Largely exempt from regulation and shrouded in secrecy, "hedge funds" are one of the most controversial institutions in modern finance. Presenting a balanced view of the subject. De Brouwer explains their workings using case study material from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, from 1997 to 1998. He also considers the future of hedge funds, their role for institutional investors, as well as policy proposals to limit their destabilizing effects.