UK eyes record year for PE exits—but sponsors are mostly selling to each other
Key takeaways
- UK eyes record year for PE exits—but sponsors are mostly selling to each other Emily Lai Tue, June 16, 2026 at 6:40 PM GMT+7 2 min read London Royal Exchange Building, financial district.
- The UK is set for a record year for PE exit count as sponsors increasingly sell to each other to generate liquidity amid a dearth of IPOs—but listing reforms may yet turn the tide.
- The uptick in exit activity is being led primarily by PE funds selling to each other.
UK eyes record year for PE exits—but sponsors are mostly selling to each other Emily Lai Tue, June 16, 2026 at 6:40 PM GMT+7 2 min read London Royal Exchange Building, financial district. Lisa-Blue/Getty Images
The UK is set for a record year for PE exit count as sponsors increasingly sell to each other to generate liquidity amid a dearth of IPOs—but listing reforms may yet turn the tide.
According to Pitch Book’s latest analyst note UK Exit Market: Dearth or Revival?, UK PE exit value reached £20.9 billion (around $28 billion) across 131 transactions in the first four months of 2026, already tracking ahead of the same period last year’s total of 388 deals and is on course to extend a recovery that began in 2025 following a sharp contraction in 2024.