2024 has been a transformative year for MUFG Investor Services and the global alternatives industry. Today, we’re introducing our new Alt Insider quarterly newsletter to showcase the latest trends and activities for our clients and industry partners.

Macroeconomic trends, political upheaval, and international conflicts continue to reshape the marketplace. High-net-worth retail investors and family offices are moving more decisively into alternatives. Vast sums of dry powder are being deployed as rates come down, and managers must ensure that new funds are launched with sufficient reserves, efficient infrastructure, and solid organization from the outset. Regulatory requirements are expanding across domiciles, making it even more challenging to launch and manage funds effectively.

With year-end approaching, we continue to collaborate with fund managers to re-examine their operating models, not just to better compete but to become more efficient and future-proof. This requires a combination of advanced technology, streamlined operations, and strategic decisions about outsourcing non-core activities. Year-end is a convenient checkpoint where we assess performance and set the stage for the year ahead, but this is part of a continuous process of improvement throughout the year.

As a trusted partner for many of the world’s largest public and private funds, we are tailoring new products and platforms to meet evolving investment strategies, including the increasing push into attracting high-net-worth retail investors. We are laser focused on enhancing the client experience by ensuring seamless interaction with our platforms and providing top expertise across disciplines that support the entire fund lifecycle.

Our teams are working with fund managers to replace legacy technology with automated platforms and systems, addressing the growing need for scale, security, and operational efficiency. In today’s marketplace, where technology has become an arms race, few firms can afford to invest heavily in proprietary systems. By partnering with us, fund managers can access cutting-edge solutions without the burden of ownership, allowing them to focus on their core business and reduce risks.

I’m very proud that this work has paid dividends to our firm as well. We now service over $1 trillion in assets under administration, a milestone achieved through substantial organic growth. Our client retention rate is the industry leader, at nearly 100%. With 17 strategic global locations, including new offices in Kuala Lumpur, Sydney, and Vancouver, our “follow-the-sun” model ensures continuous support for our clients across North America, Europe, and Asia Pacific.

We’ve recently launched a payments solution to complement our broad suite of services, which supports clients across the entire investment value chain, including fund administration, asset servicing, fund financing, banking, securities lending, custody, FX overlay, and business processing outsourcing.

In future issues of Alt Insider, we’ll continue to share industry insights and updates on our initiatives to benefit both fund managers and investors.

Thank you for your continued partnership and wishing you a strong finish to the year and success in 2025.