According to investment veteran Steve Wise from Carlyle, the headwinds that dragged down dealmaking throughout 2025 are finally loosening their grip. With major obstacles out of the way, the M&A landscape is positioned for a solid recovery.

Wise's assessment suggests that 2026 is shaping up to be a "very good" year for deal activity. The clearing of previous market friction points—whether regulatory uncertainty, funding constraints, or broader macroeconomic pressures—creates more breathing room for capital deployment.

For the investment and financial services world, this signals renewed appetite for mergers, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships. If the trend holds, expect to see increased institutional activity and capital movement as the year unfolds. The thaw in dealmaking conditions could ripple across multiple sectors, including emerging tech and fintech spaces where capital allocation decisions have been on pause.