Private Equity Fundraising Plunges Amid Struggle to Return Cash

Private equity firms have seen a sharp drop in fundraising this year, the latest sign of how a slowdown in dealmaking and initial public offerings has hurt an industry that’s struggling to return capital to investors amid high borrowing costs.

PE fundraising plunged 35% to $116 billion globally in the three months through March compared to the same period in 2024, according to a study by data provider Pitchbook. The researcher said it “positions the annualized fundraising total to fall below 2024 levels” of $531 billion, which was already weaker than years past.

Last year saw a rebound in exits, ...