Bridgewater Associates

Bridgewater Associates, a global investing force, had $168 billion under management at its peak in 2022, making it not just the world’s largest hedge fund, but also more than twice the size of the runner-up. Bridgewater’s billionaire founder, Ray Dalio, was omnipresent in the financial media. Dalio founded Bridgewwater in 1975. Bridgewater earned worldwide fame for navigating the 2008 financial crisis. Shareholders in Bridgewater’s parent company — a group that includes employees and clients — don't automatically receive copies of the firm’s financial statements. Five separate Dalio family trusts appeared to each hold “at least 25 percent but less than 50 percent of Bridgewater, something that seems mathematically difficult."