Millennials drive surge in private market investment adoption

Private markets are experiencing a significant shift in accessibility and adoption, driven largely by Millennial investors. According to the 2026 FTSE Russell wealth pulse survey, 67% of Millennials now invest in private markets, compared to 30% of Gen X and 11% of Baby Boomers.

This trend indicates that asset classes such as private equity, private credit, real estate, infrastructure, and venture capital are becoming core portfolio components rather than speculative additions. The survey notes that 74% of current private market investors allocate 10% or more of their investable assets to these markets, with 61% of investors having begun allocating within the last five years.

As capital flows into these markets increase, the industry faces growing operational complexity due to fragmented infrastructure. Experts suggest that the integration of artificial intelligence, automation, and centralized data is necessary to modernize the management of private market investments, specifically to handle tasks like capital calls, reporting, and document centralization.