Equity, Diversity and Inclusion

The world’s biggest sovereign wealth funds – in one chart

two women with the norwegian flag painted on their face smile for a photograph

Norway takes the crown! Image: REUTERS/Petr Josek

Katharina Buchholz
Data Journalist, Statista
  • The Norwegian Government Pension Fund is the largest of any sovereign wealth fund in the world, containing $1.1 trillion to date.
  • Second is China's Investment Cooperation fund, which also manages a similarly large amount of assets of just above $1 trillion.
  • Other sovereign wealth funds in the top eight are not nearly as big.
  • The unique Norwegian fund was set up to invest government revenues from fossil fuel industries into sectors deemed more sustainable.

The Norwegian Government Pension Fund is the largest of any sovereign wealth fund in the world. According to data from the SWF Institute, the fund contained more than $1.1 trillion as of January 2021. Most of the assets are tied up in stocks, bonds and real estate. Not far from the proportions of the Government Pension Fund is the China Investment Cooperation fund. It manages a similarly large amount of assets of just above $1 trillion. The other sovereign wealth funds in the top eight are not nearly as big. Assets range between $370 and $580 billion. Most of the funds are located in Asia and the Arab world – in Hong Kong, China, Singapore as well as Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

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the world biggest sovereign wealth funds
Norway and China lead the pack by some margin. Image: Statista

The unique Norwegian fund was set up to invest government revenues from fossil fuel industries into sectors deemed more sustainable in order to provide for a future when the country can no longer rely on its income from oil. The Norwegian government is free to use up to three percent of the fund's volume annually for social purposes – that number currently amounts up to $33 billion.

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