The New Reality of Cross-Border M&A: More Deals, More Friction

How regulatory scrutiny, operational readiness, and longer timelines are reshaping deal execution

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Cross-border M&A is back on the agenda, but getting deals over the line is becoming harder. This report looks at a market where appetite is returning even as execution risk becomes more pronounced.

CSC’s recent survey shows regulatory scrutiny, entity readiness, and longer timelines are creating more pressure during execution. Foreign direct investment screening, documentation gaps, and cross-border coordination are all playing a bigger role in whether deals close as planned.

Based on input from senior professionals involved in cross-border M&A across private equity, strategic buyers, in-house legal teams, and advisory firms, The New Reality of Cross-Border M&A: More Deals, More Friction explores where that friction is showing up and what it means for deal teams.

What you’ll learn

Investment vehicles

Why special purpose vehicle readiness matters earlier in the process. According to CSC’s survey, 74% say a deal has been prevented by delays or failures in creating entities or special purpose vehicles.

Regulation and compliance

How regulatory scrutiny is shaping close risk. Three quarters of respondents (75%) say FDI screening most often threatens a successful close, and 56% say they have materially restructured a cross-border M&A deal due to regulatory or political concerns.

Operational trends

Where execution friction shows up most often and why timelines are stretching. Nearly eight in 10 respondents (79%) say entity management and corporate housekeeping issues cause delays on some deals, and 88% say the average time from signing to closing is longer than three years ago.