11 Financing Options Investors Are Overlooking

Key Takeaways

• You can move beyond traditional bank loans by using a wider set of U.S. private credit and structured credit tools.
• These options may help steady income through floating SOFR-linked coupons and lender protections like covenants.
• Choosing the right mix depends on how each option fits your risk tolerance, liquidity needs, and return targets.

Expanding Beyond Traditional Bank Financing Options

You can move past bank loans by using overlooked U.S. tools like private credit ETFs, private direct lending funds, senior secured middle-market loans, sponsor-backed loans, and first-lien unitranche deals. You can also add asset-backed finance, self-amortizing cash flow pools, real estate senior loans, real estate mezzanine debt, and credit secondaries bought at discounts.

You keep income steadier with floating SOFR coupons and covenants.

Stick around to see how to choose.

How to Choose Among Private Credit Options

How do you choose the right private credit option when so many sound the same?

Start by naming your goal: steady income, smoother returns, or broad diversification in a U.S. portfolio. Many private credit investments aim to deliver consistent monthly income through interest payments.

Then match it to access: an ETF for daily liquidity and transparency, or a private fund for customized underwriting and active monitoring.

Next, measure credit risk, not just yield.

Ask who borrows, what collateral backs the loan, and which covenants limit bad behavior.

Investment-grade private credit has shown low losses and tends to hold up across cycles.

Spreads can run 200 to 600 basis points over public markets, so don’t chase the top number.

Choose investment strategies that fit your horizon, since private credit rewards patience with quarterly cash flow for you.

Direct Lending: Senior Loans and Illiquidity Yield

When you invest in U.S. direct lending, you’re typically stepping into senior secured loans—meaning your first-lien position is closer to the front of the repayment line if things go sideways, and that seniority is a big reason the yield can look attractive.

And because many of these are sponsor-backed middle‑market deals, you often get more structured reporting and tighter covenants that help keep borrowers disciplined.

The trade-off, of course, is liquidity: you’re agreeing to hold for longer, and that patience is where the illiquidity premium tends to show up.

Senior Secured Yield Premium

Yield seekers in the U.S. often miss a quiet advantage in senior secured direct lending: the senior secured yield premium.

You earn it because you lend at the top of the capital stack, with a first lien on assets and tight covenants. Those senior collateral benefits can raise recovery in a default, so your risk-reward analysis often looks better than unsecured bonds.

You also get paid for patience, since these private loans don’t trade daily and investors demand an illiquidity premium.

In 2024, direct lending spreads averaged 178 basis points over syndicated loans, and many investors saw yields near 10 percent.

With floating coupons tied to SOFR or Prime, you can limit rate risk and keep income moving as markets shift in time.

Sponsor-Backed Middle-Market Loans

Senior secured direct loans can pay you more because you sit first in line, and sponsor-backed middle market loans can strengthen that edge even further.

In the U.S., you often lend alongside a private equity sponsor and a growing company, so the deal moves faster, and the underwriting gets sharper.

Sponsors push sponsor-backed growth and bring strategic partnerships, strong managers, and recurring revenue. You can also see leverage and coverage tests that keep cash flow aligned with payments.

Illiquidity Premium And Discipline

Although you can’t click a button and sell most direct loans, you can get paid for that patience through an illiquidity premium.

In U.S. senior direct lending, research has put that premium near 175 to 200 basis points since 2018, and about 2.1 percent in some estimates.

Your return stacks up from the risk-free rate, expected credit losses, a liquidity premium, and some manager skill. When deals get crowded, the premium can shrink or even turn negative, so you need investor discipline.

You also get steady cash coupons, and many loans repay early, with a typical life of 2 to 3 years. You hold a first lien claim with covenants, and the floating rate cuts duration risk. Those are real illiquidity benefits today.

Senior Secured Middle-Market Loans: Key Terms to Compare

A smart loan deal often comes down to the fine print you choose to compare.

In U.S. senior secured middle-market loans, collateral ties the promise to real assets like equipment and receivables, which can lower your Credit Risk.

First-lien claims and strong covenants often support higher Recovery Rates when trouble hits.

• Collateral scope: Does it cover substantially all assets, and is it first-lien?
• Rate math: Is it SOFR plus 450 to 800 bps, and how often does it reset?
• Term path: Is maturity 3 to 5 years, with bullet, balloon, or straight-line paydown?

You also want clear repayment priority at the top of the stack.

When you compare these terms, you invest with calmer nerves and steadier conviction through each cycle.

Asia Direct Lending: Where Growth Is Emerging

When you invest from the U.S., you can still look across the Pacific and spot a credit market that’s waking up fast.

As Miami’s industrial market tightens with vacancy below 3%, investors are being pushed to look beyond crowded U.S. deals for differentiated yield.

APAC private credit could leap from $59 billion in 2024 to $92 billion by 2027, and direct lending is now the top strategy.

You can tap underbanked mid-market companies where banks supply most credit, and rigid rules leave a $4.1 trillion funding gap.

In emerging markets like Vietnam and Indonesia, sponsor-backed activity is rising, while Australia, India, Japan, and Singapore lead steadier growth.

You may earn 13 to 14 percent IRRs and a 300 to 400 bps yield premium, but you must respect currency moves and local rules.

Match managers to market demands, and you can diversify without leaving the U.S. base.

Real Estate Credit Beyond Banks: Senior vs Mezz

When you lend into a U.S. real estate deal outside the banking system, the first decision is simply: where do you want to sit in the capital stack?

Senior lenders are at the top and (all else equal) get paid first, so they tend to earn less but take less risk.

Mezzanine sits behind senior, takes more downside, and expects a higher return for it.

The collateral is different, too.

Senior debt is secured by the property.

Mezz is typically secured by a pledge of the borrower’s ownership interests, which is why documentation, covenants, and pricing usually get more restrictive as you move down the stack.

Before you commit capital, track interest rate trends because they can materially change both borrower refinance options and your realized yield.

And if the goal is higher leverage, using fewer equity dollars, you can combine senior + mezz to “fill the gap.”

That added flexibility comes at a cost: higher blended pricing and a tighter margin for error, meaning the deal needs durable cash flow to avoid losing control.

Next, let’s look at how these structures actually play out in documents and timelines—especially what happens when things don’t go to plan.

Senior Loans: Priority Claims

One word can set the whole deal in motion: priority.

In U.S. commercial real estate, you often see a first-position mortgage that sits on the property title.

That claim guides senior loan structures and the repayment hierarchy when cash flow tightens, or a sale turns forced.

You get paid from rents after operating costs, and you get paid from collateral sales before junior liens, unsecured debt, and equity. That order can feel like a seatbelt when markets shake. You can plan exits with more calm.

• You hold a first lien that lets you foreclose and sell collateral.
• You accept lower rates because the risk drops with pledged assets.
• You watch covenants that limit new debt so your claim stays first.

Mezzanine Debt: Upside Risk

Priority gives you a strong seat at the table, but some deals still need more fuel than a senior loan can provide.

In the U.S., mezzanine financing sits between the mortgage and equity, about 10 to 20 percent of the stack.

You take more risk because you get paid after the bank, but you can act fast through a UCC foreclosure on the equity pledge.

If trouble hits, equity conversion can turn your claim into ownership and put you ahead of the sponsors.

That upside can lift returns above senior debt, with a maturity date.

Structure, Covenants, Pricing

Think of your capital stack like a three-layer sandwich, and every layer changes who holds the steering wheel.

In U.S. multifamily deals, senior debt sits on top, secured by the property, with first claim in a default.

Banks price it low, but they cap leverage and enforce tight covenants.

Mezzanine debt structure sits between senior and equity, and it’s secured by a pledge of the borrower’s equity through UCC filings.

You often gain covenant flexibility, like interest-only periods during lease-up, but the lender can take control if you miss terms.

• Senior rates run lower because risk runs lower.
• Mezz returns often target 12% to 20%, or 10% to 13% in development.
• Choose the layer that matches risk and plan.

Asset-Backed Finance: Diversified Cash-Flow Lending

Because public markets can swing hard without warning, many U.S. investors now look for income that feels steadier and more grounded.

Asset-backed finance lets you lend against pools of real-world assets and get paid from their cash flow, not headlines.

In real estate, Other People’s Money can likewise accelerate portfolio growth by leveraging private lenders, banks, or partners without tying up your own capital.

You judge asset quality first. You ask if invoices, equipment, or commercial property will keep producing contractual payments. Strong collateral management matters, too, since borrowing bases reset as the pool changes.

These deals are private and bilateral, so liquidity stays lower than stocks or bonds. Yet self-amortizing repayments can steadily reduce risk as principal returns.

When terms match the asset life, and you get overcollateralization, you can build a diversified, calmer income that supports long-term goals for you and your family.

Credit Secondaries: Liquidity in Seasoned Positions

In U.S. private credit secondaries, you can often buy in at a discount—so instead of starting from zero in a brand-new fund, you’re stepping into seasoned loans with more visibility into how they’re actually performing.

And while it’s not “daily liquidity,” you’re typically not locked in until the very last loan pays off either. If you need cash, these positions can often be sold on the secondary market, which can be a meaningful release valve versus waiting years for a full wind-down.

Another benefit: you can diversify across multiple past vintages, so your outcome isn’t tied to getting one entry point exactly right.

Next: what this looks like in practice—how these deals are sourced, priced, and evaluated.

Discounted Entry Into Portfolios

Some opportunities stay hidden in plain sight, even for seasoned U.S. investors.

When you buy private credit secondaries, you step into loans that are already working, often at a discount, while you see real performance. Sellers may need portfolio rebalancing or cash flow, and you can use that timing.

You skip blind pool risk and put capital to work faster, which can soften the J curve and lift early DPI. You can also spread risk across many senior middle market loans, not just a small set of companies. That clarity can calm your nerves.

• Pay less than NAV for seasoned positions with visible history
• Earn cash yield sooner with shorter 2 to 3-year durations
• Gain vintage diversification without making a brand new commitment

Liquidity Through Secondary Trades

Liquidity feels like oxygen in private credit, and secondary trades can bring it back into the room.

You can buy or sell seasoned U.S. private credit fund interests, loans, or portfolios before they mature. That can turn a locked position into cash when you need to rebalance.

These deals don’t trade on an exchange, so you negotiate, review files, and price risk by credit quality, collateral, and rates.

You’ll see continuation vehicles, tender offers, and NAV-style financing in the mix, all shaped by secondary market dynamics.

For liquidity management strategies, secondaries can shorten your wait to about two to three years on senior middle market loans, reduce the J curve, and speed up distributions.

You gain visibility, while sellers keep options and breathe easier.

Diversification Across Vintages

Because markets move in cycles, vintage diversification can immerse your private credit plan when timing feels uncertain.

In the U.S., credit secondaries let you buy 3 to 6-year funds with loans already working. You step into seasoned senior middle market loans with 2 to 3 year duration, so cash flow shows up fast, and the J curve fades.

You also review real borrowers, not a blind pool, which can steady portfolio performance.

• Spread exposure across managers, regions, industries, and security types
• Cut default risk because many problems hit early in a loan’s life
• Use NAV discounts and known histories to support a smart strategic allocation

With thousands of loans underneath, one mistake matters less, and your plan feels resilient today.

Mezzanine Credit: Funding M&A and Recap Deals

When you want to buy a U.S. company or recapitalize one you already own, mezzanine credit can help you close the gap between senior debt and equity.

It blends mezzanine characteristics of debt with a touch of equity upside, often via warrants. You keep more control while still raising capital.

Because it sits below senior lenders in repayment priority, the rate runs higher, so your risk assessment must focus on steady cash flow and realistic EBITDA multiples.

Many deals use interest-only payments and longer maturities, which eases near-term strain.

You gain financing flexibility to fund an acquisition, dividend recap, or growth plan when banks hit lending limits. The borrower advantages can feel like patient fuel that lets your strategy breathe and win.

Private Equity Secondaries: Reduce J-Curve and Blind Risk

Even if you’re new to private equity, you don’t have to accept years of waiting and guessing. In the U.S., secondaries let you purchase existing fund interests, so you step into mature portfolios and cut blind-pool risk.

That’s real J curve mitigation, because cash flows can arrive sooner, and pricing reflects what’s already owned. Deal volume topped $200 billion in 2025 and could reach $400 billion by 2030, so you’re not alone.

About 45% of limited partners now treat secondaries as a core pillar. You can start smaller and learn faster.

• Seek secondary liquidity when you need flexibility without abandoning the asset class
• Favor diversified portfolios to smooth returns and lower volatility
• Track outcomes, since long-run median MOIC averages about 1.52x

Public + Private Credit Mix: Liquidity vs Spread Trade-Offs

Although public bonds and loans trade with a click in the U.S., private credit often pays you a higher spread for giving up that easy exit.

You can pair them to balance daily liquidity with an illiquidity premium.

Start with risk assessment. Public credit lets you rebalance fast when rates jump, and fixed-rate bonds can steady cash flows.

Private direct lending stays floating rate, so borrowers feel hikes, but covenants and senior security have kept recent defaults under 3 percent.

Use yield optimization next. Private spreads still beat public yields in many deals, and long-run direct lending delivered about 90 percent of U.S. equity returns with far lower volatility.

Watch today’s dry powder, though, because too much capital can underprice risk now.

Hedge Fund Diversifiers: Uncorrelated Return Sleeves

Since markets don’t always move in a straight line, you need a return sleeve that can keep working while stocks and bonds stumble.

In the U.S., hedge funds can seek absolute returns using short-selling, derivatives, and measured leverage.

When correlation sits near zero, your hedge fund performance may shift on a different track than the S&P 500 or Treasuries.

You can blend several managers, because low mutual correlation can strengthen risk diversification and lower portfolio swings.

• Use global macro or relative value to react to Fed and fiscal shifts.
• Add credit or event-driven funds to capture mergers, restructurings, and stress.
• Choose long/short equity or arbitrage to seek stock-by-stock gaps.

You trade daily liquidity for monthly access, and sleep may improve.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Are Private Credit Funds Taxed Compared With Public Bond Funds?

At a 12.1% yield, private credit hits you with full ordinary-income taxes. You’ll owe federal, state, and local taxes.

Public bond funds vary: munis can be tax-exempt, while taxable bonds aren’t—fund structures shape tax implications overall.

What Are Typical Redemption Terms, Gates, and Lockups Across Vehicles?

You’ll see mutual funds offer daily redemption schedules; commingled funds run weekly-to-quarterly. Open-end alternatives add quarterly windows plus gate mechanisms. Private funds impose yearlong lockup periods. Bonds pay at maturity or call. Know investor rights.

How Should Investors Diligently Review a Manager’s Valuation and NAV Calculation Process?

Before you commit, test their numbers: you review valuation methodologies, committee independence, and documentation. You reconcile NAV adjustments, inputs, and assumptions to source data, then backtest exits, challenge Level 3 models, and verify oversight.

What Portfolio Allocation Size Makes Sense for Alternatives Given My Liquidity Needs?

Start with 5–10% in alternatives if your liquidity requirements are moderate, and scale toward 15–20% only if you can tolerate illiquidity. Match the target to your portfolio size, costs, and access.

How Do Currency Hedging Costs Impact Returns in Global Private Credit Strategies?

Like a silent tax, currency hedging costs can clip your investment returns in global private credit: interest-rate differentials and basis raise hedging strategies’ carry, offsetting spreads, despite currency volatility, so you’ll run tight cost analysis.

Assessment

You can’t keep chasing the same old bank loan like it’s the only door in America. Start comparing direct lending, real estate credit, and mezz deals, and you’ll stop settling for “standard” terms.

You’ll ask for pricing, covenants, and timelines that actually fit your risk like a tailored suit.

You can also use secondaries, or blend public and private exposure, to cut the J-curve and keep cash available when opportunities show up. The more you stay curious, the more options you’ll find beyond the usual lender list.

Before long, your financing playbook can feel as wide as the whole U.S. market today.