Source page: McKinsey & Company

March 26, 2026

M&A | Investing

The Americas led cross-regional trade deals in 2025, accounting for 16 of the world’s 20 largest deals.

After dealmaking slowed momentarily in early 2025, global M&A activity quickly assumed a grand scale—delivering big gains for the year. All this week, we explore M&A trends, from megadeals to cross-regional trading and more.

The Americas led cross-regional trade deals in 2025, accounting for 16 of the world’s 20 largest deals. Rounds of US-led tariffs, softer regulations, and a large addressable market contributed to net inflows to the Americas increasing by 70 percent, to $149 billion. Senior Partners Jake Henry and Mieke Van Oostende highlight that cross-regional inflows to other parts of the world also grew last year. Inflows to Asia–Pacific climbed 71 percent to $71 billion, while those to Europe, the Middle East, and Africa rose 80 percent.

To read the report, see “2026 M&A Trends: Navigating a rapidly rebounding market,” February 2026.

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