Bridgepoint, an alternatives manager that invests in credit, private equity, and infrastructure, has reported that private credit assets under management (AUM) doubled in the four years since its IPO to reach €14bn (£12.1bn) in the first half of 2025.
In its interim results for the six months to 30 June 2024, the asset manager cited “robust levels of activity”, with growing investor interest in European investments providing a “tailwind” to fundraising for both direct lending and credit opportunities.
Read more: Bridgepoint private credit grows by €1.4bn as group AUM doubles since IPO
Overall, the group’s AUM increased 20 per cent to $86.6bn (£64.4bn) at 30 June 2025, up from $72.2bn a year ago, while fee-paying AUM grew 2 per cent to €37.5bn, from €36.8bn a year earlier.
The asset manager returned €2.6bn to fund investors in the first half of the year and reported “a good pipeline of exits” for the next 18 months.
In credit, the Bridgepoint direct lending team committed to invest in 15 deals in the year to date, six of which are new primary deals, while nine are refinancings or further commitments to existing investments, totalling nearly €2bn in deployment across geographies and sectors.
Bridgepoint’s third direct lending fund, BDL III, completed its investment period and BDL IV which closed €2.2bn to date, has begun to deploy, with the first €0.5bn invested by 30 June this year, which the asset manager said demonstrated the “relative resilience” of deal volumes in the European middle market.
Read more: Bridgepoint prices reset of CLO V
In an update on the performance of syndicated credit in the first half of the year, Bridgepoint reported that two collateral loan obligations (CLOs) – IV and V – were refinanced, with CLO V repriced, while CLO VIII was issued and CLO IX is currently warehousing.
In its guidance, Bridgepoint confirmed it intends to close two CLOs per year.
Meanwhile, its credit opportunities fund, BCO V, is expected to start deploying in late 2025.
The asset manager pointed to “significant potential for growth given the strong tailwinds in the alternatives market”, and said that private markets continue to perform well and remain attractive to institutional investors.
It also pointed to “increasing appetite” for direct lending and CLOs in credit.
“Looking ahead, we are making encouraging progress in fundraising, and there are signs of increasing transaction activity,” said Bridgepoint’s chief executive Raoul Hughes.
“The medium-term growth prospects for private markets are exciting and we are confident in the firm’s long-term strategic opportunity.”
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