‘Ticking time bomb’: The world's pension funds face an ageing crisis

Pension funds' continued exposure and plans to increase allocations come at a time when parts of the private credit market, particularly software-heavy lending, are facing heightened scrutiny.Shapecharge | E+ | Getty ImagesThe world's pension systems are confronting a demographic crisis as longer lifespans and dwindling birth rates threaten to stretch retirement finances, raising questions about their ability to sustain payouts for future generations.Pension offerings generally fall into two categories: defined-benefit plans, which promise retirees a predetermined income, and defined-contribution plans, where payouts depend on accumulated savings and investment returns. Ageing poses different challenges for the two systems: defined-benefit schemes face mounting liabilities as retirees live longer, while defined-contribution members risk outliving their savings, placing greater pressure on funds' investment performance.The problem is "huge, and it's gotten more pronounced over time,” said Sebastien Betermier, executive director at the International Centre for Pension Management, noting that some pension funds have members who have been retired for nearly half a century, aged aged 10...