and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant. The information required by

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. On March 24, 2026, ACRC Lender MS LLC and ACRC Lender MS II LLC, each a subsidiary of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (the “Company”), and the Company entered into an amendment to the Master Repurchase Agreement and Securities Contract (as amended from time to time, the “Morgan Stanley Facility”) with Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. The purpose of the amendment is to, among other things, extend the initial maturity date of the Morgan Stanley Facil…

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant. The information required by

of this Current Report on Form 8-K is incorporated herein by reference. 2 SIGNATURE Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized. ARES COMMERCIAL REAL ESTATE CORPORATION Date: March 16, 2026 /s/ Jeffrey M. Gonzales Name: Jeffrey M. Gonzales Title: Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer 3

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. On December 18, 2025, ACRC Lender W LLC, ACRC Lender W TRS LLC, ACRC Warehouse Holdings LLC and ACRC 2017-FL3 Holder REIT LLC, each a subsidiary of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (the “Company”), and the Company entered into an amendment to the Third Amended and Restated Master Repurchase and Securities Contract with Wells Fargo Bank, National Association. The purpose of the amendment was to, among other things, increase the commitment amou…

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant. The information required by

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. On June 30, 2025, ACRC Lender MS LLC and ACRC Lender MS II LLC, each a subsidiary of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (the “Company”), and the Company entered into an amendment to the Master Repurchase Agreement (the “Morgan Stanley Facility”) with Morgan Stanley Bank, N.A. The purpose of the amendment is to, among other things, extend the initial maturity date of the Morgan Stanley Facility to July 16, 2026 with one 12-month extension, which…

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant. The information required by

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. On December 31, 2024, ACRC Lender C LLC (“ACRC Lender C”), a subsidiary of Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (the “Company”), and the Company entered into an amendment to the Master Repurchase Agreement (the “Citi Facility”) with Citibank, N.A. The purpose of the amendment is to, among other things, extend the current facility expiration date and funding availability period of the Citi Facility for two years, until January 13, 2027. The facili…

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant. The information required by

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Director — Michael J Arougheti: Mr. Arougheti decided not to stand for re-election due to time demands from other professional commitments.

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.

Creation of a Direct Financial Obligation or an Obligation under an Off-Balance Sheet Arrangement of a Registrant. The information required by

Entry into a Material Definitive Agreement. On January 31, 2024, Ares Commercial Real Estate Corporation (the “Company”), as guarantor, and ACRC Lender LLC, a subsidiary of the Company (the “Borrower”), entered into an amendment to the secured revolving funding facility with City National Bank (the “CNB Facility”). The purpose of the amendment was to, among other things: (1) extend the initial maturity date of the CNB Facility to March 10, 2025, subject to one 12-month extension, which may be…

and Item 7.01, including Exhibit 99.1 and Exhibit 99.2 hereto, is being furnished and shall not be deemed “filed” for purposes of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and shall not be deemed incorporated by reference into any filing made under the Securities Act of 1933, except as expressly set forth by specific reference in such filing.