Singapore-based systematic hedge fund Quantedge is emerging as one of the industry’s strongest performers in 2026, combining market-leading returns with an unconventional talent strategy that focuses on recruiting graduates rather than experienced portfolio managers, according to a report by eFinancial Careers.
According to recent performance figures, the $6bn manager has returned 34.6% year to date, significantly outperforming many of the world’s largest multi-strategy hedge funds. Over the same period, Millennium Management has gained 8.2%, Point72 is up 10.9%, and Citadel’s flagship Wellington fund has returned 12%.
Rather than competing in the increasingly expensive market for established portfolio managers, Quantedge has built its investment team by recruiting almost exclusively from universities.
Speaking on the ‘Odds on Open’ podcast, Chief Executive Suhaimi Zainul-Abidin said the firm rarely hires experienced investment professionals, preferring to develop talent internally through graduate recruitment and internship programmes. Recent interns have come from institutions including Nanyang Technological University, the London School of Economics and Yale University.
The approach differs markedly from that of many large multi-manager hedge funds, which frequently recruit seasoned portfolio managers from rivals and closely monitor performance against strict risk limits.
Zainul-Abidin said Quantedge views hiring as a long-term investment, aiming to provide employees with careers that can span decades rather than focusing on short-term performance. He described the firm’s philosophy as creating an environment where staff can build successful careers while enjoying long-term financial participation in the business.
Employees are eventually able to invest in Quantedge’s funds themselves, allowing them to benefit directly from the firm’s long-term performance, although withdrawals are subject to restrictions designed to encourage long-term capital growth.
Founded two decades ago, Quantedge has generated average annual returns of close to 20% since inception. The firm’s investment process is built around broad diversification, trading roughly 300 global markets across asset classes, including around 50 commodity markets.
According to Zainul-Abidin, this level of diversification reduces portfolio-specific risk and allows the firm to allocate greater risk to individual trading strategies without materially increasing overall portfolio volatility.
The firm’s hiring philosophy also extends beyond traditional quantitative disciplines. While systematic investing often recruits heavily from mathematics and computer science, Zainul-Abidin said Quantedge looks for candidates from a broad range of academic backgrounds, provided they demonstrate strong analytical and systematic thinking skills. He himself has a legal background.
