The M&A Journal republished a report "M&A in 2025 and Trends for 2026" by Michael O'Bryan, Scott Behar, James Beach, Chere See and Shiri Shenhav. The report noted that 2025 marked a renewed but selective M&A environment, with momentum expected to continue into 2026 amid persistent macroeconomic and regulatory complexity. The report also highlights intensifying regulatory scrutiny and AI-related diligence now focuses on governance, data sourcing, bias audits, employment risks, and antitrust exposure.
Key Findings
- In 2025, global M&A rebounded sharply, with total deal value rising 41% year over year to $4.8 trillion, the second-highest level on record, despite a decline in overall deal count.
- Larger transactions drove the surge, including a record number of $10 billion-plus deals, led by the technology sector and AI-related infrastructure.
- North America accounted for just over half of global activity, with Europe and APAC each contributing roughly one-fifth.
- Technology M&A jumped 66% to approximately $1.08 trillion, fueled by AI, data infrastructure, and cybersecurity.
- Life sciences also remained active, particularly in healthcare, while private equity rebounded with a 39% increase in global buyout value and renewed exit activity.
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