Institutional priorities in multi-asset investing

The expansion of multi-asset investing marks a pivotal shift in institutional portfolio management as firms broaden their exposures beyond traditional public markets into private assets and alternatives. While this diversification reflects a search for alpha and resilience in higher-rate conditions, it also introduces new operational and data demands.

A Risk.net survey of 52 institutions, commissioned by FIS, reveals that private markets lead expected allocation increases, with technology modernisation emerging as the top investment priority. The results highlight clear contrasts across regions and organisational scales – from diversification-driven strategies in North America to alpha-focused approaches in the Asia-Pacific region – alongside differing approaches to execution and capability development.

This report examines how institutions are adapting to the expanding multi-asset universe, the technology and skill investments shaping that evolution, and the operational integration required to manage increasingly complex portfolios coherently across public and private markets.