The number represents a 61.2% increase compared with a year ago. By number of deals, there were 647 transactions during the year, an increase of 83.8% compared with 2020.
Australia took the lead with $33.6bn in value, a 241.4% increase from the same period in 2020. China followed with $24bn in value, up 298.8% from a year ago. India was third with $16.2bn and 176 deals, a 93.4% increase versus 2020.
The computer software and services sector saw deal values totalling $12.6bn from 105 transactions in 2021, a 228.1% increase in value and up 84.2% in volume compared with 2020, according to the financial data provider.
Internet specific totalled $11.1bn from 87 deals, a 94.5% increase in value. Consumer related overall value reached $8.6bn from 95 deals, a 79.2% increase in volume compared with a year ago.
The top ten deals announced or completed in the full year 2021 saw deal values totalling $52.6bn, resulting in a 49.8% share of all disclosed values. The largest deal was the pending acquisition of Sydney Airport Holdings in Australia, amounting to $16.8bn. In the second spot is the pending acquisition of Hitachi Metals Ltd from Japan with $7.5bn. Rounding out the top 3 was the completed deal of China Huarong Asset Management amounting to $6.6bn.
Venture capital deals
Asia Pacific venture capital (VC) activity totalled $152.2bn across 6,272 transactions in 2021. This marked a 106.9% increase in values and 69.1% in volumes from the same period in 2020.
China leads the Asia Pacific nations with $83.3bn, a 65.5% increase from full year 2020. India followed with $36.5bn, up 216.9% from a year ago. Singapore rounded out the top 3 with $7.9bn, up 224.4% from full year 2020.
Asia Pacific’s top three venture stage investments totalled $10.5bn, completed in the full year of 2021.
The largest is Taiwan’s Footprintku Inc with $3.8bn followed by Flipkart Online Services Pvt Ltd of India, with $3.6 bn in equity value. Rounding out the top 3 is SVOLT Energy Technology Co Ltd from China amounting to $3.1bn. Hillhouse Capital Management was the top investor for venture capital investments in Asia Pacific, completing 175 rounds, followed by Matrix Partners China Management, Temasek Holdings and IDG Capital Partners Inc which completed more than 100 rounds each in 2021.
The top ten venture capital deals by Asia Pacific firms investing outside the region amounted to $16.5bn. The biggest deal is Northvolt AB from Sweden, with a total value of $2.7bn. Databricks Inc, from the United States, followed with $2.6bn. Waywo LLC venture capital investment in June rounded out the top three with a total value of $2.5 bn.
