Buying into emerging markets
Entering a new market by acquisition is faster than building, if the target, the structure and the local approvals are right.
Most of the best emerging-market digital businesses are founder-owned and never formally listed for sale. Acquiry runs targeted, confidential outreach against your acquisition criteria and brings you qualified, off-market opportunities with the diligence questions that matter locally already answered.
We manage the parts of a cross-border deal that tend to stall it: entity and licence transfer, currency and repatriation, founder retention and the regulator timeline.
- Off-market target sourcing against a defined mandate
- Local licence, entity and ownership-restriction review
- Currency, repatriation and consideration structure
- Founder and key-staff retention through transition
- Regulatory and change-of-control approvals
Selling to international buyers
Founders in emerging markets often get the best price from a buyer outside their home market. We put the business in front of the right ones.
Strategic acquirers
Global and regional operators using acquisition to enter a market, add licences or buy local distribution.
Private equity & growth funds
Funds building regional platforms and buy-and-build strategies across fragmented digital categories.
Regional champions
Established regional players consolidating competitors to extend reach across neighbouring markets.
Sovereign-linked capital
Gulf and Asian sovereign-backed investors deploying into digital infrastructure, fintech and platforms.
Where we work
Middle East H1 M&A reached $45.4B, up 7% on H2 2025. Cross-border buyer interest is rising across every region below.
Southeast Asia
SEASingapore as the regional holding hub, with operating businesses across Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, Thailand and Malaysia.
Middle East & GCC
MENAUAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, where free-zone structures, active sovereign capital and new digital-asset frameworks are pulling in acquirers.
Latin America
LatAmBrazil, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina and Chile, with fintech, payments and gaming the most active acquisition categories.
Africa
AfricaNigeria, Kenya, South Africa and Egypt, led by payments, mobile money and consumer platforms with fast-growing user bases.
Structuring a cross-border deal
The structure decides whether value survives the close. These are the questions we settle early.
Holding structure
Where the acquiring and target entities sit, and whether a regional holdco simplifies ownership, tax and future exits.
Currency & consideration
Consideration currency, escrow and deferred payments sized to reduce FX exposure for both sides.
Licences & approvals
Which licences transfer, which must be re-applied for, and the realistic regulator timeline to completion.
Earnouts & retention
Deferred and performance-linked consideration that keeps founders engaged through integration.
Sectors we cover in these markets
Fintech & payments
Payment processors, mobile money, lending and remittance platforms.
Gaming & iGaming
Licensed operators, studios, affiliates and platform technology.
SaaS
Vertical and B2B software serving regional SMEs and enterprises.
Blockchain & digital assets
Exchanges, custody and infrastructure in newly regulated markets.
Media & content
Publishers, creator platforms and audience-led businesses.
E-commerce
Marketplaces, D2C brands and commerce enablement.