Asia-Pacific private equity deal value reached $37.5b in Q1.
Whilst global private equity(PE) activity slowed in early 2025, Singapore-linked funds remained active participants in Asia’s largest carve-outs and cross-border transactions, according to KPMG’s Pulse of Private Equity Q1 2025 report.
Asia-Pacific PE deal value reached $37.5b in Q1 2025, with Japan dominating regional activity at $20.2b. The quarter featured several landmark carve-outs and restructurings, many of which drew in capital from Singapore-based investors and funds.
“Japan accounted for $20.2b—nearly eclipsing its 2024 annual total of $22.8 billion—as ongoing regulatory pressures and cultural shifts continued to make carve-outs and major restructuring more socially acceptable, creating a new avenue to PE investors,” the report noted.
Amongst the largest APAC transactions was BlackRock’s $22.8b acquisition of 45 ports globally from CK Hutchison, an operator with strong regional ties including Hong Kong and Singapore. This deal ranked as the largest globally in Q1.
Other major Asia deals attracting Singapore-based capital included Bain Capital’s $5.4b buyout of York Holdings’ subsidiaries and specialty businesses in Japan and the $5.2b take-private of Shinko Electric Industries, led by a Japanese consortium.
Across the region, private equity funds have shifted their focus toward adjacent industries that support the growth of AI and digital infrastructure, including data centers, cloud infrastructure, and analytics. “Private equity firms increasingly shifted their focus to industries that support and enable the broader AI ecosystem,” KPMG reported.
Despite global headwinds—including volatile tariffs and trade uncertainties—Singapore's role as a regional investment hub remains secure due to its regulatory stability, experienced fund management community, and increasing participation in large cross-border transactions.
"The biggest headwind right now is lack of clarity," said Gavin Geminder, Global Head of Private Equity at KPMG International. “Many global PE investors are at something of a standstill, waiting for more clarity. Should the tariff issues get resolved quickly, we could get back to the level of activity we were anticipating heading into 2025”.
The report also noted that many Asia-Pacific companies are actively restructuring and divesting non-core assets, creating more opportunities for private equity funds to participate in carve-outs. “In some jurisdictions, companies have undertaken carve-outs, giving PE firms potential acquisition opportunities,” KPMG added.