Citigroup formed $105B in private credit partnerships with Apollo, BlackRock, and Carlyle between June 2024 and September 2025, while Goldman Sachs acquired two alternative investment firms in late 2025. The moves follow $25B in combined divestments as Wall Street banks retreat from traditional markets facing thin margins.
Goldman bought Industry Ventures in January 2026 and Innovator Capital Management in December 2025 after selling its Polish TFI unit to ING in November 2025. The bank raised dividends 12.5% in January 2026 and 33.3% in July 2025, with shares up 20.5% over six months.
Citigroup exited Russia in February 2026 by selling AO Citibank and offloaded equity stakes in Grupo Financiero Banamex the same month. The Russia withdrawal continues Western banks' retreat from the market since 2022. Banamex sales unwind Mexican retail operations Citi acquired in 2001.
Citi's partnerships include a $25B private credit platform with Apollo from September 2024, an $80B customized portfolio offering with BlackRock in September 2025, and asset-based lending with Carlyle from June 2025. BlackRock's deal provides access to Aladdin risk management technology for high-net-worth client portfolios.
JPMorgan consolidated U.S. consumer credit by acquiring Apple's credit card program in January 2026 and General Motors' program in September 2025. The takeovers signal concentration in retail banking as competitors pivot to alternatives.
Private credit partnerships let banks earn fees without holding loans on balance sheets, improving return on equity under Basel III capital requirements. Asset-based lending and structured products offer higher margins than traditional corporate loans in low-rate environments.
Goldman's acquisitions complement its $2.5T asset management division. Industry Ventures specializes in secondary venture investments, while Innovator focuses on defined outcome ETFs serving wealth management clients without branch network overhead.
The restructuring wave includes Citigroup's 20,000 job cuts announced in January 2024. Banks across North America and Europe face similar pressure to reduce costs while shifting capital to higher-margin alternative investments.
Sources:
1 Yahoo Finance, "FutureGen Industries Announces Open Market Investments" (March 23, 2026)
2 Globe Newswire, "ROSEN, A HIGHLY RECOGNIZED LAW FIRM, Encourages Apollo Global Management, Inc. Investors to Secure C" (March 21, 2026)
3 Yahoo Finance, "Buying A Home Just Got Cheaper: FHFA Eases Insurance Rules, Cuts Costs For Borrowers" (March 22, 2026)
4 Yahoo Finance, "Mortgage Rates Hit Three-Month High as Iran War Rattles Spring Housing Market" (March 22, 2026)
5 Yahoo Finance, "Is JPMorgan Chase & Co. (JPM) A Good Stock To Buy Now?" (March 16, 2026)