scale

Dealmakers in 2025 enjoyed a near-record year for mergers and acquisitions, despite a turbulent spring that threatened hopes of a broader revival. So far this year, there were 70 global deals valued at more than $10 billion each, 22 of them in the fourth quarter, according to Dealogic. Total deal value has surpassed $4.8 trillion, up 41% from 2024, though the number of deals fell 6% to 38,395, marking the second-largest year ever behind 2021.

The spike in mega deals reflects a growing focus on scale. “M&A today is all about the mega deals, the race for scale,” said Anu Aiyengar, JPMorgan’s global head of advisory and M&A. There were at least four deals above $50 billion, with two notable bids for Warner Bros. Discovery totaling over $80 billion and Paramount Skydance’s $108 billion hostile offer.

Drivers of Late-Year Rally

A more permissive regulatory environment in the U.S., coupled with a calmer macroeconomic outlook, is encouraging companies to pursue transformative deals. With antitrust scrutiny easing under the Trump administration, boards and executives are seizing opportunities for strategic acquisitions, according to Frank Aquila, partner at Sullivan & Cromwell.

Dealmakers also say valuations are rising, prompting companies to pay higher multiples while expecting their own stocks to maintain relative strength. “Valuations have been bid up and we’ve seen clients be more aggressive in terms of multiples,” said Lazard’s Mark McMaster.

Technology and AI Influence

Technology deals, particularly those tied to artificial intelligence, have played a prominent role. OpenAI raised $40 billion in funding led by SoftBank, and Aligned Data Centers was acquired for $40 billion. Morgan Stanley’s John Collins said companies are pursuing scale to invest in AI-driven changes, both in tech and across other industries.

Cross-Border and Global Trends

Cross-border M&A activity surged in 2025, reaching $1.24 trillion, the highest since 2021. U.S. and UK companies were the most targeted, while U.S., France, and Japan were the most acquisitive. Multinational companies, particularly from Europe and Japan, are investing in the U.S. to capitalize on the world’s largest market. China and Japan are also seeing strong outbound activity, with Japanese deal values boosted by high-profile transactions like OpenAI and Toyota Industries.

Corporate divestitures are rising, up 30% in volume from last year, exemplified by Holcim’s $30 billion spin-off of its North American business, Amrize. Private equity is also regaining momentum, with global buyouts reaching $1.1 trillion, a 51% increase from 2024.

Outlook for 2026

Dealmakers expect the M&A rally to continue into 2026, with $50 billion–$70 billion deals already in the pipeline and a $100 billion tech transaction not ruled out. Analysts see a multi-year run of high-value deals, fueled by scale-seeking corporations, AI-related opportunities, cross-border expansion, and corporate restructuring. While caution remains in politically uncertain markets like the UK, the global appetite for transformative deals appears set to drive another strong year for mergers and acquisitions.

With information from Reuters.

Here’s what you need to know about potential changes to the BBC TV Licence

An annual fee in the UK could be replaced by “sliding scale” payment rates going forward. The BBC TV Licence could be due for some major changes.

The UK Government will examine reforms to the TV licence fee and explore additional commercial revenue streams for the BBC as part of proposals set out in its Royal charter review. The BBC’s existing charter, which spans a decade, concludes in December 2027.

The yearly licence fee has endured extensive examination under the previous Conservative administration, remaining static at £159 for two years before rising in April 2024 and again in April 2025 to £174.50, aligned with inflation rates.

As reported by the Daily Record, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy has previously indicated she might be receptive to substituting the fixed licence fee with a graduated payment system. A fresh public consultation regarding these reforms has been initiated alongside the Green Paper and remains accessible until March 10, 2026.

The charter establishes the BBC’s public mission and serves as the constitutional foundation for the corporation, which is primarily financed through the licence fee, collected from UK households that watch television.

The Green Paper, outlining prospective BBC reforms was released on Tuesday and “consults on a wide range of options being considered for the future of the BBC”.

The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) stated the UK Government will examine whether licence-fee reductions require updating, possibilities for the BBC to create additional commercial income, and funding alternatives for the World Service to ensure sustainable financing for minority-language broadcasting. Lisa Nandy expressed: “We want the BBC to continue to enrich people’s lives, tell Britain’s story and showcase our values and culture at home and overseas, long into the future.

“My aims for the charter review are clear. The BBC must remain fiercely independent, accountable and be able to command public trust. It must reflect the whole of the UK, remain an engine for economic growth and be funded in a way that is sustainable and fair for audiences.

“As a Government, we will ensure that this charter review is the catalyst that helps the BBC adapt to a rapidly changing media landscape and secures its role at the heart of national life.”

Options in the Green Paper the government is considering and seeking views on in this area include:

• Strengthening the BBC’s independence so the public continues to have trust in the organisation and its programmes and content, including considering the government’s role in board appointments
• Updating the BBC’s Mission and Public Purposes to give accuracy equal importance alongside impartiality and improving transparency of editorial decision-making to ensure the BBC explains journalistic processes and how its coverage evolves, especially during high profile events
• Giving the BBC new responsibilities to counter mis/disinformation, potentially alongside additional requirements on media literacy to help the public navigate technological change and develop digital skills, including around AI
• Introducing specific duties around workplace conduct to ensure BBC staff are protected and the organisation sets the standard for the rest of the sector to follow – including new responsibilities for the BBC Board to ensure action is taken against workplace misconduct

The DCMS said: “A BBC that is sustainably funded for decades to come to support its vital public service role.”

Options the UK Government is considering and seeking views on in this area include:

• Reform of the licence fee, whether licence fee concessions should be updated, and options for the BBC to generate more commercial revenue
• Options for funding the World Service and supporting sustainable funding for minority language broadcasting, including S4C
• Options the government is considering and seeking views on in this area include:
• Placing a new obligation on the BBC to drive economic growth, build skills and support the creative economy across the UK
• Ways in which the BBC can further support the production sector across the nations and regions, including by ensuring budgets and decision-making power for commissioners are spread across the UK, and by supporting minority language broadcasting
• Empowering the BBC to be an ethical and economic leader in adapting to new digital technologies, and enabling it to invest in Research and Development to support growth and drive public service benefits
• Encouraging the BBC to deliver more through collaborations and partnerships for growth and public value outcomes, including with organisations across the creative economy, and with local news outlets

Public consultation

People across the UK are being encouraged to give their views on the UK Government’s Green Paper public consultation and answer a set of questions.

Responses will be used to help inform policy changes which will be set out in a White Paper expected to be published in 2026.

You can view the consultation on GOV.UK.