What is a Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB) generally defined as?

A Qualified Institutional Buyer (QIB) is typically defined as an institutional investor that manages at least $100 million in securities investments. This designation is important within the context of securities regulations because QIBs are afforded certain exemptions from the registration requirements under the Securities Act of 1933. Because they are presumed to have a higher level of investment sophistication and financial resources, QIBs can participate in private placements and other offerings that are not available to general investors.

This status facilitates capital raising by allowing issuers to target a well-defined group of sophisticated investors without the delays and costs associated with public offerings. Thus, recognizing the specific asset threshold of $100 million is crucial in qualifying an entity as a QIB, making option C the accurate definition.