IFM Investors Asia Expansion Targets Half of $1B Credit Fund
Synopsis
IFM Investors is expanding its Asia private-credit operations through a new Singapore office and plans to allocate up to half of an approximately US$1 billion fund to the region. South and Southeast Asia will initially receive 25% to 35%, while Australia and New Zealand retain the balance.
IFM Investors Asia expansion will see the Australian asset manager allocate up to a half of an approximately US$1 billion private credit fund to Asian markets, starting with 25 to 35% allocation to South and Southeast Asia.
The IFM Investors Asia expansion will result in the remaining investment portfolio in Australia and New Zealand, while the Singapore team will concentrate on opportunities across South and Southeast Asia.
The sectors targeted in the APAC region include manufacturing, industrials, services and renewable energy, IFM Investors said.
It also has a more comprehensive private-credit strategy, including direct lending, asset-backed lending, special situations and infrastructure debt.
The new regional base comes as a result of the A$175 million investment in IFM Investors' private-credit capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region by Export Finance Australia. The agreement was made through the Southeast Asia Investment Financing Facility (SAIFF) of the Australian Government.
The IFM Investors Asia expansion is in response to the firm's desire to boost activity in the region, where private credit is significantly smaller in relation to economic output than in Western markets.
APAC Private Credit Market Reaches US$59 Billion
APAC private-credit market is expected to be valued at US$59 billion in 2024, nearly quadruple the value of the market 15 years ago, according to IFM Investors' report, "The Opportunities in Asia-Pacific Private Credit.
By 2027, it is estimated that the market will reach more than US$91 billion. It also determined that the private credit assets stood at approximately 0.2% of APAC GDP, whereas the EEA had 2.7% and the US contained 3.8% of IMFs data as of October 2025.
Earlier data, gathered by Reuters from Preqin, indicated that APAC accounted for around 4% of private credit in the world, but accounted for around one-third of global economic output.
Private-credit funds selling their bonds in the first quarter of 2026 raised US$2.7 billion in APAC, over US$10 billion in North America and US$9.9 billion in Europe, according to the data. Preqin estimates that assets under management in the private-credit market in APAC will grow to around US$142 billion by 2030.
The IFM Investors Asia expansion is also a result of the manager reporting A$291.6 billion in assets under management on July 31, 2026, that include over 880 institutional investors.
The Singapore office will also help the firm in raising capital from Asian sovereign wealth funds and insurers, the firm said. The IFM Investors Asia expansion thus brings in more investment capacity in Asia as well as a wider institutional footprint in Singapore.
Source: Bloomberg
Pooja Malik is a business journalist with over six years of experience covering startups, entrepreneurship, and emerging trends. She has previously worked with leading media platforms such as YourStory Media and BW BusinessWorld, where she reported on business, policy, and market developments. Currently, she serves as Editor at The Inspirepreneur Magazine, where she writes and edits stories across business, lifestyle, and travel, with a focus on clarity, accuracy, and reader relevance.
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