The investible universe, and how investors access it, has expanded. Market and economic shifts, and tech advances are prompting investors to reconsider how they build portfolios. Read on for the trends shaping investment products in 2026.
Convergence. Convenience. Data & technology at scale
Overview
The investment industry is embarking on a dynamic era in product innovation. This era is expanding the investible universe, creating both opportunity and complexity amidst an increasingly complicated environment – underscoring the need to deliver high-quality products that effectively meet investor needs.
We identify three key trends emerging across the investment industry:
- Advances in data and technology: These rapidly evolving trends are transforming what and how to invest.
- Convergence across asset classes: Investors are looking to a broader, converging universe to find diversification and returns.
- Demand for convenience: Investors are seeking more convenient ways to access investments and manage portfolios.
3 trends shaping the product industry in 2026
Advances in data and technology
The explosion in data availability, coupled with new ways to analyze data sets, has opened up dynamic, precise ways to index the market, with the indexation of private markets emerging as the next frontier. Active investors are leveraging large language models, advanced machine learning techniques, and scalable tools to gather insights, build portfolio simulations, and generate alpha more efficiently.
Time needed for 5-year daily global equity simulation
Source: BlackRock as of June 29, 2025.
A key advancement is how investors are incorporating AI to efficiently find alpha and build portfolios.
Carefully consider the Funds' investment objectives, risk factors, and charges and expenses before investing. This and other information can be found in the Funds' prospectuses or, if available, the summary prospectuses which may be obtained by visiting www.iShares.com or www.blackrock.com. Read the prospectus carefully before investing.
Investing involves risk, including possible loss of principal.
This information should not be relied upon as research, investment advice, or a recommendation regarding any products, strategies, or any security in particular. This material is strictly for illustrative, educational, or informational purposes and is subject to change.
AI technology relies on large data sets, which can lead to inaccuracies. Companies in AI face competition, rapid obsolescence, and depend on demand from various industries. Regulatory scrutiny could limit AI development, with data collection facing closer examination and potential fines. Country-specific regulations could also impact AI and big data companies.
Incorporating products providing private market exposure into a portfolio presents the opportunity for significant losses including in some cases, losses which exceed the principal amount invested. Also, some private market investments have experienced periods of extreme volatility and in general, are not suitable for all investors. Asset allocation and diversification strategies do not ensure profit or protect against loss in declining markets. Investor performance may differ due to the illiquidity of the underlying private investments.
Alpha takes the volatility (price risk) of a security and compares its risk-adjusted performance to a benchmark. The excess return of the security relative to the return of the benchmark is security's alpha. Beta is a measure of the tendency of securities to move with the market as a whole. A beta of 1 indicates that the security's price will move with the market. A beta less than 1 indicates the security tends to be less volatile than the market, while a beta greater than 1 indicates the security is more volatile than the market.
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