Alto
Glossary

What is a high-net-worth individual?

The term high-net-worth individual (HNWI) is a classification of individuals who have at least $1 million in liquid assets.

At least $1 million in liquid assets means that high-net-worth individuals have at least $1 million in cash in hand, or they have at least $1 million in assets that can quickly be converted into cash, such as public stocks, gold, government bonds or certificates of deposit.

The $1 million excludes their primary residence and illiquid investments that are considered difficult to sell and/or volatile in value (such as fine art).

To date, there are 21.7 million high-net-worth individuals in the world with a collective wealth equaling $83 trillion, according to the Capgemini World Wealth Report. Most of them reside in the United States, as well as China and India.

These high-net-worth individuals around the world have greater access to investment opportunities, such as private market investments that are exclusive to accredited investors who meet certain criteria, like a minimum net worth.

Invest in venture capital and similar alternative assets using tax-advantaged retirement funds.

Subscribe to our newsletter to learn more about Alto.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.

Explore more terms

Private equity

Private equity vs. venture capital

IRA contribution limits