How BlackRock and Goldman Sachs are bringing Wall Street’s hottest asset class to 401(k)s
The post How BlackRock and Goldman Sachs are bringing Wall Street’s hottest asset class to 401(k)s appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.
Wall Street’s largest firms are championing a new cause. They are bringing alternative assets — once reserved for the ultra-wealthy — to the portfolios of individual investors. Chief among the proponents are BlackRock and Goldman Sachs. But, as is usually the case in investing, the potential of greater returns comes at a risk. “The alternative market is becoming less alternative,” said Jon Diorio, head of alternatives for wealth at asset management giant BlackRock. Alternatives are assets outside of stocks, bonds, and cash — including private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, cryptocurrencies, and more. “It’s growing very rapidly as public markets are shrinking,” Diorio told CNBC in a recent interview. Interest has been fueled by shrinking public market opportunities and a softening regulatory environment. President Donald Trump signed an executive order earlier this month that paved the way for alternative assets in 401(k) retirement accounts — an idea vehemently opposed by the Biden administration. Diorio, who also leads product strategy for BlackRock’s U.S. wealth advisory business, said that giving more investors exposure to alternatives — which have traditionally been part of the portfolios of ultra high net-worth individuals, hedge funds, and pension funds — can improve returns over the long run. “In some cases, you can get enhanced diversification [and] amplify return streams,” he added. Giving individual investors the same access to different asset classes as the pros has been championed as further democratizing Wall Street. However, it also comes with its own risks. These assets are not publicly traded, which means they are more difficult to value and less liquid. BlackRock’s Diorio and peers at other major financial firms are acutely aware of this and strive to make sure investors are, too, as they challenge the decades-old focus on the traditional retail portfolio split of 60% stocks and 40%…
