Synopsys has received the green light from all required regulatory bodies to proceed with its $35bn acquisition of Ansys, following conditional approval from China’s market regulator.
China’s State Administration for Market Regulation (SAMR) sanctioned the deal on 14 July 2025, clearing the final major hurdle for the merger between the two US-based companies. The transaction, first announced in2024, had been under rigorous antitrust review in several markets, including the UK.
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While Synopsys is a chip design software company, Ansys is an engineering simulation software company. This transaction merges Synopsys’ semiconductor design expertise with Ansys’ simulation and analysis capabilities.
Recently, the US government had lifted restrictions on the export of chip design software to China, which previously posed a risk to the deal due to potential regulatory pushback. This policy change facilitated the resumption of software supply to Chinese clients by Synopsys and other companies, such as Cadence Design Systems.
SAMR’s approval was contingent on commitments from Synopsys and Ansys. These commitments ensure that electronic design automation products will continue to be supplied to Chinese customers on non-discriminatory terms and that existing customer contracts and interoperability agreements will be honoured.
In the UK, the Competition and Markets Authority cleared the merger in March 2025, following a Phase 1 review that required certain divestitures.
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By GlobalDataThe merger is expected to conclude later this week, pending final customary closing conditions.
Under the agreement terms, Ansys shareholders will receive $197 in cash along with 0.3450 shares of Synopsys common stock for each share they hold.
The merger aims to create an integrated approach from silicon design to system-level solutions. According to the parties, this approach caters to the growing complexities of intelligent systems that demand seamless integration of design and simulation technologies.
With this acquisition, Synopsys intends to leverage its tools alongside Ansys’ strengths in simulation to drive innovation across various industries. The combined resources are expected to provide comprehensive solutions that support rapid development of AI-driven products.
