Guides

Short, practical answers to the questions people ask most about sovereign wealth funds. Each one gives the answer first, then points you to the sourced detail.

Are sovereign wealth funds good or bad?

That is a policy judgement, and we leave it to you. What we show is the record. Some funds pay out large, documented sums, such as the dividends from the Alaska Permanent Fund. Many funds publish very little: 52.4% of the operating funds we score publish no long-term return. See the ten disclosure walls.

Can you invest in a sovereign wealth fund?

Not directly. Governments own these funds and they do not take money from the public. You can buy shares in listed companies a fund owns, but that makes you a shareholder of the company, not the fund. Canada has said the planned Canada Strong Fund will offer a retail product, with terms still to be published. Nothing on this site is investment advice.

How do you get a job at a sovereign wealth fund?

Apply through the fund's own careers page. Team sizes vary widely, from PIF with 3,321 staff at the end of 2025 to funds such as Malaysia's KWAN, which has no staff of its own. Be wary of anyone claiming to recruit for a fund outside its official website.

How do you approach a sovereign wealth fund?

Use only the routes a fund publishes. Some run programmes for outside managers, such as PIF's Managers Gate portal. Many publish no route at all, and we never suggest that a fund welcomes approaches it has not invited. Each profile lists the routes that fund publishes.

More answers are in our FAQ.