Well, the pandemic did not have any ill effects on the fundraising total registered during second quarter. Instead, 28 funds reported final closings during the quarter, raising a very healthy $40.2 billion, the fourth-highest quarterly total on record since FundTracker started tracking data in 2007. In addition, the second quarter activity was a welcome step up from the first quarter’s slow start that recorded 22 fund closings and an aggregate fund raise of only $18.8 billion.
During the second quarter 2020, 12 megafunds closed, raising $33.3 billion, which represents 83 percent of the total capital raised. The largest fund, Blackstone Real Estate Partners Europe VI, raised more than $10.6 billion, accounting for 26 percent of the quarterly total. The BREP Europe VI fundraising total makes it the largest ever Europe-focused real estate fund. The opportunistic fund was backed by 114 first-time and returning investors. Blackstone will invest the capital in office, ho
