Private Equity International released its 2025 Secondaries Investor 50 ranking, naming the firms that moved $140 billion in secondary transactions during 2024—a volume that now exceeds the $128 billion transacted in 2021, the previous peak year. The list includes 23 dedicated secondaries funds, 14 multi-strategy platforms with secondaries arms, and 13 newcomers that crossed the threshold for inclusion. Coller Capital, Lexington Partners, and HarbourVest Partners held the top three positions for the fourth consecutive year.
The ranking arrives as the secondaries market undergoes structural shift. GP-led continuation vehicles accounted for 62 percent of total transaction volume in 2024, up from 47 percent in 2022. LP portfolio sales—the traditional secondaries product—now represent 31 percent of deal flow, with the remainder in direct secondaries and tender offers. Three mid-market firms entered the top 20 for the first time: Whitehorse Liquidity Partners at $4.2 billion in dry powder, Industry Ventures at $3.8 billion, and StepStone Secondary Opportunities at $3.1 billion. All three raised flagship funds in the past 18 months.
The composition shift matters because GP-led transactions require different underwriting. Continuation vehicles involve single-asset or concentrated-portfolio deals where the original GP remains invested, often seeking 3-5 additional years to execute a value creation plan. LP portfolio sales, by contrast, are diversified across 15-40 underlying funds and priced at 70-85 cents on NAV. The former requires asset-level diligence and manager selection skills; the latter requires portfolio construction and pricing discipline. Firms on this year's list have bifurcated: some built dedicated GP-led teams, others stayed pure-play LP portfolio buyers.
The ranking also signals where allocation power sits. Eight firms on the list raised funds exceeding $10 billion in the past 24 months, including Ardian at $19 billion, Partners Group at $14 billion, and Goldman Sachs Asset Management at $13 billion. Those vehicles set clearing prices. When Ardian pays 1.08x NAV for a continuation vehicle stake, smaller funds adjust their bids accordingly. The market now operates with $220 billion in dedicated secondaries dry powder, up from $160 billion at year-end 2022. Half that capital sits with the top 15 firms on the PEI list.
Allocators should watch three follow-on developments. First, GP-led deal volume in Q1 2025—if it exceeds $25 billion, the market is absorbing supply without price compression. Second, LP portfolio pricing in March and April—discounts widening past 20 percent would signal distress selling from insurance or pension funds facing liquidity needs. Third, the composition of funds closed in H2 2025—if more than four firms on the list close funds above $8 billion, the market has structural bid depth. If fewer than three do, concentration risk is building.
The list includes 11 firms that did not appear in the 2023 ranking, and nine that dropped out. The churn rate—18 percent—is the highest since PEI began publishing the ranking in 2014. That velocity reflects a market where deployment pace, not just capital raised, determines whether a firm stays relevant. The funds that moved off the list averaged 14 months between closings; those that stayed averaged 9 months. Speed is selection pressure now.
The takeaway
$220bn in secondaries dry powder sits with 50 named operators; GP-led deals now 62% of volume; Q1 pricing will show if market absorbs supply.
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