Top Hedge Fund List sees Assets jump by 24% in 2010

The Top Hedge Funds in the United States saw their US Equity assets jump by over $35.3 billion during 2010, representing a 24% increase in assets. Collectively, the top 10 hedge funds on the list managed $182.1 billion at the end of 2010, according to SEC filings. The top hedge fund on the list is John Paulson’s Paulson & Co with $29.2 billion in equity assets. Mr. Paulson’s hedge fund firm saw its assets increase by nearly $10 billion over the course of 2010. Last year, Paulson & Co. was ranked #4 with $19.4 billion in assets under management.

Last year’s largest hedge fund, D.E. Shaw & Co, only fell one notch down the list to number two. David Shaw’s New York-based hedge fund recorded assets of $25.8 billion, slightly down from the $26.7 billion the multi-strategy hedge fund shop managed at the end of 2009.

Robert Atchinson and Phil Gross’ Adage Capital Partners retained its number three spot on the list. Adage reportedly managed $25.5 billion, noticeably up from the firm’s previous mark of $19.9 billion. Last year’s number two, Jim Simons’ Renaissance Technologies, fell a couple of notches down to number four with $24.6 billion.

Last year, only 5 of the top 10 hedge funds on the list managed more than $10 billion in equity assets. Notably, all 10 of the hedge funds on this year’s list managed more than $11.5 billion. Newcomers to the top 10 hedge fund list include: #5 Ken Griffin’s Citadel Investment Group, #6 Steven A. Cohen’s SAC Capital Advisors, #9 Clifford Asness’ AQR Capital Management LLC and #10 Carl Icahn’s Icahn Associates .

Rank	Institution	Assets ($MM)
1	Paulson & Co.	$29,271
2	D.E. Shaw & Co	$25,846
3	Adage Capital Partners	$25,559
4	Renaissance Technologies	$24,617
5	Citadel Investment Group	$18,287
6	SAC Capital Advisors	$12,286
7	Viking Global Investors	$12,057
8	Lone Pine Capital	$11,463
9	AQR Capital Management LLC	$11,275
10	Icahn Associates	$11,514

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