Their advantage isn't that other people aren't allowed to make certain types of investments, though. It's simply that they have more money. Even if "accredited investor" weren't a thing, they'd still have access to better investment opportunities, because they can offer better terms. Compared to someone who has 1000x more money than you, all you can offer is the willingness to take on more risk — which is exactly what accredited investor rules are meant to protect people against.