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2025 Report

The State of Alternative Investments in Wealth Management

How Are Advisors Adapting to the Changing Role of Alternatives?

Discover key insights from the third annual CAIS-Mercer Alternative Investment Survey, where hundreds of financial advisors shared their perspectives on allocating to alternative investments. Survey responses were collected in September and October 2024.

Want to explore how financial advisors like you are integrating alternatives into their portfolios?

This report is for you.

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The State of Alternative Investments in Wealth Management

Our report, The State of Alternative Investments in Wealth Management, delves into the tools and strategies advisors are using, the private market themes shaping their decisions, and how allocations to alternative asset classes and structured notes are evolving.

What Advisors Shared With Us

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Alts Are Now a Common
Allocation

Nine in 10 advisors already allocate to alternatives, and 88% plan to increase those allocations over the next two years. This marks four straight years of consistent growth intent. 

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The 10% Threshold Is Becoming a Baseline

Roughly half of advisors now put more than 10% of portfolios in alternatives, a sign that alts are firmly part of diversified wealth strategies.

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Access Is Expanding Beyond Accredited Investors

Among advisors serving non-accredited clients, 80% already allocate to alts, evidence that alts adoption is expanding into new segments.

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Demand Continues for Evergreen Vehicles

82% of advisors use evergreen funds, either exclusively or alongside drawdown vehicles, favoring added flexibility and accessibility for clients.

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Technology Still a Growth Driver

Analytics, integrations, and digitization now top advisor priorities, marking a shift from “why alts” to how to scale them thoughtfully and efficiently.

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AI Tops Private Markets Investment Themes for 2026

Artificial intelligence (70%), tax-advantaged strategies (58%), and energy transition (36%) emerged as leading private markets themes advisors plan to introduce to clients.

How Access to Alternative Investments Potentially Helps Advisors’ Businesses

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Results are based on 789 responses. Respondents could select all that apply. 

For more information, read the press release from CAIS and Mercer.

Any questions? Connect with our team.

This communication is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or the solicitation of an offer to buy, any security or investment product. It does not purport to completely describe any security, investment product or service. CAIS does not provide any investment planning, legal, regulatory, tax, compliance or other advice and neither the Information, nor any prior or subsequent communications from or with CAIS or its representatives, should be construed as any such advice. Investment advisors and all investors should ensure that they have independently obtained sufficient information to ascertain the legal, financial, tax and regulatory consequences of any investments they consider. CAIS Capital, LLC and its affiliates (together “CAIS”) are not fiduciaries or advisors with respect to any financial services or products mentioned herein. The Information is subject to change, may be revised without notice, does not purport to be a complete description of any security, investment product or service, and should not be relied upon as the basis for an investment decision or for any other purposes whatsoever. Past performance is not a guarantee of future results.

© 2025 CAIS LLC. All Rights Reserved.