You need about $1.1Million to open a small-scale hedge fund business. You will need over 2.5 Million U.S. dollars to successfully set up a medium-scale hedge fund company.
The cost of starting a hedge fund is in two folds; the cost of setting up the office structure and of course the capital meant for investment. The amount required to invest in hedge funds could range from 1 Million US Dollars to even multiple Millions of Dollars.
So you must employ aggressive strategies to pool such cash together. Regarding the cost of setting up the office structure, your concern should be to secure a good office facility in a busy business district.
It can be expensive though, but that is one of the factors that will help you position your hedge fund firm to attract the kind of investors you would need. When it comes to starting a small scale hedge fund firm, the following expenditure should guide you;
Estimated Cost Breakdown for Opening a Hedge Fund
- The Total Fee for incorporating the Business – $750.
- The budget for Liability insurance, permits and license – $5,000
- The Amount needed to acquire a suitable Office facility in a business district with 6 months’ rent up – front (Re – Construction of the facility inclusive) – $50,000.
- The Cost for equipping the office (computers, printers, fax machines, furniture, telephones, filing cabins, safety gadgets and electronics et al) – $5,000
- The Cost of Launching your official Website – $600
- Budget for paying at least two employees for 3 months and utility bills – $10,000
- Additional Expenditure (Business cards, Signage, Adverts and Promotions et al) – $2,500
- Investment fund – 1 Million Dollars
- Miscellaneous – $1,000
Going by the report from the research and feasibility studies, you will need about 1.1 Million U.S. Dollars to set up a small scale hedge fund firm in the united states of America. You will need over 2.5 Million U.S. dollars to successfully set – up a medium scale hedge fund firm.
On the other hand, if you are considering starting a large scale hedge fund firm with several professionals under your payroll, then you should look towards budgeting well over 5 million United States dollars. In this article, we will discuss some of the factors that can influence the cost of opening a hedge fund company.
3-Year Sales Forecast and Breakeven Analysis
Initial Capital: $2,500,000
Fixed Cost: Monthly expenses such as office rent, salaries, utilities, etc.
- Office Rent: $10,000 per month
- Salaries (analysts, traders, support staff): $30,000 per month
- Utilities, legal, and other fixed costs: $5,000 per month
- Total Fixed Costs per Month: $45,000
- Total Fixed Cost per Year: $540,000
Revenue Streams:
- Management Fee: 2% of assets under management (AUM) annually
- Performance Fee: 20% of profits (assuming an annual return of 10% on AUM)
AUM Growth:
- Year 1: Starting AUM of $2,500,000
- Year 2: 25% increase in AUM
- Year 3: 20% increase in AUM
Year 1:
- AUM: $2,500,000
- Management Fee Revenue: $2,500,000 x 0.02 = $50,000
- Performance Fee Revenue: ($2,500,000 x 0.10) x 0.20 = $50,000
- Total Revenue: $50,000 + $50,000 = $100,000
- Fixed Cost: $540,000
- Total Cost: $540,000
Year 2:
- AUM: $2,500,000 x 1.25 = $3,125,000
- Management Fee Revenue: $3,125,000 x 0.02 = $62,500
- Performance Fee Revenue: ($3,125,000 x 0.10) x 0.20 = $62,500
- Total Revenue: $62,500 + $62,500 = $125,000
- Fixed Cost: $540,000
- Total Cost: $540,000
Year 3:
- AUM: $3,125,000 x 1.20 = $3,750,000
- Management Fee Revenue: $3,750,000 x 0.02 = $75,000
- Performance Fee Revenue: ($3,750,000 x 0.10) x 0.20 = $75,000
- Total Revenue: $75,000 + $75,000 = $150,000
- Fixed Cost: $540,000
- Total Cost: $540,000
Breakeven Point
Breakeven AUM = Total Fixed Cost ÷ Management Fee Rate + (Performance Fee Rate × Assumed Annual Return)
: = 540,000 ÷ 0.02 + (0.20 × 0.10)
Breakeven AUM = $13,500,000
Factors That Influence the Cost of Opening a Hedge Fund
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The Size of the Hedge Fund Company
A major factor that will determine the overall cost of opening a hedge fund company is the size of the hedge fund company. The truth is that there are different sizes a hedge fund company may want to start with. You may want to start as a small company, a medium-sized company, or go all in as a big company.
The implication of this is that if you plan to start a big edge fund company, then you should be ready to spend more, and if you decide to start a small hedge fund company, then you will spend less.
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The Choice of Location
Another major factor that will determine the cost of opening a hedge fund company is your location. For example, renting or leasing a hedge fund office facility in a location that is off the city center will be less expensive when compared to renting or leasing an office facility in a busy business district.
Same goes for a location along a major road with high vehicular and human traffic; a location in a metropolitan city with the right demographic composition of people who are capable of investing in the hedge fund company.
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The Required Licenses and Permits
In the United States of America, you cannot open a hedge fund company without first applying for the mandatory license and permits.
The mandatory licenses and permits you would need to run a hedge fund company in the United States are Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) Registration, State Registration, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) Registration, National Futures Association (NFA) Membership, and Business license.
Of course, you would also need building licenses, zonal permits, and signage permits amongst others. As expected, these licenses and permits cost money and will influence the overall cost of opening a hedge fund company in the United States of America.
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The Type of Facility
The type of facility you want to run your hedge fund company from is also a major factor that will determine the overall cost of opening the company.
As regards the facility, you have the options of renting an office facility, leasing, or designing and constructing an office facility from the scratch. With renting and leasing a facility, you may have to spend extra to modify the facility to fit into what you have in mind.
But if you want to construct your office facility from the scratch, you will have to buy the land, and construct and equip the office facility to fit into the ideal picture of a hedge fund company you have in mind. With that, you will agree that you are going to spend way more when compared to people that rent or lease a facility.
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The Required Working Capital
Another very important factor that will determine the cost of opening a hedge fund company is the working capital the owner of the company intends to start with. A hedge fund is all about pooling funds from investors and then investing such funds in various investment vehicles.
It means that for you to be in business as a hedge fund company, you should be able to strategize on how you can attract the needed capital to start trading or investing, and that to a large extent will influence the overall cost of opening your hedge fund company.
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The Cost of Hiring and Paying a Business Consultant and Attorney
A hedge fund business is not one of those businesses that you can start with a trial-and-error approach. As expected, if you want to get your business started on the right foundation, it will be a wise decision to hire the services of a competent business consultant and attorney.
A business consultant will help with drafting a workable business plan document, a marketing plan and strategy, a comprehensive SWOT analysis, and other advisory services.
An attorney will help you with registering the business, drafting contract documents, and offering you legal expertise. Of course, you will agree that these services will cost you money and it will indeed influence the overall cost of opening a hedge fund company.
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The Cost for Branding, Promotion, and Marketing of the Hedge Fund Company
The cost of branding, promoting, and marketing the hedge fund company is yet another key factor that will determine the overall cost of opening a hedge fund company. Trust me, if you need massive results as it relates to competing and winning a fair share of the available market in your city, then you must be willing to pay for effective branding, promotion, and marketing.
As a matter of fact, it is not cheap to come by a result-oriented professional in branding, promotion, and marketing that will help you compete with brands that are already determining the market direction of the hedge fund industry in your city.
So, if you add the cost of paying a branding and marketing expert, it will surely increase the cost of opening your hedge fund company.
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The Cost of Furnishing and Equipping the Office
Another factor that will determine the cost of opening a hedge fund company is the cost of furnishing and equipping the office and training facility.
Before you can open a hedge fund company, you should budget and buy training chairs and tables, projectors, flat-screen TVs, decoders, office furniture (tables, stools, and sofas), telephones, filing cabinets, office equipment (cash register, security and fire alarm and protection gadgets, CCTV, ventilation, signage), fancy lightening amongst others. All these will cost money and it will influence the overall cost of opening a hedge fund company.
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The Cost of Insurance
The cost of paying for insurance policy coverage is yet another important factor that will determine the overall cost of opening a hedge fund company. In the United States, you can’t operate a business without having some of the basic insurance policy covers that are required by the industry you want to operate from.
Thus, it is imperative to create a budget for insurance policy coverage and perhaps consult an insurance broker to guide you in choosing the best and most appropriate insurance policies for your hedge fund company.
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The Cost of Registering the Business
The cost of registering the hedge fund company is yet another cost that will influence the overall cost of opening the business. Although the cost of registering a business and obtaining all the needed documents is affordable, it will no doubt add to the overall cost of opening a hedge fund company.
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Cost of Recruiting and Training Your Staff
The fact that you are opening your hedge fund company as a new business means that you are expected to recruit and train your staff.
The training will help you sell the corporate culture of your organization to the new employees. As expected, it will cost you money to hire expert trainers that will help you train and bring your new hires up to speed, and that will add to the overall cost of opening a hedge fund company.
Financing your Hedge Fund Business
When it comes to raising capital to start a hedge fund firm, it is usually in two folds. Firstly you will need capital to set – up the business i.e. incorporating the business, getting the required license, renting / leasing an office space, and every other expense that is required by start – up firms.
Secondly, you will need to pool cash together from accredited investors; getting the required cash for investment in hedge fund can be a both challenging. Here are some of the options you can explore when sourcing for start – up capital for your hedge fund firm;
- Raising money from personal savings and sale of personal stocks and properties
- Raising money from investors and business partners
- Sell shares to interested investors
- Applying for Loan from your Bank / banks
- Pitching your business idea and applying for business grants and seed funding from donor organizations and angel investors
- Source for soft loans from your family members and your friends.
In Conclusion,
These are some of the factors that will determine the overall cost of opening a hedge fund company. Please note that there are other factors not listed above that will surely influence the overall cost of opening your hedge fund company.
Which is why we will advise that you work with a result-driven business consultant in your city to give you the needed guide and info as it relates to the unique factor in your location that will influence the overall cost of opening your hedge fund company.