Blackstone, the New York-based alternative asset manager, reported a rise in second-quarter income as inflows grew assets under management and the firm realized profits from large asset sales and AI-related holdings. Total assets under management climbed to $1.35 trillion in the quarter, and distributable earnings - the profit available to shareholders - increased 26% on a per-share basis to $1.52.
Executives said a string of monetizations and public listings contributed materially to the quarter's results. Deals that sold a stake in three data centers to Digital Realty and a majority holding in power infrastructure company Sabre Industries to TPG were cited as key contributors to Blackstone's monetization proceeds, which totaled $31.8 billion for the period. The company also benefited from listings, including advertising technology company Liftoff Mobile, a data center investment vehicle called Blackstone Digital Infrastructure Trust and an Indian office REIT, Bagmane.
Market volatility had restrained deal activity in the first quarter, management said, but transaction flow accelerated in the second quarter. The firm flagged the growing influence of artificial intelligence on its portfolio, noting that nine of its top 10 best-appreciating investments have links to AI. Among those are a stake in AI developer Anthropic and various data center businesses tied to Blackstone's digital infrastructure strategy.
Blackstone is increasing its exposure to AI infrastructure and related opportunities. The firm is participating alongside peer Apollo in a $35 billion financing aimed at producing custom chips for use by Anthropic's Claude Code, the company said. Blackstone's past moves into the data center sector include taking the data center platform QTS private in 2021 for $10 billion.
Chief Executive Stephen Schwarzman described the firm's strategic posture toward the technology as a conscious shift, saying Blackstone had chosen to "lean into the artificial intelligence megatrend". He added that the company becoming "a trusted partner at scale to many of the key innovators" has positioned it well going forward.
Fundraising and credit performance
While inflows supported asset growth, some product flows showed signs of cooling. Wealthy individuals, who account for almost a quarter of the assets Blackstone manages, have been a source of redemptions from certain strategies, particularly private credit funds. The retail flagship Blackstone Private Credit Fund BCRED raised $1 billion in the quarter, down from $1.9 billion in the prior quarter and $3.7 billion in the same period of 2025.
Net returns from private credit improved to 0.4% in the second quarter, up from flat in the first quarter, but they remained below the 2.2% figure recorded a year earlier. Other vehicles marketed to wealthy investors also raised capital: Blackstone Private Equity Strategies and infrastructure fund BXINFRA reported $2.4 billion and $861 million of inflows, respectively. The real estate investment trust BREIT, which has at times exercised a right to block investor redemptions, reported $1.2 billion of new capital.
Implications for investors and markets
The quarter highlights how active portfolio management, public listings and targeted monetizations can underpin distributable earnings at a large alternative manager. At the same time, the evolving performance of private credit and the dynamics of investor flows into retail-facing vehicles remain areas to watch.
Blackstone's continued allocation to AI-related assets and infrastructure underscores the firm's view that AI is a major structural theme shaping its investment priorities. Management framed these moves as positioning the firm to be a scale partner for innovators in the space.
Reported figures and notable transactions
- Total assets under management: $1.35 trillion.
- Distributable earnings per share: $1.52, a 26% increase on a per-share basis.
- Proceeds from monetizing assets: $31.8 billion.
- Participation in a $35 billion financing for custom chips for Anthropic's Claude Code.
- QTS was taken private in 2021 for $10 billion.
- BCRED fundraising in the quarter: $1 billion (down from $1.9 billion the prior quarter and $3.7 billion in the same period of 2025).
- Net private credit returns: 0.4% in the quarter, up from flat in Q1, below 2.2% a year ago.
- Fundraising for Blackstone Private Equity Strategies: $2.4 billion; BXINFRA: $861 million; BREIT: $1.2 billion.