The UAE cemented its place because the Center East and North Africa’s (Mena) dominant mergers and acquisitions hub in 2025, spearheading a pointy upward push in regional deal process that noticed Mena transactions climb to their best possible degree in years.
New information from EY’s Mena M&A Insights 2025 file displays the area recorded 884 offers ultimate yr — up 26 in line with cent from 701 in 2024 — whilst deal worth rose 15 in line with cent to $106.1 billion.
The UAE was once on the center of this momentum. It no longer handiest attracted the area’s biggest transactions but additionally led home dealmaking, with 131 native offers — greater than every other Mena nation. It additionally accounted for just about part of all inbound funding quantity and an bizarre 92 in line with cent of general inbound worth, underscoring its magnetism for world buyers.
In step with EY, the broader Mena area’s resurgence was once fueled by way of enabling rules, financial diversification efforts and what the company described as “disciplined deal-making.” The Gulf Cooperation Council nations contributed 685 of the whole offers, valued at $102.1 billion, reflecting their heavy weight within the regional economic system.
“The Mena M&A market remained resilient in 2025, with deal volume as well as value rising significantly,” stated Brad Watson, EY‑Parthenon Mena Chief. “Cross-border transactions were the main driver of this upward curve, highlighting the increasing appetite of companies for international expansion and diversification.”
Go-border M&A endured to dominate the panorama, accounting for 54 in line with cent of the area’s deal rely and 61 in line with cent of worth. Sovereign wealth price range once more performed a central function. Entities corresponding to Abu Dhabi Funding Authority, Mubadala and Saudi Arabia’s Public Funding Fund had been a number of the maximum lively, offering really extensive capital for acquisitions each inside and past the area.
The UAE additionally hosted the area’s largest offers of the yr. The biggest was once Austrian power crew OMV’s $16.5 billion acquisition, along subsidiary Borealis, of a 64 in line with cent stake in petrochemicals corporate Borouge. It was once adopted by way of L’IMAD Preserving Corporate’s $13.8 billion acquire of an 84.76 in line with cent stake in Modon Preserving. The third-largest transaction noticed Multiply Staff obtaining 2PointZero and Ghitha Preserving in a complete proportion change transaction, forming 2PointZero Staff, a assorted funding powerhouse with Dh134 billion in property.
All 3 offers underline the UAE’s intensity in business, funding and technology-linked sectors.
Inbound dealmaking surged as buyers guess at the area’s evolving financial panorama. Inbound quantity rose 37 in line with cent to 223 offers, whilst worth greater than doubled to $25.4 billion from $11.4 billion in 2024. Austria was once the standout investor, chargeable for 65 in line with cent of inbound worth in simply 3 chemical-sector transactions.
Outbound offers had been in a similar fashion sturdy, mountain climbing 29 in line with cent yr on yr to 256 transactions price $39.2 billion. Executive-related entities, specifically the ones from the UAE and Saudi Arabia, remained dominant and accounted for 64 in line with cent of outbound worth. Canada attracted essentially the most outbound funding by way of worth, at $7.1 billion, whilst america remained the highest vacation spot by way of deal rely.
Sectorally, know-how and assorted business merchandise endured to be the area’s expansion engines, contributing 38 in line with cent of total deal quantity. Actual property — together with hospitality and recreational — and asset control accounted for greater than part the disclosed worth of home offers, signalling sturdy investor urge for food for long-term property.
“2025 was a remarkable show of Mena M&A market resilience,” stated Anil Menon, EY‑Parthenon Mena Head of M&A and Fairness Capital Markets. “The significant increase in M&A market activity was in spite of regional political unrest, significant global trade policy uncertainties and a once-in-a-generation tech transformation led by AI.”
Past the UAE, Saudi Arabia additionally noticed vital process, and in combination the 2 nations captured 59 in line with cent of general Mena investments. Egypt, Kuwait, Oman and Qatar all gave the impression a number of the most sensible goal and bidder international locations, signalling broader regional diversification.
With its strong regulatory surroundings, increasing industry volumes and assorted economic system, the UAE ended 2025 as Mena’s most enticing M&A vacation spot — each for international and home buyers — underscoring its rising standing as probably the most international’s rising FDI powerhouses.
