How and Why Pension Funds Use Derivatives

With over $58 trillion in assets globally, pension fund managers are major participants in financial markets and play a vital role in helping to provide post-retirement incomes for plan employees. Meeting such an important goal requires careful consideration of investment goals and risks, and alignment of assets and liabilities within strict fiduciary and regulatory standards.

To address these challenges, pension fund managers have steadily expanded their use of derivatives over the past several decades, using interest rate swaps, currency forwards, inflation swaps and other instruments.

This paper examines how and why pension funds use derivatives, drawing on examples. It also reviews the global regulatory landscape that shapes derivatives use and highlights the role ISDA plays in helping pension funds navigate these markets.

Click on the PDF to read the full paper.

Documents (1) for How and Why Pension Funds Use Derivatives

S&P Global Selected as DC Administrator

ISDA and the Credit Derivatives Governance Committee have announced that S&P Global Market Intelligence has been selected as the administrator for the Credit Derivatives Determinations Committees (DCs). The announcement follows an invitation to tender in November 2025. The DC administrator...

Supporting ISDA SIMM Adoption in Australia

Derivatives have become a critical tool for Australia’s massive superannuation sector, as funds look to manage the risks associated with their expanding offshore investments. The use of derivatives brings real risk management benefits, but it also means funds need to...