Global M&A Trends and Risks Report unveiled by Mergermarket's platform
Norton Rose Fulbright, a leading law firm, has released the third edition of its Global M&A Trends and Risks report in collaboration with Mergermarket. The report provides insights into the key trends and risks shaping global M&A activity in 2025.
Key Trends
The report highlights the continued resilience and robust M&A activity despite macroeconomic and geopolitical volatility. Optimism is growing due to potential easing of tariffs and improving regional economic outlooks. Creative dealmaking, driven by a need for nuanced strategies amid uncertainty, is gaining importance.
Steady interest from private equity is evident, although the focus is on smaller, bolt-on deals rather than large-scale acquisitions. Deal insurance is becoming increasingly popular as a means to manage M&A risks effectively. Regional variations are apparent, with robust US and EMEA deal flow, while APAC and Middle East regions show more cautious or muted activity.
Key Risks
Ongoing geopolitical uncertainty, including tariffs impacting cross-border deals, presents a significant challenge. Inflationary pressures and economic turbulence contribute to cautious dealmaking. High valuations create challenges for deal pricing and negotiations. Market volatility especially affects tariff-sensitive industries.
Regional Acquirers
Domestic strategic buyers are expected to be the most active acquirers in 2025, particularly in emerging markets like Latin America, Africa, and South and Southeast Asia.
Rise of Deal Insurance
The report predicts a surge in the use of representations and warranties insurance (RWI) in 2025, with 65% of respondents expecting an increase compared to 2024.
AI Acquisitions
The survey reveals that 51% of respondents have already acquired an AI business, and 46% report that they are looking to acquire an AI business in the near term.
The Team
The global corporate, M&A, and securities team at Norton Rose Fulbright provides legal advice across various M&A matters. The team consists of over 450 M&A partners and 700 other deal lawyers worldwide.
The Survey
The survey for the report included 100 executives from multinational corporations, 50 from large private equity firms, and 50 from major investment banks.
The report signals a cautiously optimistic outlook for 2025 M&A activity, emphasizing creative deal structuring, risk mitigation, and strategic portfolio management as central themes for dealmakers navigating persistent uncertainty.
For media inquiries, please contact:
Louise Nelson, Head of PR for Europe, Middle East, and Asia Tel: 44 20 7444 5086 Cell: 44 79 0968 4893
Dan McKenna, US Director and Global Head of PR and Communications Tel: 1 713 651 3576
[1] Major Banks and Market Sources (2025) [2] Norton Rose Fulbright Global M&A Trends and Risks Report (2025) [3] Mergermarket (2025) [4] Global M&A Trends and Risks Report (2025) [5] Norton Rose Fulbright Global M&A Trends and Risks Report (2025)
- In the upcoming year, strategic portfolio management, creative deal-structuring, and effective risk mitigation methods, such as the increasing popular use of representations and warranties insurance (RWI), will be key for dealmakers in the face of ongoing uncertainty and volatility in the global M&A market.
- The report also reveals a surge in tech-focused activities, with 51% of surveyed executives having already acquired an AI business and 46% planning to do so in the near future, suggesting a growing interest in technology and innovation in corporate finance, and especially in sectors like private equity.
