Private credit
Where is your fund using private credit? (Select all that apply)
Private credit has provided essential capital support for PE sponsors, with GPs able to turn to private credit for acquisition finance, refinancings, portfolio company liquidity needs and recapitalization requirements. The private credit space has grown into an asset class with more than US$3 trillion of AUM, according to the Alternative Credit Council, and has attracted sustained levels of LP investment. Even as fundraising dropped in other private market asset classes, private debt fundraising climbed 14.4% in H1 2025, according to Private Debt Investor . Armed with large capital war chests and free from the regulatory and capital restrictions on banks, private credit players have been able to provide GPs with flexible capital structures on competitive terms, and continue lending despite financial market unease due to elevated tariffs and geopolitical uncertainties. “Private credit has really matured as an asset class and has been a key credit line for refinancing existing investments, as well as a reliable source of capital for new transactions,” Tomlinson says. The survey findings show that the most common use for private credit from sponsors is refinancing and recaps at the portfolio level (57%). The use of private credit for acquisition financing at the portfolio level comes in second place but is down from 63% in 2024’s survey to 47% this year. The drop off in private credit being used for this purpose is most pronounced among those based in APAC, at 50%, down from 75% in 2024. The slide in the use of private credit for acquisition financing at the portfolio level, across all geographies, could be the result of a still slow M&A market. Private credit players have significant liquidity available to fund new deals and upon an uptick in deal volumes will be prepared to participate across M&A-related financing opportunities. Product placement Among the types of private credit products that firms prefer using, junior debt capital and first lien/senior debt with recurring revenue loans are the joint top products (76%) followed by ABS/structured products (74%). All three product sets have seen an increase in popularity among respondents year-on-year. For example, 82% of North American respondents say they use ABS/structured
Portfolio Lȃvȃl – rȃfinǸncinȌ Ǹnd rȃcǸps
57%
50%
60%
58%
Portfolio Lȃvȃl – Ǹcquisition finǸncinȌ
47%
50%
46%
47%
Portfolio Lȃvȃl – NAV fǸcilitiȃs
43%
45%
40%
44%
Portfolio Lȃvȃl – ȌȃnȃrǸl corporǸtȃ borrowinȌ
42%
35%
46%
42%
GP Lȃvȃl – cǸpitǸl commitmȃnt fǸcilitiȃs
41%
45%
40% 40%
Fund Lȃvȃl – NAV fǸcilitiȃs
34%
30%
34%
36%
Fund Lȃvȃl – subscription linȃs
30% 30%
26%
33%
TotǸl
AsiǸ-PǸcific EMEA North AmȃricǸ
26
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