Asia Pacific Rides a Wave – Claiming 36 % of the World’s Largest Asset Owners
Hey there, money‑watchers! Quick heads‑up: A fresh study from Willis Towers Watson’s Thinking Ahead Institute has just spilled a juicy fact. If you’re curious about where the biggest investors are dropping dough, this is the scoop.
Snapshot of the Big Players
- All the world’s top 100 asset owners together own a whopping $19 trillion in discretionary money, out of an estimated total of $55 trillion globally.
- Asia‑Pacific steps up to the plate with $6.7 trillion—that’s 36 % of the total. Cue the traditional “Where’s the money?” zingers.
- EMEA holds its share at 34 %, while North America follows up at 30 %.
Singapore Leads the Worldwide Charge
- Singapore’s GIC, with assets of $359 billion, lands at the 12th spot.
- The Central Provident Fund sits at 17th with $269 billion.
- Keeping up‑with the competition, Temasek Holdings roars into the 19th position at $230 billion.
Who’s the Heavy‑Hitters?
At the very pinnacle sits Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund with a colossal $1.44 trillion. Norway’s pension fan club comes next with $1.06 trillion. The Netherlands’ APG follows at a respectable $564 billion.
Why It Matters
These investors are the “big shot capital” of the planet, able to throw their money into any corner of the globe—or any asset class—making them key players in the global economy’s ecosystem. As Roger Urwin, the global head of investment content at the institute, put it:
“Their magnitude warrants serious thought. They’re faced with huge responsibilities—from steering leadership and navigating regulations to tackling agency issues and improving outcomes. Imagine a conscience‑filled, well‑trained vessel steering the economy’s ship!”
He also, understandably, urges them to “understand the world they operate in” and to streamline their models, maximize diverse cultures, and make investments smarter and more sustainable.
Who Owns the Money?
- 61 % of the 100 big asset owners are pension funds.
- 32 % are sovereign wealth funds.
- 7 % belong to out‑sourced CIOs and master trusts—a new breed of asset owners extra‑ordinarily calling in external experts.
That last segment reflects a growing trend: Asset owners trust OCIOs and master trusts to take the reins on big decisions. It’s a shift from the old-school approach, with those platforms wielding huge discretionary powers.
Fun fact: the entire market’s assets of $55 trillion equal more than $10,000 per adult on Earth. This underscores just how influential the top 100 are on a personal level—every Tom, Dick and Harriet’s wallet is indirectly impacted!
Get ready; the next decade promises some seriously slick changes in who’s steering the wheel and how they do it.
