Digital private equity manager Moonfare has opened for business in Australia.
In a statement on 4 February, it said eligible Australian investors will get access to funds from top-tier private equity managers such as KKR, EQT and the Carlyle Group at low minimums, with direct investments and Moonfare proprietary strategies also available.
Steffen Pauls, Moonfare’s founder and co-chief executive said: "There is clearly a growing appetite for private equity investing in Australia. But so far access has been limited, especially for people wanting exposure to non-domestic managers and strategies. Moonfare’s digital private equity platform plans to fill that gap by providing seamless access to globally leading top-quartile managers."
Australia’s private wealth market is growing. The country has the highest proportion of private wealth investors across the APAC region, with high-net worth assets under management standing at over USD $1trn; it has the fifth largest average wealth globally.
Australian investors are also increasingly interested in investing in alternatives, but some reports suggest they want better education and market access, both of which Moonfare was established to deliver.
Moonfare's proprietary portfolio investments provide instant diversification across a range of strategies at low minimums, including buyout, growth equity, venture and infrastructure. Investments in secondaries, private credit and co-investments are also available, while family offices and those able to invest at larger scale can invest directly in select companies alongside leading general partners (GPs).
Moonfare investors also benefit from access to a unique secondary market platform with institutional participation by Lexington Partners. This comprises a twice-yearly auction for investors wanting to sell existing stakes in Moonfare's funds, or acquire new ones.
Moonfare now has over €3.3bn in assets under management and almost 5,000 investors. More than 71,000 family offices, industrial families and private investors have now registered as part of its investment community. With the addition of Australia, the Moonfare platform is now available in 23 countries.
"Our APAC investor relations team is in active discussions with potential clients in Australia," said Adam Banks, Moonfare's Head of Asia Pacific. "We look forward to bringing the Moonfare experience to many more eligible investors as we expand our presence in the region."
