The latest long-term asset fund (LTAF) launches in 2025 join the small but growing stable of investment offerings that use the new fund structure. The FCA registry now counts some 23 approved LTAF sub-funds and this is expected to grow in the years ahead.
Fund Giants Are the Main LTAF Players
Large asset managers dominate. Many of those entering the fray have an established presence in the defined contribution pension space. Their LTAFs can serve as a conduit to increase the unlisted exposure in the default pensions solutions they manage. This includes firms such as Aegon, Aviva, BlackRock, Fidelity, Legal & General, and Willis Towers Watson.
Of course, wealth markets are also in scope, and many LTAF offerings are structured in a way that is “wealth compatible”. Here, for any eventual plans to grow a direct retail presence, investment companies with variable capital (ICVCs) will prove to be a better fit than authorized contractual schemes (ACS), which are only available to professional accredited investors.
Overall, Schroders Capital is leading the charge when it comes to LTAF launches, with six approved LTAFs. It was the first asset manager to receive regulatory approval from the UK’s FCA for an LTAF, introducing the Schroders Capital Climate+ LTAF in March 2023. Schroders benefits from the connection with wealth manager Cazenove, which has a history of investing in private markets.
Meanwhile, the only pure play private markets firm to launch an LTAF so far is Partners Group.
What Are the LTAF Asset Classes?
By design, the LTAF structure permits investments across a wide variety of unlisted asset classes. There is no one way to invest in this area and there’s a broad representation of investment approaches and geographic exposures.
Each offering is trying to play to the strengths of the asset manager. So far, multi-asset strategies are the most common approach. These have the potential to offer a one stop solution to allocating to unlisted assets. Of course, the LTAF playing field will evolve over time. Here, the Mansion House Compact of 2023, which was designed to boost the UK equity market, means we might expect more offerings that explicitly invest in UK unlisted assets, beyond the two that have so far launched by Schroders.
The author or authors do not own shares in any securities mentioned in this article. Find out about Morningstar's editorial policies.