Shanghai, China, August 24, 2026 — ARC Group, a global investment bank and management consultancy, will host the Capital Markets and M&A Forum 2026: China Edition on September 3, 2026, at the Waldorf Astoria Shanghai on the Bund. With just over a week to go, this invitation-only gathering focused on overseas listings, cross-border M&A, and the global expansion of Chinese enterprises is already drawing broad interest from founders, executives, investors, and professional advisors. The forum will bring participants together to explore new pathways for overseas listings and financing, examine the practical challenges of cross-border M&A, and chart the next phase of globalization strategy for Chinese companies.

ARC Group’s flagship forum series, launched in 2022, has been hosted across seven 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.

Three Core Themes for Cross-Border Transaction Challenges

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 their China exposure and seeking local partnerships. Meanwhile, as major industries increasingly embrace deep technologies including artificial intelligence, a new wave of activity in joint ventures is emerging. This mutual engagement creates fresh opportunities for cross-border M&A, while also raising the bar for enterprises’ ability to coordinate resources across regions.

Against this backdrop, the Shanghai forum will center on 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. On the day, ARC Group will explore these themes through opening remarks, two keynote addresses, and two panel discussions, covering new opportunities for Asian companies in global capital markets, evolving listing standards amid a shifting international landscape, and the key global trends and pathways shaping cross-border M&A.

A simple belief underlies ARC Group’s continued investment in this forum: cross-border deals hinge on closing the information gap between markets. 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 markets place different emphasis on business logic, creating cognitive gaps that often become invisible barriers to cross-border deals. ARC Group pairs on-the-ground responsiveness with a global perspective to close this information gap and build a bridge connecting growing enterprises to global capital markets.

Bridging the Information Gap in Cross-Border Transactions

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, underscore the firm’s track record connecting Eastern and Western markets.

Uncertainty remains part of the cross-border landscape. 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 on Shanghai’s Bund this fall will serve as a window into cross-border capital trends over the coming year.

Building a Full-Chain Think Tank to Support Chinese Enterprises’ Cross-Border Capital Journey

This year’s forum brings together leading expertise across law, audit, investor relations, and investment banking, with strong backing from a number of industry-leading organizations working together to give attendees comprehensive, in-depth insight into cross-border capital markets and M&A. Partners include:

• ARC Group Securities LLC is a FINRA-registered broker-dealer and a subsidiary of ARC Group, specializing in capital markets and investment banking services for emerging growth and mid-market companies and serving as a key link between Asian and Western capital markets.
• Sichenzia Ross Ference Carmel LLP (SRFC) is a well-regarded U.S. law firm of about 70 attorneys, with practices spanning corporate, securities, litigation, trusts and estates, and tax, helping clients worldwide resolve complex legal challenges and achieve their business goals efficiently and practically.
• Marcum Asia is an independent international accounting firm and one of the leading providers of audit and assurance services to Asian companies listed in the U.S. capital markets, with offices across Hong Kong, Singapore, Beijing, Shanghai and other Asian cities, and a strong reputation in cross-border IPO and international listing audit work.
• Ellenoff Grossman & Schole LLP was founded in 1992 and is a New York-based, mid-sized law firm with a long-standing focus on the capital markets, offering clients a full range of legal services across business transactions and litigation.
• Ascent Investor Relations is a leading investor relations and corporate communications firm headquartered in New York, with offices in Beijing, Shanghai, Shenzhen, Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, providing full-service investor relations support to companies pursuing U.S. listings.
• BDO Lixin was founded in Shanghai in 1927 by Pan Xulun, a pioneering figure in Chinese accounting, making it one of the country’s earliest and most influential accounting firms. It became China’s first special general partnership accounting firm in 2010, and over more than nine decades has built a leading position nationally in both scale and audit quality.
• Dorsey & Whitney LLP is a full-service international law firm and a trusted business partner to clients since 1912, with offices across the United States, Canada, Europe and the Asia-Pacific region serving leading companies across a broad range of industries.
• Federal Filings LLC is a full-service SEC EDGAR filing agent based in Austin, Texas, providing document conversion, iXBRL tagging and electronic filing services to public companies, law firms, underwriters and fund administrators since 2003.
• Hunter Taubman Fischer & Li LLC (HTFL) is a U.S. corporate and securities law firm supporting issuers, underwriters and investors on transactional and litigation matters across the public and private securities markets, drawing on extensive cross-border experience in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Europe.
• Ogier is an international offshore professional services firm known for handling the most complex transactions with efficiency and depth of expertise, and for its long-standing relationships with leading financial institutions, professional advisors and regulators worldwide.
• Vstock Transfer is an SEC-registered stock transfer agent serving over 800 issuer clients, from private companies to Nasdaq-listed firms. Founded by experienced securities attorneys, the firm pairs legal expertise with a state-of-the-art platform to deliver responsive, cost-effective shareholder services.

Further updates on the forum, including its full agenda, will be released continuously through ARC Group’s official channels, including its website and WeChat account.

Register Now: https://arc-group.com/cmf2026-china-eng/

About ARC Group

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.