Key Takeaways
- • Citi Wealth's 2026 Global Family Office Report, based on a June-July 2026 survey of 351 family office clients in 41 countries, finds that public equities have become the top destination for new capital, with nearly half of respondents increasing public equity exposure during the year.
- • Nearly 90% of respondents reported positive portfolio performance year-to-date, while 41% continue to target annual returns of 7% to 10%.
- • Inflation has replaced trade disputes and tariffs as the leading concern among family offices, followed by interest rate developments, financial system stability and market volatility.
- • Private markets remain a strategic pillar, but family offices are becoming more selective, placing greater emphasis on sourcing, expertise and differentiated access.
- • Approximately one-third of respondents expect leadership transitions within five years, with unclear succession plans and future-leader readiness cited as major challenges.
Summary
Citi Wealth released its 2026 Global Family Office Report, compiled by its Global Family Office Group, which works with more than 1,900 family offices worldwide. The survey, conducted in June and July 2026, drew responses from 351 family offices in more than 40 countries and was initiated at Citi Wealth's 11th Annual Family Office Leadership Summit. Per the report, the average family net worth of attendees at the summit was $2.1 billion. The report characterizes family offices as building strategies around capital, capability and continuity, becoming more institutional, more sophisticated in risk management and more deliberate in succession planning.
Despite shifting macroeconomic indicators and geopolitical concerns, nearly 90% of respondents reported positive year-to-date portfolio performance. Citi reports that recent geopolitical developments tested portfolios but did not trigger widespread retrenchment. More than 40% of respondents made no major changes, while others relied on active management, hedging and targeted adjustments. Inflation emerged as the leading concern, followed by interest rates, financial system stability and market volatility. Trade disputes and tariffs, which ranked highly in the 2025 survey, declined significantly as concerns. The report says short-duration income assets, quality exposures and inflation-sensitive diversifiers will play a larger role in preserving real wealth.
Public markets have regained momentum, with nearly half of respondents increasing public equity exposure and global developed equities ranked as the most favored asset class for future net allocations. Portfolios remained diversified, with many maintaining positions in private equity, fixed income and cash. Private markets remain central to growth, with private equity attracting significant capital, direct investing rising and growth-stage opportunities drawing strong interest, though family offices are becoming more selective and cite connectivity as a competitive advantage.
The report also highlights professionalization beyond investing, with respondents applying institutional disciplines to operations, succession, risk management and organizational development. On AI, family offices are moving from experimentation to implementation across investment analysis, reporting, workflow automation and due diligence, with an emphasis on productivity rather than alpha generation and final decisions retained by human professionals. Family wealth is also becoming more international, with 38% of respondents expecting family globalization to increase over the next five years, raising the importance of tax coordination, asset structuring and cross-border compliance.
Approximately one-third of respondents anticipate leadership transitions within five years. Respondents cited unclear succession plans, insufficient readiness among future leaders and lack of alignment on future vision as significant challenges. Citi's Dawn Nordberg, Head of Integrated Client Solutions and the Global Family Office Group, said family offices are "balancing conviction with resilience, opportunity with discipline, and growth with stewardship." Alexandre Monnier, Head of Family Office Advisory, Citi Wealth, said family offices are "uniquely positioned to build resilient portfolios, reimagine their operations and professionalize."
Despite shifting macroeconomic indicators and geopolitical concerns, nearly 90% of respondents reported positive year-to-date portfolio performance. Citi reports that recent geopolitical developments tested portfolios but did not trigger widespread retrenchment. More than 40% of respondents made no major changes, while others relied on active management, hedging and targeted adjustments. Inflation emerged as the leading concern, followed by interest rates, financial system stability and market volatility. Trade disputes and tariffs, which ranked highly in the 2025 survey, declined significantly as concerns. The report says short-duration income assets, quality exposures and inflation-sensitive diversifiers will play a larger role in preserving real wealth.
Public markets have regained momentum, with nearly half of respondents increasing public equity exposure and global developed equities ranked as the most favored asset class for future net allocations. Portfolios remained diversified, with many maintaining positions in private equity, fixed income and cash. Private markets remain central to growth, with private equity attracting significant capital, direct investing rising and growth-stage opportunities drawing strong interest, though family offices are becoming more selective and cite connectivity as a competitive advantage.
The report also highlights professionalization beyond investing, with respondents applying institutional disciplines to operations, succession, risk management and organizational development. On AI, family offices are moving from experimentation to implementation across investment analysis, reporting, workflow automation and due diligence, with an emphasis on productivity rather than alpha generation and final decisions retained by human professionals. Family wealth is also becoming more international, with 38% of respondents expecting family globalization to increase over the next five years, raising the importance of tax coordination, asset structuring and cross-border compliance.
Approximately one-third of respondents anticipate leadership transitions within five years. Respondents cited unclear succession plans, insufficient readiness among future leaders and lack of alignment on future vision as significant challenges. Citi's Dawn Nordberg, Head of Integrated Client Solutions and the Global Family Office Group, said family offices are "balancing conviction with resilience, opportunity with discipline, and growth with stewardship." Alexandre Monnier, Head of Family Office Advisory, Citi Wealth, said family offices are "uniquely positioned to build resilient portfolios, reimagine their operations and professionalize."
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