Global M&A activity hits record $2.8 trillion in first half of 2026

In the first six months of 2026, worldwide mergers and acquisitions surged to a total value of about $2.8 trillion, up 48 % year‑on‑year and the highest half‑year total since records began in 1980. The boom was driven by a wave of $10‑billion‑plus “mega‑deals”, of which 47 transactions accounted for more than $1.3 trillion, nearly half of all deal volume.

Key transactions included NextEra Energy’s $66.8 billion bid for Dominion Energy, SpaceX’s roughly $60 billion purchase of AI start‑up Cursor, Unilever’s sale of its food division to McCormick for about $45 billion, and several large real‑estate and industrial combinations. Analysts attribute the surge to a friendlier regulatory environment, abundant private‑equity capital, and intense demand for artificial‑intelligence capabilities.

PwC projects that annual global M&A value could reach $4 trillion by year‑end 2026, with mega‑deals over $5 billion making up almost half of total deal value. AI‑focused acquisitions such as Salesforce’s $3.6 billion buy of Fin and Qualcomm’s rumored $4 billion bid for Modular illustrate the sector’s shift toward technology‑driven growth.