Projected AI software spending in global asset management will reach $201 billion. Cybersecurity risk remains a boardroom priority, with 76% of asset managers concerned about threats in 2023. At the same time, 58% of asset managers use cloud infrastructure for portfolio management or risk systems, tying faster analytics deployment to tighter operational controls.
Key Takeaways
- $6.8 trillion in global institutional assets managed in 2024, highlighting institutional dominance in many markets
- $8.9 trillion in global pension fund assets in 2023 (major asset management demand source)
- $1.8 trillion in global private credit AUM in 2024 (credit private market scale)
- $5.0 trillion net inflows to sustainable funds worldwide in 2023 (ESG-related demand signal)
- 31.4% of global mutual fund AUM in 2023 was in ESG-labeled funds (share of ESG adoption)
- $1.0 trillion in net flows to active ETFs globally in 2024 (growth of active ETF wrapper)
- 2024: 58% of asset managers are using cloud infrastructure for portfolio management or risk systems (cloud adoption rate)
- 2024: 35% of respondents in an asset management survey said they invested in data/analytics platforms in the last year (data platform adoption)
- 2023: 76% of asset managers were concerned about cyber threats (cybersecurity concern in survey)
- U.S. mutual funds and ETFs had net inflows of $1.5 trillion in 2023
- 2024: European pension funds increased private assets allocations to 8.7%
- 31% of asset managers cite valuation/pricing risk as a top operational risk in 2024
- Basel III leverage ratio requirements apply to 1 Jan 2022 institutions; risk-based leverage ratio introduced at minimum 3%
- Global projected spending on AI software will reach $201 billion in 2025 (asset management uses AI for investment and operations)
- Cybersecurity insurance premium volume for cyber risk is projected to exceed $20 billion globally in 2025
Institutional money is surging into ESG and private markets, while asset managers rapidly adopt cloud, AI, and data.
Related reading
01 · Category
Market Size6 stats
01
$6.8 trillion in global institutional assets managed in 2024, highlighting institutional dominance in many markets
02
$8.9 trillion in global pension fund assets in 2023 (major asset management demand source)
03
$1.8 trillion in global private credit AUM in 2024 (credit private market scale)
04
$3.0 trillion global real estate investment trust (REIT) market capitalization in 2024 (real assets vehicle scale)
05
$0.9 trillion global infrastructure funds AUM in 2023 (infrastructure asset management segment)
06
14.3% of global assets under management were held by top-20 managers in 2023
Interpretation
Market Size Interpretation
The market size of asset management is vast and concentrated, with global institutional assets reaching $6.8 trillion in 2024 and top 20 managers holding 14.3% of global AUM in 2023, underscoring both the scale and competitive weight within the industry.
02 · Category
Industry Trends3 stats
01
$5.0 trillion net inflows to sustainable funds worldwide in 2023 (ESG-related demand signal)
02
31.4% of global mutual fund AUM in 2023 was in ESG-labeled funds (share of ESG adoption)
03
$1.0 trillion in net flows to active ETFs globally in 2024 (growth of active ETF wrapper)
Interpretation
Industry Trends Interpretation
In line with rising Industry Trends, sustainable investing surged to $5.0 trillion in net inflows worldwide in 2023 and 31.4% of global mutual fund AUM sat in ESG labeled funds, while active ETFs added momentum with $1.0 trillion in net flows in 2024.
03 · Category
User Adoption2 stats
01
2024: 58% of asset managers are using cloud infrastructure for portfolio management or risk systems (cloud adoption rate)
02
2024: 35% of respondents in an asset management survey said they invested in data/analytics platforms in the last year (data platform adoption)
Interpretation
User Adoption Interpretation
In 2024, user adoption in asset management is clearly accelerating with 58% of asset managers using cloud for portfolio management or risk systems and 35% of survey respondents investing in data and analytics platforms in the prior year.
04 · Category
Cost Analysis1 stats
01
2023: 76% of asset managers were concerned about cyber threats (cybersecurity concern in survey)
Interpretation
Cost Analysis Interpretation
In 2023, 76% of asset managers were concerned about cyber threats, highlighting that cybersecurity risk is a major cost driver within cost analysis for the industry.
05 · Category
Flows & Allocation2 stats
01
U.S. mutual funds and ETFs had net inflows of $1.5 trillion in 2023
02
2024: European pension funds increased private assets allocations to 8.7%
Interpretation
Flows & Allocation Interpretation
In the flows and allocation space, 2023 saw U.S. mutual funds and ETFs pull in $1.5 trillion in new money while, in 2024, European pension funds used that broader momentum to boost private asset allocations to 8.7%.
More related reading
06 · Category
Risk & Compliance2 stats
01
31% of asset managers cite valuation/pricing risk as a top operational risk in 2024
02
Basel III leverage ratio requirements apply to 1 Jan 2022 institutions; risk-based leverage ratio introduced at minimum 3%
Interpretation
Risk & Compliance Interpretation
In Risk and Compliance, concerns about valuation and pricing risk remain prominent with 31% of asset managers citing it as a top operational risk in 2024, even as Basel III leverage ratio rules and a minimum 3% risk based leverage threshold tighten the risk framework from 1 January 2022.
07 · Category
Technology & Operations2 stats
01
Global projected spending on AI software will reach $201 billion in 2025 (asset management uses AI for investment and operations)
02
Cybersecurity insurance premium volume for cyber risk is projected to exceed $20 billion globally in 2025
Interpretation
Technology & Operations Interpretation
Technology and Operations in asset management is being pushed by rapid tech investment and risk protection, with projected AI software spending reaching $201 billion in 2025 and cybersecurity insurance premiums for cyber risk exceeding $20 billion globally the same year.
08 · Category
Fees & Profitability1 stats
01
Cost-income ratio for European asset managers averaged 72% in 2023
Interpretation
Fees & Profitability Interpretation
In 2023, European asset managers averaged a 72% cost income ratio, underscoring how profitability is tightly constrained by fees and operating costs in the Fees and Profitability category.
09 · Category
Performance & Benchmarking5 stats
01
In a 2023 study, 88% of active mutual funds underperformed their benchmarks over 5 years after fees (U.S. analysis)
02
74% of institutional investors use custom benchmarks for at least one mandate (2024 survey)
03
In 2023, ESG-integrated funds had a median 1-year volatility of 9.8% versus 10.2% for comparable non-ESG funds (peer-reviewed analysis)
04
A 2022 meta-analysis found that factor timing and stock selection explain the majority of active manager performance variation, with residual manager skill estimates averaging near zero net of fees
05
In a 2024 analysis, median ETF bid-ask spreads were under 5 bps for large-cap U.S. equity ETFs on days with normal liquidity
Interpretation
Performance & Benchmarking Interpretation
Across performance and benchmarking, the evidence points to a tough reality for active managers because 88% of U.S. active mutual funds underperformed their benchmarks over 5 years after fees, while investors increasingly rely on tailored benchmarks such as the 74% who use custom benchmarks for at least one mandate.
report visual · Comparison
Asset management scale, driven by institutions and pensions
Institutional assets dwarf other segments, with pensions providing the largest demand base, while specialized private and real-asset areas remain sizable at smaller scales.
$8.9 trillion in global pension fund assets in 2023 (major asset management demand source)$8.9
$6.8 trillion in global institutional assets managed in 2024, highlighting institutional dominance in many markets
$6.8
$1.8 trillion in global private credit AUM in 2024 (credit private market scale)
$1.8
$0.9 trillion global infrastructure funds AUM in 2023 (infrastructure asset management segment)
$0.9
source-verifiedbis.org · oecd.org · preqin.com · infraonline.com2024
Reference
Cite This Report
This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.
APA
Margot Villeneuve. (2026, February 13). Asset Management Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/asset-management-industry-statistics
MLA
Margot Villeneuve. "Asset Management Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/asset-management-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Margot Villeneuve. 2026. "Asset Management Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/asset-management-industry-statistics.
Sources & references
24 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level
+7 additional datasets cited (not shown individually)