Global investment firm Carlyle and Citi have announced a collaboration to explore asset-backed financing opportunities in the fintech specialty lending sector. The partnership aims to combine their strengths as leaders in asset-backed finance with the expertise of Citi’s Spread Products Investment in Technologies (SPRINT) team, which is known for its venture equity investments in fintech specialty lenders.

Akhil Bansal, Head of Asset-Backed Finance at Carlyle, stated, “Our collaboration with Citi brings together two best-in-class platforms to unlock growth in one of the most dynamic areas of private credit.” He highlighted the increasing demand for scalable and tailored asset-backed financing solutions from fintech lenders as they mature and seek efficient funding methods.

Lee Smallwood, Head of Markets Innovation & Investments at Citi, emphasized the strategic connectivity between their SPRINT team and asset-backed finance business. “This collaboration leverages the best of both our firms,” added Rajiv Amlani, Head of Private Markets Coverage at Citi.

Carlyle Asset-Backed Finance is part of Carlyle’s Global Credit platform focusing on private fixed income and asset-backed investments. The group has deployed approximately $8 billion since 2021 and manages around $9 billion in assets as of March 31, 2025.

Carlyle operates through three business segments: Global Private Equity, Global Credit, and Carlyle AlpInvest. As of March 31, 2025, it manages $453 billion in assets across four continents.

Citi serves institutions with cross-border needs and provides a wide range of financial products and services globally. It operates in over 180 countries and jurisdictions.

For further information about Carlyle or Citi's activities or inquiries regarding this collaboration:

Media Contacts:

- Kristen Ashton at Carlyle: (212) 813-4763

- Rekha Jogia-Soni at Citi: (212) 793-0710