Institutional investors are rediscovering the appeal of investment-grade (IG) private credit, an often-overlooked corner of the private markets that offers a blend of diversification, relative yield premium, and resilience in volatile markets. According to Legal & General (L&G), the London-based asset manager, the renewed interest comes at a time when public bond markets are becoming more concentrated, and traditional spread opportunities are limited. 

“Historically, IG private credit has been a favored investment for US insurance companies seeking diversification through unlisted, high-quality debt assets,” L&G noted in a recent research update. But while the asset class has long played a supporting role for insurers, it has been overshadowed by the rapid rise of direct lending and other higher-yielding private credit strategies. 

Now, the pendulum may be swinging back. A recent Nuveen survey of 300 institutional investors found that more than half (52%) intend to boost their allocations to IG private credit over the next 12 months — signaling broader recognition that high-grade private loans and privately structured investment-grade debt can deliver attractive risk-adjusted returns with built-in structural protections. 

L&G’s report highlights that large public market investors — including pension funds and insurers — are increasingly prioritizing “diversified financing, flexibility and high-quality partners” in an environment where credit quality matters more than ever. 

“Potential for enhanced return, greater diversification and built-in structural protections have fueled the demand from investors,” L&G said. “With public spreads at historical tights, IG private credit remains a highly favored arena for additional spread from highly rated assets.” 

Market observers expect that continued disintermediation of traditional bank lending and the push for balance sheet optimization at large corporates will fuel further growth in the IG private credit market — creating an important pipeline of new deal flow for sophisticated institutional capital seeking durable, low-default, core fixed-income-like exposures. 

For asset managers, the message is clear: investors are leaning into structures that can deliver consistent returns without sacrificing credit quality — a theme that’s likely to keep driving innovation in the IG segment of private credit well into 2026 and beyond.