Some 1,733 private capital funds raised a total of $757 billion in 2018, down from the prior year both in terms of number of funds and capital raised, according to data released Monday by alternative investment research firm Preqin.
Private capital firms closed on 28% fewer funds and 18% less capital than in 2017.
Fundraising in one private capital sector, private equity, was also down in 2018, with 1,175 private equity funds raising a total of $426 billion, compared to 1,639 private equity funds that closed on $552 billion in 2017.
However, there are 5,147 private capital funds in the market, aiming to raise an aggregate $1.6 trillion, Preqin data showed. Seventeen of the private capital funds are currently seeking $10 billion or more.
Preqin also announced that 2018 was a record year for venture capital deal-making, with 14,889 deals worth a total of $274 billion. Preqin expects this figure to rise by up to 5% as more information becomes available.
Nine of the 10 largest deals in 2018 were based in Asia, including the largest venture capital deal ever announced: the $14 billion funding of Ant Financial Services Group in June.
