It is the largest active asset manager in the UK, with investments in equities, multi-asset, fixed income, liquidity, sovereign wealth funds, real estate and private markets.

[6] In March 2017, Standard Life reached an agreement to merge with Aberdeen Asset Management, in an all-share merger, subject to shareholder approval.

[10] In October 2017, it was reported that there had been withdrawals of $10 billion from Standard Life Aberdeen's mutual funds over the prior year.

[14] In September 2020 it was announced that the company would acquire a 60% interest in Tritax, one of Europe's leading logistics real estate fund managers.

[23][24][25] In 2024, Peter Branner, Abrdn's chief investment officer, accused the media of being "childish" for ridiculing the disemvowelled name and said that the company was a victim of "corporate bullying".

[21] In March 2021, the company announced its intention to sell Parmenion, an investment and technology solutions business that supports financial advice firms, to Preservation Capital Partners.

[26] In December 2021, Abrdn announced that it would acquire Interactive Investor, a British subscription-based retail investment services company with over 400,000 customers.

[32] In April 2024, Abrdn completed the sale of its European-headquartered private equity business (with £7.4bn assets under management) to Nasdaq-listed Patria Investments for up to £100m.