SKN | Goldman Sachs Sees 2026 as a Potential Record Year for Global M&A: Strategic Implications for HNWI

Key Takeaways:

• Goldman Sachs projects 2026 as potentially the largest year for mergers and acquisitions globally, driven by strategic corporate realignments and private equity activity.
• Swiss private banking clients with cross-border holdings must anticipate increased deal-related liquidity demands, regulatory scrutiny, and capital deployment considerations.
• High-net-worth individuals should leverage proactive advisory strategies to align multi-jurisdictional wealth structures with evolving transactional dynamics.
• Robust due diligence, portfolio flexibility, and liquidity management will be essential to safeguard capital and preserve discretion amid heightened M&A activity.

Goldman Sachs’ leadership has identified 2026 as a year of unprecedented merger and acquisition activity, potentially surpassing prior historical highs. For HNWI clients in Zurich, Geneva, and globally, this projection is more than market commentary—it represents actionable intelligence for wealth preservation, cross-border planning, and portfolio agility. Record-level M&A activity signals an environment where liquidity demands, regulatory considerations, and cross-border structuring intersect with private banking strategy.

Why Swiss Banks Are Preparing for Elevated Deal Flow

Leading Swiss private banks are adjusting internal infrastructure to support clients exposed to transactional volatility. Multi-jurisdictional wealth structures often intersect with corporate deals, trust arrangements, and family office allocations. With M&A volumes expected to surge, banks are enhancing their capabilities in liquidity management, FX execution, and cross-border compliance. Clients with concentrated positions in public or private equities may face short-term margin calls, funding requirements, or restructuring opportunities that demand rapid and discreet execution.

Zurich and Geneva banks emphasize that advisory teams must integrate deal intelligence into client portfolios, assessing how both announced and anticipated transactions could affect valuations, cash flow, and inter-jurisdictional holdings. For HNWI, this proactive alignment can protect legacy assets while maintaining operational discretion.

Cross-Border Considerations in a Hyperactive M&A Market

Global M&A activity carries inherent complexity for clients with assets spread across multiple jurisdictions. Tax implications, regulatory approvals, and cross-border reporting obligations can materially influence net outcomes. For Swiss banking clients, the interplay between European, U.S., and Asian jurisdictions requires careful planning. Even routine portfolio rebalancing or preemptive liquidity allocation may trigger disclosure requirements or unexpected taxation if not properly coordinated.

High-net-worth families should view this period as an opportunity to stress-test wealth structures. Ensuring flexibility to participate in selective opportunities—or to shield assets from volatility—necessitates preemptive governance, comprehensive documentation, and alignment with trusted private banking advisors capable of navigating multi-layered compliance frameworks.

Operational Intelligence and Portfolio Resilience

Private banks in Switzerland are investing in analytics and monitoring platforms to provide HNWI with actionable insight during periods of elevated M&A activity. These tools track deal flow, sector concentration, and liquidity impact, allowing clients to make informed decisions without compromising discretion. Risk mitigation strategies may include maintaining undrawn credit facilities, strategic cash reserves, or flexible trust arrangements capable of rapid adaptation.

From a capital preservation perspective, understanding counterparty stability, funding cycles, and transaction timelines becomes critical. HNWI portfolios that anticipate potential deal-driven fluctuations can convert periods of high activity into opportunities for selective repositioning, without sacrificing long-term strategic objectives.

Forward-Looking Guidance for 2026

With 2026 poised as a record-setting M&A year, HNWI clients must treat the landscape as a strategic planning horizon rather than a tactical environment. The focus should be on liquidity readiness, cross-border structural alignment, and operational discretion. Monitoring regulatory developments, capital market trends, and sector-specific deal activity will be essential to safeguard wealth, optimize legacy planning, and maintain control over multi-jurisdictional assets.

For a confidential discussion regarding how record-level global M&A activity may influence your Swiss bank accounts and international wealth structures, contact our senior advisory team for bespoke guidance tailored to HNWI clients.