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Lansons is a communications and reputation management consultancy centred in London and New York.

The survey found that one in four Americans (26%) are either planning to invest in alternative assets within the next few years or will strongly consider it. Additionally, 48% of respondents expressed cautious interest, saying they might invest in alternatives in the near future.

"We found that simply explaining the concept of alternatives to those previously unfamiliar with them sparked immediate interest," said James Schiavone, Head of New York Operations at Lansons. "What's more, tens of millions of Americans already investing in stocks and bonds are eager to diversify with alternatives-representing a broad, largely untapped market for alternative asset platforms and fund managers."

Strong Interest, Low Awareness

The survey found that active investors-defined as those with a personal investment account outside of a workplace-sponsored retirement plan-would be willing to allocate an average of 25.7% of their portfolios to alternative assets. This represents a potential inflow of more than $1.3 trillion*, - a figure consistent with Lansons' 2022 survey.

Despite this strong interest, the vast majority of Americans remain unaware of these newly accessible opportunities. Respondents were four times more likely to say they had never heard of retail alternative asset platforms or didn't know much about them (81%) than to say they had invested through such platforms or were familiar with them (19%).

Why Alternatives Appeal to Retail Investors

Even with limited knowledge of how to access these investments, survey respondents demonstrated an intuitive understanding of their appeal. Many cited the potential of alternative assets to diversify portfolios (53% agree vs. 5% disagree), deliver outsized returns compared to traditional investments (43% agree vs. 8% disagree), and provide low correlation to traditional assets like stocks and bonds (47% agree vs. 10% disagree).

Notably, amid ongoing market volatility and political uncertainty, 41% of Americans said they believe alternative assets are less vulnerable to the economic policies of the political party in power-compared to just 13% who disagreed.

Barriers to Entry-and How to Overcome Them

Despite growing interest, substantial barriers remain. Half of all respondents cited concerns about fraud, while 40% said they believe they lack the funds needed to invest in alternative assets.

However, the survey also identified clear ways platforms can build trust and credibility. Nearly half of respondents said they would be more likely to invest if platforms demonstrated strong internal controls and corporate governance (48%), were approved by government regulators (47%), or had backing from reputable banks or brokerages (47%).

"Our research underscores the importance of earning investor trust by clearly communicating the safeguards and compliance measures in place to protect them," added Schiavone. "Together, these findings offer a roadmap for alternative investment platforms and fund managers looking to reach and engage a vast, underserved retail audience."

Additional Findings:

• Only 30% of respondents feel confident in their ability to assess investment opportunities, with men (36%) demonstrating higher confidence than women (24%). Millennials (33%) and Gen Z (35%) also report higher confidence compared to Gen X (27%) and Boomers (25%).

• 18% of respondents stated they are willing to make riskier investments for higher returns.

• Younger generations, particularly Gen Z (ages 18 - 26), are engaging with financial products earlier, with 76% holding savings accounts. The survey found a notable rise in the number of individuals with savings accounts, with 70% of Americans now reporting one, a significant increase from 59% in 2022.

To read the full report, visit https://lansons.com/lansons-survey-alternative-asset-platforms-vol2.

Press release.

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