{"id":935266,"date":"2026-02-09T10:35:14","date_gmt":"2026-02-09T15:35:14","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/global-pension-assets-rise-by-nearly-10-reaching-new-high\/"},"modified":"2026-02-09T10:35:14","modified_gmt":"2026-02-09T15:35:14","slug":"global-pension-assets-rise-by-nearly-10-reaching-new-high","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.marketnewsdesk.com\/index.php\/global-pension-assets-rise-by-nearly-10-reaching-new-high\/","title":{"rendered":"Global pension assets rise by nearly 10%, reaching new high"},"content":{"rendered":"
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NEW YORK, Feb. 09, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Rising by 9.6% year-on-year, global pensions assets reached a record USD 68.3 trillion in 2025 as defined contribution (DC) savings continued to drive growth, according to leading global advisory, broking and solutions company, WTW\u2019s (NASDAQ: WTW) Thinking Ahead Institute\u2019s (TAI) latest\u00a0Global Pension Assets Study<\/a>.<\/p>\n

2025 showed sustained recovery across global markets with strong investor sentiment and relatively contained volatility, culminating in the creation of USD 6.0 trillion of pension asset value.<\/p>\n

Of the top seven global pensions markets \u2013 Australia, Canada, Japan, Netherlands, Switzerland, UK, US \u2013 DC now forms 63% of all assets, with Australia and the US strongly skewing towards DC asset allocation at 90% and 72% respectively, followed closely by Canada at 44%.<\/p>\n

Over the past 10 years, the three predominantly DC markets have seen above average growth, as Australia grew by 6.6% pa, the US by 7.7% pa, and Canada by 5.3% pa. Looking at other countries in the wider Top 22 pensions markets, South Korea, Switzerland and Hong Kong all grew by more than 8% pa over the past decade.<\/p>\n

The US remains the largest single pensions market, now forming 66% of the Top 22 globally. Canada has now overtaken Japan for the first time to become the second largest pensions market, due to strong 12% year-on-year growth.<\/p>\n

Conversely, the UK saw weak growth of only 1.4% pa over the last 10 years in USD terms. As of 2025, it has the lowest compound annual growth rate of all 22 major markets, bar Brazil. Consequently, having been the second largest pension market in 2015, the UK has now fallen to fourth place in the rankings.<\/p>\n

A key driver of this trend is that the UK pension market is going through a structural shift, with DB schemes maturing, paying out benefits, and de-risking, while DC continues to expand. DC now represents around 40% of UK pension assets, up from 18% in 2020.<\/p>\n

Looking at the seven largest pensions markets, over last 20 years, overall allocation to equities has fallen nine percentage points (pp) to 48% of total assets, while bonds and other asset classes are up 3pp and 6pp respectively to 31% and 19% of total assets. Aggregate asset allocation now more closely resembles that of 15 years ago.<\/p>\n

\u201c2025 saw broad-based gains across global markets, with most major asset classes delivering positive returns. Equities performed especially well, while fixed income also posted gains in light of global rate cuts and narrowing credit spreads,\u201d said Jessica Gao, director, Thinking Ahead Institute.<\/p>\n

\u201cLooking ahead, the 2026 outlook is likely to be shaped by policy decisions, technological innovation and shifting global dynamics. Fiscal support and AI-related investment should remain important growth drivers. Inflation trends and central bank actions will be key, particularly in the US, where strong capital spending and supportive fiscal policy may continue to support growth and keep yields relatively elevated.<\/p>\n

\u201cNow more than ever, adopting a \u2018Total Portfolio Approach\u2019 matters because the investment environment is more uncertain, complex and interdependent than the governance models that many funds have relied on. Rapid technological change as well as more prominent political and systemic risks demand frameworks that can operate with less certainty and weaker model stability. TPA addresses this by enabling faster, more coordinated decisions supported by better data, technology and an organization-wide perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n Notes to editors:<\/strong>\n <\/p>\n