# Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc.

> Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment advisory firm in Charlotte, NC, registered since 2005, reporting over $5 billion in regulatory assets under management in its Form ADV filing dated March 23, 2026.

- CRD: 133204
- Filed as: WELLS FARGO INVESTMENT INSTITUTE, INC.
- Also doing business as: EQUITY OPTIMIZATION, FIXED INCOME STRATEGIES TEAM, GLOBAL ASSET ALLOCATION, GLOBAL INVESTMENT STRATEGY, GLOBAL MANAGER RESEARCH, GLOBAL PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT, GLOBAL SECURITIES RESEARCH, OPTION STRATEGIES GROUP
- Registration: SEC-registered investment adviser (status as filed: Approved)
- Location: Charlotte, NC
- Filing period: October 2026
- Form ADV filing dated: March 23, 2026
- SEC record (IAPD): https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/133204
- AdvisorCensus page: https://advisorcensus.com/firm/wells-fargo-investment-institute-inc-charlotte-nc-133204

## Quick answers

**How is Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. compensated?**
On its Form ADV (Item 5.E, October 2026), Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. reports these compensation arrangements: a percentage of assets under its management; fixed fees (other than subscription fees). The amounts are in Item 5 of its Form ADV Part 2A brochure.

**Where is Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. located?**
Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc.'s principal office is in Charlotte, NC, according to its Form ADV; the April 2026 filing also lists 2 other offices (Schedule D, Section 1.F).

**Is Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. registered with the SEC or a state?**
Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. is an SEC-registered investment advisory firm, registered since 2005. Status as filed: Approved. CRD 133204.

**How much does Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. manage?**
Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. reports $42,995,068,741 in regulatory assets under management in its Form ADV filing dated March 23, 2026 (100% discretionary).

**How have Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc.'s assets and staff changed since 2021?**
In the Form ADV data for Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc.: Regulatory assets under management: $5,906,913,746 in the October 2021 data and $42,995,068,741 in the October 2026 data, up 628%. Total employees: 143 in October 2021 and 225 in October 2026. Assets under management move with markets as well as with clients coming and going.

**What types of clients does Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. serve?**
By number of clients on Form ADV Item 5.D: high net worth individuals (11,004); other (748); individuals (other than high net worth individuals) (177).

**Which custodians does Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. use?**
Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc.'s most recent Form ADV filing (Schedule D, Section 5.K(3)) lists Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (affiliated with the firm) as a custodian holding 10% or more of its separately managed account assets.

**Does Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. report any disciplinary disclosures?**
Reports 12 disclosure items on Form ADV Item 11: yes answers to 9 questions about regulatory matters and 3 questions about civil court matters (11.C(1), 11.C(2), 11.C(4), 11.C(5), 11.D(1), 11.D(2), 11.D(3), 11.D(4), 11.E(2), 11.H(1)(b), 11.H(1)(c), 11.H(2)). Each question covers the firm and its advisory affiliates, and one event can produce several yes answers. The detail of any item is on the firm's SEC record: https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/133204

**What changed in Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc.'s recent Form ADV filings?**
In the April 2026 filing data: Employees performing advisory functions went from 151 to 143. No longer lists an office in Denver, CO. No longer lists an office in Jacksonville, FL.

## From the Form ADV filing

### Compensation (Item 5.E)
- A percentage of assets under your management
- Fixed fees (other than subscription fees)

### Custodians (Schedule D, Section 5.K(3))
- Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. (affiliated with the firm)

Custodians holding 10% or more of the firm's separately managed account assets, as filed on Form ADV (Schedule D, Section 5.K(3)). A custodian holds client assets; it does not endorse or supervise the firm. AdvisorCensus has no relationship with any custodian.

### Regulatory assets under management (Item 5.F)
- Total: $42,995,068,741
- Discretionary: $42,995,068,741
- Non-discretionary: $0

### Clients (Item 5.D)

| Client type | Clients | Assets |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Individuals (other than high net worth individuals) | 177 | $104,574,611 |
| High net worth individuals | 11,004 | $34,695,681,732 |
| Banking or thrift institutions | 1 | $0 |
| Pension and profit sharing plans (but not the plan participants or government pension plans) | 11 | $37,859,091 |
| Charitable organizations | 114 | $369,498,380 |
| State or municipal government entities (including government pension plans) | 32 | $357,138,054 |
| Other investment advisers | 2 | $0 |
| Corporations or other businesses not listed above | 127 | $2,665,737,999 |
| Other | 748 | $4,764,578,874 |

### Advisory services (Item 5.G)
- Portfolio management for individuals and/or small businesses
- Portfolio management for businesses (other than small businesses) or institutional clients
- Selection of other advisers (including private fund managers)
- Publication of periodicals or newsletters

### Firm details
- Registered since: 2005 (21 years)
- Employees: 225 total, 143 performing advisory functions
- Wrap fee program participation: Yes
- States registered or notice-filed: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CA, CO, CT, DC, DE, FL, GA, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NH, NJ, NM, NV, NY, OH, OK, OR, PA, PR, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VI, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
- Disclosures (Item 11): Reports 12 disclosure items on Form ADV Item 11.

### Item 11 questions answered yes
- 11.C(1): Has the SEC or the CFTC ever found that the firm or an advisory affiliate made a false statement or omission?
- 11.C(2): Has the SEC or the CFTC ever found that the firm or an advisory affiliate was involved in a violation of SEC or CFTC regulations or statutes?
- 11.C(4): Has the SEC or the CFTC ever entered an order against the firm or an advisory affiliate in connection with investment-related activity?
- 11.C(5): Has the SEC or the CFTC ever imposed a civil money penalty on the firm or an advisory affiliate, or ordered the firm or an advisory affiliate to cease and desist from an activity?
- 11.D(1): Has another federal regulator, a state regulator, or a foreign financial regulator ever found that the firm or an advisory affiliate made a false statement or omission, or was dishonest, unfair, or unethical?
- 11.D(2): Has another federal regulator, a state regulator, or a foreign financial regulator ever found that the firm or an advisory affiliate was involved in a violation of investment-related regulations or statutes?
- 11.D(3): Has another federal regulator, a state regulator, or a foreign financial regulator ever found that the firm or an advisory affiliate was a cause of an investment-related business having its authorization to do business denied, suspended, revoked, or restricted?
- 11.D(4): In the past ten years, has another federal regulator, a state regulator, or a foreign financial regulator entered an order against the firm or an advisory affiliate in connection with investment-related activity?
- 11.E(2): Has a self-regulatory organization or a commodities exchange ever found that the firm or an advisory affiliate was involved in a violation of its rules, other than a minor rule violation under a plan the SEC approved?
- 11.H(1)(b): Has a domestic or foreign court ever found that the firm or an advisory affiliate was involved in a violation of investment-related statutes or regulations?
- 11.H(1)(c): Has a domestic or foreign court ever dismissed, under a settlement agreement, an investment-related civil action brought against the firm or an advisory affiliate by a state or foreign financial regulator?
- 11.H(2): Is the firm or an advisory affiliate now the subject of a civil proceeding that could result in a yes answer to any part of 11.H(1)?

Each question covers the firm and its advisory affiliates: its current employees other than clerical staff, its officers, partners, and directors, and anyone who controls the firm or is controlled by it. One event can produce yes answers to several questions. SEC-registered advisers and exempt reporting advisers may leave out events more than ten years old, and may answer 11.A(2) and 11.B(2) for pending charges only. The detail of each yes answer is on the firm's SEC record: https://adviserinfo.sec.gov/firm/summary/133204

### Other offices (Schedule D, Section 1.F), as of the April 2026 filing
- Minneapolis, MN
- Saint Louis, MO

## Assets and staff over time

| Data period | Regulatory assets under management | Employees | Filing dated |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| October 2021 | $5,906,913,746 | 143 | September 29, 2021 |
| October 2022 | $51,248,339,997 | 212 | June 16, 2022 |
| October 2023 | $38,123,578,794 | 264 | October 2, 2023 |
| October 2024 | $43,998,251,201 | 251 | April 29, 2024 |
| October 2025 | $40,817,738,378 | 233 | July 1, 2025 |
| October 2026 | $42,995,068,741 | 225 | March 23, 2026 |

Regulatory assets under management: $5,906,913,746 in the October 2021 data and $42,995,068,741 in the October 2026 data, up 628%.
Total employees: 143 in October 2021 and 225 in October 2026.

## Changes in the filing (last 12 months)

### April 2026
- Employees performing advisory functions went from 151 to 143.
- No longer lists an office in Denver, CO.
- No longer lists an office in Jacksonville, FL.

### December 2025
- Updated its list of owners and control persons (Schedule A).

## Source

Form ADV as filed, October 2026. Values appear as filed. Cite as: AdvisorCensus. Wells Fargo Investment Institute, Inc. (CRD 133204): Form ADV filing data as of October 2026.