Latin American Family Offices Navigate Uncertainty and Investment Strategies in Citi Report

Latin America’s wealthiest family offices are confronting an increasingly complex economic environment by shifting toward quality assets and institutionalization, according to a global survey released in 2026 by Citi. The report, compiled by the Global Family Office Group of Citi Wealth, draws on a survey conducted in June and July 2026 across more than 350 family offices in over 40 countries. Alexandre Monnier, responsible for Family Office Advisory at CitiWealth, stated that families are building resilient portfolios to reach ambitious goals as global markets grow more complex. Despite ongoing international uncertainty, nearly 90% of the surveyed family offices reported positive portfolio performance so far in 2026, with the majority of Latin American firms concentrated in an annual profitability range of 5% to 10%.

Inflation and Economic Pressures Shape Risk Management

Inflation emerged as a primary concern for family offices in 2026, particularly in Latin America, which reflects the region’s historical challenges with monetary conditions. That anxiety was followed by concerns over interest rate shifts, financial system stability, and market volatility. Notably, trade disputes and tariffs—which ranked as the leading worry in 2025—dropped significantly as sources of concern.

Richard Weintraub, responsible for Integrated Client Solutions within the Global Family Office Group for North America and Latin America at Citi Wealth, noted that regional firms display notable capital discipline. Latin American family offices navigate a complex environment where historical sensitivities to inflation and interest rates loom large, but they continue to deploy capital with remarkable discipline while actively preparing for the future, Weintraub said. He added that the region hosts the highest concentration of multigenerational families globally, prompting a profound shift toward institutionalization and the adoption of cutting-edge technologies.

Investment Preferences and Asset Allocation

Faced with an economic backdrop where investment returns are increasingly driven by fundamentals rather than valuation expansion, regional family offices are prioritizing asset quality above all else. According to the data, Latin American offices lead all global counterparts in their plans to increase exposure to developed market equities.

Specifically, 52% of Latin American respondents intend to increase their exposure to developed market equities over the subsequent 12 months. Public equities currently account for 33% of their portfolios, while fixed income makes up 24%, pointing to a distinct preference for traditional liquid asset classes.

Defensive Strategies and Risk Positioning

To manage ongoing market risks, 30% of the surveyed regional family offices rely on active strategies, while 13% utilize hedging techniques. Citi Wealth indicated this breakdown signals a clear preference for adjusting portfolio positioning over derivative-based protection. The findings also show that Latin American offices were more uniform in defensive categories compared to their peers in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa.