In the first nine months of 2021, fund sponsors had already equalled the 2020 12-month total for funds launched (156 funds), according to the IREI.Q database. It seems that the amount of new investment funds launched during the fourth quarter are cherries and sprinkles in the overall 12-month total for 2021.

A total of 42 new investment funds were launched during the fourth quarter of 2021, slightly lower than the third quarter total, the highest number of fund launchings since the first quarter of 2021 (67 funds). The new crop of funds are seeking to raise an aggregate of approximately US$24.9 billion, almost half of third quarter’s fundraising target of US$48.4 billion, second quarter’s US$46.6 billion and first quarter’s US$48.2 billion.

In 2021, 200 funds were launched seeking to raise a total of approximately US$168.1 billion, greatly surpassing the 2020 total of 156 funds launched seeking to raise approximately US$86.9 billion.

The largest fund to la