London, Feb 12, 2026, 09:26 GMT — Market open
- Aviva shares edged up in early London trading following two days of losses
- Aviva Investors announced plans to collaborate with Ripple on tokenised fund structures built on the XRP Ledger
- Aviva also highlighted a quicker path for smaller pension schemes to shift to buy-out
Aviva (AV.L) shares inched up 0.2% to 622.4 pence by 0917 GMT on Thursday, trading between 620.6p and 629.6p. 1
The gain was small but ended a brief slide. Aviva dropped 2.95% on Feb. 10, then slid an additional 0.61% on Feb. 11, with shares still trying to stabilize in the latter part of February. 2
The wider insurance sector stumbled as AI buzz spooked the market. European insurers dropped Tuesday, following a steep selloff in U.S. insurance brokers. Aviva was among the losers. Dan Coatsworth, head of markets at AJ Bell, dismissed the moves as “knee-jerk reactions.” 3
Macro noise is weighing on things. Britain’s economy expanded just 0.1% in Q4, falling short of the 0.2% predicted by a Reuters poll. Official data also revealed business investment dropped nearly 3%. Luke Bartholomew, deputy chief economist at Aberdeen, noted that “sentiment turned a corner” after last year’s budget but cautioned the recovery might not last. 4
Against that backdrop, Aviva Investors announced a partnership with Ripple on Wednesday to tokenise traditional fund structures using the XRP Ledger — effectively putting fund units on the blockchain. Jill Barber, Aviva Investors’ chief distribution officer, highlighted the potential for “time and cost efficiency.” Ripple’s Nigel Khakoo added that tokenisation is shifting from “experimentation” toward “large-scale production.” 5
Aviva highlighted activity in pensions risk transfer, where insurers assume pension liabilities for an upfront premium. Since launching Aviva Clarity in 2024, over 100 pension schemes have gone through it, with 20 already reaching buy-out. The group introduced a “fast-track” option for 2026, and four schemes have completed buy-outs via this route. Senior BPA deal manager Andrew Shaposhnikov said trustees seek “certainty, simplicity and speed,” while trustee Nick Boyes noted the process was “far quicker” than expected. 6
Aviva will release its full-year 2025 results on March 5 at 0700 GMT, with an investor and analyst update scheduled for 0830 GMT. 7
London stocks climbed to fresh highs on Wednesday, with the FTSE 100 closing at a record as gains in housebuilders and energy firms pushed the market up. Yet, the buzz around AI disruption cast a shadow over parts of the financial sector, hitting some wealth managers hard. 8
That said, risks linger. Tokenised funds are still in their infancy and might stay limited in size for some time, especially if client interest wanes or regulations clamp down. In pensions, buy-out volumes fluctuate based on pricing, funding status, and how aggressively insurers vie for deals.
Rate expectations are the other fault line. Yields rose after a solid U.S. jobs report, trimming bets on an imminent Federal Reserve move. Now, traders are focused on upcoming U.S. inflation data for fresh clues on the direction of rates. 9
Aviva’s next key date is March 5. Investors will be watching closely to see if capital strength and payout plans remain solid. They’ll also want to know if this week’s AI-driven volatility settles down or continues to weigh on the sector.
