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Citi and BlackRock’s HPS Launch €15 Billion Private Credit Program for EMEA

The arrangement routes loans sourced by Citi to HPS funding to meet rising client demand for direct lending.

Overview

  • Citigroup and HPS Investment Partners unveiled a €15 billion program that will finance private loans over an initial five-year term across Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
  • The companies said Citi will source and originate deals, while HPS provides the capital to fund the loans, focusing on sub-investment-grade borrowers outside public markets.
  • Target clients include corporate and sponsor-backed firms in Continental Europe and the UK, with plans to extend to the Middle East after the initial rollout.
  • Citi’s John McAuley said the tie-up responds to growing requests from corporate and private equity clients for tailored private credit solutions.
  • The move fits a wider shift in which banks keep client relationships and fee income as asset managers supply lending capital, following Citi’s 2024 $25 billion private credit partnership with Apollo.