Private markets are undergoing a phase of profound transformation. The growth of AUM (Assets Under Management), the expansion of the investor base and the evolution of distribution models are reshaping the relationship between the savings industry, wealth managers and private clients.
The new edition of IPEM Wealth 2026, scheduled for 3-5 February at the Palais des Festivals in Cannes, is expected to emerge as one of the key events for all wealth management operators and players in private equity and private markets.
Next year’s edition will focus more on the democratisation of these markets and on making it progressively easier for individual investors to access these asset classes. What are the key developments of the 2026 edition, and how is the market evolving?
The Private Markets’ “wealth revolution”
According to Antoine Colson, Managing Partner and CEO of IPEM Wealth, the private markets sector is experiencing what he himself calls a ‘wealth revolution’. When IPEM was founded in 2016, private equity was an almost exclusively institutional universe, reserved for pension funds, insurance companies, sovereign wealth funds and large families.
In those years, the sector managed around $4 trillion, while today it is preparing to reach the $15 trillion mark. Estimates suggest that this asset class has all the right credentials to reach $30 trillion by 2030. This growth is not only quantitative but also structural, as it increasingly involves and affects the wealth channel.
Furthermore, the democratisation of private markets will increasingly feature in the strategies of asset management operators.
“Today, we are no longer talking only about institutional investors, but also about families, family offices and private investors who access private markets through private banks and wealth management players, with growth rates in inflows of around 20% per annum,” explains Colson.
Mobilising European Private Wealth
Alongside democratisation, another major theme that IPEM Wealth 2026 will focus on is the mobilisation of capital. In Europe, around €11 trillion, or almost a third of private wealth, remains untouched in bank accounts.
In a context where more and more sectors of the economy are financed by private capital, the challenge is to transform this liquidity into productive investments. Expanding access to private market assets for individual investors, therefore, becomes a strategic necessity, not only for the financial industry but for the entire economy.
Evergreen funds: growth at different speeds
Another central focus of the new edition concerns evergreen funds. These instruments are not entirely new or unknown to investors and have become increasingly widespread in recent years. They are now firmly on the radar of private banks (tier 2 and 3) and wealth managers.
While large private banks are already considering including evergreen funds in discretionary portfolios, for many operators the challenge is also reputational because brand and identity also matter in this segment. The ability to offer simple, continuous solutions that are consistent with the needs of private clients will be one of the key topics of discussion in Cannes in February.
Innovation, Next-Gen and new access models
IPEM Wealth 2026 will also look at the transformations taking place in terms of innovation and generational change. Over the next 20 years, the younger generations will inherit more than $80 trillion globally. The wealth management client base will be enriched by younger, more digital investors who are, above all, more interested in alternative assets than previous generations.
“The demand for simplicity is now common to all investor profiles, from UHNWIs to retail,” notes Colson. For this reason, large asset managers are strengthening their capabilities in private markets to become true one-stop shops, capable of managing the entire client portfolio.
However, making private markets accessible requires product innovation and new distribution models, which are set to leave a lasting mark on the industry.
What’s new at IPEM Wealth 2026
Among the new features of this edition are the IPEM Awards, which are back for the second consecutive year with the aim of recognising managers and distributors who have distinguished themselves through innovation, particularly in the evergreen fund segment.
There will also be a strong focus on the world of Single-family offices. For the first time, IPEM will dedicate an entire summit to these investors, offering a more intimate and discreet setting in which to discuss investment strategies and policies.
Finally, there will also be space for training, with masterclasses and discussions dedicated to best practices and innovations in the ecosystem, involving technology, law and fund management. “IPEM is not just a business place, but a space where the industry can learn collectively,” Colson comments.
