Finance & Risk
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November 2025’s UK M&A rundown
November’s UK dealflow was quiet, but anything but complacent overall. From a scrapped £5.3bn infrastructure merger to a contested fintech tie-up, the month’s biggest transactions showed investors rewarding infrastructure-style cash flows, disciplined storytelling, and targeted digital bets over indiscriminate empire-building, for boards weighing whether to buy, build, or partner.
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FreemarketFX expands Napier AI partnership to secure global FX flows
FreemarketFX has deepened its collaboration with technology company Napier AI. The partnership will see Napier’s AI-driven monitoring tools underpin FreemarketFX’s global payments network, improving oversight and helping detect anomalies across fast-growing transaction volumes. The move supports FreemarketFX’s continued international expansion.
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How crypto is quietly rewiring business payments
Boardrooms used to treat crypto as something radioactive and remote. Today, the conversation is shifting to settlement speed, cost, and compliance. As cross-border payment volumes soar and regulation matures, stablecoins and tokenised cash are quietly being tested as the new pipes of global trade, not the latest speculative bet anymore.
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Autumn Budget stability puts UK business owners on the hook
Stability was the Chancellor’s watchword, but business heard strain instead. Advisers across law and accountancy say the Autumn Budget leans heavily on tax rises for owners, investors, and high earners, while offering only narrow windows and targeted reliefs for those prepared to plan ahead. Businesses face greater complexity and pressure.
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JP Morgan bets £10bn on UK banks
JP Morgan plans to build a major new tower in London. The project will inject £10bn into the local economy and create 7,800 jobs, establishing the bank’s largest European presence. It further supports 38,000 jobs and contributes £7.5bn to the economy.
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Waracle expands into Europe with HackSoft acquisition
Waracle expands into Europe with HackSoft acquisition. The Scottish digital consultancy has acquired Sofia-based HackSoft, marking its first move beyond the UK and expanding its capabilities in software engineering, product development, and data services across multiple sectors.
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Domino’s acquisition paused after CEO resigns
Domino’s CEO resigns amid significant stock price decline. Andrew Rennie’s departure follows a challenging period for Domino’s, which saw its stock halve over the past year. The company is now seeking a permanent CEO as it reassesses its growth strategy.
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The highs, lows and reaction to the Autumn Budget 2025
Rachel Reeves has delivered a tax-heavy Autumn Budget for business. Markets have taken the measures in their stride, but leaders now face a higher, more complex tax burden and big questions about investment, skills, and productivity that our BQX deep-dive will unpack in full, as they plan for 2026 ahead.
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Friendly fraud expected to surge 25% over US holiday weekend
Friendly fraud cases are set to rise 25% this weekend. ACI Worldwide warns that retailers could face record levels of transaction disputes between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday, with the average fraudulent claim now worth $291 — a 21% year-on-year increase.
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Your first PE meeting: Chemistry matters as much as numbers
First meetings with investors are less performance, more partnership. Jamie Roberts, Managing Partner at YFM, explains why chemistry can make or break an initial PE meeting — and how founders who treat it as a conversation, not a pitch, set the tone for lasting collaboration.