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25 September 2026 / Stephan Pastor , Coralie Trudon
Issue: 8178 / Categories: Features , Commercial , International
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Vying for Europe’s M&A crown

© Getty images

Stephan Pastor and Coralie Trudon on how Monaco is emerging as a niche hub for complex M&A and strategic cross-border transactions

Lying at the heart of the French Riviera close to Nice and Cannes, the Principality of Monaco may be concentrated in just two square kilometres, but it provides a unique case study in the potency of intensive economic ambition. Its enduring success challenges the common misapprehension that territorial scale is an essential prerequisite for significant economic output.

The Monegasque economy is predominantly service-based. Professional, scientific, and administrative activities comprise roughly a quarter of its total GDP, while other major economic pillars include the financial, insurance, and real estate service sectors. Digital services, one of the fastest growing sectors, now generates nearly €1bn (£850m) in annual revenues.

Home to more than 7,000 registered companies, Monaco continues to evolve as a niche, yet highly sophisticated commercial hub. Underpinned by a stable and resilient financial ecosystem, the Monegasque market has become increasingly attractive to multinational businesses, private capital and investors, both local and international.

Economic stability

While the M&A market

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