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Chinese Acquisitions of Tech Companies by Year ($bn)

April 28, 2016

By Ning Ma

$65.7bn: Chinese tech acquisitions hit new high

Technology is the top targeted sector for Chinese acquirors so far in 2016, with a YTD record high of $65.7bn via 456 deals, up from the previous record set in 2015 YTD ($41.6bn via 434 deals), and already the second highest annual total on record behind only 2015 ($159.8bn)

For the first YTD on record, China has overtaken the US ($45.6bn) to become the biggest acquiring nation globally for technology M&A, accounting for a 45% share of the market. Historically, the US had consistently been the biggest buying nation per YTD period and annum since 1995

$17.6bn: outbound tech M&A at highest annual level

In less than four months, China outbound M&A into technology has reached a new annual high of $17.6bn (69 deals) in 2016, up 18% on the previous full year record of $14.9bn (118 deals) set in 2015. HNA Group affiliate Tianjin Tianhai Investment Development’s pending all-cash bid for US based Ingram Micro, announced in February for $6.3bn, is the biggest China outbound technology acquisition on record

$4.5bn: Ant Financial sets record funding round

On April 26, Ant Financial Services Group raised $4.5bn in a fresh round of financing from a consortium of investors. This is largest private funding round globally in the technology sector on record, as well as the biggest China domestic technology M&A deal in 2016 YTD

The majority of China’s technology acquisitions in 2016 YTD are domestic deals, reaching a YTD record high of $48.1bn (387 deals) and surpassing the previous record of $38.1bn (404 deals) set in 2015 YTD

Top advisor for China tech M&A

Goldman Sachs leads the China technology M&A advisor ranking (ex fairness opinion) in 2016 YTD, with $15.5bn. China International Capital Corp and Morgan Stanley follow, with $15.2bn and $8.4bn, respectively