"Global Mergers and Acquisitions Trends and Risks Report unveiled by Mergermarket's platform"
In a recent report, the global law firm [website name] in collaboration with Mergermarket, has revealed key findings about the current M&A landscape in 2025. The third edition of the Global M&A Trends and Risks report provides insights into regional shifts, deal types, market environment, evolving dealmaking practices, and regulatory dynamics.
Regional shifts in activity
Europe and Asia-Pacific are leading the global M&A market, outperforming benchmarks and showing significant growth in deal volumes. Notably, increased dealmaking in China and strong European buyer performance are driving this growth. On the other hand, North America is experiencing a decline in M&A activity, with deal volume falling 55% over the past four years and ongoing underperformance relative to regional indexes.
Deal types and values
Private equity transactions are rebounding, with a noticeable increase in exits and secondary buyouts in 2024 and continuing into 2025. These deals tend to have higher average values compared to broader M&A transactions, with a significant portion of deals exceeding €50 million.
Market environment
The M&A environment reflects adjustment to economic and geopolitical volatility, including moderating inflation and lower interest rates, which have contributed to revived investor appetite and narrowing valuation discrepancies between parties. Dealmakers are increasingly adopting resilience-focused and value-oriented strategies amid this volatile landscape.
Evolving dealmaking practices
The report also discusses new challenges and opportunities in M&A with the rise of AI technologies impacting deal origination, due diligence, and integration processes. Integration strategies now must account for changes in workplace dynamics, including remote and hybrid work, with organizational culture alignment becoming a critical factor for deal success.
Regulatory dynamics
There are notable shifts in regulatory environments, such as in the UK, where new competition policies may change how merger controls are applied, potentially affecting deal approvals and strategic considerations.
Looking ahead
Almost half (46%) of respondents report that they are looking to acquire an AI business in the near term. Furthermore, more than two-thirds of respondents expect the use of representations and warranties insurance (RWI) to increase in 2025 compared to 2024. However, 53% of respondents expected their organization's appetite for M&A to increase in 2025 compared to last year, but market turmoil caused by "reciprocal tariff" announcements decreased their appetite for M&A. At the global level, 35% of respondents expect it to become more difficult to secure M&A-related financing in 2025 compared with 2024.
The report, which surveyed 100 executives from multinational corporations, 50 from large private equity firms, and 50 from major investment banks, paints a picture of a geographically shifting and technologically evolving M&A landscape in 2025, driven by economic conditions, private equity dynamics, innovation in deal processes, and regulatory changes.
For more information, contact Dan McKenna, the US Director and Global Head of PR and Communications for [website name], at Tel: 1 713 651 3576, or Louise Nelson, the Head of PR for Europe, Middle East, and Asia, at Tel: 44 20 7444 5086 and Cell: 44 79 0968 4893. The team, consisting of over 450 M&A partners and 700 other deal lawyers, provides legal advice on various M&A matters worldwide.
[1] [Source 1] [2] [Source 2] [3] [Source 3] [4] [Source 4]
- In the changing M&A landscape of 2025, technological advancements, such as the increasing use of AI in deal origination, due diligence, and integration processes, are influencing business strategies and dealmaking practices.
- As the market adapts to economic and geopolitical uncertainties, investors are increasingly turning to finance and technology sectors, with a significant number of respondents planning to acquire AI businesses, and a growing expectation for the use of representations and warranties insurance (RWI).
