Q2’26 Pulse of Private Equity

Americas sees $579.1 billion in PE investment in first two quarters of 2026

The Americas attracted $579.1 billion in PE investment during the first half of 2026, a robust result despite being slightly off the pace needed to match 2025’s $1.3 trillion. Deal volume remained slow over the same timeframe, with 4,319 deals compared to 10,344 during all of 2025. This suggests that while the region continues to see a rebound in PE investment compared to the 2022-2024 period, it’s a rebound being driven by high-conviction, high-quality deals rather than by broad-based investments.

On a rolling twelve-month basis, both PE deal value and volume fell quarter-over-quarter in the Americas, from $1.3 trillion across 10,027 deals to $1.2 trillion across 9,460 deals.

US sees largest share of PE investment in Americas; Canada comes a distant second

The US accounted for the vast majority of PE investment in the Americas in the first half of 2026, with $545.1 billion invested across 3,926 deals. This included all 10 of the region’s largest transactions during Q2’26, led by the $10 billion launch of Helix Digital Infrastructure by KKR with investment by Nvidia, Vistra and the Kuwait Investment Authority,¹ the $6 billion secondary buyout of Cleco Corporate Holdings by Stonepeak and Bernhard Capital Partners,² and the $4.5 billion acquisition of EDF’s US and Canadian renewable energy operations and assets by KKR.³

Canada saw the second-largest share of PE funding in the region, attracting $23.4 billion in PE investment across 267 deals in the first six months of the year, including the $1.2 billion take private of registry and data management company Information Services Corporation by Plenary Americas⁴ and the $850 million take private of Blackline Safety by Francisco Partners in Q2’26.⁵ Argentina, however, saw the largest deal outside of the US during the second quarter: IG4 Capital’s proposed $1.4 billion buyout of fuel producer and distributor Raízen.⁶

PE investors showing increasing interest in Latin America

During Q2’26, PE investor interest in Latin America continued to pick up, particularly in energy, telecom and AI. A large share of this interest came from large US-based PE firms, whether through dedicated infrastructure funds or broader investment funds with particular interests. The region has also seen increasing cooperation between multilateral funds and PE funds, with a growing number of partnerships on big ticket transactions.

Exit activity in Latin America also improved in the first half of 2026, with a growing number of M&A transactions, including secondary transactions, and even a selective reopening of public equity markets.

Trends to watch for in Q3’26

Heading into Q3’26, PE investment in the Americas is expected to stay relatively solid, although PE investors will likely continue to be selective, focusing their capital on high-quality assets and industries like AI and energy infrastructure. In Canada, PE investment could be helped by the government’s desire to attract foreign capital. In Latin America, PE investors are expected to become a bigger part of the fintech ecosystem over the next few quarters; they are also expected to increase their focus on sustainable investments, particularly in areas like renewable energy and managing climate risk.

PE investors across Latin America are really focusing on infrastructure. Much of that is tied to the energy transition, particularly renewables. In addition to taking stakes in traditional energy companies, they’re also investing in earlier stage businesses. It’s quite unique, given that some of these companies aren’t very mature or stable. We’re seeing a much greater risk tolerance on the part of international private equity. Why? I expect it’s all about timing. They see now as the time to make big bets on energy.

Jean-Pierre Trouillot

Partner, Advisory Leader for Latin America

KPMG in the US

Pulse of Private Equity Q2’26

A KPMG quarterly analysis of global private equity activity.

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A KPMG quarterly analysis of global private equity activity.

In Q2’26, US PE-announced four-quarter sums amounted to $1.2T across 8,568 transactions.

In Q2’26, EMA PE-announced four-quarter sums amounted to $782.B across 8,732 transactions.

In Q2’26, ASPAC PE-announced deals amounted to $154.2B across 1,343 transactions.

¹ Yahoo Finance, “KKR Launches Helix Digital Infrastructure, a New Company to Finance and Deliver the Next Generation of AI Infrastructure.” 11 June 2026.

² Cleco, “Stonepeak and Bernhard Capital Partners to Acquire Cleco.” 27 April 2026.

³ Reuters, “KKR to buy EDF's renewable power assets in US, Canada for $4.2 billion.” 30 June 2026.

⁴ The Star Pheonix, “Quebec investment group buys Saskatchewan’s Information Services for $1.2 billion in cash.” 19 May 2026.

⁵ Francisco Partners, “Blackline Safety Enters into Definitive Agreement to be Acquired by Francisco Partners for up to $850 Million.” 8 April 2026.

⁶ The Rio Times, “A Buyout Firm Bids to Seize Control of Brazil’s Raízen.” 16 June 2026.