The Retail Investor Champions: Investment Trusts 2026
Boring Money extends its Rated methodology to investment trusts for the first time. Here are the entries that judges felt set the bar for retail investor engagement.
Why we rated investment trusts this year
Since launching our Best Buy Awards in 2019, Boring Money has built a strong track record of independent, consumer-facing recognition, with coverage across homepages, newspapers, billboards, the tube, and TV. Our various logos continue to be one of the most trusted signals for consumers.
This year, we have extended that validation to the investment trust sector, helping everyday investors identify trusts that are well-governed, deliver credible performance, and go the extra mile to engage and communicate with retail investors.
Below, we showcase the standout submissions we received, with providers winning a Retail Investor Champion logo, highlighting examples of best-practice investment communications from the industry.
The Retail Investor Champion
The Boring Money Retail Investor Champion logo recognises trusts that go beyond performance to communicate clearly and engage meaningfully with everyday investors. Six firms stood out in this category: 3i Infrastructure, Cordiant Digital Infrastructure, Columbia Threadneedle (F&C Investment Trust), Allianz Global Investors (The Merchants Trust), Schroders (Schroder Asian Total Return), and Franklin Templeton (TEMIT).
3i Infrastructure
A digital-first annual report
3i Infrastructure's online annual report impressed judges as a helpful microsite with strong digital-first communications. The interactive report is largely engaging, and the portfolio breakdown is clear and visual, structured around the megatrends shaping the company's investment decisions.
Cordiant Digital Infrastructure
Breaking the standard template
Judges felt Cordiant's investor factsheet broke the standard template and showed the art of the possible. The website presents key investor information clearly and makes it easy to find, and the case studies bring the portfolio to life with genuine impact.
F&C Investment Trust
Setting the bar for multi-channel engagement
F&C delivered great editorial content in national newspapers alongside a rare foray into TikTok and live podcasts. Fantastic engagement across multiple channels means this trust sets the bar for communications and engagement in the sector.
The Merchants Trust
Interactive reporting done well
The Merchants Trust's annual reports are interactive and engaging, with very clear, up-to-date financial highlights. Its podcast and video content is dynamic and current, and the Stock Stories series conveys investment insight in an engaging, informal way, backed by a strong portfolio visual.
Schroder Asian Total Return
Innovating with AI content
A helpful and clear annual results summary email was paired with AI avatar video content that judges found particularly innovative in appealing to a wider, younger audience.
Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust
Thinking outside the box
Templeton Emerging Markets Investment Trust impressed with innovative efforts to inform and engage, and strong, consistent messaging throughout. The World Cup quiz was a particularly creative entry, showing genuine care and thought in how information is communicated. The Test Before You Invest calculator added a further layer of practical engagement.
About Boring Money Rated
Boring Money's research is independent, impartial and underpinned by the voice of the customer. These are the first-year standouts as our investment trust methodology beds in, recognising the firms doing the most to put retail investors first.
Find out how trusts are assessed by getting in touch with our commercial team.
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