The firm, already the private equity industry’s largest real estate investor, will have a strategy similar to its last fund, investing in distressed properties globally, according to people with knowledge of the plans. Blackstone’s prior fund gathered $15.8 billion in 2015. Blackstone is seeking capital at an opportune time. Institutions such as public pension plans and insurance companies are betting big on property assets to protect against inflation and broaden their holdings beyond stocks and bonds. The number of investors allocating $1 billion to the space keeps increasing, according to data provider Preqin.