Digital Commerce M&A market will remain white-hot in 2022, says Hampleton report

• In 2021 Digital Commerce M&A market deal volumes grew 34 per cent year on year
• $400 billion in disclosed transaction value for 2021
• Investors and acquirers favouring e-commerce software; media, social and gaming; food delivery; and the ‘circular economy’

London, UK –  25 January 2022: Hampleton Partners’ Digital Commerce M&A report reveals that sector M&A growth is at all-time high. The sector signed over 2,317 deals in 2021, a 34 per cent increase on the 1,725 deals closed in 2020, and a 65 per cent increase on 2019 figures.

Hampleton’s report also highlights $400 billion in disclosed transaction value across the sector in 2021, including $140 billion in the second half of 2021 – 21 per cent of which can be attributed to the take-private of buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) solutions provider Afterpay by payments company Square for around $30 billion.

The trailing 30-month median digital commerce deal amount reached a high $27 million, a jump from the $22 million figure seen in 2020.

Ralph Hübner, sector principal, said: “We predict a white-hot first half of 2022 in digital commerce M&A, as many transactions have been in preparation since last year.

“M&A and fundraising activity across all segments of the digital commerce space continues to be propelled by the great shift online, with increased appetite from financial sponsors, be it from the VC or the PE/growth space. Investors are eager to back digital commerce software and infrastructure and help fund the mammoth business of e-commerce brands.”

Hampleton Partners’ Digital Commerce M&A Market report highlights how the boundaries between sector segments are continuing to blur and analyses market trends, success stories, fundraising and M&A deals to provide a realistic portrayal of Digital Commerce M&A in a post-Covid world, with a focus on the second half of 2021. It covers the intersection of internet services & portals; online retail; media, social & gaming; agencies & service providers and digital commerce software; plus e-food and the circular economy.

Download the report: https://www.hampletonpartners.com/reports/digital-commerce-report/

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Note to Editors

Hampleton Partners’ Digital Commerce M&A Report uses data and information from the 451 Research database (www.451research.com), and S&P CapitalQ. Sources cited include Bloomberg, McKinsey & Company, TechCrunch, and MarketplacePulse.

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About Hampleton

Hampleton Partners is at the forefront of international mergers and acquisitions and corporate finance advisory for companies with technology at their core. Hampleton’s experienced deal makers have built, bought and sold over 100 fast-growing tech businesses and provide hands-on expertise and unrivalled advice to tech entrepreneurs and companies which are looking to accelerate growth and maximise value.

With offices in London, Frankfurt, Stockholm and San Francisco, Hampleton offers a global perspective with sector expertise in: Artificial Intelligence, Autotech, Cybersecurity, Digital Commerce, Enterprise Software, Fintech, Healthtech, HR Tech, Insurtech and IT & Business Services. 

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Jane Henry
Marylebone Marketing
Email: jane (at) marylebonemarketing.com
Mobile: +44 789 666 8155