Wall Street Banks Tighten Private Credit Lending as BlackRock HLEND Faces $1.2 Billion Redemptions

Moody’s says U.S. banks had nearly $300 billion in loans to private credit funds and $285 billion to private equity funds as of June 2025, as major firms moved to manage liquidity pressure.

Summary

Wall Street banks and private credit managers tightened lending and redemption terms as concerns grew over liquidity and risk in the private credit market. Moody’s said U.S. banks had nearly $300 billion of loans to private credit funds and $285 billion to private equity funds as of June 2025. The broader pressure comes as BlackRock’s HLEND faced $1.2 billion in withdrawal requests in the first quarter and Morgan Stanley capped redemptions after investors sought nearly 11% in outflows. JPMorgan, Morgan Stanley, BlackRock, Blackstone, Blue Owl Capital, and Cliffwater were cited among firms taking steps to manage liquidity strain.

Terms & Concepts
  • Private credit: Non-bank lending made directly to companies, typically through investment vehicles rather than public debt markets.
  • Redemptions: Investor requests to withdraw capital from a fund, which can create stress when assets are not easily sold.
  • Liquidity: A measure of how readily cash can be raised to meet obligations without causing significant losses on asset sales.