Resilient Investors Stay the Course on Alternatives
Who We Surveyed
- 1,000
- Individuals Surveyed
- $1+
- MillionInvestable Assets
Source: GS Alternatives High Net Worth Survey. Views represent those of survey respondents. Results compiled on July 31, 2026.
Key Survey Findings
Still Appetite for Alts
Private credit concerns dominated the news cycle, yet our survey shows investors are largely unfazed. Just three in 10 investors say private credit headlines made them more cautious, and 93% of alts owners say they’re happy with their investments.
The Alts Education Gap
Only half (50%) of investors say they are familiar with alternatives. Yet those who are familiar are less likely to view alternatives as risky and more likely to say they’ll start investing in them if they don’t already. This underscores the importance of education: if advisors want investors to consider these products, they must help close the knowledge gap.
Alts in Retirement
As in last year’s report, Millennials are more likely to be familiar with alts and own them than their Boomer and Gen X counterparts. This year, their enthusiasm is undimmed: more than 90% say they’re likely to invest in alts through their workplace retirement plan given the option.
Source: GS Alternatives High Net Worth Survey. Views represent those of survey respondents. Results compiled on July 31, 2026.
Highlights from Survey Respondents
- More Allocation to Alts Ahead
- Familiarity Drives Interest
- Millennials Thinking About Alts in Retirement
Headlines swirled, yet investors still plan to increase their allocations to alternatives. Nearly four in 10 (38%) of current alts owners say they plan to allocate more. That’s higher than the number of survey respondents who say they plan to increase their allocation to equities (35%), cash or cash equivalents (34%), or fixed income (32%).
Largest increase in allocation expected in alternatives
Over the next two years, do you expect to increase, maintain, or decrease your allocation to the following product types?
Our survey suggests that the more familiar investors are with alts, the more likely they are to consider allocating to them. Among those who do not currently own alts, investors familiar with them are five times more likely to invest in them in the next year than those who don’t.
Likelihood to start using alternatives higher among those familiar with them
How likely are you to invest in alternative investment products in the next 12 months?
Millennials are still “the New Alts Generation,” as we dubbed them in 2025’s report. They’re eager to explore how alts could fit into their retirement planning: 91% say they’re likely to invest in alts through their workplace retirement plan, versus 50% of Gen X and 42% of Boomers.
Millennials interested in investing in alts through workplace retirement programs
If alternative investments (e.g., private equity, private credit, private real estate) were offered as an option in your workplace retirement plan, how likely would you be to invest in them through that plan?
Source: Goldman Sachs Alternatives. As of July 31, 2026.
Methodology
Observations in this report are based on a survey of 1,000 HNW and UHNW investors, conducted by Goldman Sachs Alternatives and 8 Acre Perspective. The data collection phase for this survey took place between June 29 and July 31, 2026. Participants were selected from a national US consumer sample, meeting specific qualifying criteria: possessing over $1 million in investable assets, serving as the primary financial decision-maker, and being aged 25 or older.
