Banking M&A Integration: Cloud and AI as Strategic Levers

Banking M&A Integration: Cloud and AI as Strategic Levers** 150+ bank M&A deals 2025, highest October value ($21.4B) since 2019. Banks pursuing consolidation to scale technology investments, broaden customer data for AI, accelerate digital transformation. **Evidence:** - Early tech/data integration in sign-to-close correlates with faster post-close execution - Deloitte research on 50+ transactions shows integration planning as critical success factor **Sources:** - https://www.reedsmith.com/articles/us-bank-ma-outlook-for-2026-and-beyond/ - https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/Industries/financial-services/articles/banking-ma-integration-accelerators.html **Strategic Recommendation:** - Prioritize cloud/AI/core system integration as Day 1 M&A workstream - Engage tech leadership early in deal evaluation ---