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Morningstar Report Finds Semiliquid Fund Market Nears $600 Billion as Private Credit Loses Steam
CHICAGO, June 16, 2026--Morningstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment insights, today released "The State of Semiliquid Funds 2026," highlighting a rapidly evolving market approaching $600 billion in assets that is entering a new phase as investor demand shifts and key risks become more apparent.
About this update from Morningstar, Inc.
Latest State of Semiliquid Funds points to signs of a maturing market and highlights the importance of investor understanding as private market access expands. CHICAGO, June 16, 2026--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Morningstar, Inc. (Nasdaq: MORN), a leading provider of independent investment insights, today released "The State of Semiliquid Funds 2026," highlighting a rapidly evolving market approaching $600 billion in assets that is entering a new phase as investor demand shifts and key risks become more apparent. The report finds that semiliquid, or "evergreen," fund assets have more than doubled since 2022, following several years of growth fueled by private credit. More recently, however, demand for credit strategies has cooled sharply, redemptions are rising, and capital is rotating into private equity and venture capital funds. At the same time, early signs of fee competition are emerging as asset managers respond to increased scrutiny around costs. "The semiliquid market has scaled rapidly on the back of investor enthusiasm, but over the past year it has begun to collide with questions about how these structures actually behave in practice," said Jason Kephart, senior principal at Morningstar. "To effectively use private markets, we believe the focus should be on fundamentals, with investors taking a holistic view of how fees, leverage, and liquidity shape outcomes. Our independent research helps improve transparency and bring those trade-offs into focus." Key Findings The trends in the report underscore the view that access to private markets is only valuable if investors understand the management of funds in their portfolio. Yet a significant knowledge gap remains, with just 16% of financial advisors saying they are "very familiar" with semiliquid fund structures1. Morningstar’s research and semiliquid fund ratings aim to promote greater transparency and a more consistent language for investors and advisors to compare fees, liquidity, leverage, and potential outcomes. Read the full State of Semiliquid Funds 2026 report here. About Morningstar, Inc. Morningstar, Inc. is a leading provider of independent investment insights in North America, Europe, Australia, and Asia. The Company offers an extensive line of products and services for individual investors, financial advisors, asset managers and owners, retiremen...