Britannica Money (2024)

When considering investment types, investors typically think of the big three: stocks, bonds, and cash. Although those traditional assets typically make up a significant chunk of investors’ portfolios, the choice set is wider than you might think.

Beyond traditional investments lie alternative investments—the “everything else” in the investable universe, including commodities, real estate, private debt, collectibles, and more.

Investing aims to grow or preserve wealth. The goal of combining different assets and investment types is to target a greater degree of portfolio diversification.

Why diversify my portfolio?

Portfolio diversification is about more than just spreading out your risks to avoid putting all your eggs in one basket. Some economic environments favor different asset types, asset classes, and market segments.

Combining different assets within and across traditional and alternative investment types can help you find that sweet spot between risk and return, in both the short and long term.

Traditional investments: Stocks, bonds, and cash

The traditional investment category includes stocks, bonds, and cash.

Stocks are shares of publicly traded companies. Each share of stock represents fractional ownership of a company in proportion to the total number of shares available.

As a shareholder, you assume the risks and rewards of a given business. The value of your shares depends on the company’s performance and its prospects for future growth. Stocks are also affected by trends in the economy. Economic growth can lift stock performance, while a recession can pressure stock prices.

Bonds and other fixed-income investments are debt securities issued by governments or corporations. As a bondholder, you’re essentially lending money to the issuer in exchange for regular interest payments and the return of your initial investment at the end of the bond’s life (when the bond “matures”).

Some bonds are more risky than others, so riskier bonds tend to offer higher yields to attract investors. That’s why paying attention to bond credit ratings can be critical. These ratings can help you measure the credit risk of a bond (i.e., the risk that the issuer might default on its obligation to return your money). Credit ratings help you assess the risk versus return of fixed-income investments.

Investors often pair bonds with stocks, because bond prices often rise when the stock market falls.

Cash is typically not considered an investment unless it’s in an interest-bearing account (such as a savings account or a certificate of deposit). If it’s not earning interest, cash generates zero return, and it can even lose value over time because of inflation. Still, you never know when an investment opportunity might come along, so it’s good to have some cash on hand. Plus, from a personal standpoint, cash can help you get through an emergency.

Alternative investments: “Everything else” in the investable world

Alternative investments are non-security or non-cash assets that can appreciate in value. Alternative assets can sometimes carry more risk than traditional assets. And some, like hedge funds, require large amounts of investing capital. Almost all require some degree of specialized knowledge or the guidance of a financial advisor who specializes in alternative assets.

Here are a few of the more common alternative assets:

• Real estate. This includes residential and/or commercial investment properties.
• Cryptocurrencies. In addition to Bitcoin and Ether, there are thousands of cryptocurrencies in existence.
• Commodities. This asset class includes energy, agriculture, metals, and currencies. You can gain exposure to commodities through futures markets or exchange-traded funds (ETFs).
• Physical precious metals. This usually means gold and silver coins or bars.
• Private equity and debt. This refers to investments made in private companies or private corporate debt.
• Hedge funds. These are pooled investments that offer a more extensive investing strategy than mutual funds. They’re actively managed and often require a high initial investment.
• Collectibles. This alternative category includes all sorts of things, from fine art and furniture to trading cards.

Funds (including ETFs) can give you access to both worlds

As an investor, you can purchase individual assets outright or you can invest in a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund that holds your preferred assets within a larger pool of financial instruments.

There are a few advantages to holding a fund versus individual assets:

• Competitive pricing. The cost savings can be significant, as a single fund can hold more assets than you can purchase on your own, particularly if you have limited funds to invest.
• Diversification. Some funds are already diversified, saving you the trouble of having to strategically allocate your portfolio.
• Concentration. Some funds are concentrated in particular sectors within traditional and alternative categories, allowing you to take a more granular approach to portfolio diversification.

The bottom line

The world of financial investments can be broken down into two general categories: traditional and alternative investment types. If you’re looking to diversify your portfolio, familiarizing yourself with the assets within each category can provide you with a wider palette from which to choose.

References

• 7 Types of Alternative Investments Everyone Should Know | hbs.edu
• Introduction to Alternative Investments | cfainstitute.org