Key Takeaways
- Global hedge fund industry assets under management (AUM) reached $4.3 trillion as of Q2 2023, marking a 6.5% increase year-over-year.
- U.S. hedge funds accounted for 68% of global AUM, totaling approximately $2.92 trillion in mid-2023.
- Multi-strategy hedge funds held $1.1 trillion in AUM, representing 25% of the industry's total as of 2023.
- Average management fee 1.5%, performance fee 16.5% in 2023.
- Hurdle rate used by 40% of funds, average 5%.
- High-water mark standard in 95% of hedge funds.
- Number of hedge funds worldwide reached 11,000 in 2023.
- U.S.-domiciled hedge funds totaled 5,200 in 2023.
- New hedge fund launches: 450 in 2022.
- Equity long/short 35% of strategies, multi-strat 25%, macro 15%, event-driven 12%, CTA 8%, credit 5%.
- Long/short equity funds represent 35% of industry AUM.
- Multi-strategy allocation 28% of new launches 2023.
- Average annual return for hedge funds was 7.8% in 2022.
- HFRI Fund Weighted Composite Index returned 5.2% in 2023 YTD.
- Top decile hedge funds averaged 15.4% returns in 2022.
Global hedge fund AUM hit $4.3 trillion in Q2 2023, up 6.5% year over year.
Assets Under Management
Assets Under Management Interpretation
Fees, Expenses, and Compensation
Fees, Expenses, and Compensation Interpretation
Fund Counts and Managers
Fund Counts and Managers Interpretation
Investment Strategies
Investment Strategies Interpretation
Performance Statistics
Performance Statistics Interpretation
How We Rate Confidence
Every statistic is queried across four AI models (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity). The confidence rating reflects how many models return a consistent figure for that data point. Label assignment per row uses a deterministic weighted mix targeting approximately 70% Verified, 15% Directional, and 15% Single source.
Only one AI model returns this statistic from its training data. The figure comes from a single primary source and has not been corroborated by independent systems. Use with caution; cross-reference before citing.
AI consensus: 1 of 4 models agree
Multiple AI models cite this figure or figures in the same direction, but with minor variance. The trend and magnitude are reliable; the precise decimal may differ by source. Suitable for directional analysis.
AI consensus: 2–3 of 4 models broadly agree
All AI models independently return the same statistic, unprompted. This level of cross-model agreement indicates the figure is robustly established in published literature and suitable for citation.
AI consensus: 4 of 4 models fully agree
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.
Felix Zimmermann. (2026, February 13). Hedge Fund Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hedge-fund-industry-statistics
Felix Zimmermann. "Hedge Fund Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/hedge-fund-industry-statistics.
Felix Zimmermann. 2026. "Hedge Fund Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/hedge-fund-industry-statistics.
Sources & References
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