SIFs, a new asset class, allows investors to enhance returns, diversify risks, have greater clarity of financial goals
Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. Funds that follow alternative strategies in the listed markets have exploded in popularity since the introduction of Alternative Investment Fund regulations. Category III AIFs – a brand new idea in 2012 – have garnered ₹2.17 lakh crore of commitments as of today.
Discretionary portfolio managers have grown by ₹4.26 lakh crore since then. And even mutual fund investors have discovered the power of risk-adjusted returns through categories such as balanced advantage funds ( ₹2.9 lakh crore of assets under management) and multi-asset funds ( ₹4.33 lakh crore of AUM). The Securities and Exchange Board of India recently notified a new asset class: the Specialised Investment Fund (SIF), which, with a minimum investment of ₹10 lakh, sits between mutual funds and portfolio management services.
And I’m just as optimistic about this new asset class as I was when I created the first AIF in 2012. Both existing mutual funds with ₹10,000 crore of AUM and three years of track record and specialised investment managers can start launching SIFs from April 1. So here is a little bit of crystal-ball gazing on potential products and what they can do for your portfolio.
My top idea is the return of structured products via the SIF route. These funds could offer periodic subscriptions and redemptions, capital protection, and, as on date, 30-70% of the upside of the Nifty. Structured product SIFs appeal to the Indian investor who wants the psychological comfort of capital preservation and the benefit of equity upside.
Read on livemint.com