The U.S. just made it much easier for retail investors to access private markets

The Securities and Exchange Commission has greenlit sweeping plans to widen access to private markets to individual investors — just as the industry's rush into retail faces sharper scrutiny. SEC chairman Paul Atkins said investor demand for private market investment opportunities is growing, adding that exposure to "one of the great engines of American enterprise" should "not be reserved for the wealthiest or for those deemed to be the most sophisticated." The proposals, approved Wednesday by the U.S. regulator, would seek to expand the number and type of ways for individuals to qualify as accredited investors.