Family offices are driving a revolution in the private investment landscape, significantly increasing their allocations to alternative assets, including private credit, infrastructure, and private equity. According to data from Preqin, as quoted by CNBC, the number of family offices with exposure to private markets has surged by a staggering 524% since 2016, far outpacing the growth seen among other institutional investors.

This “flock to private markets” is a direct result of two key factors: an immense growth in wealth and a strategic shift toward long-term, stable growth. Deloitte estimates that the total wealth managed by family offices has grown by 63% since 2019, reaching a combined $3.1 trillion. This expanded capital base enables them to absorb the illiquidity associated with private investments, making them ideal vehicles for their typically multi-generational investment horizons.

As experts have noted, private markets appeal to family offices because they offer a more stable growth environment compared to the heightened volatility of public markets. While public equities have faced significant turbulence, private assets in sectors like infrastructure and private credit have provided consistent returns. Recent data also underscored this trend, finding that nearly a third of single-family offices plan to further increase their investments in private credit and infrastructure over the coming years.

While some family offices are tactically trimming their private equity exposure in the short term, their long-term conviction remains strong. The overarching trend indicates that for the world’s wealthiest investors, private markets are no longer a niche holding but a foundational pillar of a future-ready portfolio designed for capital preservation and sustained, multi-decade growth.

End Notes

Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/08/15/family-offices-private-markets.html