BofA Sets $25B Private Credit Allocation
Private Credit USA

Bank of America Puts $25B Behind Private Credit

Bank of America is allocating $25 billion to private credit deals, signaling a deeper move by large US banks into direct lending activity historically dominated by private credit managers. External sources: Reuters , Financial Times.

What Happened

Reporting in late February described an internal Bank of America plan to commit $25 billion to private credit opportunities. The broader context is simple: banks want back into a high-fee lending lane, and borrowers want certainty of execution when the syndicated market is slow or volatile.

Why This Is A Big Signal

The capital is being earmarked as a balance sheet pool for private credit style lending. It puts a top tier bank brand into pricing, terms, and deal selection that were often negotiated almost entirely in sponsor to private credit manager channels.

What It Says About Competition

Private credit managers are no longer competing only with each other. They are also competing with banks that can underwrite relationships across capital markets, payments, treasury, and advisory.

Implications For Borrowers And Sponsors

Change What Borrowers Can Expect What Moves The Outcome
More Capital Chasing Deals More term sheets, tighter spreads in crowded lanes, faster processes for clean credits Data room readiness, sponsor equity visibility, business quality, and downside story
Higher Underwriting Standards Bank style compliance and reporting even on private credit structures Audit quality, covenant design, and clarity on use of proceeds
Execution Expectations Rise Less tolerance for shifting stories mid process Signed LOI or definitive docs, stable model assumptions, and clean legal structure
More Hybrid Structures Bridge to term, unitranche to refi, delayed draw, acquisition lines Collateral package, permitted payments, and pricing step ups tied to leverage
Fund Finance Effects More financing options for managers and co-invest partners Borrowing base discipline, portfolio marks, and liquidity terms
Reading between the lines: the market is moving toward tighter documentation and more standardized diligence even in private channels. If your file is not lender ready, you will get slowed down, priced up, or declined.

How Deals Are Being Assessed Right Now

Core Credit Questions

  • What is the real source of repayment, and how stable is it through a downturn?
  • What is the leverage at close, and what is the path to de-leveraging?
  • Where can margin get hit, and what is the borrower’s response plan?
  • What collateral and controls exist if performance slips?

What Gets You Term Sheets Faster

  • Audited financials, clean QoE, and a defensible base case model.
  • Signed deal documents or at least a disciplined LOI with real timelines.
  • Clear cap table and equity sources, with proof the equity can close.
  • One story across deck, model, data room, and management calls.
Do not confuse activity with certainty: more lenders in the market does not mean your deal will close. Deals close when diligence is clean, covenants are realistic, and the sponsor can execute quickly.
Disclosure And Limitations

This post is for general commercial information only and is based on public reporting linked above. It is not investment advice or legal advice. Financely does not lend and does not commit capital. Financely operates as a transaction-led capital advisory desk. Where regulated execution is required, delivery is coordinated through appropriately licensed firms under their own approvals. All outcomes are subject to lender credit approval, KYC and AML, sanctions screening, and final legal documentation.

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