General Discussion

Private equity is an investment in a privately held company, while public equity is an investment in a publicly traded company. Public equity is more accessible and liquid, while private equity is riskier and less liquid.
Accessibility:
Public equity
Anyone with an investment account can buy shares of publicly traded companies.
Private equity
Only those with access to the listing can invest, which is usually restricted to high net-worth individuals.

Liquidity:
Public equity: Investors can buy and sell shares quickly.
Private equity: Investments are typically long-term, with funds locked in for several years.

Risk:
Public equity
Returns are generally more stable but can be influenced by market volatility.
Private equity
Often targets higher returns, but has higher risks due to less liquidity and transparency.

So you can imagine why tis can seem shady.