Investing in Longevity: Opportunities of a Longer, Healthier Future

We are living longer than ever before, a remarkable achievement that also brings new complexities. At BNP Paribas in Switzerland, we are proactively addressing this megatrend by exploring new fields like longevity, healthy nutrition, and innovative healthcare solutions.

This article, initially published in Finanz und Wirtschaft, incorporates the perspectives of our Deputy Global Chief Investment Officer, Guy Ertz. It examines how extended lifespans are redefining our society and creating significant economic and investment opportunities in areas such as health, wealth, and the promising investment avenues that arise from our pursuit of a longer, healthier, and more fulfilling life.

Read the article in german

Getting Older Without Feeling Old

Finanz und Wirtschaft
11.06.2025

Female ballet dancer on pointes dancing with a red veil and black bodysuit standing in front of a grey concrete wall, Lyon, France

We are living longer than ever. But this increasing longevity also brings new challenges. BNP Paribas has taken on this issue and is investing in new areas such as longevity, healthy nutrition, and retirement planning solutions.

Over the last 150 years, human life expectancy has nearly doubled thanks to medical and societal advances. Scientific breakthroughs promise to extend life even further, supported by declining alcohol and tobacco consumption, technological innovation, and new lifestyle trends.

The focus has thus shifted to extending healthy life expectancy – the number of years lived in good health before death. Achieving this goal is vital for adding happy years to life while reducing age-related healthcare costs.

Anti-aging medication

Anti-aging drugs aim to prolong both lifespan and health span and could revolutionize how we deal with aging and age-related diseases such as obesity, cancer, and Alzheimer’s or dementia. Treatments like fasting and calorie restriction, which regulate blood sugar and improve insulin sensitivity, have proven effective in delaying age-related diseases.

GLP-1 inhibitors, for example, are effective in treating type 2 diabetes and promoting weight loss, while also lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease, stroke, cancer, and dementia.

New cancer treatments using immunotherapy, CAR-T cell therapies, and advanced radiotherapy improve long-term survival rates. Numerous new Alzheimer’s drugs have recently shown they can slow cognitive decline by over 25% in just 18 months.

Preventive healthcare

Prevention is far more cost-effective than treatment, which is driving rapid growth in early diagnostics and wearables. Devices like glucose monitors and smartwatches now track a wide range of health data.

An aging population will inevitably boost demand for glasses, contact lenses, hearing aids, and other senior-focused medical equipment. There will also be increased demand for assisted living facilities and senior residences.

Growing “grey” purchasing power

As people live longer and healthier lives, seniors will also enjoy greater purchasing power. According to U.S. nonprofit AARP, people over 50 already account for 50% of global consumer spending, and that figure is projected to reach almost 60% by 2050.

Sectors that will benefit from this “grey” purchasing power include food services, travel, insurance, and senior-focused fashion and footwear.

The longevity era

Rising life expectancy calls into question traditional retirement ages. Many future retirees are choosing to stay active longer—not just for financial reasons but also to stay engaged and productive.

Continuing to work brings health benefits, including improved cognitive function and reduced dementia risk. This trend creates new wealth management opportunities, as people save and invest longer before drawing on their retirement funds.

Promoting Healthy and Sustainable Nutrition

BNP Paribas invests in the field of nutrition primarily in sustainable and healthy food companies, as well as in innovative solutions along the entire food value chain. BNP Paribas also supports educational and awareness-raising programs that promote healthy and sustainable nutrition, for example through a partnership with the Swiss Food Academy, which introduces sustainable eating habits to schoolchildren.

Through the thematic fund “THEAM Quant – Healthy Living Opportunities,” BNP Paribas also invests in companies that produce natural, organic, or functional foods, as well as in companies developing sustainable packaging and delivery solutions.

The fund combines nutrition with health and wellness as a growth market. Sustainability and ESG criteria play a central role in the selection of investments in the food sector, aiming to achieve both financial returns and positive ecological and social impacts.

In summary, BNP Paribas primarily invests in food through thematic funds focused on sustainable, healthy, and innovative food companies, complemented by social engagement to raise awareness about sustainable nutrition.

Sustainable Food

The BNP Paribas Swiss Foundation was established in 2002 to foster dialogue between the bank and society on cultural, social, and environmental issues. In 2022, to strengthen its commitment to environmental matters and in line with BNP Paribas’ engagement to raise public awareness on climate change and biodiversity, a partnership was launched with the Swiss Food Academy (SFA), whose main objective is to raise public awareness about healthy and sustainable food.

The organization brings together experts in nutrition, education, health, and sustainable development who create high-value content for schools, public authorities, individuals, and professionals.

From 2022 to 2024, the foundation was among the supporters of the program “Paprika – my school committed to healthy and sustainable nutrition” in Zurich. This educational project aimed to introduce 8- to 12-year-old schoolchildren in the Zurich region to healthy and sustainable nutrition through educational and playful methods.

Investing for a Longer and Happier Life

BNP Paribas invests — with a focus on equities, real estate and private equity — in selected pharmaceutical stocks and medicines, as well as in biotechnology and medical technology. It also invests in real estate funds focused on healthcare, health technology, healthy and sustainable food, consumer goods and service companies strongly oriented towards the elderly, and in financial services such as asset and wealth management and health insurance.

BNP Paribas also invests in the theme of longevity across various asset classes and sectors. The focus is on:

Equities in companies from the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical technology sectors that develop innovative solutions for age-related diseases and healthy ageing;
Real estate funds and REITs focused on healthcare and care facilities;
Companies in health technology, wellness, healthy food, and nutritional supplements;
Consumer goods and service companies specifically targeting older populations;
Financial services such as wealth management and health insurance tailored to the needs of an ageing population.

Strategy: BNP Paribas sees longevity as one of the most important investment trends in the coming years. The bank considers rising life expectancy to be both a societal challenge and an economic opportunity. It recommends investments that both respond to the needs of older people and benefit from demographic change. For example, the “BNP Paribas Funds Global Megatrends Life” fund invests globally in companies with strong governance that benefit from megatrends such as demographic change and longevity.

Innovation: BNP Paribas sees the future of financial planning in the integration of health and wealth management. Health is viewed as an asset that should be actively maintained. Future financial products could incorporate health data directly into financial planning in order to create personalized retirement and investment strategies.