[10] Legatum was founded in December 2006 in the United Arab Emirates by Christopher Chandler, who made his fortune in markets undergoing political transitions.

[13] In 2015, Legatum transitioned to a partnership, consisting of Christopher Chandler, Mark Stoleson, Philip Vassiliou and Alan McCormick, providing a structure for the firm to continue operating beyond its founders.

[14] The firm's investment activities tend to focus on globally listed companies, markets in economic transition (such as Japan or China), or distressed situations.

[18] In 2007, Legatum purchased a significant minority stake in Intellecap, which provides consultancy advice to companies in Asia and Africa, and which it subsequently sold back to its owner, the Aavishkaar Group, in 2017.

[32] By February 2020, the Luminos Fund had provided education for 132,611 children in Ethiopia, Lebanon and Liberia, whose access had been limited due to conflict, discrimination or poverty.

[33] Legatum founded the END Fund in 2012 to co-ordinate and support programmes to treat neglected tropical diseases, which affect over 1.5 billion people globally.

[37][38] Legatum has also funded more than one thousand community-based health initiatives that are solving common concerns in the developing world, like blindness and agricultural harm.

[36][41][42][43] Prior to the founding of the Fund, Legatum sponsored a 2012 information-gathering trip for non-profit organizations in Nepal and India to learn more about the human trafficking and slave-trade industries there.

[45][46] Fellowships are granted to students who show entrepreneurial ambition and an interest in making a lasting and positive economic impact on low-income countries.