The Economics of Sovereign Wealth Funds (2024)

FAQs

How does the sovereign wealth fund work? ›

Owned and funded entirely by a state or country, sovereign wealth funds pool together money from a country's reserves and invest it for the betterment of society. The funds are typically passively managed, long-term investments.

Despite the advantages, SWFs are not without their drawbacks. One concern is the potential for mismanagement and corruption. Poor governance and lack of transparency can lead to funds being misappropriated or invested in risky ventures, resulting in significant financial losses.

The Santiago Principles consists of 24 generally accepted principles and practices voluntarily endorsed by IFSWF members. The Santiago Principles promote transparency, good governance, accountability and prudent investment practices whilst encouraging a more open dialogue and deeper understanding of SWF activities.

Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, was established in the 1990s to invest the surplus revenues of the country's oil and gas sector. To date, the fund has put money in more than 8,500 companies in 70 countries around the world.

The USA is quite unique in the world. And in a very real way, it is not a Sovereign Entity, except in matters of Treaty and Defense. So, that's why. The Federal government hold no wealth beyond the Federal Reserve.

Many nations use sovereign wealth funds as a way to accrue profit for the benefit of the nation's economy and its citizens. The primary functions of a sovereign wealth fund are to stabilize the country's economy through diversification and to generate wealth for future generations.

Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF) emerged as the world's most active sovereign investor in 2023, boosting its deal activity even as most global peers, including GIC and Temasek Holdings, slashed spending.

SWFs generally enjoy favorable tax treatment in the U.S., but this treatment is subject to specific limitations; SWFs typically require separate LPA provisions or side-letter protection to ensure that their favorable tax treatment is not thwarted by the activities of the funds in which they invest. US Tax Exemption.

A sovereign wealth fund is a state-owned investment fund comprised of money generated by the government, often derived from a country's surplus reserves. SWFs provide a benefit for a country's economy and its citizens. The funding for a SWF can come from a variety of sources.

The IWG reached an agreement on GAPP's in Santiago of Chile, September 22th 2008 - called the "Santiago Principles" - and presented them to the International Monetary and Financial Committee (IMFC), the IMF's policy advisory body; in October 2008 in Washington DC.

What are the Gapp Santiago Principles? ›

The generally accepted principles and practices (GAPP), which are also known as the Santiago principles, are standardized business procedures related to the operation of sovereign wealth funds (SWFs), which have agreed to pursue financial rather than political agendas and maintain a stable global financial system.

The governance structure of SWFs is subject to much concern about a lack of transparency and political capture. Many funds have political leaders on their boards and may be tempted to inject capital into domestic firms due to political pressure.

Sovereign wealth funds are not a recent invention – Kuwait created the first modern one in 1953. Nor are they un-American: the state governments of Alaska and Texas both have sovereign funds designed to manage the revenues that have arisen from their energy booms.

1. Government Pension Fund Global—Norway. Even though its name has the word pension fund, Norway's sovereign wealth fund is the largest in the world and with over $1 trillion in assets it is growing fast.

A sovereign wealth fund is owned by the general government, which includes both central government and sub-national governments. Includes investments in foreign financial assets. They invest for financial objectives.

Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) have over $11.5 trillion in assets under management as of February 2023. Most of these 176 funds are sponsored by non-Western countries and their growth has made SWFs important international investors, particularly in private equity funding.

The world's largest sovereign wealth fund was established in the 1990s to invest the surplus revenues of Norway's oil and gas sector. To date, the fund has put money in more than 8,800 companies in over 70 countries around the world, making it one of the largest investors across the globe.