Throughout my career, various investment fads have risen and fallen, and while they all have their own distinct characteristics, they all share something in common: They're packaged as "alternative investments" and often emphasize the potential for positive returns, lower risk or a combination of favorable risk-adjusted returns.
The category of alternative investments is so broad that it's almost lost any real meaning. I've seen it used to describe everything from gold and commodities, real estate, private credit and hedge funds and everything in between.
