Sovereign wealth funds (SWFs) are often seen as a threat to western nations. They raise political issues about the nature of their ownership, origin, objectives, portfolio, and performance, and are regarded with suspicion by countries in which the SWFs invest. The application of their funds gives rise to domestic debates about vulnerability and raises questions about the international relationship between the corporate world and the state, and how such states interact with each other. This book provides a comparative study of the seven largest SWF holding countries, from both a domestic and an international perspective. Uniquely it tackles the issues from the viewpoint of those non-OECD countries, whose access to funds creates the most concern. It also explores how developed countries react to these initiatives.