PEI 300: What's behind private equity's fundraising plateau?

The growth of private equity fundraising is slowing down. The 300 firms that feature on the 2025 edition of the PEI 300 – Private Equity International’s annual ranking of the industry’s biggest fundraisers – collectively raised $3.29 trillion over the preceding five years. While still a record high for the industry, the level of year-on-year growth is a departure from prior iterations. On average, the PEI 300 grows by 11 percent in total capital raising each year. The 0.3 percent rise in this year’s ranking may therefore be a cause for concern, market sources tell us. In this episode of Spotlight, PEI editor Helen de Beer, senior editor Adam Le and Americas correspondent Hannah Zhang delve into the reasons behind this fundraising flatline and examine some of the bright spots that exist beyond the headline numbers. Click here to see this year's PEI 300 ranking and full coverage. Click here to learn more about the Nexus conference in Orlando, February 22-25, 2026