Whether you are an individual or institutional investor, using Investment companies has become a key component of any investment strategy.

What does an Investment company do?

On behalf of their clients, investment companies invest in financial instruments and securities, such as stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and ETFs to generate profit and return on investment. By charging fees for services such as asset management, financial advice, and portfolio monitoring, investment companies are now some of the largest and most successful companies around.

Here’s a quick look at the top 10 investment companies by assets under management.

Largest 10 investment companies

1. BlackRock

BlackRock is currently the world's largest asset management company with almost $10 trillion in assets under management. BlackRock operates globally and predominantly targets institutional investors.

2. Vanguard

Vanguard is slightly smaller than Blackrock with around $8 trillion in assets under management but has a similar product offering. The company is renowned for its low-cost structure and customer service, making it a popular choice for both individual and institutional investors.

3. UBS

UBS is one of the world's leading investment banks and financial services companies. It provides a wide range of services to its clients with a focus on wealth management. Listed on the Swiss Stock Exchange, UBS currently has over $4 trillion in assets under management and is a market leader in Europe, Latin America and Asia.

4. Goldman Sachs

Goldman Sachs is one of the world's most famous investment banks with approximately $2.5 trillion in assets under management. It is renowned for its involvement in some of the most significant mergers and acquisitions in the past few decades. The firm works with governments, corporations, and individuals to create new capital solutions, manage risk, and facilitate liquidity.

5. Fidelity Investments

Fidelity Investments is another one of the largest asset managers in the world, with over $4 trillion in assets under management. Fidelity offers a wide range of investment products and also provides retirement planning services, financial advice, and education to its customers.

6. Morgan Stanley

Morgan Stanley is an American multinational investment bank and financial services company with $3 trillion in assets under management. Morgan Stanley is a primary dealer in the U.S. Treasury security market and serves as a counterparty for the clearing of U.S. government securities.

7. Merrill Lynch

Merrill Lynch is a global financial services company that is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Bank of America. The company offers a full range of banking, investing, and wealth management services, as well as specialised services such as mergers and acquisitions, foreign exchange and investment banking services.

8. JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase & Co. is one of the most respected banks in the world and has around $3.3 trillion assets under management. The company provides a wide range of financial services to individual and institutional clients but specialises in investment banking and asset management.

9. Charles Schwab

Charles Schwab is another highly respected global player in financial and investment services. The company is a full-service brokerage firm and targets its products towards individual investors. Charles Schwab manages over $3.8 trillion in assets.

10. Citigroup

Citigroup is one of the world’s largest banks and offers a broad range of financial services. Citigroup currently has approximately $2 trillion in assets under management.