Sector Performance

Despite macroeconomic uncertainties, 2025 global M&A in the financial services sector exhibited great resilience as momentum continued following the highs of 2024, with a steady rise in deal volumes and a significant uptick in deal value across the sector.

A degree of regulatory easing and the continued growth in private credit contributed to overall activity levels. Other important drivers for M&A activity in the sector included consolidation and the pursuit of scale, strategic transformation, as well as the need to optimize technical, and in particular AI, capabilities in order to keep pace with changing customer behaviors.

Hogan Lovells Activities

Our Financial Institutions team continued to publish our annual FIS Horizons, offering insights on how financial institutions can navigate emerging risks and opportunities, including regulatory change, digital transformation, energy transition, and risk management.

We further strengthened our Digital Transformation offering, equipping clients with enhanced tools, products, and solutions, including through new conversations on The Influencers podcast. Our market-leading global Digital Assets & Blockchain and FinTech practices once again hosted the Digital Assets Summit and Payments Conference and delivered another cohort of the FinTech Mentor Program, reinforcing our position at the forefront of innovation.