Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Expands Access to Private Markets and Alternatives with PMAX - Balanced and PMAX - Growth Funds
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management announced that it has expanded access to the Morgan Stanley Private Markets and Alternatives Fund ("PMAX") by registering it as PMAX - Balanced. This change removes the accredited investor requirement, lowers minimum investment amounts, and introduces daily subscriptions, making private market strategies accessible to a broader range of clients through a simplified, professionally managed investment vehicle.
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management is also adding to its PMAX product suite with the launch of PMAX - Growth, a fund with a growth-focused allocation, and plans to introduce additional strategies with targeted investment objectives.
Historically, access to private markets was primarily limited to institutions and ultra-high-net-worth investors, but the PMAX fund platform now broadens access to institutional-quality private market investment managers for more clients.
This expansion comes as private markets continue to gain momentum. Global Alternatives AUM is expected to exceed $30 trillion in 2030, up from less than $10 trillion a decade ago, driven by companies staying private longer and increasing investor demand for opportunities beyond public markets.1 Over the same period, the number of public companies has declined significantly, while 84% of companies generating $100 million or more in revenue remain private.2
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management continues to see substantial growth in alternative investments, with over $300 billion in client assets under management.3 This achievement positions the Firm as a leading provider of alternative investment solutions in the wealth management sector and underscores its 45-year history of excellence in this space, extensive resources, and a dedicated team of nearly 350 alternatives professionals.
"Our PMAX platform reflects our commitment to broadening access to private markets through innovative products designed to meet a wider range of client needs," said Alison Nest, Head of Investment Solutions Products. "By expanding the platform and making it easier to invest, we are giving clients and advisors more ways to build diversified portfolios aligned with their investment objectives."
PMAX platform overview
PMAX - Balanced, with currently over $1B in AUM4, is a multi-manager portfolio offering diversified exposure across private equity, private credit, real estate and infrastructure through a simplified, single-ticket evergreen vehicle. With a diversified allocation across these strategies, it seeks to offer the potential for risk-adjusted higher returns, income and lower correlation relative to traditional investments.
PMAX - Growth is a growth-oriented private markets approach for clients seeking increased exposure to long-term capital appreciation opportunities. The fund provides diversified exposure to private equity through a curated, multi-manager portfolio across sectors, geographies and vintages, combining growth‑oriented and buyout strategies that seek to pursue long‑term capital appreciation while providing diversification.
The funds require a $10,000 initial investment and $5,000 for subsequent contributions. The funds permit daily purchases and allow clients to benefit from consolidated tax reporting and fully funded exposure without capital calls. Additionally, the streamlined investor experience removes the need for subscription documents, making the process simpler and more efficient for clients.
The funds are closed-end investment companies and do not offer daily redemptions. Liquidity is anticipated only through limited quarterly repurchase offers that occur at the discretion of each fund's Board of Trustees.
"The PMAX platform brings together Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s scale, alternatives expertise and manager access in a way that is designed to make private markets investing more accessible and more flexible for clients," said Brian Holzer, Head of Alternative Investments Distribution. "With these offerings, we are continuing to build a differentiated platform that helps advisors deliver institutional-quality private market strategies."
Investment approach
The funds utilize the intellectual capital of Morgan Stanley Wealth Management’s Global Investment Committee for asset allocation and Global Investment Manager Analysis team for manager selection and due diligence.
PMAX - Balanced targets allocations to private equity, private credit and real assets. This calibrated mix is designed to pursue higher risk-adjusted returns, income and diversification across private market strategies that may have lower correlation to public markets. The strategy also seeks diversification across sub-strategy, geography, sectors and managers, while retaining flexibility to incorporate additional strategies as opportunities arise.
PMAX - Growth targets allocation ranges that emphasize buyout strategies, as a core component, complemented by growth equity and venture capital and other opportunistic strategies. Overall, the approach focuses on diversification within private equity through manager selection, asset allocation, and periodic rebalancing, with the goal of seeking attractive risk‑adjusted returns over time.
1Private Markets in 2030 (2025). Preqin.com. |
2Capital IQ. U.S. public and private operating companies and subsidiaries with annual revenue greater than $100 million. Based on latest available fiscal year data as of June 10, 2026. |
3Morgan Stanley Wealth Management Alternative Investments Group as of May 2026. Includes Alternative Investments Performance Reporting assets. |
4 PMAX first launched in June 2025. |
About Morgan Stanley Wealth Management
Morgan Stanley Wealth Management, a global leader, provides access to a wide range of products and services to individuals, businesses and institutions, including brokerage and investment advisory services, financial and wealth planning, cash management and lending products, annuities and insurance, retirement and trust services.
About Morgan Stanley
Morgan Stanley (NYSE MS) is a leading global financial services firm providing investment banking, securities, wealth management and investment management services. With offices in more than 41 countries, the Firm’s employees serve clients worldwide including corporations, governments, institutions and individuals. For more information, visit www.morganstanley.com.
Important Information
This press release is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy any securities, nor does it constitute investment advice or a recommendation of any kind.
The PMAX funds are closed-end investment companies with limited to no liquidity. Shares are not listed on any securities exchange and no secondary market is expected to develop. Shareholders do not have the right to require the funds to redeem their shares. The funds may offer to repurchase shares on a quarterly basis in an amount not to exceed 3% of each fund's net asset value, subject to the discretion of each fund's Board of Trustees. No assurances can be given that a fund will conduct a repurchase in any given quarter and investors should not expect to be able to sell their shares regardless of how a fund performs.
The funds invest primarily in private market strategies for which valuations are generally provided on a quarterly basis by the underlying portfolio fund managers, while the funds calculate their net asset value and offer shares on a daily basis. Accordingly, the daily net asset value of a fund's shares may not fully reflect the current fair value of the fund's underlying investments and may be subject to adjustment as updated valuations become available.
Investing in the funds involves a high degree of risk, including the possible loss of the entire investment. The funds invest in non-traditional, alternative strategies, including private equity, private credit and real assets, that are subject to risks not typically associated with traditional investments, including but not limited to illiquidity, limited transparency, leverage, valuation uncertainty and potential for significant price volatility. Past performance is not indicative of future results, and there can be no assurance that the funds will achieve their investment objectives.
Investors should carefully read the applicable prospectus before investing for a more complete description of the risks involved. Copies of the prospectus may be obtained by contacting your Morgan Stanley Financial Advisor.
The sole purpose of this material is to inform, and it is in no way intended to be an offer or solicitation to purchase or sell any security, other investment or service, or to attract any funds or deposits. Products mentioned herein may not be appropriate for all investors and may be purchased only after an eligible investor has carefully reviewed the Fund’s offering materials and executed any applicable subscription documents. MSWM has not considered the actual or desired investment objectives, goals, guidelines, or factual circumstances of any investor in any fund(s). Before making any investment, each investor should carefully consider the risks associated with the investment, as discussed in the applicable offering materials, and make a determination, based upon their own particular circumstances, that the investment is consistent with their investment objectives and risk tolerance.
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. Actual results may vary. Diversification does not assure a profit or protect against loss in a declining market.
Alternative investments involve complex tax structures, tax inefficient investing, and delays in distributing important tax information. Individual funds have specific risks related to their investment programs that will vary from fund to fund. Clients should consult their own tax and legal advisors as MSWM does not provide tax or legal advice.
Interests in alternative investment products are only made available pursuant to the terms of the applicable offering materials, are distributed by MSWM and certain of its affiliates, and (1) are not FDIC-insured, (2) are not deposits or other obligations of MSWM or any of its affiliates, (3) are not guaranteed by MSWM or any of its affiliates, and (4) involve investment risks, including possible loss of principal. MSWM is a registered broker-dealer, not a bank.
© 2026 Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC. Member SIPC. Alternative investment securities discussed herein are not covered by the protections provided by the Securities Investor Protection Corporation, unless such securities are registered under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and are held in an MSWM Individual Retirement Account.
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Media Contact: Susan.Siering@morganstanley.com