Core Insights - The total assets under management (AUM) of the world's 500 largest asset managers reached USD 139.9 trillion at the end of 2024, marking a 9.4% increase from the previous year [1][2] Group 1: Industry Recovery and Growth - The asset management industry is experiencing a recovery, with total AUM surpassing the previous record set in 2021 [2] - North America led the growth with a 13% year-on-year increase, accounting for USD 88.2 trillion, or 63% of total AUM among the top 500 firms [2] - Japan's asset managers saw a decline, with AUM falling by 9.5% in 2024, indicating regional disparities in economic performance [3] Group 2: Investment Strategies - There is a significant shift towards passive investment strategies, which now represent 39.0% of total AUM, a 6.1% increase from the previous year [4] - Actively managed assets decreased to 61%, down 3.6% year-on-year [4] Group 3: Market Concentration - The top 20 asset managers control 47% of total AUM, up from 45.5% in 2023, with combined assets rising to USD 65.8 trillion [5] - Among the top 20, 15 firms are based in the U.S., representing 83.9% of this segment, with BlackRock, Vanguard, and Fidelity Investments as the top three [5] Group 4: Emerging Trends - Private-market specialists are experiencing rapid AUM growth, with Brookfield's AUM increasing from USD 240 billion in 2017 to USD 1,061 billion in 2024, reflecting a 20% annualized increase [6] - The Middle East is becoming a strategic hub for asset managers due to regulatory reforms and thematic opportunities in Shariah-compliant investing, ESG, and digital assets [7] Group 5: Technological Adoption - 47% of firms are investing in Artificial Intelligence (AI) for strategic and operational improvements, although 78% allocate less than 10% of their tech budgets to AI [8] - 61% of firms expect AI spending to grow over the next five years, while 64% express concerns about AI-related cyber risks [8] Group 6: Industry Perspective - The asset management industry is undergoing a transformation influenced by the rise of passive strategies, private markets, and AI, reshaping its foundations [9] - The growth in North America and concentration among top managers signal both opportunities and responsibilities for the industry [10]