Goldman Sachs has emerged as the leading global adviser for mergers and acquisitions during the first half of 2026, commanding a deal value of $443 billion.
The investment bank’s dominance in the high-value segment underscores its continued strength in structuring large-scale corporate consolidations across Europe, Africa, and Asia.
PwC recently projected that global M&A deal value could reach $4 trillion for the full year 2026, which would mark the most active period for corporate consolidation since 2021.
While Goldman led by value, Rothschild & Co topped the league tables for transaction volume, advising on 164 separate deals.
This divergence highlights the bifurcated nature of the current M&A market, where elite bulge-bracket banks capture the largest mandates while boutique and mid-tier firms maintain high activity levels through smaller, more frequent transactions.
The strong first-half performance aligns with broader industry forecasts.
PwC recently projected that global M&A deal value could reach $4 trillion for the full year 2026, which would mark the most active period for corporate consolidation since 2021.