Singapore leads in VC and M&A deals Q1 despite global slump

Digital Edge DC raised a staggering $640m in a Series A round.

Despite a global pullback in deal volume, Singapore stood out in Q1 2025 with some of the largest venture capital and exit transactions globally, signalling its growing clout as a hub for innovation, digital infrastructure, and high-value tech firms.

At the centre of the spotlight is Digital Edge DC, a Singapore-based data infrastructure company that raised a staggering $640m in a Series A round.

According to CB Insights’ State of Venture Q1 2025 Report, it was the largest Series A deal globally last quarter. The deal reflects investor confidence in Singapore’s role as a strategic base for IT services and data storage across Asia.

Meanwhile, Olam Agri, headquartered in Singapore, was involved in one of the biggest M&A exits globally. The agri-business giant was acquired for $4b by Saudi Agricultural & Livestock Investment Company, ranking third amongst all global M&A exits in the quarter.

Singapore also featured in the SPAC scene with GCL, a gaming company, completing a $1.2b merger with RF Acquisition Corp. The deal placed it amongst the top global SPACs for the quarter, underscoring the city-state’s growing influence in cross-border public listings.

Adding to the prestige, fashion e-commerce powerhouse SHEIN—listed as a Singapore-based company—was named the fifth most valuable unicorn in the world, valued at $66b. It sits just behind giants like SpaceX and ByteDance.

Investors also took notice of Singapore’s rising prominence. Local venture capital firm Antler was ranked as the fifth most active VC globally in Q1 2025 and tied for sixth place amongst the top global investors in AI startups.

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