Personal credit score in Europe’s decrease mid-market presents one thing more and more uncommon: structural inefficiency that favors buyers. Whereas the US dominates non-public credit score by scale, Europe’s reliance on banks, smaller fund sizes, and regional fragmentation go away a persistent financing hole for companies too small for world capital markets however too massive to rely solely on native banks. This creates a compelling, and sure sturdy alternative for personal credit score funds with native market experience.
Regardless of decrease base charges, debtors in Europe are paying increased spreads and costs because the all-in yields in Europe and the US are broadly related. Additional, financial institution retrenchment and concentrated fundraising among the many largest funds have left the fragmented decrease mid-market much less aggressive. For buyers, meaning a lovely entry level right this moment. Structural inefficiencies proceed to protect pricing energy, making partnership with the appropriate managers vital.
Entry to debt financing is vital for the expansion of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which type the spine of the European financial system. In line with the European Fee, SMEs symbolize greater than 99% of the European Union’s 32.3 million enterprises. The decrease mid-market — companies with 250 to five,000 workers — comprise roughly 8% of EU companies, or about 2.6 million firms.
Traditionally, SMEs have relied closely on banks, notably in continental Europe. Stricter capital necessities imposed on banks post-financial disaster have constrained financial institution lending, in flip hitting the decrease mid-market particularly exhausting, notably outdoors main monetary hubs resembling London or Frankfurt[1].
Personal credit score has stepped in to partially fill this hole, however capital is more and more concentrated. In 2024, 94% of all non-public credit score capital raised globally went to the most important 50 funds, up from 81.5% a yr earlier[2]. In consequence, phrases and pricing within the higher mid-market (usually EBITDA > €25–30 million) have largely converged between the US and Europe, with debtors having fun with ample entry to credit score.
In distinction, the decrease mid-market stays fragmented and fewer intermediated, making a structural alternative for non-bank lenders and providing better diploma of transaction management and pricing energy. Latest analysis by Aksia helps this conclusion[3].
Quantifying the Alternative
To match the European and US decrease mid-market landscapes, we gathered knowledge on direct lending funds in each areas from numerous knowledge sources[4]. In complete, we thought of roughly 20 senior secured mortgage funds in every area. Whereas not statistically exhaustive, the evaluation reveals a number of constant patterns.
All-in yields in Europe are barely increased than they’re in the US, regardless of decrease base charges. This has been the case since mid-2022, the beginning of the Federal Reserve and European Central Financial institution charge hikes. As of September 1, 3-month SOFR stood at roughly 4.03% versus 3-month Euribor at roughly 2.07%. Whereas troublesome to measure empirically, this implies that debtors in Europe face increased spreads, increased upfront charges, or each.
Extra importantly, we observe extra conservative deal structuring and danger profiles in Europe, notably when it comes to leverage. In money flow-based loans, leverage (Debt/EBITDA) tends to be decrease in Europe: our pattern suggests a distinction of roughly 0.5x. From our personal market observations, debt-to-ARR multiples within the software program sector peaked at round 2x in Europe and have since fallen to under 1x, in comparison with present US ranges of 2x, and as excessive as 3x on the peak.
Why the Hole Persists
The enticing risk-reward profile in European decrease mid-market non-public credit score displays a mix of structural inefficiencies and cyclical dynamics. Whereas market circumstances could evolve, most of the underlying drivers level to an enduring transatlantic hole.
Cyclical elements embrace rate of interest and foreign money differentials, which have an effect on base charges and hedging prices. Europe’s weaker current macro backdrop together with slower development, geopolitical uncertainty, and power shocks, has tempered lending urge for food. In distinction, components of the US market have proven indicators of exuberance, with tighter spreads and looser constructions.
Structural variations like a shallower institutional capital pool, financial institution dominance, and borrower conservatives are extra enduring. The European non-public credit score market stays much less developed than the US market. In 2024, North America–centered non-public credit score funds captured ~72% of world capital raised[5]. Since 2008, ~70% of personal credit score capital has been raised in North America and ~25% in Europe, in response to the RBA abstract of IMF/PitchBook work. Whereas capital flows may be shifting, the depth and dynamism of the US market means near-term convergence is unlikely.
As of December 2024, European direct lending dry powder stood at roughly $80 billion, down from almost $95 billion a yr earlier, whereas North America hit a file $167 billion in December 2024, up 17% year-on-year[6]. As well as, the extra superior non-public credit score panorama in the US additionally offers North American managers the power to make use of scale-enhancing instruments resembling fund-level leverage and co-investments extra readily. This disparity illustrates the depth and effectivity benefits within the US market.
On the smaller finish of the spectrum, the hole widens. Since 2023, 453 North America-focused direct lending funds under $2 billion have been raised, in comparison with simply 185 funds in Europe[7].
Investor preferences reinforce this divide. European LPs, usually extra risk-averse, have restricted urge for food for area of interest methods. As an alternative, they’ve favored massive, plain-vanilla direct lending funds provided by the largest US managers.
On the demand facet, European debtors stay extra conservative, with smaller deal sizes, slower decision-making, and fewer familiarity with structured credit score. Such cultural and behavioral elements scale back transaction velocity but additionally restrict lender competitors and assist extra conservative constructions with arguably superior danger dynamics.
Financial institution reliance, particularly in DACH (Germany, Austria, and Switzerland), and Southern Europe, additional entrenches the hole. Whereas non-bank lenders have grown market share in sponsor-led transactions — accounting for 56% in Germany in 2024 and 20–40% in Spain over the previous two years — most SMEs nonetheless lack entry to tailor-made credit score.
Mixed with Europe’s authorized, cultural, and regulatory fragmentation, and the necessity for native presence throughout a number of jurisdictions, these structural elements make near-term convergence unlikely, notably within the decrease mid-market.
Implications for Traders
Europe’s non-public credit score market has progressed simply as investor sentiment in the direction of the asset class has shifted. Debtors within the higher mid-market have little bother accessing capital as Europe and the US now function in a largely built-in world market.
Alternatives abound within the European decrease mid-market, which stays one of many few locations the place buyers can nonetheless seize increased yields alongside stronger credit score protections. Success relies upon much less on scale than on selecting managers with deep native networks, multi-jurisdictional experience, and a observe file of structuring and exiting transactions. Whereas some convergence with the US market is feasible, structural inefficiencies in Europe’s decrease mid-market are unlikely to vanish shortly. For buyers ready to look past the most important platforms, the area presents a sturdy and differentiated supply of alpha.
[1] Deutsch Bundesbank Dialogue Paper No. 37/2022, https://hdl.deal with.web/10419/265433
[2] Preqin 2025 World Report: Personal Debt.
[3] Aksia, “Does Personal Credit score have an excessive amount of cash?” August 2025.
[4] Together with Preqin, publicly obtainable knowledge and data supplied straight by the fund managers.
[5] Preqin 2025 World Report: Personal Debt.
[6] Preqin Direct, extracted August 2025
[7] Preqin Direct, extracted August 2025: Consists of classic years 2023 onwards
