An institutional investor is an entity that invests capital. Examples of institutional investors generally include banks, mutual funds, hedge funds, pension funds, insurance companies, some investment advisers, and university endowments.

An investor that meets certain standards outlined in Rule 501(a) of Regulation D qualifies as an accredited investor. For example, individuals may qualify by having (1) annual income exceeding either $200K (singly) or $300K (with spouse or spousal equivalent) in each of the two most recent years; (2) more than $1 million in net worth, excluding the primary residence (singly or with spouse or spousal equivalent); or (3) certain financial professional credentials. Qualifying as an accredited investor determines whether an investor can invest in businesses conducting common types of exempt offerings.

A qualified purchaser is an investor that meets certain financial and sophistication standards, as defined in the Investment Company Act and its rules. For example, an individual may be a qualified purchaser if the investor owns $5 million or more in investments, and an entity may qualify if it owns and invests on a discretionary basis at least $25 million in investments.