Key Takeaways
- • $1.3 trillion in untapped retail demand: One in five Americans (20%) would strongly consider alternative asset investments, while 25% of active investors are willing to allocate up to 25% of their portfolios to alts, representing a median potential investment of $20,175 per active investor across the U.S. population of approximately 64.6 million active investors.
- • Current adoption remains minimal: Only 4% of survey respondents are currently invested in alternatives, indicating a significant gap between awareness and actual deployment despite substantial interest signals.
- • Fraud concerns are the primary barrier: 42% of Americans cite concern about fraud and scams as a key deterrent to alternative asset investing, highlighting the trust deficit that platforms must overcome to accelerate retail penetration.
- • Industry expects rapid retailization: 87% of industry respondents anticipate that retailization of alternative assets will accelerate over the next 24 months, driven by platforms enabling everyday investors to access art, wine, farmland, metals, and similar non-traditional asset classes.
- • Survey methodology: Opinium conducted a nationally representative survey of 1,832 Americans between September 6-12, 2022, defining "active investors" as individuals holding investment accounts in stocks, bonds, crypto, or other instruments.
Summary
The alternative asset investment landscape presents a substantial untapped opportunity for retail capital deployment, according to research conducted by Opinium in partnership with Lansons. The survey reveals that while awareness of alternative investment platforms remains relatively nascent, latent demand is significant: one in five Americans express strong consideration for alternative assets, and approximately one in four active investors are willing to commit meaningful portfolio allocations to this emerging class.
The quantifiable opportunity is substantial. Active investors—representing 25% of the 1,832 surveyed Americans, or approximately 64.6 million individuals nationally—indicated willingness to allocate an average of 25% of their portfolios to alternative investments. With a median investment account balance of $82,013 among active investors, this translates to a median potential deployment of $20,175 per investor, aggregating to more than $1.3 trillion in potential retail capital across the U.S. market. This figure underscores why industry participants expect the retailization of alternative assets to accelerate materially; 87% of industry respondents forecast accelerating penetration within the 24-month outlook.
However, a critical structural barrier exists: trust deficiency. Fraud and scam concerns represent the leading impediment to alternative asset adoption, with 42% of respondents identifying this as a key barrier. This is particularly noteworthy given that only 4% of surveyed Americans currently hold alternative investments—a stark disconnect between theoretical willingness and actual capital deployment. Alternative asset platforms must establish credibility through regulatory clarity, transparent valuation mechanisms, and custody safeguards to convert the $1.3 trillion opportunity into realized investment flows.
The survey data reflects the broader democratization of what were historically institutional-exclusive investment categories. Platforms now enable retail participation in art, wine, farmland, precious metals, and other non-correlated assets. While the survey was conducted in September 2022, the underlying dynamics—substantial unmet demand offset by trust concerns—remain structurally relevant for institutional investors evaluating distribution partnerships and platform investments within the alternative assets ecosystem.
The quantifiable opportunity is substantial. Active investors—representing 25% of the 1,832 surveyed Americans, or approximately 64.6 million individuals nationally—indicated willingness to allocate an average of 25% of their portfolios to alternative investments. With a median investment account balance of $82,013 among active investors, this translates to a median potential deployment of $20,175 per investor, aggregating to more than $1.3 trillion in potential retail capital across the U.S. market. This figure underscores why industry participants expect the retailization of alternative assets to accelerate materially; 87% of industry respondents forecast accelerating penetration within the 24-month outlook.
However, a critical structural barrier exists: trust deficiency. Fraud and scam concerns represent the leading impediment to alternative asset adoption, with 42% of respondents identifying this as a key barrier. This is particularly noteworthy given that only 4% of surveyed Americans currently hold alternative investments—a stark disconnect between theoretical willingness and actual capital deployment. Alternative asset platforms must establish credibility through regulatory clarity, transparent valuation mechanisms, and custody safeguards to convert the $1.3 trillion opportunity into realized investment flows.
The survey data reflects the broader democratization of what were historically institutional-exclusive investment categories. Platforms now enable retail participation in art, wine, farmland, precious metals, and other non-correlated assets. While the survey was conducted in September 2022, the underlying dynamics—substantial unmet demand offset by trust concerns—remain structurally relevant for institutional investors evaluating distribution partnerships and platform investments within the alternative assets ecosystem.
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