The European Accessibility Act becomes enforceable on 28th June 2025 and introduces harmonized digital accessibility standards across the EU. While commonly associated with eCommerce and public services, the directive also applies to financial services, including asset management firms offering investor-facing digital platforms.
From compliance risks and ESG alignment to user experience enhancements, here are 10 key accessibility requirements every asset manager needs to understand and act on.
1. The European Accessibility Act Applies to Asset Managers
Although ‘asset management’ isn’t explicitly named in the European Accessibility Act, firms offering digital interfaces for investment, reporting, or account access fall under the directive’s banking and financial services scope.
If your platform includes dashboards and client portals, the law likely applies to you.
2. WCAG 2.1 AA Is the Required Accessibility Standard
The directive references the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), specifically version 2.1 at Level AA.
These standards ensure that websites and applications are perceivable, operable, understandable, and robust for users with and without disabilities, including those using assistive technology like screen readers or voice commands.
3. Digital Accessibility Covers More Than Just Websites
The Act covers more than just public-facing websites. It applies to any digital service that investors use, including secure client portals, fund dashboards, online account tools, digital onboarding platforms, and even downloadable PDFs like fund factsheets and reports.
4. Financial Data Must Be Perceivable
Data-heavy environments like fund dashboards must be accessible. Use clear fonts, adequate contrast in tables, and include alt text for charts or infographics. Video content, such as market briefings or investor updates, should include captions or transcripts.
5. Operability Means Keyboard Navigation and Flexible Timers
Users must be able to navigate digital platforms using only a keyboard, with no mouse required. Interactive tools such as risk calculators or trading forms must allow sufficient time for completion or the ability to pause.
This supports users with motor impairments and aging populations.
6. Use Plain Language to Improve Understandability
Now, this is a tricky one. Many asset managers are used to the vast amount of data and industry-specific jargon used to communicate complex investment strategies, regulatory disclosures, and fund performance. While the European Accessibility Act doesn’t specifically call out asset management, minimizing cognitive load can help firms remain compliant.
This includes:
- Using plain, concise language in fund documents and interfaces
- Provide clear executive summaries
- Minimize jargon where possible
- Label navigation elements and form fields clearly
These practices enhance clarity for all investors, not just those with disabilities.
7. Ensure Robust Compatibility Across Devices and Assistive Technologies
Robustness refers to how well your content works across different browsers, devices, and assistive technologies. To support dynamic elements like live fund performance charts or interactive tools, ensure compatibility with screen readers, voice recognition tools, and ARIA markup.
While the following 3 points aren’t necessary compliance requirements, they’re still just as important as the previous ones on our list.
8. Non-compliance Carries Real Financial and Reputational Risk
Penalties vary by country: Italy may impose fines up to 5% of annual revenue, Germany enforces daily penalties, and France may fine up to €50,000. Additionally, failure to comply risks reputational damage and misalignment with ESG commitments, particularly the ‘Social’ dimension.
9. Accessibility is a Competitive Advantage
Accessibility enhances usability for aging clients, supports diverse investor needs, and improves SEO by making content more structured and discoverable. It also demonstrates leadership in digital inclusion, helping firms differentiate in a competitive marketplace.
10. Act Now Before the Act is Enforced
While the deadline of 28 June 2025 may seem distant, remediation takes time. Start with a WCAG audit of your investor-facing tools, create a roadmap for implementation, train internal teams, and consult accessibility specialists to guide you.
The bottom line
Accessibility is no longer optional. For asset managers, the European Accessibility Act introduces a unique opportunity to align compliance with client-centric design, ESG strategy, and competitive differentiation.
Firms that act early will be better positioned to serve all investors while minimizing legal and reputational risks.
Written by Suzy Beech
