RBC Wealth Management, Royal Trust

What RBC Wealth Management, Royal Trust does

RBC Royal Trust is the trust, estate, and fiduciary services division of RBC Wealth Management, a subsidiary of Royal Bank of Canada (TSX: RY). Established in 1899 and headquartered in Toronto, the unit delivers estate administration, trust creation and management, power of attorney for property, registered plans trustee services, retirement compensation arrangements, escrow services, philanthropic services (private foundations and donor-advised funds), and specialized Indigenous wealth services to individuals, families, businesses, and Indigenous communities across Canada. Service delivery is anchored by professional advisors located in offices throughout Canada, employing a relationship-based model that emphasizes in-depth knowledge of trust, estate, and tax law.

The product portfolio comprises nine core service lines plus two digital/client-engagement assets: 'Artie, the Executor Helper', a guided tool for executors navigating estate administration, and 'RBC Royal Trust Online', a secure platform for clients to manage trust and estate accounts. These digital tools are integrated with RBC's broader digital banking and wealth management infrastructure. Public-facing thought leadership is anchored by the Matters Beyond Wealth podcast, hosted by President and CEO Leanne Kaufman, and an educational video series produced in partnership with David Chilton (The Wealthy Barber).

Revenue is generated through fees for fiduciary services (estate administration, trust management, power of attorney, wealth transfer) and managed-services fees for corporate registered plans. Pricing is not publicly disclosed; services are quoted on a tailored basis via professional advisors. As a division of a publicly traded Canadian bank holding CDIC and CIPF memberships, RBC Royal Trust operates within a regulated fiduciary framework and benefits from cross-referral with RBC Dominion Securities, RBC PH&N Investment Counsel, and RBC Private Banking.

Name

RBC Wealth Management, Royal Trust

Legal name

Royal Bank of Canada

Website

https://estateandtrust.rbcwealthmanagement.com

Company type

Public

Founded year

1899

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

RBC Royal Trust, the trust and fiduciary services division of Royal Bank of Canada's wealth arm, provides estate administration, trust management, power of attorney, registered plans, escrow, philanthropic, and Indigenous wealth services to individuals, families, businesses, and Indigenous communities across Canada.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Trust and Estate Services

NAICS

Trust, Fiduciary, and Custody Activities (523991), Trusts, Estates, and Agency Accounts (52592)

akta.pro primary industry

Personal & Family Trust Services (FSAAANAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Trust Administration & Fiduciary Accounting Services (FSAAANAF), Personal Trust & Fiduciary Administration (FSAEAKAA), Estate Planning, Trust Structuring & Governance (FSAAADAF), Trust & Estate Tax Planning & Compliance (FSAEAKAE), Philanthropic & Charitable Trust Services (FSAAANAI), Corporate & Institutional Trust Services (FSAAANAB)

Keywords

• Trust services
• Estate administration
• Fiduciary services
• Wealth management
• Incapacity planning

Headquarters

HQ city

Various cities across Canada

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Trust and Estate Services Fees: RBC Royal Trust generates revenue through fees for fiduciary services including estate administration, trust management, power of attorney services, and related wealth transfer services. These services are provided by skilled specialists who charge for professional expertise in trust, estate and tax law matters.
2. Registered Plans Trustee Services: Revenue from creating and managing registered contribution plans to support retirement and other savings goals for employees of corporate clients.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

RBC Wealth Management's Royal Trust division provides trustee, estate administration, and incapacity (power of attorney / living trust) services to individuals, families, business owners, and Indigenous communities across Canada. Core offerings include acting as executor or trustee for wills and trusts, administering estates after death, managing trusts during a settlor's lifetime, and providing substitute decision-making services for clients who become incapacitated.

Product overview

RBC Royal Trust operates as part of RBC Wealth Management, offering a suite of trust, estate, and incapacity services for individuals, families, and businesses. The portfolio includes core service offerings such as Estate Solutions, Trust Solutions, Power of Attorney for Property, Indigenous Wealth Services, Registered Plans Trustee Services, Retirement Compensation Arrangements, Escrow Services, and Philanthropic Services. These services are complemented by digital tools like Artie the Executor Helper and the Matters Beyond Wealth Podcast. The company provides specialized advisory services and fiduciary capabilities, with professionals located across Canada serving clients since 1899.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Estate Administration Services

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• David Chilton (The Wealthy Barber)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerRBC Royal Trust collaborated with David Chilton, author of The Wealthy Barber, to create 'The Wealthy Barber's estate planning essentials' video series. This educational partnership focuses on helping Canadians understand estate planning fundamentals including power of attorney and executor responsibilities.
• Canada Deposit Insurance Corporation (CDIC)minorOthersCDIC is a federal Crown corporation that protects eligible deposits up to $100,000. RBC Royal Trust, as part of RBC, is a CDIC member institution providing deposit protection for clients.
• Canadian Investor Protection Fund (CIPF)minorOthersCIPF is a not-for-profit organization that protects clients of CIPF member firms against insolvency. RBC Dominion Securities and related RBC wealth management entities are CIPF members.

Scale indicators2 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Investments Canada: A major global investment firm with substantial Canadian operations offering mutual funds, ETFs, and wealth management services. Broad incumbent with overlapping HNW client base and adjacent estate planning capabilities, though not a pure-play trust company.
• IG Wealth Management: One of Canada's largest wealth management firms (formerly Investors Group) offering financial planning, investment, and estate planning services. Broad incumbent with overlapping HNW client base and adjacent estate-related offerings, though broader in scope than pure trust services.
• Northern Trust: A major US-headquartered financial services firm specializing in personal trust, estate administration, and wealth management for ultra-HNW individuals and families globally. Broad incumbent whose core trust and fiduciary capabilities closely mirror RBC Royal Trust's mandate, with international scale as a differentiator.

Direct peers

• BMO Trust Company: The trust services arm of Bank of Montreal, one of Canada's Big 5 banks. BMO Trust Company offers personal trust, estate administration, and power of attorney services to Canadian HNW individuals and families — directly comparable to RBC Royal Trust's core offering.
• Manulife Trust Company: Manulife Trust Company provides trust, estate, and agency services in Canada, including registered plan trustee services similar to RBC Royal Trust's offering. Directly comparable as a Canada-domiciled trust company serving overlapping HNW and business client segments.
• Scotiabank (Scotia Wealth / Scotia Trust): Scotiabank's wealth management division includes trust and estate administration services for HNW clients. Directly comparable as the trust services arm of another Big 5 Canadian bank with similar product breadth and customer segments.
• CIBC Trust Corporation: The trust services subsidiary of the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce, offering personal trust, estate settlement, and fiduciary services. Directly comparable to RBC Royal Trust in scale, scope, and client base within another Big 5 Canadian bank.
• TD Wealth (Private Trust Services): TD Bank's Private Trust services provide estate administration, trustee, and power of attorney services to HNW Canadian clients through its wealth management division. Directly comparable as another Big 5 Canadian bank trust competitor.

Emerging players

• Wealthsimple: Canada's largest digital wealth management platform offering investing, savings, tax, and increasingly estate planning features. Emerging player with potential to disrupt traditional trust services through lower-cost, digital-first delivery to younger HNW and mass-affluent Canadians.
• Willful: A Canadian online estate planning platform offering wills, power of attorney documents, and estate planning resources at significantly lower price points than traditional trust companies. Emerging player addressing the commoditized end of the estate planning market that Royal Trust also serves.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/rbc-wealth-management-estate-and-trust-services

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about RBC Wealth Management, Royal Trust