Shanghai, China, August 5, 2026 – ARC Group, a global investment bank and management consulting firm, today announced that the Capital Markets and M&A Forum 2026: China Edition will take place on September 3, 2026, at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund. This event brings together founders, executives, investors, and professional advisors to explore emerging pathways for overseas listings and financing, examine the practical challenges of cross-border M&A, and chart the next phase of global expansion for Chinese companies.
ARC Group’s flagship forum series, launched in 2022, has been hosted across nine global financial centers. The Shanghai session has always anchored the series in China, and this return to Shanghai both commemorates ARC Group’s founding in the city over a decade ago and reaffirms its commitment to deepening its presence in the Asian market.
Cross-border capital flows in 2026 are becoming increasingly bidirectional and complex. Drawing on frontline transaction observations, ARC Group forecasts sustained growth in Chinese enterprises’ outbound initiatives, driven by the pursuit of technology and expansion into overseas sectors, as well as a rebound in foreign investors’ rebalancing of China-based asset allocations and pursuit of localized partnerships. Meanwhile, with major industries increasingly embracing Deep Technology including artificial intelligence, a new wave of activity in Joint Venture is emerging. ARC Group believes this mutual engagement creates opportunities for cross-border M&A, while also placing higher demands on enterprises’ cross-regional resource integration capabilities.
The forum will address three core themes: strategic choices in overseas listings and fundraising, transaction structures and execution challenges in cross-border M&A, and the long-term strategic planning of Chinese enterprises’ globalization. Industry leaders will speak on globalization in practice during keynote sessions; specific speakers and topics will be announced shortly.
A simple belief underlies ARC Group’s continued investment in this forum: cross-border deals hinge on closing the information gap between markets. In ARC Group’s view, mid-market companies frequently fall into a service gap when navigating cross-border transactions: large global institutions typically operate at a scale that doesn’t match mid-market needs, while differing market emphases on business logic create cognitive disparities that often act as invisible barriers to cross-border deals. ARC Group combines local responsiveness mechanisms with a global perspective to close this information gap and build a bridge connecting growing enterprises to global capital markets.
This “bridge” positioning reflects capabilities built over years of cross-border transaction experience. ARC Group has demonstrated strong execution capability in facilitating global resource integration, particularly in complex multinational projects, earning recognition for its coordination and judgment. Its expertise and strategic footprint across key industries, particularly healthcare, deep technology, and fast-moving consumer goods, reflect the firm’s ability and practice in connecting Eastern and Western markets.
Despite these prospects, uncertainty remains part of the cross-border landscape. ARC Group notes that, looking ahead over the next few years, valuation expectation gaps between buyers and sellers, as well as asymmetric understanding of regulatory compliance, will remain key challenges for mid-market cross-border deals. Accordingly, this forum will move beyond brand showcases to focus instead on in-depth dialogue. Business leaders, investors, and legal and financial experts will convene to conduct forward-looking analyses on pain points including valuation logic, compliance risks, and geopolitical impacts, delivering frontline insights for attendees.
As Chinese enterprises’ global expansion enters a more complex phase, this forum in Shanghai’s Bund this fall will serve as a window into cross-border capital trends over the coming year. Further updates on the forum will be released continuously through ARC Group’s official channels, including its website and WeChat account.
ARC Group is a Global Investment Bank, Asset Manager and Management Consultancy firm deeply rooted in Asia with a global reach. We specialize in bridging the markets of Asia with those in the US and Europe, creating opportunities that transcend borders.
Our services span a full spectrum of financial services including, but not limited to, IPOs, M&A, Financing, Asset Management, and SPACs. ARC Group also operates a Management Consultancy division specializing in addressing the unique challenges faced by companies operating across Asian and Western markets. ARC Group wholly owns ARC Group Securities LLC, a U.S.-registered, FINRA-member broker-dealer with firm commitment underwriting capabilities.
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