Hedge Funds

Organization

Investment funds that use complex strategies and high leverage to generate returns. They are identified as major players in the Yen Carry Trade, and their algorithmic trading is a key driver of market volatility.


entitydetail.created_at

8/26/2025, 6:14:06 AM

entitydetail.last_updated

8/26/2025, 6:16:01 AM

entitydetail.research_retrieved

8/26/2025, 6:16:01 AM

Summary

Hedge funds are private, unregistered investment funds that pool capital from high-net-worth individuals and institutional or accredited investors. They employ diverse and often complex investment strategies, including the use of computer trading algorithms and significant leverage, with the goal of generating positive returns. Unlike mutual funds, they are subject to fewer regulations and are not marketed to retail investors. Their substantial use of leverage can contribute to global financial system fragility, as demonstrated by the unraveling of the Yen Carry Trade, which triggered margin calls and forced liquidations for some hedge funds, such as Citadel.

Referenced in 1 Document
Research Data
Extracted Attributes
  • Type

    Private investment fund

  • Structure

    Often offshore corporation, limited partnership, or limited liability company

  • Management

    Actively managed by an investment manager (organization or company)

  • Investor Type

    High-net-worth individuals, institutional investors, accredited investors

  • Key Strategies

    Hedging, speculative bets, leverage, computer trading algorithms (algos), long/short positions, multi-strategy, multi-manager

  • Asset Liquidity

    Generally invest in relatively liquid assets

  • Investment Goal

    Achieve superior risk-adjusted returns, generate positive returns uncorrelated with the broader market

  • Regulatory Status

    Less regulated than mutual funds and ETFs, not subject to numerous regulations for investor protection

  • Registration Status

    Unregistered

Timeline
  • Hedge funds, employing immense leverage and computer trading algorithms, contributed to the fragility of the global financial system, as highlighted by the unraveling of the Yen Carry Trade. (Source: document_6f09ea2d-8820-4118-bec1-b3e6e76d385c)

    Unknown

  • The unraveling of the Yen Carry Trade, triggered by a slight interest rate increase from the Bank of Japan, led to the specter of forced liquidations from margin calls for hedge funds. (Source: document_6f09ea2d-8820-4118-bec1-b3e6e76d385c)

    Unknown

Web Search Results
  • What is a Hedge Fund?

    A hedge fund is a private investment fund that pools money from high-net-worth individuals and/or institutional investors, often with the goal of achieving superior risk-adjusted returns. [...] As the name implies, hedge funds often hedge their investments so the overall fund can perform well whether markets go up or down — such as by investing long in some stocks and shorting others. That said, the term hedge fund nowadays applies to a broader set of private funds that use a variety of investment strategies, some riskier than others. For example, some hedge funds are less focused on hedging and more focused on making big, speculative bets. [...] A hedge fund is often considered an alternative investment because it differs from exposure to more traditional asset classes like public equities. Still, hedge funds can involve investing in public stocks, along with a variety of other assets. Here's a closer look at what hedge funds involve: Definition of a hedge fund

  • Hedge Funds | Investor.gov

    A hedge fund is a private, unregistered investment fund. Hedge funds pool money from investors and invest in securities or other types of assets with the goal of getting positive returns. As discussed below, hedge funds are generally limited to individuals and institutional investors who meet certain sophistication criteria. [...] Hedge funds generally pursue more flexible investments and strategies than registered investment companies, like mutual funds and ETFs, which may increase the risk of investment losses. Moreover, unlike mutual funds, ETFs, and other types of open-end funds, hedge funds are not marketed to retail investors. They are not subject to the numerous regulations that apply to mutual funds and ETFs for the protection of investors—including requiring that mutual fund shares be redeemable on a daily basis

  • Hedge fund

    A hedge fund is an investment vehicle that is most often structured as an offshore corporation, limited partnership, or limited liability company.( The fund is managed by an investment manager in the form of an organization or company that is legally and financially distinct from the hedge fund and its portfolio of assets.( Many investment managers utilize service providers for operational support.( Service providers include prime brokers, banks, administrators, distributors, and accounting [...] Hedge funds are considered alternative investments. Their ability to use leverage and more complex investment techniques distinguishes them from regulated investment funds available to the retail market, commonly known as mutual funds and ETFs. They are also considered distinct from private equity funds and other similar closed-end funds as hedge funds generally invest in relatively liquid assets and are usually open-ended. This means they typically allow investors to invest and withdraw [...] Fund of hedge funds (multi-manager): a hedge fund with a diversified portfolio of numerous underlying single-manager hedge funds. Multi-manager: a hedge fund wherein the investment is spread along separate sub-managers investing in their own strategy. Multi-strategy: a hedge fund using a combination of different strategies. 130-30 funds: equity funds with 130% long and 30% short positions, leaving a net long position of 100%.

  • Hedge Fund | Quick Primer - Wall Street Prep

    What is Hedge Fund? ------------------- A Hedge Fund is an alternative investment vehicle that uses specialized hedging strategies across various asset classes to generate positive returns uncorrelated with the broader market. [...] Hedge fund is an actively managed investment vehicle that raises capital from accredited investors to allocate the funds into a wide array of alternative securities. Hedge funds rely on riskier strategies and techniques to construct a beta neutral portfolio, where returns are uncorrected with the broader market and unaffected by price fluctuations. [...] Hedge funds are a form of active management, where various investment strategies are utilized to generate positive risk-adjusted returns uncorrelated with the broader market. Formerly, most hedge funds strived to profit regardless of the market direction – i.e. in a bull market or bear market – with their priority on minimizing correlation to the public markets, rather than out-performance of the market overall.

  • Hedge Funds: Overview, Recruitment, Careers & Salaries

    #### What Are Hedge Funds? Hedge Fund Definition: A hedge fund is an investment fund that raises capital from institutional and accredited investors and then invests it in financial assets – usually liquid, publicly traded assets. In simple terms, a hedge fund is an investment firm that seeks out alternative investments to beat the overall market or reduce the risk of unforeseen events. [...] For detailed coverage of this topic, please see our article on the hedge fund vs private equity comparison. Hedge funds differ from private equity firms because PE firms usually buy and sell entire companies or large stakes in companies, and most of their holdings are illiquid, while hedge funds tend to acquire much smaller stakes in liquid, publicly traded assets.