Five US Policy Shifts Could Reshape Financial Markets

Why It Matters

These shifts could reshape capital allocation, risk pricing, and regulatory certainty across U.S. and global financial markets, influencing investors, corporations, and policymakers.

Key Takeaways

• Credit reforms may tighten loan underwriting standards
• Housing policy could shift mortgage interest deduction
• Monetary policy changes hint at higher interest rates
• Corporate governance reforms target board independence
• Digital‑asset rules may legitimize crypto trading platforms

Pulse Analysis

The Trump administration’s agenda is quietly reshaping the United States’ financial architecture through five intertwined policy tracks. In the credit sphere, proposed reforms aim to tighten underwriting standards, potentially curbing the surge of sub‑prime lending that fueled the 2008 crisis. Simultaneously, housing legislation could revise the mortgage interest deduction, altering the cost‑benefit calculus for homebuyers and developers alike. Together, these moves are set to recalibrate loan availability and real‑estate demand, sending early signals to banks, mortgage insurers, and construction firms about future capital flows.

Monetary policy is another focal point, with officials signaling a willingness to raise benchmark rates faster than market expectations. Higher rates would increase borrowing costs across corporate and consumer sectors, pressuring profit margins and prompting a shift toward balance‑sheet resilience. Parallel to this, a corporate‑governance overhaul seeks to strengthen board independence and shareholder rights, echoing trends in Europe and Asia. Investors are likely to reassess valuation models, factoring in tighter capital structures and enhanced oversight, while rating agencies may adjust sovereign and corporate outlooks accordingly.

The most novel element is the push toward a comprehensive digital‑asset framework. By clarifying the regulatory status of cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and tokenized securities, Washington hopes to attract fintech innovation while mitigating systemic risk. A clear rulebook could lower compliance costs for exchanges, encourage institutional participation, and position the U.S. as a global hub for blockchain‑based finance. However, the approach also raises questions about cross‑border coordination and the balance between innovation and consumer protection, making it a watch‑list item for regulators worldwide.

Five US Policy Shifts Could Reshape Financial Markets

Feb 18, 2026 · Dambisa Moyo · Project Syndicate

US President Donald Trump’s administration is advancing a series of domestic policy changes that affect credit, housing, monetary policy, corporate governance, and digital‑asset markets. Taken together, they could transform the regulatory landscape and reverberate through the global economy.

LONDON – Amid the chaos and uncertainty unleashed by tariff wars and foreign adventurism, it is easy to overlook five domestic policy initiatives that could fundamentally reshape financial markets and, by extension, the broader global economy. Although it remains unclear how (or even if) these changes will be implemented, investors, corporate leaders, and policymakers cannot afford to ignore them.