- Accredited Investor – An individual or entity that meets specific financial criteria to invest in private markets, typically based on income, net worth, or professional experience.
- Accounts Receivable Financing – Borrowing against outstanding invoices.
- Acquisition – The process of acquiring control or ownership of a company or asset.
- Active Management – An investment approach where a manager makes specific investments with the goal of outperforming a benchmark index.
- Alpha – A measure of the excess return of an investment relative to the return of a benchmark index.
- Alpha Capture – A strategy where investment ideas are gathered from multiple sources to generate outperformance (alpha).
- Alternative Assets – Investments that fall outside of traditional categories like stocks, bonds, and cash, such as real estate, commodities, hedge funds, and private equity.
- Alternative Credit Scoring – Non-traditional methods of assessing creditworthiness.
- Alternative Investment – Investment in asset classes other than traditional stocks, bonds, and cash.
- Alternative Investment Fund (AIF) – A fund that pools capital from investors to invest in non-traditional assets, regulated under specific frameworks such as AIFMD in the EU.
- Allocation – The process of distributing investment capital across various asset classes or investment types.
- Angel Investing – Early-stage investment in startups by wealthy individuals.
- Arbitrage – A strategy that exploits price differences between markets to make a profit with minimal risk.
- Art and Collectibles Investment – Investment in physical art and collectible items.
- Asset Allocation – The investment strategy that balances risk and reward by apportioning a portfolio among different assets.
- Asset-Backed Securities (ABS) – A financial security backed by a pool of assets, such as loans, leases, or receivables.
- Asset Class – A category of investment, such as equities, fixed income, real estate, or commodities.
- Asset Reconstruction Companies – Entities that acquire distressed assets.
- Asymmetric Return – An investment return profile where the upside potential significantly outweighs the downside risk.
- Beta – A measure of an investment’s volatility in relation to the overall market.
- Bitcoin – First and largest cryptocurrency by market capitalization.
- Black Swan Event – A rare, unpredictable event with severe consequences for markets or economies.
- Blockchain Assets – Digital assets secured by blockchain technology.
- Blockchain-Based Lending – Lending facilitated by blockchain technology.
- Blind Pool – A fund that raises capital before knowing which specific investments will be made.
- Book Value – The net asset value of a company, calculated as total assets minus intangible assets and liabilities.
- Bridge Financing – Short-term funding used to cover immediate costs before permanent financing is secured.
- Bridge Loan – Short-term financing used until permanent financing is secured.
- Business Development Company (BDC) – Publicly traded company that invests in small and mid-sized businesses.
- Buy-Side – Firms that buy securities and assets for their own or their clients’ portfolios, such as hedge funds, mutual funds, and private equity firms.
- Buy-to-Let – Property investment strategy focused on rental income.
- Capital Appreciation – An increase in the value of an asset or investment over time.
- Capital Call – A request made by an investment fund to its investors to contribute capital that was previously committed.
- Capital Commitment – The amount of capital an investor agrees to provide to an investment fund.
- Carbon Credits – Tradeable certificates representing emission reductions.
- Carried Interest – A share of the profits from an investment that is paid to the investment manager in excess of their contribution.
- Cash Flow Waterfall – A method of distributing income or capital returns among different investors or stakeholders in a specific order.
- Catastrophe Bonds – Securities transferring insurance risk to capital markets.
- Club Deal – A private equity or venture capital deal where multiple firms collaborate to invest in a single company.
- Collateral – An asset pledged by a borrower to secure a loan or other credit.
- Collateralized Debt Obligations (CDOs) – Securities backed by pool of bonds and loans.
- Collateralised Debt Obligation (CDO) – A structured financial product backed by a pool of loans and other assets.
- Collateralised Loan Obligation (CLO) – A type of CDO that is specifically backed by corporate loans.
- Collectibles – Physical items valued for rarity or desirability.
- Co-Investment – A direct investment made alongside a private equity or venture capital fund.
- Commodities – Raw materials or primary agricultural products that can be bought and sold, such as gold, oil, or wheat.
- Commodity Futures – Contracts to buy/sell commodities at predetermined prices.
- Community Development Financial Institutions – Mission-driven lenders serving underserved markets.
- Contract for Difference (CFD) – Derivative allowing speculation on price movements.
- Convertible Bond – A type of bond that can be converted into a predetermined number of shares in the issuing company.
- Convertible Notes – Debt that converts to equity under specific conditions.
- Core Plus Real Estate – A real estate investment strategy targeting stable assets with moderate improvement potential.
- Covered Bonds – Bonds backed by mortgage loans or public sector loans.
- Credit Default Swap (CDS) – Financial derivative that transfers credit risk.
- Credit Enhancement – Methods to improve credit profile of securities.
- Crowdfunding – Raising small amounts of capital from a large number of investors, typically via an online platform.
- Crowdlending – A form of peer-to-peer lending where individual investors fund loans to businesses or consumers.
- Cryptocurrency – A digital or virtual currency that uses cryptography for security and operates independently of central banks.
- Crypto Mining Investments – Investment in cryptocurrency mining operations.
- Custodian – A financial institution that holds customers’ securities for safekeeping to minimise the risk of theft or loss.
- Dark Pool – Private exchange for trading securities away from public markets.
- Data Room – A secure virtual or physical space where confidential documents are stored during due diligence.
- Deal Flow – The rate at which investment opportunities are presented to investors or firms.
- Debt Financing – Raising capital by borrowing, typically through loans or the issuance of bonds.
- Decentralized Finance (DeFi) – A blockchain-based form of finance that does not rely on central financial intermediaries.
- Default Risk – The risk that a borrower will be unable to make required debt payments.
- Derivative – A financial contract whose value is derived from the performance of an underlying asset, index, or rate.
- Derivatives – Financial contracts whose value derives from underlying assets.
- Developmental Finance – Funding for economic development projects.
- Digital Assets – Electronic assets stored digitally.
- Direct Lending – Private loans made directly to borrowers, typically small and mid-sized enterprises, without an intermediary bank.
- Direct Property Investment – Ownership of physical real estate assets.
- Distressed Assets – Securities of companies or assets that are underperforming or in financial distress.
- Distressed Debt – Securities of companies in financial distress.
- Diversification – A strategy of spreading investments across various assets to reduce overall risk.
- Drawdown – A reduction in an investment’s value from its peak before it recovers.
- Due Diligence – The investigation and analysis conducted before an investment or acquisition to assess risks and value.
- Duration Risk – The risk associated with changes in interest rates affecting fixed income instruments.
- Emerging Markets – Nations with developing economies that may offer higher returns but come with higher risk.
- Energy Infrastructure – Assets related to the production, storage, and distribution of energy (e.g., pipelines, wind farms).
- Energy Transition Finance – Funding for clean energy and sustainability projects.
- Enterprise Value (EV) – A measure of a company’s total value, including debt and excluding cash.
- Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) – A set of standards for a company’s operations used by socially conscious investors.
- Equipment Finance – Lending secured by business equipment.
- Equipment Leasing – Renting equipment as alternative to purchasing.
- Equity Crowdfunding – Raising capital by offering equity stakes to many investors.
- Equity Kicker – An incentive for lenders in the form of equity participation in the borrower’s business.
- Equity-Linked Note – A debt instrument where returns are linked to the performance of an equity index or stock.
- ESG Investing – Environmental, social, and governance focused investments.
- Ethereum – Blockchain platform supporting smart contracts and DApps.
- Event-Driven Strategy – A hedge fund approach that seeks to capitalise on corporate events like mergers or bankruptcies.
- Evergreen Fund – An open-ended investment vehicle without a fixed end date that recycles capital for new investments.
- Exchange-Traded Notes (ETNs) – Unsecured debt securities tracking underlying indexes.
- Exit Strategy – A plan for how an investor intends to realise a return from an investment, such as a sale or IPO.
- Export Credit – Financing to support international trade.
- Factoring – Selling accounts receivable at a discount for immediate cash.
- Fair Market Value – The price that an asset would sell for on the open market.
- Family Office – A private wealth management advisory firm serving ultra-high-net-worth investors.
- Farm Leasing – A passive investment strategy in agricultural real estate through leasing farmland.
- Farmland Investment – The acquisition of agricultural land as an asset for income and appreciation.
- Feeder Fund – A fund that pools capital from investors and invests it into a master fund.
- Film Finance – Investment in movie and entertainment productions.
- Financial Sponsor – A private equity firm or other investment firm that acquires businesses.
- Financial Technology (FinTech) Investments – Investment in financial technology companies.
- Fine Art Investment – Buying art pieces as a store of value or speculative asset class.
- Fintech – Technology-driven innovations in financial services, often disrupting traditional financial systems.
- Fixed Income Alternatives – Non-traditional income-generating investments like private debt, invoice financing, or real estate debt.
- Flipping – Buying and quickly reselling an asset for profit, commonly in real estate or collectibles.
- Floating Rate Note – A debt instrument with variable interest payments based on a benchmark rate.
- Forex Trading – Foreign exchange currency trading.
- Fractional Ownership – Shared ownership of high-value assets.
- Fund Administrator – A third-party provider responsible for back-office tasks in fund operations, like NAV calculations.
- Fund of Funds (FoF) – An investment vehicle that invests in a portfolio of other investment funds.
- Fungibility – The property of an asset where individual units are interchangeable, like cash or bitcoin.
- Fundraising Cycle – The stages a fund manager goes through to raise capital for a fund.
- Gaming and Esports Investment – Investment in competitive gaming industry.
- General Partner (GP) – The party responsible for managing a private equity or venture capital fund.
- Gold ETFs – Exchange-traded funds tracking gold prices.
- Green Bond – A bond issued to fund projects with environmental benefits.
- Green Bonds – Bonds specifically for environmental projects.
- Green Finance – Financial services supporting environmental sustainability.
- Green Infrastructure – Investment in infrastructure assets that promote environmental sustainability.
- Growth Capital – Investment in established companies for expansion.
- Growth Equity – A private equity strategy focused on investing in growing companies that require capital to expand.
- Guarantor Loans – Loans backed by a third-party guarantee.
- Hard Assets – Physical or tangible assets such as real estate, equipment, or commodities.
- Hard Money Lending – Asset-based lending with higher interest rates.
- Harvesting – The act of realising gains from a successful investment, typically through sale or exit.
- Health Savings Account Investments – Investment options within HSAs.
- Hedge Fund – An actively managed pooled investment fund that employs a range of strategies to earn active returns.
- Hedge Funds – Pooled investment funds using diverse strategies.
- High Water Mark – The highest peak in value a fund has reached; performance fees are only charged on new gains beyond this point.
- High-Yield Bonds – Corporate bonds with higher risk and returns.
- Housing Finance – Lending specifically for residential properties.
- Hybrid Securities – Financial instruments combining debt and equity features.
- Illiquid Assets – Assets that cannot be quickly converted to cash.
- Impact Investing – Investments intended to generate positive social/environmental impact.
- Infrastructure Debt – Lending for infrastructure projects.
- Infrastructure Investment – Investment in essential public facilities and systems.
- Initial Coin Offering (ICO) – Fundraising method using cryptocurrency tokens.
- Insurance-Linked Securities – Instruments transferring insurance risks.
- Interest Rate Swaps – Derivative contracts exchanging interest rate payments.
- Invoice Trading – Buying and selling unpaid invoices.
- Joint Liability Groups – Collective borrowing arrangements with shared responsibility.
- Joint Stock Companies – Companies with transferable shares owned by shareholders.
- Joint Ventures – Business partnerships for specific projects.
- Junk Bonds – High-yield, high-risk corporate bonds.
- Kolektif Investments – Collective investment schemes.
- Land Banking – Buying undeveloped land for future development.
- Leveraged Buyouts (LBOs) – Acquisitions using significant borrowed funds.
- Leveraged Loans – Bank loans to companies with significant debt.
- Liquidity Pools – Collections of tokens locked in smart contracts for DeFi trading.
- Litigation Finance – Funding legal cases in exchange for portion of settlement.
- Loan Participations – Sharing of loan exposure among multiple lenders.
- Managed Futures – Professional trading of futures contracts.
- Marine Finance – Lending for ships and maritime equipment.
- Marketplace Lending – Online platforms connecting borrowers and lenders.
- Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) – Publicly traded partnerships.
- Mezzanine Financing – Hybrid debt-equity financing.
- Microfinance – Small loans to low-income individuals or small businesses.
- Mortgage-Backed Securities (MBS) – Securities backed by mortgage loans.
- Net Asset Value (NAV) – Per-share value of investment fund assets.
- NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) – Unique digital assets on blockchain.
- Niche Real Estate – Specialized property types like data centers or self-storage.
- Note Investing – Buying promissory notes secured by real estate.
- Oil and Gas Partnerships – Direct investment in energy exploration/production.
- Operating Leases – Equipment rental agreements.
- Opportunity Zones – Tax-advantaged investment in designated communities.
- Options Trading – Trading contracts giving rights to buy/sell assets.
- Peer-to-Business (P2B) Lending – Individual investors lending to businesses.
- Peer-to-Peer (P2P) Lending – Direct lending between individuals via online platforms.
- Portfolio Lending – Loans held by originating lender rather than sold.
- Precious Metals – Investment in gold, silver, platinum, and other rare metals.
- Preferred Shares – Equity securities with preferential dividend rights.
- Private Credit – Non-bank lending to companies.
- Private Equity – Investment in private companies not listed on public exchanges.
- Property Crowdfunding – Pooled investment in real estate projects.
- Qualified Opportunity Funds – Investment vehicles for Opportunity Zone investments.
- Qualified Small Business Stock – Shares eligible for tax benefits under Section 1202.
- Quantitative Trading – Algorithm-based trading strategies.
- Real Assets – Physical assets with intrinsic value.
- Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) – Companies owning income-producing real estate.
- Revenue-Based Financing – Funding in exchange for percentage of future revenues.
- Reverse Mortgages – Loans allowing homeowners to convert equity to cash.
- Risk Parity – Investment strategy balancing risk across asset classes.
- Royalty Investments – Income streams from intellectual property or natural resources.
- Secondary Markets – Markets for trading existing securities.
- Securitization – Process of pooling assets and creating tradeable securities.
- Small Business Lending – Financing specifically for small enterprises.
- Social Impact Bonds – Contracts where payment depends on social outcomes.
- Specialty Finance – Lending in niche markets or specialized industries.
- Stablecoins – Cryptocurrencies designed to maintain stable value.
- Structured Products – Pre-packaged investments combining securities and derivatives.
- Supply Chain Finance – Financial solutions optimizing working capital in supply chains.
- Tax Liens – Legal claims on property for unpaid taxes.
- Timber Investment – Direct ownership of forestland for commercial purposes.
- Tokenization – Converting real-world assets into digital tokens.
- Trade Finance – Financial instruments supporting international trade.
- Transportation Finance – Lending for vehicles, aircraft, and shipping equipment.
- Trust Deeds – Security instruments in real estate lending.
- Trust Preferred Securities – Hybrid securities issued by bank holding companies.
- Unit Investment Trusts – Investment companies offering fixed portfolios.
- Unregulated Collective Investment Schemes – Investment pools outside standard regulations.
- Unsecured Lending – Loans not backed by collateral.
- Utility Tokens – Digital tokens providing access to products or services.
- Variable Rate Bonds – Bonds with interest rates that adjust periodically.
- Venture Capital – Investment in early-stage, high-growth companies.
- Venture Debt – Debt financing for venture capital-backed companies.
- Venture Leasing – Equipment leasing to venture-backed companies.
- Warehouse Lending – Short-term credit lines for mortgage originators.
- Weatherization Finance – Funding for energy efficiency improvements.
- Whole Loans – Complete loan obligations sold to investors.
- Wine Investment – Purchasing fine wines as alternative assets.
- Working Capital Finance – Short-term funding for day-to-day operations.
- Xenocurrency – Currency traded outside its domestic market.
- XRP – Cryptocurrency designed for cross-border payments.
- Yield Farming – DeFi strategy of lending crypto assets for returns.
- Yieldcos – Publicly traded companies owning operating energy assets.
- Yield Maintenance – Prepayment penalty preserving lender’s yield.
- Z
- Zero-Coupon Bonds – Bonds sold at discount with no periodic interest payments.
Speculatour 