As the super-rich flock to alternative investments, top investment managers reveal how others can do the same.

Investment manager Juan Delgado Moreira said there is growing interest in alternative assets from all corners of the investing world, including family offices, endowments, insurance companies, financial advisers and, increasingly, the ultra-wealthy.

“Ultra-high net worth individuals are attracted to private markets and are increasing their allocation to the asset class because private markets offer a range of products — such as senior credit, primary credit, venture capital and private equity — that outperform public markets,” the co-CEO of US-based alternative investment firm Hamilton Lane said earlier this month.

Delgado Moreira added: "This diversity of investments allows wealthy individuals to enhance their returns and grow their wealth." Last month, the firm closed Hamilton Lane Secondary Fund VI with $5.6 billion in commitments. Private market assets or alternative investments are those that do not fall into traditional categories such as stocks, bonds, commodities and cash.

They can include real estate, private equity, venture capital, private debt, hedge funds, digital assets and even collectibles such as art, jewelry and watches. Delgado Moreira said the private markets are "growing rapidly and offering strong returns depending on their relative risk and strategy," and he estimated the market to be worth about $15 trillion. Prequin, which provides data on the alternative asset market, said it expects assets under management to reach $23.21 trillion by 2026.

“The dollar amounts don’t represent the full picture of the private markets. But the returns are showing up. Maybe not 200% growth like Nvidia, but growth nonetheless,” he added.

However, unlike public markets, private market investments are generally considered riskier and more volatile, with limited regulation and fewer data points to reference.

Alternative investments have also been an asset class that only institutions, the super-rich and accredited investors can invest in. In the U.S., people who make at least $200,000 a year (or $300,000 a year for a spouse) are considered accredited investors and can invest directly in private credit or private debt. Delgado Moreira said there are ways for regular investors to gain exposure to alternatives.

He recommends that investors adopt a 60/40 or 70/30 portfolio, but with exposure to private markets. “Adopting a 70/30 portfolio, with a mix of public and private market-focused equities and credit, is the biggest way to add diversification and improve returns,” he said.

Here are two ways Delgado Moreira recommends investors get exposure to the private markets:

  • Public companies related to the private equity market

He recommends that investors consider public companies that are in the "private market management business." These include firms such as KKR and Blackstone Group LP (BX.N), which invest in a range of alternative investments such as real estate, credit and capital markets. "As a retail investor, the first way I invest in private markets is to look at private market investment managers that are themselves public companies," he said. "That way, you can get a better understanding of the business and its performance based on publicly disclosed information."

  • Listed Private Market Funds

Another way to get exposure to the alternative investment space is through private market funds in some countries. These include venture capital trusts in the UK, such as Oxford Tech 2 Venture Capital Trust, which is listed on the London Stock Exchange and has a market value of $696 million, according to PitchBook data. Meanwhile, in Singapore, Temasek-backed Azalea Asset Management recently launched Astrea8 private equity-backed bonds for retail investors.

Investing in these entities also allows investors to diversify their assets and gain exposure to different types of performance, leadership styles and markets, Delgado Moreira said.

The article is forwarded from: Jinshi Data