IFSAM's Award-Winning Fund Unlocks New Era for Singapore Private Credit

SINGAPORE – February 12, 2026 – IFS Asset Management (IFSAM) has secured a significant industry accolade, earning the title of Singapore's 'Fund Launch of the Year' at the prestigious Asia Asset Management Best of the Best Awards 2026. The award recognizes the successful introduction and market impact of the IFSAM Private Credit Income Fund (IPCIF), an innovative vehicle that is reshaping access to one of the financial world's most sought-after alternative asset classes.

The award, presented by an organization with over two decades of experience in benchmarking excellence across Asia's financial sector, highlights the fund's disciplined execution, unique structure, and its resonance with evolving investor appetites. The recognition places IFSAM, a subsidiary of IFS Capital and part of the PhillipCapital Group, at the forefront of financial innovation in the city-state, signaling a pivotal shift in how private credit is structured and distributed.

"This accolade affirms not only the strength of IFSAM's flagship private credit strategy, but also our broader commitment to building high-quality, income-oriented private credit solutions designed to perform across market cycles," said Randy Sim, Group CEO of IFS Capital, in a statement following the announcement. The win underscores a strategy built on deep market knowledge and a forward-looking approach to product design.

A New Benchmark for Accessibility and Liquidity

At the heart of the award-winning launch is the fund's pioneering structure. The IFSAM Private Credit Income Fund is among the first semi-liquid, open-ended private credit funds in Singapore specifically designed for wealth distribution channels. This model directly addresses a long-standing challenge for investors: the chasm between highly illiquid, closed-ended private credit funds with multi-year lock-ups and the daily liquidity of traditional fixed-income products.

Traditionally, gaining exposure to private credit meant committing capital for extended periods, a barrier for many accredited investors and family offices seeking a degree of flexibility. The IPCIF's semi-liquid design offers a compelling middle ground, providing periodic opportunities for redemption, such as quarterly or semi-annually. This managed liquidity mechanism makes the asset class more accessible without compromising the core investment strategy of lending to private enterprises.

"From the outset, the strategy was designed with structure, discipline, and scalability at its core," noted Charis Liau, Chief Investment Officer of IFS Asset Management. "This recognition reflects our focus on building private credit solutions that are thoughtfully structured, resilient across market cycles, and aligned with the evolving needs of investors."

While this structure enhances accessibility, it also requires sophisticated risk management. Semi-liquid funds must carefully manage the potential mismatch between their periodic redemption offers and the illiquid nature of their underlying assets—private loans. Industry experts note that successful implementation relies on robust governance, transparent valuation policies, and the potential use of tools like redemption gates during periods of market stress to protect the interests of all investors.

Tapping into Asia's SME Funding Engine

The fund's strategic focus is as significant as its structural innovation. IFSAM is targeting the vast and often underserved private credit market in Asia, with a specific emphasis on addressing the funding gap for creditworthy Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs). As traditional banks, constrained by tighter regulations, have become more conservative, a significant opportunity has emerged for specialized lenders to provide crucial growth capital.

The IPCIF's strategy centers on senior secured, real estate-backed lending. This approach aims to mitigate risk by focusing on top-tier debt positions that are collateralized by tangible assets, providing a layer of security for investors' capital. This disciplined underwriting is built on the foundation of its parent company, IFS Capital, which brings nearly four decades of credit experience and deep local market expertise to the table.

The synergy with the broader PhillipCapital Group further bolsters the strategy. This affiliation provides IFSAM with institutional-grade infrastructure, extensive distribution channels, and a robust governance framework, which are critical for launching and scaling a sophisticated investment product and earning the trust of institutional and accredited investors.

A Reflection of Singapore's Financial Evolution

The success of the IFSAM Private Credit Income Fund is not just a corporate victory; it is a reflection of Singapore's maturing status as a global hub for asset management and financial innovation. The Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS) has actively fostered an environment conducive to such developments, championing frameworks like the Variable Capital Company (VCC) structure, which offers greater operational flexibility and efficiency for fund managers.

This award-winning launch exemplifies a broader industry trend: the democratization of alternative investments. As investors continue to search for yield and diversification in a complex global market, demand has surged for resilient, income-oriented strategies that can perform across different economic cycles. Private credit, with its potential for attractive risk-adjusted returns and low correlation to public markets, fits this need perfectly.

By creating a more accessible, investor-centric vehicle, IFSAM has not only met a clear market demand but has also set a new benchmark for how private market assets can be structured and delivered. The recognition from Asia Asset Management validates this approach, highlighting a path forward for other managers and cementing Singapore's reputation as a center for sophisticated and forward-thinking financial product design.