Source: GlobalData
The total number of deals announced in the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region fell by 10.2% year-on-year (YoY) in January 2025, with a decline in volume experienced across all the deal types under coverage (comprising mergers & acquisitions (M&A), private equity and venture financing deals), according to GlobalData, a leading data and analytics company.
An analysis of GlobalData’s Deals Database revealed that the total number of deals announced in the APAC region decreased from 1,189 in January 2024 to 1,068 in January 2025. When looking at the breakdown by deal type, the number of M&A deals decreased by 7.8% during January 2025 compared to the same period in the previous year, whereas the volumes of private equity and venture financing deals were down by 4.8% and 12.3% YoY, respectively.
Aurojyoti Bose, Lead Analyst at GlobalData, comments: “When looking at the breakdown by key markets, there was a notable variation in deal volumes. Countries like China, South Korea and Australia saw significant decreases in deal volume, whereas there were also some bright spots in certain key markets like India and Japan, which saw improvement in deal activity during this period.”
China, the largest market in the region by number of deals, saw a significant decline of 30.4% in deal volume in January 2025 compared to January 2024. South Korea and Australia also experienced notable decreases in deal volume, with respective YoY declines of 28.3% and 17.3%. On the other hand, countries like India and Japan saw their respective deal volume improving by 27.3% and 35% YoY during January 2025.
Bose adds: “The mixed trend across different APAC markets underscores the diverse nature of deal-making activity in the region. The overall decline could be reflective of broader economic challenges and uncertainties in the region. However, the growth in certain key markets like India and Japan indicates pockets of opportunities as well.”