Alternative investments were once reserved mainly for the ultra-wealthy, but Fred Hubler argues they’re becoming increasingly accessible to retail investors as technology and globalization reshape the market. He defines the category broadly: private equity, hedge funds, real estate, commodities, and cryptocurrencies, assets generally less liquid and more complex than traditional stocks and bonds, but offering the potential for higher returns and diversification.
Hubler points to the low-interest-rate environment of the past decade as a major driver of this growth, since when rates sat at historic lows, investors had to look elsewhere for income, and private equity and real estate typically offered higher yields than traditional fixed-income investments.
What was once a club for the ultra-wealthy is quickly becoming mainstream.
See what’s driving the shift, on Forbes, Why Alternative Strategies Represent A New Frontier In Investing.