Does Asset-Based Finance Get Carry?

Trying to get a read on comp structure for asset-based finance groups at the big platforms (BX/BXCI, Apollo/Athene-adjacent, KKR, Ares, etc.).

A lot of this stuff sits in perpetual or insurance-funded vehicles where the firm's earning an incentive/origination spread rather than classic GP carry with a hurdle. So is there even a carry pool to allocate, or is it cash comp + some "incentive comp" bucket that just tracks NII?

Specifically:

  • Do associates on these teams get any carry/profit interest, or does it start higher up?
  • Does it depend on whether the strategy is a closed-end ABF fund vs feeding an insurance balance sheet / perpetual vehicle?
  • For teams that run flat (associate → principal, no VP), where does the economics actually kick in?
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