The 2026 Economic Outlook, Deregulation, Tax Policy, and the Banking M&A Rebound

Hosted at our Biz2X Frontiers 2026 event, this live panel discusses

• What’s really driving mergers and acquisitions in banks right now
• From Pipeline to Close: What Catalyzes Bigger, Faster Deals?
• How are regulators likely to approach bank consolidation in 2026, and where are the biggest risks to deal approval and completion? 
• Strategy Beyond Banking: Convergence, Technology, and Integration
• The End Impact: What M&A Means for Small Banks and Small Businesses all

Moderator: Ryan Curley, Managing Director & Partner, BCG

Steven Moore, Chairman and Co-founder of Unleash Prosperity, Club for Growth Founder, WSJ Writer, Former Heritage Foundation Economist, Unleash Prosperity

Keith Townsend, Partner, King & Spalding

David MacGown, Managing Director, Barclays

Christopher Dieck, Managing Director, Morgan Stanley

Thank you page 

After years of “muted” deal activity and regulatory scrutiny, 2026 stands as a potential watershed moment for the financial sector. This session explores how a new era of pro-growth fiscal policy and aggressive deregulation, championed by the nation’s leading economic architects, is creating the most fertile environment for banking consolidation in a decade.