Navigating alternative assets – how retail investors can build their private-market portfolios

[SINGAPORE] As more affluent retail investors venture into alternative assets to diversify from public markets, wealth managers advise that investors should hedge their bets even further – by diversifying within these markets.

Also known as private-market instruments, alternative assets refer to those that are not publicly traded. While they can include passion investments such as wine and art, they are broadly classified into the sub-categories of private equity (PE), private credit, real estate and infrastructure. 

In Singapore, apart from private-banking clients, retail investors known as accredited investors are deemed knowledgeable enough to dabble in alternative assets. These are individuals with an annual income of S$300,000, or net personal assets of at least S$2 million.