“These regulations make it much more expensive for insurance companies and banks to hold illiquid investments on their books because of the increased need for capital adequacy. In many ways this is counter-intuitive as it is often the banks and insurers who need the long-term yield profile that illiquids can offer,” says de Sigy.

“It’s probably too early to be absolutely certain, but based on current trends we can see illiquid hedge funds emerging as an asset class in their own right. The market is still at a very nascent stage – often the time when the best rewards are to be gained – and traditional measures of activity do not necessarily give a clear view of what is happening underneath – often giving conflicting indicators month on month. Nevertheless, the trend to institutional investors building specialist portfolios of illiquid hedge funds is fairly clear. Current levels of dedicated investment are around the $3 billion mark, and that could easily double in the next year.”