(Reuters) - Private equity giant Carlyle Group (NASDAQ:CG) has bought a $415 million portfolio of student loans from Truist Bank, expanding into a market that is being increasingly shunned by traditional lenders.
The acquisition comes alongside Carlyle's investment in student loan firm Monogram, a deal that was disclosed on Wednesday.
Banking executives have said student loans can be irksome for traditional lenders, since they come with additional regulatory requirements and are typically not a core part of their business.
Wells Fargo sold its student loan portfolio in 2020. Discover Financial is also exploring the sale of such loans.
"There is an opportunity for private markets to fill the gap left by traditional lenders reducing their lending to families to finance their higher education goals," said Akhil Bansal, managing director and head of credit strategic solutions at Carlyle.
The company said it would partner with Monogram to originate, acquire and manage student loans given out by private lenders.