Trillions | Robin Wigglesworth

Trillions: How a Band of Wall Street Renegades Invented the Index Fund and Changed Finance Forever

Extended Synopsis

The index fund stands as one of the most significant financial innovations of the last century, fundamentally altering how capital is deployed across global markets. In Trillions, Financial Times journalist Robin Wigglesworth documents the compelling history of this movement, tracing its evolution from a radical, fringe academic theory to a dominant pillar of the modern investment landscape.

By chronicling the contributions of pioneering figures such as Jack Bogle, Gene Fama, and John McQuown, Wigglesworth details how the democratization of finance slashed fees, challenged Wall Street’s status quo, and revolutionized access for the average investor. This book provides a rigorous analysis of the rise of passive investing, the technological advancement of ETFs, and the complex debates regarding market stability in an era of growing institutional dominance.

Reader Targeting

• Long-term investors and financial professionals seeking deep context on current market structures.
• Students and academics studying the intersection of financial theory and real-world market history.
• Business enthusiasts interested in how radical ideas scale to reshape entire industries.

About the Author

Robin Wigglesworth is a senior financial journalist at the Financial Times, where he focuses on global markets and the evolution of financial systems. His deep investigative research into the origins of passive investing provides the definitive account of how modern investment norms were forged.

Accolades & Awards

Widely recognized as a definitive financial history, Trillions is celebrated for its narrative depth and technical clarity. It is considered an essential read for those wishing to understand the historical trajectory and future implications of the global index fund movement.

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