Citadel is planning to distribute approximately $5 billion of the profits it earned in 2025 back to its investors at the start of next year, according to a source familiar with the situation.
The firm's main multistrategy fund, Wellington, reportedly achieved a 9.3% gain by the end of last week, as stated by the source, who wishes to remain anonymous when discussing performance specifics.
This return of profits does not encompass all the gains made in 2025. Rather, it is a strategic move to align capital with the anticipated opportunities for the upcoming year. Consequently, Citadel will commence 2026 with $67 billion in assets, a decrease from the current $72 billion it manages, according to the source.
A representative for Citadel declined to comment on the matter.
While Citadel does not distribute profits every year, it has returned a total of $32 billion to its investors since 2017, including the expected distributions this year.
Citadel holds the title of the most profitable hedge fund based on net gains since its inception, as noted by LCH Investments. By the end of 2024, Citadel had accumulated $83 billion in net gains since its founding in 1990, and projections indicate this figure will surpass $88 billion when the new rankings are published in January.