Sat, Jan 31, 2026
A A A
Welcome Guest
Free Trial RSS pod
Get FREE trial access to our award winning publications
Alternative Market Briefing

20 funds control $11tn in assets, making them the biggest force in global markets

Tuesday, November 17, 2020

Laxman Pai, Opalesque Asia:

The top 100 asset owners controlled US$20.1 trillion in global assets at the end of 2019 - a 6 percent jump from the year before, according to a new annual ranking.

The top 20 funds total $11.0 trillion and represent 54.4% of the assets in the ranking, said the annual Top 100 Asset Owners (AO100) study, published by Willis Towers Watson's Thinking Ahead Institute.

Pension funds remain the single biggest group of asset owners accounting for over 60% of assets, followed by sovereign wealth funds (32%) and Outsourced Chief Investment Officers (OCIOs) and Master Trusts combined (7%).

Pension funds also continue to dominate the ranking and increased this by 1.7% during the year, primarily at the expense of Sovereign Wealth Funds.

The top three largest asset owners have remained the same since 2017, with The Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) of Japan continuing to dominate with $1.6 trillion of AUM.

According to the report, APAC remains the largest region in terms of AUM, accounting for 36.1% of all assets in the ranking. EMEA and North America's assets represent 32.7% and 31.2% of the total respectively.

The world's biggest investors have become increasingly active in the companies they own and in sustainability issues, including reducing the impact of climate change, said Willis Towers Watson.

"The AO100 has become more prominent in integrating environmental, social, and governance (ESG) and being more ac......................

To view our full article Click here

Previous Opalesque Exclusives                                  
Previous Other Voices                                               
Access Alternative Market Briefing

 



  • Top Forwarded
  • Top Tracked
  • Top Searched
  1. Other Voices: Nvidia extraordinary growth and the challenge of sustaining demanding valuations over time[more]

    Antonio Di Giacomo, Senior Market Analyst at XS.com, writes: Nvidia has established itself as one of the most extraordinary growth companies in the global technology sector. Over the past two fiscal years, its revenues have risen from levels close to $60 billion annually to well above $120 billi

  2. Secondaries take center stage: What the 2026 PE landscape means for GPs and investors[more]

    Matthias Knab, Opalesque for New Managers: The 2026 edition of Dechert's Global Private Equity Outlook - "Signs of a Gradual Thaw" - marks a notable shift in industry sentiment. After years of compr

  3. Other Voices: Life settlements hedge funds are gaining acceptance among institutional investors[more]

    By Donald A. Steinbrugge, CFA - Founder and CEO of Agecroft Partners, a global hedge fund consulting and marketing firm. Over the past decade, life settlements hedge funds have steadily gained acceptance among institutional investors. Their appeal lies in the potential to deliver

  4. And, finally: Time to share it with the people[more]

    From Newsoftheweird: Leavenworth, Washington, has become a tourist destination because of the Bavarian theme businesses have adopted there, NPR reported. One shop, the Leavenworth Nutcracker Museum, houses the world's largest nutcracker collection, thanks to 101-year-old Arlene Wagner. Wagner sta

  5. Opalesque Exclusive: High-profile fraud dispute hits alternative investment firm[more]

    Matthias Knab, Opalesque: Former Tennis Champion Coco Vandeweghe Sues AC Investment Management for $1 Million+ in Missing Funds In a developing legal dispute that underscores the risks athletes and private clients face in trusting financial managers, professional tennis star Co