**Fidelity Investments** is a privately held financial services powerhouse headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, offering mutual funds, brokerage, retirement plans like 401(k)s, wealth management, and innovative products such as digital assets.[3][4][6] With a bold focus on growth-oriented investing and customer innovation, it manages trillions in assets for over 40 million clients worldwide.[4][6] Founded in 1946 by Edward C. Johnson II as Fidelity Management & Research to advise the existing Fidelity Fund (launched 1930), the firm quickly differentiated itself by prioritizing high-potential stocks over conservative blue-chips.[1][3][5][7] The 1950s saw investments in breakout companies like Xerox and Polaroid via Fidelity Capital.[4] The 1960s boom brought the iconic **Magellan Fund** in 1962, which Peter Lynch grew from $18 million to $14 billion by 1990, making it the world's largest equity fund.[1][3][5] Pioneering moves included the first check-writing money market fund (1974), toll-free mutual fund sales, same-day trading, and 24/7 voice-activated info.[1][3][7] Expansion accelerated in the 1980s with 401(k) plans, retail centers, and FundsNetwork for third-party funds (1989).[3] Fidelity International, started in 1969, went independent in 1980.[2] Today, employing ~77,000 people, it oversees ~$9.9 trillion in assets (as of 2023), leads in retirement services, and pushes boundaries with Fidelity Digital Assets for crypto and zero-expense-ratio ZERO Funds.[4][6][7] Key achievements include industry-firsts in accessibility and tech—like in-house servicing (1969) and early computing—driving its status as a top asset manager.[1][7] Family-led across generation