Digital tools redefine dealmaking

March 2026  |  FEATURE | MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

Financier Worldwide Magazine

March 2026 Issue

As dealmakers navigate an increasingly complex economic and regulatory environment, digitalisation is reshaping every stage of how mergers and acquisitions are conducted. The digital age has transformed the M&A landscape, enabling companies to identify synergies, streamline due diligence, improve valuations and achieve more effective post-merger integration.

For chief executives and financial professionals managing ever more intricate transactions, the strategic use of technology has become essential to maximising acquisition value while mitigating risk. According to CFO Brew, companies that adopt digital tools during the M&A process benefit from improved deal outcomes, greater transparency and enhanced value realisation.

As M&A activity continues to expand, particularly across technology and healthcare sectors, those who invest in digital capabilities are positioning themselves more effectively for long-term success than rivals who resist technological change.

Given ongoing economic and geopolitical uncertainty, it is vital that companies pursue value wherever it can be found. Businesses across jurisdictions and industries are contending with challenges that threaten profitability. Persistent geopolitical and market volatility, fluctuating borrowing costs, inflationary pressures and supply chain disruption are compelling companies to work harder to extract value from deals. Digital transformation is becoming central to this value equation and is helping to redefine the overall dealmaking process.

The evolution of technology in transactional work

Technologies such as artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, cloud platforms and automation are accelerating due diligence, enabling more accurate valuations and supporting smoother post-merger integration. Tasks that previously took weeks can now be completed in days, while digital tools can uncover risks and synergies that manual review might overlook. These tools also support greater transparency, enable real-time collaboration across geographies and reduce reliance on paper-based or legacy systems. Although challenges remain in achieving full digital maturity, companies that progress more quickly tend to experience greater deal activity and more efficient allocation of resources.

Digital tools have transformed dealmaking by making it faster, more data-driven and more global. Virtual data rooms (VDRs), e-signatures and secure collaboration platforms have streamlined both due diligence and closing processes, compressing timelines that once extended for months. These platforms also allow advisers and deal teams to work seamlessly across borders.

VDRs in particular have been a significant development in the M&A sphere. As secure cloud-based platforms, they allow stakeholders to store, share and review large volumes of confidential information. Their importance has grown in recent years, especially as they support secure collaboration among teams operating across different regions and time zones, making them indispensable for cross-border transactions.

Advanced analytics and AI-driven tools can now scan financial statements, contracts and operational data at unprecedented speed, highlighting risks and potential synergies earlier in the process. This improves the accuracy of valuations and strengthens strategic decision making. Big data analytics also enhances valuation processes by enabling companies to analyse real-time information on financial performance, customer behaviour, market conditions and competitive dynamics. These extensive datasets allow acquirers to develop a more precise and dynamic understanding of a target’s potential than traditional valuation techniques could offer.

Digital platforms and deal marketplaces have further expanded deal sourcing, enabling buyers and investors to identify and evaluate potential targets worldwide. This has intensified competition and stimulated cross-border activity. Enhanced transparency is another important advantage, with automated workflows, audit trails and real-time reporting improving governance, regulatory compliance and stakeholder confidence. Together, these innovations are enabling more sophisticated deal structures and raising expectations around speed, insight and execution quality across the entire M&A lifecycle.

From digital innovation to competitive advantage

AI in particular is expected to have a substantial influence on dealmaking. According to Bain, in 2024 generative AI featured in only about 16 percent of M&A processes. By 2027 this is forecast to rise to 80 percent, reflecting growing recognition of AI’s potential to improve deal processes and create new opportunities.

Technology is no longer a peripheral feature of M&A. It now sits at the centre of dealmaking strategies and operational processes. Many companies are using M&A specifically to acquire technological capabilities and to digitalise their own services and operations. Some are focused on improving operational efficiency, while others are using technological innovation to create data-driven products and services that reach new customer segments.

Whether companies are refining how they use technology in their deal processes or turning to M&A to accelerate digital innovation, effective digital transformation requires a coordinated approach. This must involve constructive engagement with regulators, investment in resilient cyber security frameworks and the adoption of agile strategies that can keep pace with evolving political and regulatory conditions. These factors are becoming more important as the geopolitical environment grows increasingly unpredictable.

AI, big data, blockchain, VDRs and an expanding suite of other digital tools have given the modern chief executive and their deal teams greater capability than at any time before. These technologies are not only improving the efficiency of M&A transactions – they are altering how companies approach deals, making it easier to realise value and manage risk in a highly volatile world. For companies seeking to remain competitive in the digital age, the adoption of these technologies is essential.

© Financier Worldwide

BY

Richard Summerfield