Commonwealth Bank of Australia is mulling the sale of its Count Financial and Financial Wisdom financial advice groups, as pressure from the Hayne royal commission forces banks to consider whether providing financial advice and manufacturing financial products should be decoupled to avoid conflicts of interest.

In an indication the banking royal commission could prompt merger and acquisition activity, CBA sources said it is considering strategic options for the two advisory groups which could involve their sale, although the process is still at an early stage. CBA bought Count for $373 million in 2011, and inherited Financial Wisdom when it acquired the Colonial Group in 2000.