logo
Private Market Investing Goes Mainstream

Private Market Investing Goes Mainstream

Bloomberg22-05-2025

Investing in alternative assets such as infrastructure and private equity was once the preserve of large institutions and the uber rich with access to private bankers. But technological advances and product innovation have opened these markets to wealthy retail investors, creating one of the fastest-growing segments in wealth management. Many experts, including BlackRock CEO Larry Fink, refer to this trend as the 'democratization' of investing.
So what opportunities are out there in the private market for wealthy investors? And what are some of the risks, especially overinvestment? Steffanie Yuen, Head of Hong Kong for Endowus, breaks down the sector as she joins John Lee and Katia Dmitrieva on the Asia Centric podcast.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Diplomatic win for UK hosting US-China trade talks
Diplomatic win for UK hosting US-China trade talks

Yahoo

time14 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Diplomatic win for UK hosting US-China trade talks

Sky News understands that the Trump administration approached the UK government to ask if it would host round two of the US-China trade talks. This is a useful 'diplo-win' for the UK. The first round was held in Geneva last month. News of that happening came as a surprise. The Chinese and the Americans were in the midst of a Trump-instigated trade war. President Trump was en route to Saudi Arabia and suddenly we got word of talks in Switzerland. They went surprisingly well. US treasury secretary Scott Bessent and his Chinese counterpart He Lifeng, met face-to-face and agreed to suspend most tariffs for 90 days. But two weeks later, the Trump administration accused Beijing of breaking the agreements reached in Geneva. Beijing threw the blame back at Washington. On Wednesday, Donald Trump and Xi Jinping spoke by phone. The Chinese claimed this call was at the Americans' request. Either way, the consequence was that the talks were back on track. "I just concluded a very good phone call with President Xi of China, discussing some of the intricacies of our recently made, and agreed to, trade deal," President Trump said this week. From that call came the impetus for a second round of talks. A venue was needed. In stepped the UK at short notice. Beyond being geographically convenient, UK government sources suggest that Britain is geopolitically in the right place right now to act as this bridge and facilitator. The UK-China relationship is in the process of a "reset". Other locations, like Brussels or other EU capitals, would have been less workable. Crucially too, for the UK, this is also potentially advantageous as it seeks to get its own UK-US trade agreement, to eliminate or massively reduce tariffs, over the line. Talks on reaching the "implementation phase" have been near-continuous since the announcement last month, but having the American principals in London is a plus. Sideline talks are possible, but even the presence of the US team in the UK is helpful. Read more from Sky News:Man wrongly deported from US to El Salvador has been returned to face criminal chargesMore than 40 'narco-boat' drug smugglers arrested in major police sting For all the chaos that President Trump is causing with his tariffs, he has instigated face-to-face conversations as he seeks resets. Key players are sitting down around tables - yes, to untangle the trade knots which Trump tied, but this whole episode has pulled foes together around the same table; it has forced relationships and maybe mutual understanding. That's useful. And for this next round, between superpowers, the UK is the host. Also useful.

Money Moves: Top Indian Startups That Raised Big This Week (May 31–June 06)
Money Moves: Top Indian Startups That Raised Big This Week (May 31–June 06)

Entrepreneur

time21 minutes ago

  • Entrepreneur

Money Moves: Top Indian Startups That Raised Big This Week (May 31–June 06)

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own. You're reading Entrepreneur India, an international franchise of Entrepreneur Media. The Indian startup ecosystem continues to see a healthy flow of capital as investors bet on innovation across e-commerce, clean energy, fashion, fintech, and agri-tech. This week (May 31–June 06), several diverse ventures raised fresh rounds of funding, signaling investor confidence in scalable and future-facing business models. From battery-swapping infrastructure to furniture marketplaces and men's fashion, here's a snapshot of the week's most notable startup funding deals. Udaan Udaan was founded in 2016 by ex-Flipkart leaders Amod Malviya, Sujeet Kumar, and Vaibhav Gupta. Based in Bengaluru, the company operates as a B2B e-commerce platform connecting small and medium businesses with suppliers and customers across categories like electronics, fashion, and food. Udaan facilitates easy product discovery, secure payment processing, and logistics support to ensure timely delivery and streamlined business operations. Funding Amount: USD 114 Million Investors: M&G Investments, Lightspeed Venture Partners Snitch Snitch was launched in 2019 by Siddharth Dungarwal and started as a B2B apparel brand before pivoting to a direct-to-consumer (D2C) model in 2020. Headquartered in Bengaluru, Snitch offers trendy men's fashion through its website, mobile app, and brick-and-mortar stores. Its clothing line caters to modern urban men, with a focus on affordability, style, and frequent design drops to stay on-trend. Funding Amount: USD 40 Million Investors: 360 ONE Asset, IvyCap Ventures, SWC Global, Ravi Modi Family Office Battery Smart Founded in 2019 by Pulkit Khurana and Siddharth Sikka, Battery Smart is based in Gurugram and aims to transform EV adoption through its battery swapping network. The startup targets electric two- and three-wheelers, offering a quick-swap model that allows users to replace discharged batteries with fully charged ones within minutes, eliminating wait times and improving EV efficiency. Funding Amount: USD 29 Million Investors: Rising Tide Energy, responsAbility, Ecosystem Integrity Fund, LeapFrog Investments Stable Money Stable Money was established in 2022 by Saurabh Jain and Harish Reddy in Bengaluru. Initially offering digital fixed deposits for risk-averse investors, it has now expanded to include short-duration corporate bonds (2–6 months), mutual funds, and secured credit cards. Its platform appeals to first-time wealth-tech users with benefits like same-day liquidity and lifetime-free demat accounts. Funding Amount: USD 20 Million Investors: Fundamentum Partnership, Aditya Birla Ventures, Z47, RTP Global, Lightspeed Samunnati Chennai-based Samunnati was founded in 2014 by Anil Kumar SG. It focuses on financial inclusion in the agriculture sector, offering loans, advisory services, and non-financial solutions to smallholder farmers, agri-enterprises, and those within the agri value chain. The startup aims to empower rural India by addressing financing gaps in the agri-ecosystem. Funding Amount: USD 6 Million Pepperfry Established in January 2012 by Ambareesh Murty and Ashish Shah, Pepperfry has grown into a leading online and offline furniture marketplace. Headquartered in Mumbai, it provides a wide array of home furniture and décor solutions, including sofas, beds, lighting, and carpets. With a strong omnichannel presence, the brand caters to modern Indian households seeking stylish, functional furnishings. Funding Amount: USD 5 Million Investors: General Electric Pension Trust, Norwest Venture Partners, Panthera Growth Partners Diverse sectors such as e-commerce, fashion, EV infrastructure, and agriculture witnessed robust funding this week, reaffirming investor optimism in India's evolving startup landscape.

Hong Kong Looks for Ways to Win Back Big-Spending Tourists
Hong Kong Looks for Ways to Win Back Big-Spending Tourists

New York Times

timean hour ago

  • New York Times

Hong Kong Looks for Ways to Win Back Big-Spending Tourists

The sisters from southwestern China arrived in Hong Kong on a recent holiday, aiming to see as much as they could — in less than 12 hours. Carrying only a small bag each, Hu Di, 30, a bank worker, and Hu Ke, 20, a university student, sampled beef noodles in the Central business district, took turns posing for sunset photos at a waterfront promenade, then captured the city's illuminated skyline after dark. Buying only medicinal oils and retro comics as souvenirs, they spent less than $150 in the day and went back across the mainland China border to stay the night. The sisters are part of a wildly popular trend among mainland Chinese who call themselves 'special forces tourists': independent travelers who get in and out of the city as quickly and cheaply as possible. Mainland Chinese make up more than three-quarters of all tourists in the financial hub. But while they were once big spenders in Hong Kong — buying luxury watches, handbags and designer clothes — they now spend less time and money. That is a challenge to the city's efforts to revive a travel economy hurt by years of antigovernment protests, pandemic restrictions and concerns in the West over its tightening of freedoms through a national security crackdown. Hong Kong, which once billed itself as Asia's World City, is now seeking to brand itself as the region's events capital, emphasizing concerts and trade shows over shopping, to give travelers reasons to return and to spend more. This year, it unveiled a $4 billion sports park at the site of the city's former airport, Kai Tak. Its centerpiece is a purple-hued stadium with air-conditioning under each of its 50,000 seats. It was almost at full capacity during an annual Rugby Sevens tournament in late March. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store