These days, there's quite a buzz in the market—several top-tier US banks might be planning a large-scale strategic partnership. It sounds insignificant, but it could actually shake up the entire financial market landscape.

Why do I say that? Because institutions like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs rarely band together proactively. When they do team up, what does it usually mean?

First, the underlying logic of the market could change. The distribution of liquidity, asset pricing methods, and even derivatives trading—these could all be reshaped. Think about it: a previously fragmented market suddenly connected by a few major channels, leading to new fund flow patterns.

Second, such alliances often open up new opportunity windows. Compliance pathways become clearer, cross-border settlements may accelerate, and innovation in derivatives could expand. In plain terms, rules are being rewritten, and new gameplay methods might emerge.

But conversely, the days for small and medium-sized institutions will become tougher. Resources will concentrate in the big players, barriers to scale will rise, and the survival space for mid-sized firms will inevitably be squeezed.

From historical experience, these kinds of bank strategic collaborations are rarely accidental. They often reflect deep forecasts by institutions about future policies and markets. If this really takes shape, the financial market in 2026 could see a wave of "alliance effects"—the denser the cooperation network, the stronger its influence on asset prices and fund flows.

Of course, the specifics of how and when they will cooperate haven't been disclosed yet. But such signals are usually released in advance, so it's worth paying close attention.

What do you think? Will the collaboration of big banks more easily promote financial innovation, or will it ultimately lead to a monopoly? Feel free to leave your comments below.