Inside the alternative investments boom: Here’s what you need to know

Alternative Investments Overview - Alternatives encompass assets beyond publicly traded stocks or bonds, including private equity, private credit, hedge funds, venture capital, real estate, gold, crypto, and collectibles [2] - The total investments in all alternatives are expected to reach $29 trillion in 5 years, doubling the 2022 amount [5] Investment Trends - Wealthy investors have been increasing their exposure to alternatives for decades [3] - A typical US family office allocates approximately 50% of its investments to alternatives, with about 25% in private equity and 20% in real estate [3] - Family offices have recently increased their holdings in public stocks, primarily due to AI [4] - Capital flowing into private equity has increased tenfold since the financial crisis [5] Performance and Outlook - Alternatives are believed to generate higher returns and lower volatility, but with lower liquidity [4] - Median returns for private equity have lagged public markets in both the short and long term [4] - Returns for private equity may improve as IPOs and exits return [5]