US EditionGlobal M&A poised to sustain momentum in 2026 after great rebound, finds Bain & Company
Global mergers and acquisitions surged nearly 40% to $4.9 trillion in 2025, with 80% of executives expecting deal activity to sustain or grow in 2026, driven by AI and strategic shifts.
- On Jan. 27, 2026, Bain & Company reported global M&A increased 40% to $4,900,000,000,000 in 2025, the second-highest deal value on record.
- Bain's analysis finds AI adoption in M&A more than doubled in 2025, with 45% of executives using AI tools, and improving macro conditions plus a backlog of private equity and venture capital assets fueled renewed deal activity.
- Software dealmaking jumped, with software companies acquiring a record number of AI assets in 2025, banking M&A surged to $212 billion with 30% better valuation gains, and oil and gas companies consolidated as 53% of deal value concentrated among top acquirers.
- Companies pursuing synergies should focus on building end-to-end M&A capabilities, as 80% of M&A executives expect deal activity to sustain or increase in 2026, Bain says.
- Looking ahead, firms are embedding AI into M&A by applying AI applications across the deal cycle in five ways, Bain & Company says M&A will be critical in 2026.
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InsideNoVA.com
Global M&A poised to sustain momentum in 2026 after great rebound, finds Bain & Company
80% of M&A executives expect to sustain or increase deal activity in 2026 after near-record rebound in 2025, finds Bain's surveyTechnology disruption, geopolitics and post-globalization, and shifting portfolio strategies are key forces that will shape M&A in 2026AI adoption in…
BCG Says Dealmakers Are Learning to Win in Uncertainty
Global M&A activity is showing signs of recovery, but not a return to the playbook of the last cycle. According to Boston Consulting Group’s 2025 M&A Report, global deal value rose 10 percent in the first nine months of 2025 compared with the same period last year, even as geopolitical tension, regulatory shifts, and macro uncertainty continue to weigh on confidence. What’s emerging is a more disciplined form of dealmaking. BCG’s research shows …
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