPL Financial topped Financial Planning's 2026 ranking of the 10 fastest growing independent brokerages, growing revenue 37.2% to nearly $17 billion, helped by the Commonwealth Financial Network acquisition and recruiting wins like Prudential Advisors. 

Arkadios Capital placed second with 30.5% growth, followed by Prospera Financial Services at 24.4%, IFP at 23.8%, and Arete Wealth rounding out the top five at 23.0%. Kingswood Capital Partners, J.W. Cole Financial, Packerland Brokerage Services, Cambridge Investment Research and Northwestern Mutual filled out the remaining five spots, with growth rates ranging from 22.3% down to 15.0%. 

That raises a real question for firms further down the list, since those that have built genuine organic growth engines, through consistent referral programs and early relationship building with prospects, are better positioned to keep growing once the market eventually turns.

Finsum: Rising asset values doing much of the work behind these numbers industry wide, the firms with genuine organic growth engines look best positioned once markets eventually turn.